Cheongam Castle
The massive, towering walls encircling Cheongam Castle rose so imposingly high that from the outside, no one could even guess what lay within or what buildings stood there.
A fortress utterly severed from the world.
Yet even within those impregnable walls, one presence dominated with unparalleled grandeur: the Captain's Castle, residence of the Jin Gang Regiment's leader.
Though nestled in the territory's deepest heart, surrounded by walls, its dizzying height and overwhelming scale made it visible even from atop the ramparts.
It felt as if the entire wall existed merely as a bulwark to protect this Captain's Castle.
'This is... crazy in its own way.'
The Lord's Castle and Greenwood's manor I'd seen so far resembled the grand noble estates one might imagine.
But the Jin Gang Regiment's castle, viewed from afar, was utterly different.
It exuded majesty, yet lacked the raw dominance and harmony with nature found nowhere in the Lord's Castle or Greenwood.
The Jin Gang castle seemed carved from one sheer face of a colossal rock mountain, seamlessly fused with the natural bedrock.
Less an artificial structure than a mountain transformed over millennia into a fortress—natural, yet imposingly untouchable.
Its outer walls blended dark slate and unyielding granite, etched with deep patterns radiating ancient, mystical aura.
'Probably the previous captain's taste.'
Even I didn't know exactly who the Jin Gang Regiment's prior captain had been.
Haven itself was shrouded in such mystery, even in the game.
'The identities and fates of past captains, before the current ones, were never even mentioned...'
One thing was certain: the territory housing the Jin Gang captain transformed entirely according to the reigning captain's 'tastes' and 'disposition.'
"Whoa..."
"Incredible..."
Hanji, who'd seemed sullen moments ago, and Leina, who'd offered a tsundere apology, both gawked openly at the castle's overwhelming majesty.
The carriage slowly approached Cheongam Castle's massive, heavy gates.
As we reached the ponderous iron doors, a breathtaking sight unfolded.
Hundreds of knights filled the vast plaza before the gates, arrayed in perfect formation.
Clad in brown armor emblazoned with sword-and-shield emblems, they stood without a single flaw in their ranks.
At the forefront stood three figures who appeared to be officers, distinguished by their more ornate gear.
And before them, a man in crisp butler attire identical to Walter's stood in poised reverence.
He was likely the steward who'd managed the Jin Gang Regiment in my absence, acting as interim captain.
The carriage halted right before the gates.
As if awaiting my descent, they all dropped to one knee in unison—like a scripted ritual.
Hundreds of knights, the three officers, and the steward. Every last one.
And in the next instant.
Hundreds of voices merged into a thunderous roar.
"We welcome the new master of the Jin Gang Regiment, the one and only to lead 'Haven's Shield'! Lord Astra!!!"
The hundreds of knights kneeling and shouting before the colossal gates.
This was no mere greeting. It was an oath of absolute loyalty and submission to the new captain—a signal to the territory's people that a new era for the Jin Gang Regiment had dawned.
Stepping from the carriage, I felt the weight of hundreds of kneeling gazes and the deafening roar course through me. Only then did the reality sink in: I was the Jin Gang Regiment's 'Captain.'
'In a moment like this... I need to say something, right?'
Dozens of lines flashed through my mind.
What should I say?
My first words would etch my initial impression into these knights forever.
I could feel their eyes fixed not on mine—none dared meet them—but on my lips alone.
The scene was so intense that even Hanji, Leina, and Rowen, descending late from the carriage, stood frozen in awe, staring at me.
Awe and tension etched their faces.
I drew a deep breath and spoke in a low, resonant voice.
"Greetings."
At my curt opener, the hundreds of knights flinched as one.
Their eyes burned with intensified reverence.
Holding their gaze, I declared my presence as the Jin Gang Regiment's new master.
"I am Astra, assuming the vacant role of Jin Gang Captain."
The Jin Gang Regiment symbolized Haven's shield.
No matter the external assault or unimaginable calamity, it never yielded, enduring steadfastly. Its name alone sent shivers through enemies; its defenses were deemed impregnable.
Yet despite its glorious history, years of leadership vacancy had cast a deep shadow.
Without an absolute focal point, the regiment's prestige waned, lagging behind other forces.
Internal chaos and unease grew.
Watching it all, Elbern—steward of Cheongam Castle, the regiment's heart—had awaited this moment more desperately than anyone.
Praying nightly for a new captain to right the faltering Jin Gang, unite its scattered strength, and restore its glory as their centerpiece.
He never abandoned hope each morning.
And finally.
The new focal point, Captain Astra, had arrived.
The instant that short 'Greetings' left his lips,
Elbern felt a shock like his heart gripped, electricity surging through him.
No mere pleasantry or dignified tone.
In those brief words lay indescribable power and weight. Without flexing any force,
One phrase made hundreds of knights and three officers flinch in unison, their eyes awash in awe—vivid even from Elbern's knelt view.
Then the introduction: 'I am Astra, assuming the vacant role of Jin Gang Captain.'
The name 'Astra.' As it echoed, every nerve in Elbern fixated on it.
No massive power wave or intimidation.
Just the name 'Astra'—like primordial truth, encompassing all meaning, imprinting an untouchable presence deep in his mind.
Kneeling, head bowed, Elbern's heart raced wildly, every cell thrilling.
Then, the captain's voice turned to him.
"The steward of Cheongam Castle?"
Suppressing surging emotion, Elbern replied in a trembling voice.
"Y-yes, Lord Astra. I am Elbern, steward of Cheongam Castle. To meet you thus... it is my utmost honor."
Confirming name and role, the captain shifted seamlessly to the regiment's state.
Ignoring the long vacancy, his question pierced straight to the core.
"How has the Jin Gang Regiment been faring in my absence?"
Elbern was inwardly stunned.
His first words concerned the regiment's welfare.
So unlike the previous captain.
A respected leader of immense power and charisma, yet he always prioritized his authority and comfort, sidelining knights' morale and unity.
But this one, worrying for the Jin Gang first upon arrival...
Elbern was certain: he would reforge the fractured regiment, reclaiming 'Haven's Shield.'
Hot hope welled in his chest.
Still kneeling, Elbern began his report on the current state.
"We adhered to the previous captain's policies, focusing on maintaining core systems. Training schedules per division and patrol routes proceeded as before..."
"Hold. You're still using the previous captain's policies verbatim?"
"Yes... Though I served as interim captain, I lacked authority to alter them. Until Your Lordship's arrival, my duty was to preserve the existing framework flawlessly—that was the limit of my mandate."
"I see... You've had it rough."
"Ah..."
One phrase, yet the warmth and gratitude within lifted the heavy burden from Elbern's heart.
Pent-up tension and fatigue melted like spring snow.
"We'll discuss policies and systems in detail at the castle. Rise and follow me."
Gazing at the new captain's dignified retreating back, hope gleamed in Elbern's eyes.
Like a beam piercing darkness, the Jin Gang Regiment's new future seemed embodied in those steps.