Episode 158
“Perfect. If he grows like this, I believe he will become the greatest Dark Maga lord in history.”
That wasn’t the answer Nordian had been hoping for.
“My lord, I must disagree. No matter how fierce the bloodstorm may be, entrusting the future of the family to a child who hasn’t even fully grown yet is unwise.”
[Hasn’t grown, huh? Well, well.]
Nordian muttered in a strange tone.
[Do you really see that child as just an ordinary kid?]
“…”
[He’s not just a genius. He’s a monster.]
Marquis Shupen fell silent.
Nordian chuckled softly.
[Well, fine. I felt the same way at first.]
“…”
[If you spend more time with him, even if you don’t want to, you’ll have to admit it. Watch closely—see what kind of unfathomable monster that child truly is.]
With those words, Nordian’s form began to blur. He was leaving.
Left alone, Marquis Shupen pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
“What on earth…”
Looking down from the tower, he saw Christian.
No matter how monstrous his talent, entrusting the family’s future to such a young boy—it was hard to agree with Nordian.
Yet, at the same time, he understood why Nordian was taking such a risky stance.
A deep sigh escaped him as the smoke drifted away.
“Your time is truly running out. You’ve held on for a long time.”
Nordian was anxious.
About his impending disappearance.
As promised, Saenin stepped down from his captaincy, and Christian took over the position.
‘Of course, it’s strange to hand over an official post through a duel, but since Marquis Shupen allowed it…’
Saenin handed over the emblem with a gloomy expression.
“…This is the rank insignia for the fifth captaincy. From now on, you are one of the Five Captains.”
His voice was utterly drained.
The shock of losing the duel weighed heavily on him.
His spirit had worsened significantly.
‘This isn’t good.’
Though he was a pain, Saenin wasn’t an enemy.
He was a pushover that Christian had to manage.
‘Since I made him kneel, I should help him regain his strength.’
“What will you do now?”
“Huh? Nothing in particular.”
“Become my adjutant.”
“!!”
Saenin’s face flushed red.
To lose the captaincy and then be told to become an adjutant—it was a blow to his pride.
“That’s…”
“What’s the problem? Even your father, Marquis Shupen, will kneel before me.”
“!!”
“Have you forgotten? I’m destined to be the family head. Is it so hard to lower your head to me?”
Christian leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs arrogantly.
“Saenin, look me in the eye.”
“…”
“Come on. Straighten up.”
Saenin bit his lip tightly.
He was just a boy, but the overwhelming presence was impossible to resist.
Those deep, dark red eyes pressed down on him as they asked,
“I’ll ask again. Saenin, do you still refuse to acknowledge me?”
“…”
“If so, I won’t look back at you either. I don’t need someone stubborn and prideful who can’t let go of useless pride.”
Saenin clenched his fists tightly.
Once again, Christian’s words hit the mark.
Saenin had looked down on the family’s heirs because he believed himself superior.
But now?
Christian had defeated him.
More than that, the oppressive aura wasn’t just from strength.
Saenin instinctively felt that this boy was someone far greater than himself.
He was only refusing to admit it out of pride.
“…No, I admit it.”
Saenin bowed his head.
“You are worthy of my service.”
As he accepted Christian in his heart, a weight lifted from his chest.
The twisted inferiority complex began to unravel.
“But don’t be mistaken. Losing once doesn’t mean losing forever. Next time, I will surely defeat you.”
Saenin’s eyes burned with a renewed fighting spirit.
This time, it was a pure, genuine desire to win.
“Challenges are always welcome.”
Christian grinned.
“No matter how much you struggle, you’ll never beat me in your lifetime.”
And so, Christian made Saenin his adjutant.
‘Good. I’ll leave all the tedious tasks to Saenin.’
The captaincy was just a passing position anyway.
Once he made a name for himself and became deputy commander, he’d hand it back to Saenin and let him handle most things.
‘I have more important matters to attend to.’
Christian’s gaze darkened.
He needed to use the authority of the captaincy to find a way to save Marquis Shupen.
The day the marquis would be killed by an unknown fiend was drawing near.
The Dark Maga Army was divided into five units.
Each unit consisted of 2,000 soldiers, and Christian was assigned to the fifth.
‘It’s the rear guard that protects the command headquarters.’
Unlike the front-line units stationed at the barrier, their mission was somewhat different.
They mainly handled support tasks like supply, maintaining order, intelligence gathering, and internal support.
‘Perfect. Exactly the role needed right now.’
No one knew exactly how Marquis Shupen would die.
His corpse was found heavily decayed, so the exact time of death was unclear.
One thing was certain: he would die not at the barrier, but near the Marquis Shupen territory.
‘That means the fiend will infiltrate the Marquis Shupen territory first. Then, when the marquis is alone, it will strike.’
Marquis Shupen was not only the commander but also the great lord, so he often traveled around the area.
He was usually accompanied by only a few high-ranking guards, leaving many vulnerabilities.
‘But I can’t order him to always travel with a large escort.’
Unlike the allied forces, the high-ranking maids here rarely brought many guards.
They trusted themselves.
It was a matter of pride.
‘Besides, no matter how tightly you guard him, it’s useless. The fiend will wait for the moment the marquis’s guard loosens.’
It wouldn’t be easy.
But it wasn’t impossible.
Christian quickly drafted a proposal and went to see Marquis Shupen.
“What’s this? A proposal to improve rear defense?”
“Yes, since I became captain, I’ve noticed many gaps.”
“Gaps?”
Fortunately, the marquis was cool-headed and didn’t get angry.
“Let me explain in detail.”
“The barrier’s defense is flawless. The coordination between the front-line garrison and the rear reserves is perfect.”
It was a system forged through long battles.
“But the rear defense here is relatively weak. Honestly, it’s pathetic.”
“Why does rear defense matter? We only need to protect the barrier.”
That wasn’t wrong.
However—
“If the Five Kings send high-ranking maids to disrupt the rear, our current system can’t respond quickly.”
Marquis Shupen raised an eyebrow.
It was a plausible scenario.
In the past, when tensions with the Five Kings had escalated, such incidents had occurred.
“Since the situation with the Five Kings is worsening, I believe we need to prepare in advance.”
Of course, Christian’s proposal was motivated by the marquis’s impending death.
He wanted to establish a system that could immediately dispatch reinforcements.
Since the exact location of the incident was unknown, they had to be ready to respond anytime, anywhere.
“By reinforcing the guards at several key rear points and strengthening communication networks, I believe we can respond effectively in emergencies.”
“Not a bad idea.”
Marquis Shupen nodded after reading Christian’s proposal.
He wasn’t suggesting large troop movements—that was a difficult decision.
The key was to strengthen mid-point strongholds and systematize communication.
If something happened, the troops at these points would buy time.
Meanwhile, the command’s fifth unit and the relatively rear-positioned third and fourth units would be alerted to provide swift support.
‘Not bad.’
The marquis was slightly impressed by the detailed plan.
It wasn’t just a good idea.
The locations of each unit’s garrisons, key points, and movement routes were all perfectly considered.
If implemented, they could respond promptly no matter where trouble broke out in the rear.
‘Has he studied military science?’
Most maids valued only their own strength, so few were well-versed in military strategy.
“I’ll have this proposal implemented as soon as possible.”
“Thank you. I have another request.”
“What is it?”
“While serving as captain of the fifth unit, I’d also like to take on the role of chief guard of the Marquis Shupen territory.”
“Hmm?”
The marquis looked surprised.
The Dark Maga Army and the Marquis Shupen territory were not the same.
The army was the family’s military force.
The marquis was only the commander.
‘But the lines aren’t so clear-cut.’
The barrier belonged to the marquis’s territory, and many of the army’s top brass were his retainers.
So it wasn’t unusual for the captain to also serve as the chief guard responsible for the territory’s security.
“Why do you want to take on the chief guard role? It doesn’t seem to benefit you.”
The chief guard position involved no glory, only tedious, minor hardships.
“To personally oversee the people.”
“Hmm?”
“Because I will be the future head of the Dark Maga family. Achievements are important, but I believe it’s also vital to take care of the people when given the chance.”
The marquis’s eyes flickered with interest for a moment.
“You’re quite bold for a rookie, saying something so impressive. Fine, I’ll entrust you with the position of Captain of the Guard.”
“Thank you,” Christian bowed his head.
Of course, that’s a lie.
There was another reason he was given the captaincy.
The culprit will try to infiltrate the Shupen Marquisate first.
If he played his cards right, he might be able to catch them.
“I have one more request.”
“Again?”
Christian nodded.
This is the most important matter.
“Would you be willing to spar with me once a day? Some guided training sessions.”
“Guided training?”
“Yes, I want to learn directly from Your Excellency.”
The Shupen Marquis looked surprised.
“That’s not difficult. Very well.”
He thought to himself, This is perfect. I can use this chance to humble that arrogant brat.
It wasn’t out of spite.
The Marquis didn’t dislike Christian; in fact, he secretly admired him.
After all, he was destined to become a pillar leading the Dark Mage Order someday.
So this was, in a way, for Christian’s own good.
Breaking his pride will teach him his place—and that’s for the best in the long run.
“But don’t expect me to go easy on you during these sessions. If you’re not confident you can handle it, it’s better to back out now.”
A warning that he’d show no mercy in their sparring.
Christian simply nodded calmly, then said something unexpected.
“May I say one thing as well?”
“What is it?”
“If I manage to land a hit on Your Excellency during our training, would you grant me one favor?”
For a moment, the Shupen Marquis doubted his ears.
What nonsense was this bare-chested fool spouting now?
He’s not just asking for training.
Christian’s gaze darkened.
There was a very important reason behind his request for guided sparring—one the Marquis could never have imagined.