Chapter 15 : Roll Them, and Roll Them Again (3)
Sudden news swept through the Ragnar Knight Order.
The knights gathered in small groups, struggling to determine whether the rumors were true.
“Is it true there’s a rumor that the Commander is stepping down?”
“Hey, no way.”
“And I heard Vice-Commander Akun is taking over that position.”
Deni, who had been observing the noisy interior of the knight order, ford a faint smile.
Since yesterday, while receiving swordsmanship instruction from Kyle, he had already known that the rumor was true.
― Deni, beco the Vice-Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order.
Deni knew what Kyle’s words ant.
If soone who had not been in the knight order for long were to take the vacant Vice-Commander position after Akun beca Commander, it would deliver a trendous shock.
Kyle intended to awaken the entire Ragnar Knight Order.
While Deni was imrsed in thought like that, Akun appeared before the knights.
“Gather at the training grounds!”
At Akun’s shout toward the murmuring mass of knights, they shut their mouths and quickly ran toward the training grounds.
On the platform set up at the training grounds, Pan was standing.
“As of today, I intend to step down from the position of Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order. However, I will continue to serve as an elder of the Ragnar Family and support you all from the rear.”
As it was revealed that the rumor was true, the knights’ agitation grew even stronger.
Pan was a figure who had borne the responsibility of Commander for over thirty years and served as a pillar for the knights.
At the sudden news that such a person was stepping down, the knights’ unrest only intensified.
When Pan’s declaration concluded briefly, Kyle stepped up onto the platform next.
“You have worked hard all this ti, Elder Pan.”
“Thank you, Grand General. I will do my utmost to support from my new position!”
Once Pan stepped down from the platform, Kyle turned his head to look at Akun.
“From now on, the Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order is Akun. Sir Akun, step forward.”
At Kyle’s command, Akun walked out and knelt on one knee.
Kyle slowly swept his gaze across the knights, then turned his eyes back to Akun.
“Originally, the Head of the Family should personally conduct your investiture, but from now on, I will take charge of all matters related to military authority. Do you have any objections?”
“None!”
At Akun’s resolute shout, Kyle descended from the platform.
He then extended the sword he held toward Akun.
“As the Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order, never forget your duty.”
“I will stand at the forefront of protecting Ragnar with my life.”
After handing the sword to Akun, Kyle looked toward the knights.
Already, there were those who began to eye the now-vacant Vice-Commander position with ambition.
However, Kyle had no intention of deciding it on the spot.
“The vacant Vice-Commander position will be announced exactly one month from now. However, it will be selected from the knight who shows the most outstanding performance during this training, so take note, everyone.”
At his words, the knights’ gazes changed.
The Commander, who seed as though he would never be replaced, had changed.
That ant it was the sa as saying that opportunities for promotion might also co to them.
While the knights burned with resolve like that, Kyle gestured toward Acacia.
Acacia, eting Kyle’s eyes, imdiately approached him and bowed crisply.
“Did you call for , my lord.”
“Acacia, you will take charge of all training for the Ragnar Knight Order. For one month, I grant you the authority to bestow the Vice-Commander position upon the one who stands out.”
“Thank you. I will roll them with everything I have.”
Acacia revealed a grin, showing his teeth.
As his white teeth contrasted sharply with his bronze-colored skin, a sudden chill swept through the knights.
Acacia smiled even more brightly at the shivering knights.
“I am Acacia, the training instructor. From now on, training will comnce, and no one will be exempt. Even if you are the Commander of the Ragnar Knight Order.”
As soon as Acacia finished speaking, he pointed toward the peak of the snow mountain.
“First co, first served. One person.”
Caught off guard by the sudden situation, the knights wore bewildered expressions, not understanding what was going on.
At that mont, two people moved swiftly.
Akun and Deni.
The two who understood Acacia’s words imdiately dashed toward the snow mountain with all their might.
As the knights stood there blankly watching that scene, Acacia’s voice rang in their ears.
“Aura usage is forbidden. The mont you are caught using aura, from that point on, hell will unfold.”
---
After the investiture ceremony ended, Kyle received a report that Elise was urgently looking for him and headed to the Head of the Family’s Office.
When Kyle opened the door, Pramo, who had been pacing back and forth, spotted him and spoke urgently.
“Brother!”
“What is it?”
“A report just ca in that monsters are moving in large numbers along the mountain range boundary.”
“……Where are they moving toward?”
“Chaplin Castle.”
Chaplin Castle.
A castle located on the boundary between the Ragnar Territory and the Monster Mountain Range, it was nothing less than a key strategic point that served as the final defensive line.
Kyle had hoped that the monsters would not move at least until the knights had learned the basics, but that was nothing more than his own desire.
Either way, they had to act before the monsters captured the castle.
“How many troops can move, excluding the knight order?”
“Three hundred. Any more would be difficult.”
“For now, I will send one of my subordinates. Assessing the situation cos first.”
“Understood.”
“Imdiately gather the soldiers. We will depart as soon as preparations are complete. And I intend to attach part of the food brought by the Rapid rchant Guild. Can you permit that?”
At Kyle’s words, Pramo nodded.
In any case, they had no intention of consuming all the food and daily necessities brought by the Rapid rchant Guild within the Lord’s Castle.
They were already planning to use about half of it as military supplies.
“I will tell the Chief Administrator to prepare imdiately.”
“Then I will give orders to my subordinates to go around the fortresses and castles and deliver the food.”
There were a total of three fortresses facing the Monster Mountain Range, and two castles.
All of them were important defensive bases, and accordingly, nearly all of Ragnar’s forces were concentrated there.
The total number of troops stationed across the five locations was thirty thousand.
Although there had been so loss of strength over the past period, Ragnar’s hidden strength in guarding the north remained unchanged.
However, the reason Ragnar appeared precarious was because they could not divert the forces positioned at the front lines to other places.
‘If only there were enough leeway to move the frontline troops, I could sever the connection with the Daon Kingdom.’
Moreover, if they could reclaim the trade port and iron mine inside the Monster Mountain Range, the food problem could also be resolved quickly.
In the end, the key lay in how much of the stolen Monster Mountain Range territory they could recover.
‘The number of troops positioned at the front lines totals thirty thousand. It is by no ans a small force.’
Despite secretly receiving support of food and weapons through the northern territories, the reason they could not distribute food to the territory’s people.
That was because the number of troops positioned at the front lines was simply too large.
At present, a considerable portion of Ragnar’s finances was being spent on purchasing items related to military supplies.
Yet even when support was insufficient, seeing the Royal Family attempt to isolate Ragnar was nothing short of infuriating.
Given the circumstances, Pramo’s shoulders could not help but feel heavy.
To lighten that burden, Kyle had taken over military authority.
“Protecting the Territory is my responsibility, so you focus only on administration.”
Kyle patted Pramo on the shoulder.
“Yes, brother.”
“By the way, who is currently the Castellan of Chaplin Castle?”
“Viscount Saie is in charge of the Castellan position. He is soone who showed his determination to protect the north at all costs, to the extent that he relocated his entire Saie Family to Chaplin Castle.”
“……At least that is fortunate. That Viscount Saie survived.”
“I believe it is thanks to Father’s foresight.”
The Previous Head of the Family, Rai Ragnar, was by no ans foolish.
He had survived his entire life as Head of the Family in this barren north and was an excellent leader of Ragnar who had overco countless crises.
Kyle thought to himself that the sa was true of Pramo as well.
“Didn’t you also strive to beco a son not lacking compared to Father? You only need to do your best in your respective positions.”
---
Although the forces of the Lord’s Castle were gathering in one place, the Ragnar Knight Order had not even heard such news.
That was because the knights were under Acacia’s surveillance, climbing the mountain like madn.
In a situation where they could not even use aura, they were scaling the harsh snow mountain with only their physical abilities, so the consumption of stamina and ntal strength was considerable.
Nevertheless, Akun and Deni climbed the mountain in silence, not stopping until they reached the summit.
Deni looked at Akun and briefly fell into other thoughts.
‘A person who is not acknowledged by the knights.’
By Pramo’s order, Akun had temporarily sided with the Elders’ Council and ford an opposing structure against Pan.
Unaware of that, the knights had co to hate Akun, believing he had betrayed Pramo.
Deni could only feel regretful that Akun had failed to gain the knights’ recognition simply because he had played the role of a spy.
At that mont, Akun, who was leading the way, sensed Deni’s gaze and spat out a sharp remark.
“For soone who still has to climb the snow mountain one more ti, you can’t afford not to focus, yet you’re letting your mind wander. That’s why your breathing is breaking down.”
“……I’m sorry.”
At Akun’s criticism, Deni steadied his breathing again.
“Deni, no matter what happens, it is important to always maintain composure.”
“I will keep that in mind, Commander.”
“Good. I’ll be watching during the remaining training.”
With those words, Akun closed his mouth and increased his pace up the mountain.
It took two hours to reach the peak of the snow mountain and return.
When Akun arrived at the training grounds, Pan, who had been waiting, nodded his head.
“Good work.”
“Commander…….”
“The Commander is you. I am now only an elder.”
“I’m sorry. It’s beco a habit……. By the way, where did Acacia go?”
“He went to monitor whether the ones climbing the snow mountain are using aura.”
At Pan’s words, Akun nodded with a faint smile.
Then, about thirty minutes later, Deni reached the training grounds.
As soon as Deni saw Pan, he imdiately bowed his head.
“I pay my respects to you, Elder.”
“It seems you’ve lost the desire to hide now, Deni.”
“……You knew?”
“How could I not? The others might not know, but if you wanted to deceive , you still have a long way to go.”
At Pan’s words, Deni bowed his head once more with an apologetic expression.
Pan lightly patted Deni’s shoulder.
“You have nothing to feel sorry about. So focus on training again. The next first-co finish will be two people.”
“Yes, Elder.”
After Deni left the training grounds, Akun walked toward a corner of the grounds.
Then, holding two wooden swords in both hands, he ford a faint smile.
“Elder, at this rate, even two nights and three days won’t be enough for the training to end.”
“So you’re saying we should at least spar during the remaining ti?”
“Do you dislike that?”
“Of course not. I was getting bored just standing here, so this works out perfectly.”
Pan looked steadily at Akun, who handed him a wooden sword.
“Do you resent ? If you hadn’t played the role of the elders’ spy, you would have gained the knights’ recognition much sooner.”
“How could the ways of the world go exactly as I wish? I am a knight. I am in a position where I must prioritize the Head of the Family’s orders above all else.”
“Akun…….”
“I do not resent you. What disciple would resent his master?”
At Akun’s words, Pan wore a bitter expression as he looked at the wooden sword in his hand.
But soon, Pan adjusted his grip on the wooden sword and set his face with determination.
“I may have retired from active duty, but I haven’t grown so feeble that my disciple can catch up to
yet.”
“If your body had weakened enough to do so in less than a day, would you have been able to maintain the position of Commander for so long? Then, I ask for your guidance.”
“Co.”
At Pan’s words, Akun gripped the wooden sword with both hands and charged forward.
Of course, he did not use aura.
He intended to continue the spar using only physical ability and swordsmanship.
And the sa was true for Pan.
While the two were deeply engaged in sparring, the knights arrived at the training grounds one by one, panting.
However, they did not even have ti to catch their breath.
“The next first-co finish is two people. Don’t think about resting and depart imdiately!”
At Acacia’s sudden appearance and words, the knights turned their bodies with slightly exhausted expressions.
Watching them climb the snow mountain once more, Acacia curled the corner of his mouth upward.
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