Chapter 118
Chapter 118
News of the Grand Prince's absence from MacLaine Territory didn't spread widely outside.
However, when the Grand Prince—who had been giving daily operational directives and overseeing training—disappeared for nearly ten days, whispers began circulating within the territory.
But with the lord and the mage Clayton, who had assisted him, keeping their lips sealed, no one in the territory could pry into the Grand Prince's whereabouts.
The only problem was that, even in this situation, knights from fallen houses continued knocking on MacLaine Town's gates one by one.
A neutral faction actively recruiting knights—and a powerful one at that.
Moreover, the conditions were generous, making it an attractive option for knights who had lost their homes in the war.
And among those who came to MacLaine Territory, some sought to exploit the situation.
Knights like Tenan, Dylan, and Jacob—currently raising their voices in the administrative office—were precisely such cases.
"We came because we heard this 'Grand Prince' was recruiting."
"And now you're telling us the man himself isn't here?"
"Is this any way to treat guests?"
Having lost their lords in the civil war and wandering aimlessly, the three had only recently met on the road to MacLaine Town and quickly hit it off.
It was absurd that those who had come seeking employment were now the ones raising their voices, but they had their own calculations.
MacLaine had recently struck it rich somehow, even capturing the stronghold of Vifros, one of the kingdom's top three magnates.
In other words, they were now filthy rich. And they were actively recruiting knights to expand their influence.
So, with the right pretext, they could push for better treatment—knowing MacLaine wouldn't dare mistreat them for fear of damaging their reputation.
...Or so they thought.
Thus, the three maintained polite tones but pressed the official receiving them with forceful voices.
Naturally, the official was dying inside.
'Still, they're guests who came at the Grand Prince's invitation...'
The bald Rugel Hais forced a smile as cold sweat dripped down his back.
"Ahaha. The Grand Prince will emerge once his closed-door training concludes. If you could just stay here until then—"
"No. How long are we supposed to wait? We'd like a definitive answer now. We're not exactly idle ourselves."
Idle yourselves, you bastards.
Rugel couldn't help but feel disillusioned—were these thugs really knights they had to welcome?
Then, salvation arrived in the form of a passing authority figure.
"Hm? Rugel? Are these guests? They're dressed as knights."
"Ah! Sir Heinkel! Perfect timing! These knights have come from the frontlines wishing to meet the Grand Prince and negotiate terms... Ah, sirs, this is Sir Heinkel, captain of MacLaine's knight order."
As Rugel sighed in relief and explained, the three knights stepped forward.
"Tenan, from Tainan. In my homeland, I was known as 'Strongblade Tenan.' An honor to meet you."
"Dylan, from Gefield. My comrades back home called me 'Swiftblade Dylan.'"
"Jacob, from Tehenan. 'Brute Force—'"
"Ah. Understood. All of you have epithets—impressive. I don't even have one. Envious."
Jacob, cut off mid-sentence, wore an awkward expression, but Heinkel didn't press further.
The knight captain of a powerful territory—if they were recruited here, this man would be their superior.
The three simultaneously waved their hands dismissively.
"Oh, no, no. Just nicknames from the countryside."
"Mine was only acknowledged by my comrades."
"My enemies were just easily intimidated, but here—"
"Well, we'll see about that in a test. You want to work for MacLaine?"
Heinkel's casual tone didn't feel out of place at all.
"Yes! Exactly!"
"We've long heard of MacLaine's prestige—"
"Your reputation precedes you, Captain—"
"Enough. Let me say one thing."
Heinkel raised a hand, silencing them, his gaze turning icy as it swept over them.
"Our Grand Prince rewards ability with appropriate treatment. If you want better treatment, prove you deserve it. Actions speak louder than words."
His tone was so firm it sent chills down their spines, leaving the three no choice but to nod awkwardly.
"Ready! Fire!"
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
At the command, hundreds of soldiers unleashed a volley of crossbow bolts.
The trees ahead were instantly turned into pincushions.
The three knights gasped as they witnessed the rapid-fire barrage for the first time.
"The soldiers' training is truly exceptional."
"Astounding. I've never seen such crossbows."
"I think I understand why MacLaine keeps winning."
Clapping on horseback, they lavished praise.
Watching them, Rugel clicked his tongue inwardly.
Are these knights or sycophants? Why couldn't they act like this with me?
As he grumbled internally, Heinkel calmly corrected their misconception.
"Not soldiers. Militia."
"Militia...?"
"You mean... village guards?"
"You're saying they're not regular troops? And you armed them like this?"
"That's precisely what makes our Grand Prince remarkable. Don't be too impressed just by this."
Assuming it was mere bravado, the three forced polite smiles.
Though unspoken, their exchanged glances said it all:
'Just showing off.'
'With ten surnames, they're boasting about a measly two or three hundred militiamen? They must have at least a hundred villages.'
But as they passed group after group on the way to the knight training grounds, their assumptions gradually crumbled.
"Surely each of those groups doesn't represent a whole village... right?"
"Of course not. Even for us, mobilizing that many would be impossible."
"Ah, naturally..."
"Three villages per unit."
"Th-three... villages?"
"It's collective training season, so most are gathered nearby. They're also preparing land for the new town, so you'll see plenty along the way."
"......"
Their dwindling chatter died completely upon reaching the knight training grounds.
"Try blocking this!"
Crack!
"I'll leave you alive!"
Smash!
"Shut your mouth—unless you want your teeth shattered!"
Boom!
The noise was unimaginably violent for wooden sword sparring.
Every swing tore through the air with a sound like space itself splitting—proof of the terrifying force behind each strike.
And most knights wielded their swords with similar, devastating form.
Tenan, Dylan, and Jacob were seasoned knights with years of experience.
They couldn't mistake what this meant.
Knights who seemed at their level were clearly a cut above.
"The force behind those strikes is extraordinary. Don't tell me—"
"...Does MacLaine have an intermediate swordsmanship style exclusively for knights?"
"Indeed."
"......!!"
"Th-then, if we join, we could also—"
"Of course we'd teach you."
"We'll enlist!"
"No, we want to!"
"Just give us a chance!"
Their earlier arrogance had vanished without a trace.
But Heinkel didn't nod.
"That depends on you."
"...Huh?"
"We can't accept every knight who comes knocking. There's a test."
- Recruit knights first, assess later.
- Discipline them into shape.
- If they don't improve, break them.
For once, Heinkel ignored his lord's brutally simple philosophy.
'Better to crush their pride before they cause trouble. Their attitudes back at the office were rotten.'
He hadn't liked their demeanor either.
"We'll do anything!"
"Test us!"
"What's first?!"
He ignored their enthusiasm for now.
"First, observe the training. After the official session ends, I'll hear your thoughts before administering the test."
Would they keep this attitude by then?
Heinkel's cold smile made the three tense up.
Knights with broken limbs from wooden sword sparring were quickly healed by potions provided from somewhere.
"P-potions?"
"You use potions during training?"
"Are those real?"
"Of course. Diluted, but real."
Even that was an extravagance unimaginable in ordinary knight orders.
But diluted low-grade potions had clear limits—several knights with broken bones had no choice but to withdraw.
And those very knights burned with frustration.
"Garen! Next time, I'll break your ribs!"
"Heh. Try me—in a few days."
A few days?
Noticing their puzzled looks, Heinkel answered readily.
"The temple in Vifros has established treatment centers in MacLaine Town and this training ground—soon to be the second town. Anyway, priests stationed there can heal bone fractures in days. They won't join the war, but they'll assist with training."
The three couldn't help but marvel again.
Not only did they teach formidable intermediate swordsmanship, but their welfare system was flawless despite the brutal training.
Their desire to enlist surged anew.
"Final drill! Mounted return to MacLaine Town!"
"Uwaaah!"
At Heinkel's clap, the knights—who had been resting after sparring—groaned in unison.
"The knights' passion is remarkable."
"Do they regret ending training?"
"Haha. I should work hard too."
The three praised the atmosphere with flushed faces—until the knights started carrying their horses instead of riding them.
"...Did he say 'mounted' just now?"
"Our mounted training involves horses carrying us."
"......"
"......"
"......"
What kind of madness is this?
Reading their expressions, Heinkel chuckled.
"You're not part of the order yet, so you're exempt. Rugel, take your time riding back."
"Yes!"
"Alright! Move out!"
Heeeyah!
The moment Rugel responded, Heinkel lifted his own horse and charged off the way they'd come.
Stunned, the three couldn't bring themselves to emulate the spectacle and simply ran after them.
"Hey! What about your horses—?!"
The official's shout couldn't catch up to the sprinting knights.
"Tch. Everyone reacts the same way."
Though grumbling, Rugel wore a faint smile.
These three weren't the first knights to visit MacLaine recently.
Their reactions alone showed how much stronger the territory had become.
And their ultimate choice would be no different.
Swelling with pride for his house, Rugel led three horses back at a leisurely pace.
Leading by example, Heinkel—carrying his horse—soon overtook the knights at the front.
But as an upper-tier aura user, this wasn't excessive.
In fact, he leisurely observed the knights' conditions, amused (?) by their strained expressions.
His smile deepened upon seeing three particularly young faces at the forefront.
Their attitudes and skills had transformed dramatically since the Vifros capture—no, more accurately, since the Tomodo defense.
Among them was the lord's son and a female knight he'd never imagined seeing here until recently.
'Whatever lesson they learned at Tomodo Castle...'
As long as they didn't overdo it, it could only be good.
The faces of those three—gritting their teeth and pushing harder than anyone—burned into Heinkel's mind.