Chapter 173
Chapter 173
The MacLaine Territory was recruiting new soldiers.
Total: 5,000.
Ages 16-20, male.
(...details omitted...)
The response to the recruitment announcement was as fervent as expected.
Out of the 5,000 positions, over 2,000 applicants came from MacLaine Town alone. Combined across all twenty castles, the number soared past 30,000.
The overwhelming turnout rapidly increased the workload for Heinkel, Kai Solon, and the other training officers and administrative staff, but the leadership couldn't have been happier.
Among them, Logan's heart swelled with something even more special.
'If things go well, there's a high chance that some of the first recruits will awaken their Force within this year—or at the latest, next year.'
If his expectations held true, it would mean that within just four or five years of implementing the new training standards, someone would awaken their Force.
An incredibly short timeframe, even considering how much the MacLaine army had been tempered through countless battlefields.
And if those individuals began emerging one by one, followed by later recruits and new applicants explosively awakening their Force after a few more years...
'That alone would mark the beginning of another crucial preparation against the Empire.'
Moreover—
'Only then would the entire nation voluntarily adopt MacLaine's soldier selection methods.'
Truthfully, he had already explained the recruitment standards to the nobles after seizing power, but none had implemented them yet.
Enforcing such standards by decree would be too heavy-handed, even for him.
So, he waited, hoping the trend would catch on naturally.
As he watched the situation unfold with satisfaction, Ellen paid him a visit.
Having been swamped with work since returning to the territory, it had been a while since he last saw her.
Unconsciously, Logan's face broke into a bright smile—only to stiffen the moment he saw her grave expression.
"Ellen, what's the matter...?"
"Lord Logan. I have a proposal regarding the soldier recruitment."
"Ah... Haha, I thought it was something serious. Go ahead. I always welcome your input."
"Since we're recruiting soldiers on such a large scale... why not enlist women as well?"
"...What?"
The sudden suggestion caught Logan off guard.
'It was something I planned to do eventually... but this abruptly?'
When he recruited Ellen, the most important factor wasn't her talent—it was her symbolic value.
Her fame would prove to the kingdom that female knights and soldiers could be formidable forces, paving the way for future female recruitment.
But the civil war ended sooner than expected, leaving her reputation confined mostly to MacLaine Territory, its surroundings, and the capital's social circles.
Even then, she was more famous as Logan MacLaine's fiancée than as a knight.
That was undeniably his miscalculation.
So, at some point, he had begun pinning his hopes solely on her potential to become a Transcendent.
Yet here she was, bringing it up herself.
"Could you tell me what made you think of this?"
"I've been reflecting a lot lately. Wondering what role I can truly fulfill for this household."
"...You're already doing more than enough."
"I know."
Pfft.
Her confident reply was followed by a brief chuckle—before she quickly sobered again.
"Meeting you and coming to MacLaine helped me find my path. And my partner, too."
Hmph.
Ellen smiled as she watched her flustered fiancé blush, then resumed with a serious tone.
"But then it struck me—am I really the only woman like this in the territory? In the entire kingdom?"
"Ah..."
"Yes. Thanks to you, I want to extend the opportunities I received to others. And I firmly believe it will greatly benefit House MacLaine. What do you think?"
Logan took a deep breath, gazing at the crimson hair so like his own—and the emerald eyes so unlike his.
Something he had always intended to do.
Yet something he had half given up on.
And now, the very person at the center of that plan was proposing it herself.
Looking at his fiancée, who seemed especially radiant today, Logan nodded sincerely.
"Very well. Then let's make female military training our goal, with Dame Ellen Floyd taking charge."
"Huh? Me?"
She seemed taken aback—apparently, she hadn't considered that far.
"But for soldier training, there are far more qualified people than me..."
"But none understand women as well as you do. You can handle things they wouldn't even think of, right?"
"Ah..."
"And above all, you're the perfect focal point to gather those who share this dream. The kingdom's first female knight—and the first woman to be granted a noble title. Baroness Ellen Floyd."
Ellen, who had earned her barony through the civil war.
Though rumors said the capital's social circles had buzzed over it for a while, the title was undeniably hers by merit.
There was no shame in the grand epithet before her name.
"Ah..."
Her slightly flushed expression suggested she was embarrassed—but even that was endearing enough to make Logan smile.
Suppressing the urge, he calmly laid out the challenges ahead.
"But you'll need to steel yourself."
"Steel myself?"
"Ideals are good, but they won't come easily. It'll be tough, and there will be opposition."
After all, Ellen hadn't become famous for her martial prowess as he'd vaguely imagined.
In this kingdom, being a mid-tier female knight alone should have been enough to make her renowned—but he had inadvertently stolen all the attention.
"It doesn't matter. The harder it is, the sweeter the reward."
Her emerald eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
At this point, further warnings would just be nagging.
So Logan simply promised her his full support.
But, as expected, the situation didn't proceed smoothly.
- MacLaine Territory is recruiting women as soldiers now?
- Female soldiers? What nonsense is this?
- Pfft, how could women possibly—
- Must be some sick joke. Tear that down.
Within days of the additional notice being posted, reactions poured in.
Despite being an official recruitment announcement, most refused to believe it.
So Logan personally ordered the construction of a dedicated female training ground and barracks, proving it was no prank—but House MacLaine's genuine intent.
And just as he'd discussed with Ellen, her name was prominently featured—with some embellishment.
- The kingdom's strongest female knight, Dame Ellen Floyd, will personally train and lead the female soldiers.
(He conveniently omitted that she was the only female knight in the kingdom.)
- The first officially recognized female noble in the kingdom's history stakes her honor on this.
(Though he didn't mention that no one would actually hold her accountable if it failed.)
- MacLaine pledges its full support and commitment.
(He tactfully avoided specifying that existing soldiers received equal support.)
The first backlash came from within.
BANG!
"Logan!! What in blazes is this?!"
A voice loud enough to rattle the room despite the speaker standing right in front of him.
Seeing his father's veins bulging, Logan sighed softly.
'Here it comes.'
To a stubborn knight like his father, this might seem like an attempt to smear the family's honor.
"I gave you full authority, and this is how you use it?!"
But the resistance was expected.
"Father, this is for the household's future—"
Logan took a deep breath and stood firm.
Then—
"Why only recruit female 'soldiers'?! There could be Force users like my future daughter-in-law among them!"
"It's for the... Wait, what did you just say?"
Logan's bewildered gaze locked onto his father—only to grow even more confused at the next words.
"If you vaguely call them 'female soldiers,' Force users won't apply! You should recruit knights too—knights!"
"Ah... I hadn't considered that. Hahaha. I'll revise it."
Why is he suddenly like this?
No matter how much Logan racked his brain, he couldn't make sense of it—until the question slipped out.
"But I thought you'd oppose this...?"
"Oppose? Why would I?"
"You objected when I made Ellen a knight."
"And my future daughter-in-law proved her worth magnificently."
"Uh... True."
"Do you take me for some narrow-minded fool? I'm not so stubborn as to deny results right in front of me."
Good grief...
If you'd been like this four years ago, I'd have had an easier time.
"Anyway, proceed as you see fit. I came because I worried you might be hesitating on my account. As for the shouting... Hmph. Well, my apologies."
His father turned away, ears flushed red.
'Even he finds this awkward, doesn't he?'
These were matters he likely hadn't even considered until recently.
Yet here he was—a middle-aged father striving to change for his household, for his son.
"Understood, Father."
Thanks to that, Logan could laugh freely for the first time in ages.
However—
Despite the revised notice and extensive promotion, female recruits remained scarce.
"232?"
At Ellen's disappointed murmur, Dwain's voice grew even quieter.
"Yes... And most applied right after the initial announcement."
Even counting those who passed the tests, fewer than 300 had applied in total.
As Ellen sighed repeatedly, Logan stepped in.
"It's only natural, Ellen. We prepared for this. Even a small number is enough to start—they'll pave the way."
At his sincere encouragement, Ellen nodded.
"Right. Let's focus on training them properly."
"...Can I trust you with this?"
"Yes. If we can turn them into even a minimal fighting force, more will come forward later."
"True. Just proving we're serious—not just fooling around—should attract far more applicants."
"Exactly. I'll make sure of it."
Her fists clenched tight enough to show tendons.
The disappointing turnout seemed only to fuel her determination.
Watching her, Logan couldn't help but avert his eyes guiltily.
'Did I focus too much on exceptions like Ellen or 'that woman'? I knew intellectually such women were rare, but...'
Ellen before him, and 'that woman' from his past life—the only two women he'd been close to—were both exceptionally skilled.
That must have warped his expectations.
'Now that I think about it, Cathy mentioned serving as a mercenary in the Empire. Maybe we should target female mercenaries from the kingdom operating there instead?'
The idle thought, sparked by a fleeting memory, only drew another sigh.
"Are you really leaving, Cathy?"
"Yeah. Obviously. How could I stay here?"
"But..."
"It's fine. Don't you know me? I'm Cassandra the Mighty! I'll be fine. You take care, kid."
Cassandra gave her childhood friend one tight hug before turning away.
After beating her forced marriage candidate unconscious the night before the wedding, staying in her hometown was no longer an option.
The only path for her unnatural strength was mercenary work.
'And that's impossible in this kingdom—I'll have to head to the Empire.'
At least the eastern Empire's common tongue wasn't too different from the kingdom's. With strength enough to overpower two or three grown men, making a living wouldn't be hard.
That was how Cassandra consoled herself as she left behind the hometown she'd known for twenty years.
Then—
"Hey, Cathy! So you're going to MacLaine?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? I'm heading to the Empire—"
"They're recruiting female soldiers and knights down in MacLaine Territory. Wouldn't it be better than a foreign land? Closer to home?"
"...What? Seriously?!"
In the future Logan had altered, another destiny changed course.