Before his subordinates entered, Ghislain reflected on the past two years. “Quite a lot has happened.” The most significant change was undoubtedly Ghislain reaching the 6th Circle as a mage. However, the goal of becoming a 7th Circle Mage remained elusive. Even with Astion's partial enlightenment, mastering advanced magic from grimoires would not be possible anytime soon. Still, he was just a step away from transcendence. At Ghislain’s level, his magical abilities alone could rival those of a superhuman. At first, Astion had felt extremely wronged. — What is this?! I’m the one studying, but you’re the one reaping all the benefits! How can you learn magic so easily?! The same scenario played out repeatedly. Astion, despite pouring over studies until he was on the verge of collapsing, could barely master a single spell. Yet Ghislain needed only to observe Astion cast a spell once to replicate it perfectly—no matter how complex. — How can you do this?! Whenever Astion threw a tantrum, Ghislain would simply retort with a cold dismissal. “Magic... isn’t hard. You just watch and repeat.” — Aaaagh! Why is life so unfair?! Astion couldn't fully comprehend Ghislain’s abilities or the extent of his proficiency. Nor did he understand how Ghislain learned magic so effortlessly. This lack of understanding made Astion envy and resent Ghislain’s apparent talent all the more. After all, he was the one studying tirelessly, only for someone else to take all the credit. Of course, Ghislain’s prowess was due to his possession of Astion’s body—an arrangement Astion never thought to dissect further. Before long, Astion’s perspective shifted. After completing study sessions, Ghislain would often begin light exercises while muttering complaints. “This body is seriously a mess. Absolutely no maintenance. It’s pathetic.” — ...Could you not criticize my body after stealing it? “Stop relying solely on magic. Just look at yourself—clogged nose, constant sniffles, wheezing after the slightest effort, and stiff joints everywhere.” — ...Mages are supposed to live like this! All we do is sit and study... “Still, moving your body regularly is essential for health.” — With mana, we can enhance our health better than most normal people... “Tsk, tsk, tsk. That’s exactly the problem. A healthy body helps mana circulate more efficiently.” Ghislain kept chiding Astion while ramping up his exercise regimen. What started as light stretching escalated into intense workouts, eventually reaching inhuman levels. Ghislain began strapping strange iron weights to his body and pushing it to its limits. Astion, horrified, yelled in protest. — Stop it! Treat my body with care! Don’t abuse it like this! “Don’t say things that could be misunderstood. Besides, it’s my body now. Don’t worry; I’m a master of training.” No amount of Astion’s pleading could halt Ghislain’s relentless training. The more Astion protested, the harder Ghislain pushed the limits, much to Astion’s despair. — Stop it! My body’s breaking down! “Calm down; you’re overreacting.” — You broke a bone this time! “You’ll thank me later.” A year later, the results spoke for themselves. Astion, who had once been endlessly complaining, was now gasping in awe. — O-oh... Oh... Wow. This is... my body? Astion’s body had undergone a complete transformation. Muscles sculpted like a masterpiece, stamina that seemed inexhaustible—he barely recognized himself. — My nose isn’t runny anymore! I can breathe freely! — I can study all night and barely feel tired! — No more neck pain, no shoulder aches, and my head feels so clear! With his newly enhanced body, even without using mana, Astion was brimming with energy. This newfound strength also improved his focus on studies. Ghislain, grinning smugly, intensified the training even further. “Now that you’re in shape, you’d better study harder.” — ... Thanks to relentless physical and magical training, Ghislain had become a veritable human weapon. The synergy of physical prowess and magical skill brought him closer to invincibility. During these two years, Julien and Kyle also achieved remarkable progress. Their growth was a result of Ghislain’s harsh training regimen, coupled with the optimal environment he had created. With Leo’s help, Ghislain procured a significant number of runestones, creating a mana concentration zone akin to what he’d used in Fenris. Most of his earnings had gone into acquiring these precious stones. Even so, Julien and Kyle were stunned. “This... isn’t this something only top-ranking knights use?” “Couldn’t we just take this money and retire somewhere peaceful instead?” The cost of the runestones nearly drained their finances, and even Leo, who assisted with the purchases, found his resources severely strained. But Ghislain remained unfazed. “Money? We can just take more from someone else... I mean, earn more later. Focus on getting stronger.” Julien and Kyle were taken aback. Spending so much money for their sake was beyond anything they had expected. Their resolve solidified. ‘He’s going this far for us. We can’t let him down.’ ‘We need to grow stronger and make this investment worthwhile.’ Fueled by determination, Julien and Kyle quickly reached the level of advanced knights, with the potential to ascend even further. Meanwhile, Deneb lagged behind. Without mastering mana alchemy, her divine energy showed only minimal growth despite Ghislain’s attempts to push her. Still, Deneb was unconcerned. Instead of focusing on power, she devoted herself to teaching children and aiding the less fortunate. As time passed, Deneb became the most respected figure in the region, beloved for her kindness and selflessness. Even Ghislain couldn’t help but smile wryly at her growing reputation. “Well... she’ll awaken eventually.” Once she awakened, Deneb would become one of the most crucial figures in the world. Until then, Ghislain was determined to protect her. Ghislain didn’t neglect his mercenary activities during this time. “Nothing beats real combat as training.” Under this principle, Ghislain took on every dangerous request that came his way. When bandits caused trouble in the area, he would sometimes intervene without even asking for payment. Through these efforts, Julien and the mercenary corps steadily built their reputation. The bandit groups terrorizing Nodehill and the nearby Raks Barony were completely wiped out by their hands. The peasants who trusted Ghislain to the end rejoiced, while the captured criminals filled the local jails to bursting. Eventually, even Baron Andrew found himself pleading with Ghislain. “There's no more space in the prisons! And feeding these scoundrels is costing a fortune!” Given the sheer number of criminals brought in, it was an understandable concern. Ghislain, however, offered a simple solution. “Put them all to work doing hard labor.” “Hard labor? Can they even be controlled?” “They can. I’ll make sure of it.” Ghislain pointed arrogantly to himself, exuding an aura of confidence. Ghislain had already become a figure of fear in the area. None of the captured criminals dared to defy him. At his insistence, they were put to work on the barony’s most hazardous tasks. For Andrew, it was a win-win. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎 Among the prisoners were former knights or individuals with notable skills. Andrew made it a point to take them under his wing when possible. Similarly, Ghislain selected a few individuals to forcibly recruit into his mercenary corps. “This was the best decision I’ve made, joining forces with Julien’s Mercenary Corps,” Andrew often said, marveling at the results. With improved security, the barony’s people could focus on their livelihoods, leading to noticeable development. Ghislain’s contributions didn’t stop there. “Thanks to the mage, we’ve even formed an alliance with the Raks Barony. Hmm... Maybe I should suggest a marriage alliance with Baron Raks soon.” The alliance between Nodehill and Raks Barony flourished, each complementing the other’s weaknesses. With Ghislain standing between them, neither side dared to betray the other. All their progress was built on trust in him. Naturally, Ghislain became the de facto power behind both baronies. Despite the success of the past two years, not everything went smoothly. “There are more people targeting us every day.” As the reputation of Julien’s Mercenary Corps grew, other mercenary groups in the region began to lose work. Julien’s group didn’t just dominate Nodehill—they took jobs from neighboring territories as well. Ghislain personally handled the most dangerous missions, while lesser tasks were left to subordinates, including former bandits. With their growing reputation, nobles and merchants alike sought out Julien’s Mercenary Corps first, even for minor jobs. “Making money isn’t hard,” Ghislain said with a smirk. While the payments were small individually, they accumulated into a substantial fortune. With his subordinates bringing in money on their own, he barely had to lift a finger. Of course, the established mercenary groups weren’t pleased. As their contracts dwindled, so did their income. In such a brutal era, mercenaries without money were little better than bandits. Some groups began to respond violently, targeting Julien’s subordinates. “This time, they were ambushed again?” “Yes, sir,” a subordinate confirmed. Several of Ghislain’s recruits were injured or killed in these attacks. While many of the casualties were former bandits, whom Ghislain didn’t particularly mourn, the growing hostility toward his group was concerning. “Well, this just means it’s time to remind everyone who’s in charge.” Ghislain had no intention of staying in one place and merely training. He had a plan. “We’re going to make Julien and Deneb the center of the world. To do that, we’ll need a powerful force.” For someone like Julien, who wasn’t a noble, there weren’t many paths to power. One of the quickest routes was through a mercenary corps. A leader of a strong and disciplined corps could command respect even from the nobility. No one dared to antagonize a powerful mercenary group outright, fearing they might switch sides in a conflict. Ghislain was determined to elevate Julien’s Mercenary Corps into the strongest force of knights and mercenaries in the region. “The second key is political power,” he added. Ghislain had risen quickly, thanks to the support of Marquis Branford. Now, he aimed to create a similar backing for Julien. He had already chosen the individuals he would elevate—Andrew and Leo. “These two will become the kingdom’s most powerful nobles. I’ll make sure of it. At the very least, they’ll hold marquisates.” Ghislain’s goal was to mold them into loyal allies who would act according to his will. For now, however, the two were blissfully unaware of Ghislain’s grand schemes. They lived as typical rural nobles, content to mine resources and cultivate their lands. Building their political power would take time, so Ghislain focused on securing immediate military strength. Occasionally, he sent messages via Dark to his allies from his past life, keeping them updated. As he prepared for the next stage of his plan, a subordinate entered the room, breaking his train of thought. “Well then,” Ghislain said, standing up, “shall we start moving again?” Outside, Julien, Kyle, Deneb, and about ten heavily armed subordinates—many of them former bandits—were waiting. Ghislain turned to Julien with a smile. “Are you ready?” Julien nodded. His and Kyle’s appearances had changed drastically over the past two years. Gone were the youthful faces of beginners. Their expressions now carried the weight of experience and determination. The former bandits, on the other hand, avoided Ghislain’s gaze entirely, bowing their heads in fear. They knew better than to meet the eyes {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} of the infamous “Bandit Crusher of Nodehill.” With a grin, Ghislain addressed the group. “Let’s go. Time to deal with the troublemakers.” It was time to bring the remaining mercenary groups in the region under his control.