Chapter 345: A Wise Move
Things they’d have to deal with from now on?
When the Knights of Kant heard High Lord Gawain’s words, they couldn’t help but ponder—and soon enough, they came to a reasonable guess.
What would knights have to deal with? Aside from the etiquette every noble must observe, it had to be weapons, armor, and warhorses.
Though the noble system in Ansu was in decline, and many traditional martial nobles had been corrupted by a life of luxury—relying increasingly on magical rituals and potions to boost their extraordinary powers—this was still a world where supernatural strength existed, and personal might largely determined social standing. Especially in the lawless southern regions, grassroots martial nobles still valued “strength” highly. The knights from Kant were no exception. As protectors of the higher nobility and the martial standard-bearers of their lands, they always prioritized improving their own power. So when it came to what knights must be familiar with… it was undoubtedly their weapons and equipment.
At most, maybe their attendants and such “ornaments.”
The knights exchanged glances silently. They knew this was probably the new lord’s way of showing off his military strength. They’d heard that the original forces of the Cecil domain had been devastated by the disaster before, with only two surviving extraordinary knights. The rest were just soldiers and militia. Later, Gawain had recruited and trained a large number of refugees, barely enough to defend the territory…
They didn’t know much about this new army, only that it was equipped with some unusual weapons and was far more effective in battle than ordinary soldiers. So the new lord’s demonstration would likely focus on that.
Each knight had their own thoughts, but they all agreed that the lord didn’t really need to show off his troops. Gawain Cecil himself was a legendary knight with immense power—his personal strength was deterrence enough. What more was there to prove?
Regardless of their thoughts, the group soon arrived at a weapons testing ground outside the city. After passing through several soldier checkpoints, the Kant knights climbed a tall wooden viewing platform and saw a row of strange, bulky machines neatly lined up below.
“I want to show you the Justice Mark I Arcane Railgun, just recently deployed with the Cecil Battle Regiment,” Gawain said with a slight smile, watching the curious knights scanning the scene. “If you’re to become part of Cecil, you need to understand how your comrades fight.”
Justice Mark I Arcane Railgun? What was that? Those big iron lumps and pillars on the ground? They looked oddly uniform—he wondered how the craftsmen managed to make so many identical ones…
The knights were baffled. Then they saw soldiers—ordinary men trained for this—running around the railguns, loading metal projectiles between steel rails, adjusting angles, checking various components, and shouting strange commands…
It was a novel sight. These soldiers showed almost no supernatural aura, meaning they were common folk, likely illiterate peasants. Yet Duke Gawain Cecil had trained them to obey orders swiftly and coordinate seamlessly. That was no small feat. But what exactly were they doing?
While the knights were still puzzled, a soldier holding a small flag suddenly ran to the base of the observation platform and shouted, “Report! Railguns ready. Requesting orders!”
Gawain nodded slightly. “Rapid fire. Open fire.”
The soldier turned and waved the flag in a peculiar pattern.
Before the knights could grasp what was happening, all the soldiers behind the railguns sprang into action: pressing buttons on the bases, a hum of magical energy charging up the massive devices. Bright magical runes began to glow on their surfaces. Then, a soldier at the side pulled down a red lever.
A series of explosive booms erupted. Each railgun’s muzzle burst with a brilliant flash—the activation of aerodynamic runes—followed by blurred streaks shooting into the sky, flying far beyond sight.
Even the knights’ extraordinary vision struggled to track the projectiles’ paths.
Moments later, thunderous explosions shattered the silence. Huge blasts erupted on distant hillsides, sending earth and rocks flying into the air, forming miniature mushroom clouds in the shockwaves.
The knights jumped at the deafening noise. Many thought a powerful mage had suddenly invaded and attacked the domain. Some instinctively activated their protective auras—but no mages appeared. Instead, the soldiers below calmly continued their work, loading new metal projectiles into the steel frames. Another round of booms, another wave of explosions…
They finally understood: this terrifying barrage was like dozens of high-level spells bombarding the enemy.
After several rounds of firing, the deafening roar finally subsided. The knights exchanged looks. Gawain smiled and walked past them toward the exit of the viewing platform. “Gentlemen, it’s time to move on. No need to keep staring—after today, you’ll inevitably have to deal with these things.”
Now, they finally understood what “dealing with these things” really meant.
Walder Perich walked amid the group, overhearing a young knight murmuring, “The new laws… maybe they’re not so bad after all…”
Walder Perich turned slightly and recognized the knight who had earlier insisted on “taking a stand.”
Next, Gawain took them to the shell assembly factory.
He didn’t let the Kant knights examine the runic structures inside the shells—he doubted they’d understand the runes anyway, since not everyone was like him, skilled in both magic and martial arts. Instead, he simply showed them how many of these powerful shells could be produced in a single day.
Back at the manor, Gawain watched the reactions of these old knights with satisfaction. He felt his deterrence was sufficient and it was time to offer them some reassurance.
“Gentlemen, I know you harbor resentment over losing your land governance rights—no need to argue or hide it; I can see it clearly. But I want to say this: this is the very foundation that has made the Cecil domain strong, and it’s the basis for a better future you can all share.
“I suspect you don’t yet understand the concepts of liberating productivity, freeing the population, and centralizing authority. But I promise you, once you relinquish your old privileges, you will gain far more in the new order—not just wealth, but personal honor and achievement.
“Kant will establish a new administrative body, similar to a secondary bureau. Sir Philip and Mr. Patrick will oversee this work. I hope Sir Walder Perich will be a pillar in this process, just as you maintained order in Kant months ago. I want you to be a guardian of the new order.
“I also want to remind everyone here: find your place in the new order, rather than clinging to privileges destined to be lost. That is the wise choice.
“Now, you may swear your oaths—or leave.”
At the Cecil domain, by the Whitewater River, a new merchant ship was docking with the help of a harbor guide.
In the kingdom’s north, the main rivers were still in severe drought; mountain springs remained frozen, and river surfaces were covered with floating ice. But in the southern borderlands near the Gondor Wasteland, the ice blocking the waterways had melted. Though the flood season was still far off, lighter, faster merchant ships were once again active on the Whitewater River.
With the rising water levels, merchants who had waited all winter eagerly resumed their trade. The month of revival wasn’t just about fields coming back to life—it was also the rebirth of these traveling merchants who made their living by trading goods. Every domain urgently needed supplies from afar. Of course, most self-sufficient farmers wouldn’t deal with these merchants; they mainly traded with wealthy landowners and nobles, bringing them coveted wine, sugar, new carpets and fabrics, spices, and furs.
These goods fetched higher prices at this time.
Because the Whitewater River was still shallow and dangerous floating ice drifted on the surface, the first ships to set out took greater risks—the earlier the departure, the greater the danger. But driven by profit, there were always bold souls willing to be first.
Each domain’s needs differed. Cecil was perhaps the most unique: it required little wine or spices, but had huge demand for various magical ores and raw metals. These were heavy and costly to transport by land, so water transport was preferred. With the booming alchemy and potion trade, any savvy merchant knew Cecil had money to spend. So as soon as the waterways opened, ships loaded with magical ores arrived at Cecil’s docks.
Along with the ores came the first wave of new settlers arriving in this frontier domain after the month of revival.
The clerk in charge of registering immigrants sat in his office on the west side of the dock. He’d been doing this job since last year and was well practiced. Knowing today’s merchant ship brought some immigrants, he prepared the registration forms and began recording the illiterate, even those who couldn’t clearly state their own names.
One after another, ragged registrants came and went. The clerk worked mechanically, filling out forms. Suddenly, his eyes caught an unusual coat.
It was a woolen overcoat—old but clean and tidy. Not the kind of attire a homeless wanderer would wear.
He looked up, following the seams of the coat upward, and saw a disheveled but reasonably healthy-looking man.
“Is this where I register?” the man asked cautiously.
“Yes,” the clerk reflexively handed over a form. “Name, age, skills or former profession?”
“Joseph. Thirty years old. Apothecary.”
“Apothecary?” The clerk’s pen paused. That was the most respectable profession he’d recorded since starting this job. He looked up uncertainly to confirm. “You mean an apothecary?”
“Yes, apothecary. There are a dozen more in line—apothecaries, herbalists, alchemists…”
(End of chapter)