The apprentice knights endured the agonizing pain of forcibly opening their mana paths day after day, their faces growing gaunter with each passing hour. It became clear to them why their lord, Ghislain, wasn’t concerned about this method being leaked. ‘How could anyone teach this to another person?’ ‘I’ve never heard of anyone teaching it like this.’ ‘Even if someone knew how to do it, they'd probably kill the person they were teaching!’ Because the mana paths were forcibly created, they couldn’t understand the technique. In essence, they were learning through sheer physical experience without any theoretical knowledge. As the apprentice knights grew more haggard, so too did Ghislain’s complexion. He was just as exhausted as they were. ‘It’s not as easy as I thought to handle this all at once,’ Ghislain mused. Despite his rough methods, Ghislain was meticulously controlling the mana to prevent the knights from dying during the process. Compared to his past life, his mana reserves were much smaller, and managing so many people without wasting energy required immense focus. Doing this day after day, draining his mana until he was completely exhausted, was taking its toll on him. ‘Maybe I should extend the schedule? At this rate, I’ll be the one who dies first.’ Ghislain had even considered giving up halfway through. But every time he thought of it, he remembered his past life, steeling his resolve. ‘There’s no time to waste. I have to treat every day as borrowed time.’ He couldn’t allow the same regrets from his past life to resurface. With that thought, Ghislain clenched his teeth and continued focusing on opening the knights' mana paths. His determination, even though unspoken, was palpable. It naturally spread through the atmosphere, affecting the apprentice knights as well. They, too, gritted their teeth and endured alongside him. A week passed, and the sharp determination in their eyes resembled finely honed blades. Slowly, some even began to sense mana. The basic groundwork was finally complete. Ghislain, wiping the sweat from his brow, announced with a sense of relief, "You’ve endured well. The painful part is over now. From here on, we’ll focus on using the mana condensation arrays to build your mana and teach you how to control it." “Yeahhhh!” The apprentice knights erupted in cheers. No matter how many times they experienced it, the excruciating pain of having their bodies forcibly altered was something they couldn’t get used to. Though they endured out of sheer grit, each day had felt like an eternity in hell. Now that the torture was over, they couldn't help but celebrate. The apprentice knights began their training in the mana condensation arrays in earnest. “Wow, I can’t believe I’m finally sitting inside a condensation array.” “You can really feel the mana, can’t you?” While it was difficult for someone new to mana to absorb it, the overwhelming power of the condensation array made it feel like the mana was entering their bodies just by breathing. ‘It’s real! My body is really absorbing mana!’ ‘The suffering is over! This is the start of happiness!’ Seated within the condensation array, they couldn’t stop smiling, no matter how hard they tried to suppress it. ‘How can I not smile when I’ve become a knight who can control mana?’ Following Ghislain’s teachings, the knights gradually learned how to control and release mana. Although controlling mana was still difficult, they started to move it within their bodies by following the paths Ghislain had carved for them. It was a tedious process, but compared to the pain they’d endured the previous week, it felt like paradise. ‘I knew I could trust the lord. He had it all planned out from the start.’ ‘Ah, I should’ve had more faith.’ All thoughts of grumbling about Ghislain disappeared. Now, they were singing his praises, impressed by the fruits of his brutal training. Human memory is funny that way. No matter how painful the experience, once it’s over and the rewards are in hand, the pain fades into distant memory. The knights fully believed that this happiness would continue. A week later, they finally reached the stage of actually using their mana. “Now, this is where things get real. It doesn’t matter if you can sense or gather mana; if you can’t use it, it’s meaningless. Gordon! Step forward and show us what you’ve learned.” At Ghislain’s command, Gordon stepped forward with confidence. Drawing on everything he had learned, he began to gather his mana. ‘So this is what it feels like!’ As the mana spread through his body, Gordon felt euphoric. The amount of mana he had was tiny—like a speck—but even that small amount made his body feel as solid as iron. He felt like he could break anything or block any attack. It was a whole new world, one he had never known. ‘This is mana! I’m invincible! I could even take on Kaor right now!’ Eager to experience even more of this power, Gordon drew on all the mana he had. Fwoosh! “Oooh! Look at that energy! Gordon’s really unleashing it!” As Gordon’s aura grew stronger, the other knights squirmed in their seats, eager to try it for themselves. And then, suddenly— “Bleeeegh! Gaaaack!” Having exhausted all his mana, Gordon collapsed, vomiting blood. “...?” Everyone’s eyes widened in shock, too stunned to speak. But Ghislain clapped his hands, delighted. “Perfect! That’s exactly how it should be used! How does it feel? Doesn’t it feel powerful?” Gordon, still pale and trembling, looked up at Ghislain in disbelief. “Uh, Lord Ghislain? I’m in pain. I just coughed up blood. I feel completely drained.” “Oh, that’s normal.” “...That’s normal?” “It’s a side effect. You’re using a method that lets you draw out more power than you have, but it puts a lot of strain on your body. It’s a way to release your mana explosively.” “A... side effect? Does that mean every time I use mana, I’ll keep coughing up blood and collapsing?” “Yeah, but don’t worry. That only happens if you use up all your mana. Once you train hard and get stronger, it won’t be a problem anymore.” “Ah, so it gets better with training...” Reassured by Ghislain’s casual tone, Gordon nodded. But something still felt off, so he asked another question. “But what happens if I don’t train hard or don’t get stronger?” Ghislain turned his gaze to the distance and spoke as if reciting poetry. “If you don’t train hard enough, the mana already in your body will keep trying to explode. Eventually, it’ll drain all your life force, and you’ll die.” “...I’ll die?” “Yes, so you’ll have to train hard enough to control it. The stronger you get, the more time you’ll have to use your mana. In other words, the stronger you become, the longer you’ll live.” “What kind of cursed mana cultivation technique is this?! Isn’t this supposed to be the Ferdium family’s mana technique?” “I based it on the Ferdium technique, but I modified it. And believe me, I reduced the side effects as much as possible. The mana explosions aren’t as bad as they could be.” “Ah... So only the weak die. That’s reducing the side effects? Hahaha...” Tears welled up in Gordon’s eyes as he laughed bitterly. The other knights watching the scene felt their eyes tearing up as well. Unable to contain his frustration, Gordon finally screamed, “You didn’t mention any of this before! This is a scam! I demand you cancel this contract immediately!” Ghislain blinked, surprised. “Wow, you’ve come a long way. You used to get swindled all the time, but now you’re talking about canceling contracts? You’ve really grown.” “Argh! What are you talking about? I just want to undo this! I won’t learn it!” “Sorry, but I can’t undo it. Your only option is to train harder and quickly level up. If you want to live, you all need to get stronger than you are now.” Gordon and the apprentice knights couldn’t even respond, mentally cursing the situation. ‘What kind of madman comes up with a mana technique like this?’ ‘Then again, he was never a normal person to begin with. I guess we’re the fools for forgetting that.’ While Ghislain and his inner circle had been busy until now, the apprentice knights would now have to work just as hard. The Fenris Knights would truly become a place where only the strong survived. If they wanted to live a normal life, they would have to train like their lives depended on it—because they did. It was the beginning of a new kind of torment. Meanwhile, Count Desmond, Harold, sat in his office, lost in deep thought. He had been consumed with restoring his forces after the disastrous war with Ghislain, and his face showed clear signs of fatigue from his sleepless nights. But even amid his busy schedule, something else weighed heavily on his mind: the contents of a letter he had received from the Duke’s family. “So that bastard is now under the protection of Marquis Branford and has joined the pro-royalist faction? He even secured support instead of Brivant?” The last report he had received about Ghislain indicated that he had overthrown his territory and purged all his spies. Fenris had then sealed itself off, leaving Harold without any updates for a while. Then, out of nowhere, Ghislain reappeared in the capital, selling cosmetics and quickly becoming a celebrity. He had dismissed Ghislain as an irrelevant fool, only to discover that he had joined the pro-royalist faction. Clicking his tongue, Harold glared at the letter before asking his lieutenant, “The Duke’s family says to treat Ghislain on the same level as Sir Jurgen, the commander of the Rayfold Knights. What do you make of this information?” “...I can’t believe it either, but the Duke’s family wouldn’t say something like that without reason.” “I don’t understand.” Harold grabbed his head in frustration. Sir Jurgen was a renowned knight, considered one of the kingdom’s greatest warriors. He hadn’t earned his title as the North’s mightiest knight or the position of Rayfold’s commander for nothing. If the Duke’s assessment of Ghislain was accurate, it would explain why Victor had lost to him. “Ghislain, Ghislain! That cursed bastard!” The Duke’s letter didn’t stop at warning Harold about Ghislain. It also included a reprimand for failing to investigate the man thoroughly and a reminder that this would be Harold’s last chance. It was the first time in Harold’s life that his once-perfect record had been tarnished. All because of Ghislain, everything had fallen into disarray. He desperately wanted to march into Fenris and crush it underfoot, but he had other, more pressing matters to deal with. “What about Rayfold’s movements?” “...It seems they’re preparing for war.” “They’re clearly targeting us, aren’t they? Any idea what excuse they plan to use?” “They’ll likely invoke the attack on Ferdium and claim that as Ferdium’s ally, they have a right to punish us. They’ll probably argue that we acted without proper authority and attacked without following the correct procedures.” “Damn hypocrites.” Rayfold had done nothing when the war broke out, only to invoke its alliance with Ferdium after the fact. Harold had never expected to hide his support for Digald forever. No matter how discreetly he moved his forces, such a large army couldn’t go unnoticed. A thorough investigation would have eventually exposed his involvement. But at the time, he hadn’t been worried. Justice is written by the victors. If Victor had won, those suspicions would have disappeared with the defeated. But they had lost, and now Count Rayfold was baring his teeth at them. Harold clicked his tongue in frustration. “Of all times, they have to make a move now.” His lieutenant spoke cautiously. “We should push forward with Amelia’s rebellion before the war breaks out.” “Ugh...” Harold groaned involuntarily. His lieutenant’s suggestion wasn’t wrong. They had already provided Amelia with significant funds and dozens of knights in preparation for her rebellion. If Rayfold declared war before the rebellion, all of those resources would be wasted. But Harold couldn’t bring himself to make the final decision. “We don’t have anyone who can deal with Jurgen. If only Victor were still alive...” Sir Jurgen, the North’s greatest swordsman and the commander of Rayfold’s knights, was a powerful figure. Without Victor, Harold had no one capable of standing up to him. Without a way to counter Jurgen, Harold couldn’t guarantee the success of Amelia’s rebellion. If that rebellion failed, it wouldn’t be Rayfold that took Harold’s head—it would be the Duke’s family. Harold was naturally a cautious man, and with his life now on the line, he was even more hesitant to act. His lieutenant, aware of Harold’s dilemma, continued reporting in a neutral tone. “According to our predictions, Rayfold should be ready for war in about two to three months.” “I know time is tight, but if we fail, it’ll be even worse. Tell Amelia to make sure she’s fully prepared.” “She says she’s ready. She’s gathered all the factions under her banner and is just waiting for the signal to move.” Harold raised an eyebrow. He had always known Amelia was sharp, but he hadn’t expected her to anticipate the situation and prepare everything so thoroughly. “Hmm. She’s still quick on her feet.” “She also sent word. If you’re worried about Jurgen, she’ll take care of him. She said to focus on setting the date and not worry about anything else.” Harold’s face twisted in anger. Take care of Jurgen? And she dared to tell him not to worry about the most important part? The fact that Amelia had guessed his concerns only irritated him further. “Tch. I praised her too much. Now she’s getting ahead of herself, acting like she’s the one in charge. That arrogant little wench.” “It seems Amelia is in a hurry as well. If Rayfold declares war, they’ll have a massive army, and she knows it.” If the war broke out, even if Amelia took an empty castle, it wouldn’t matter. Rayfold’s army would sweep her away like fallen leaves. Harold understood Amelia’s urgency, but that wasn’t reason enough for him to gamble recklessly. He didn’t care if Amelia died, but her failure would mean his own downfall. “Tell her to sit tight and wait. I won’t tolerate any action without my permission.” “...Understood.” “And plant spies among the next wave of settlers heading to Fenris. We can’t just leave that place unchecked. Order them to disrupt whatever they can within the territory.” “Yes, sir.” It had been difficult to get people into Fenris after Ghislain sealed it off, but there was no way they could weed out all the spies hidden among the thousands of incoming settlers. Once his lieutenant left, Harold massaged his temples, his headache worsening by the day. “Ghislain... Ghislain Ferdium.” That bastard had thrown everything into chaos. Harold wanted to march in and crush him immediately, but he couldn’t. His hands were tied by Rayfold, and even if he wanted to mobilize other lords, the presence of the pro-royalist faction made things too risky. Ghislain had been blessed with absurdly good luck. “Enjoy your time while you can. Once I deal with Rayfold, you’re next.” Though Ghislain had managed to buy himself some time, Harold was convinced it wouldn’t change the inevitable. No matter how much the bastard struggled, his fate was sealed. Despite that certainty, Harold’s blood boiled with fury. He couldn’t calm the storm of rage inside him. “Just wait. You’ll regret ever crossing me.” Harold’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent as he vowed to kill Ghislain.