Chapter 90: Preparation for Conscription!

The surrounding soldiers’ chatter was naturally heard by Gervas.

He smiled and gestured to Migen, who stepped forward again.

“People of Stormhold, I just heard you also wish to join the guard?”

“Congratulations—your lord has truly granted you this opportunity.”

“Tomorrow afternoon, the lordship will reopen guard recruitment, selecting a total of thirty-five guards.”

“Any subject who meets the requirements may come to apply—cheer, subjects, your long-awaited chance has arrived!”

Whoosh!

As Migen announced it, the serfs’ longing for this opportunity was obvious—the entire town erupted in chaos.

Gervas’s reason for recruiting again was not only to replace the five fallen guards.

It was also to fill the vacancies left by the ten men promoted to knight apprentices for their meritorious service.

The remaining twenty new recruits were prepared for the kingdom’s possible future conscription order.

Gervas’s current total force numbered just over a hundred.

Though still elite, they meant little on the battlefield.

When the time comes to march, won’t someone need to stay behind to guard the castle?

So adding twenty more was specifically for castle defense.

This also prevents disaster befalling our home base.

Besides recruiting guards, Gervas had spent last night pondering crossbows.

This world seemed to have no crossbows—only longbows.

So while gunpowder remained beyond his reach, crossbows could still be used here without issue.

He had drawn up schematics from memory and given them to the carpenter and blacksmith.

After all, the thing was simple—its principle was identical to the longbow.

……

“Thank you, Lord Gervas, for your grace!”

“Thank you, Lord Gervas, for your grace!”

In the castle garden, Migen and the five knightly officers, along with sixteen knightly retainers, knelt in grateful reverence.

Though they did not know what the potion was.

But that did not stop them from knowing its value.

Each vial was worth gold coins.

And in the past, only nobles had ever tasted such things.

Gervas turned first to Migen and the other five. “Drink your potions immediately, then train hard—I await the day you break through to become titled knights serving me!”

“Yes, my lord! We shall train with all our might and swear loyalty unto death!”

Migen and the other five replied, faces alight with excitement.

“And you—study knightly arts diligently. With this potion, becoming a titled knight is merely a matter of time!”

“Yes, my lord!”

The knightly retainers were even more thrilled.

Becoming a full knight had already been the best dream they could imagine.

Now Gervas had outright declared their future as titled knights.

How could they not be moved?

Immediately, under Gervas’s direct gaze, all knights and knightly retainers drank their potions.

Moreover, the potion was not granted before the serfs because—

The Nodi potion must remain secret for now, or it would invite greed and envy.

“My lord, the little merfolk you rescued has awakened!”

As Migen and the others drank their potions and began absorbing their effects, Old John arrived.

“Awakened?”

Gervas was overjoyed—the timing was perfect; he had matters to ask this merfolk today.

Without delay, Gervas brought Lei Meng straight to the servant quarters.

Such a dangerous foreign race could not be brought into the inner castle.

So he was lodged in an empty stone room beside the inner castle.

Five guards stood watch at the door.

“Open the door!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Carefully unlocking it, Gervas slowly pushed the door open.

“By the way, Lei Meng—wait outside.”

“Yes, my lord!”

After giving the order, Gervas stepped inside.

The merfolk was curled on the bed in the corner, eyes wary as they fixed on Gervas.

But otherwise, no other aggressive reaction.

“You’re awake. Do you remember me?”

Gervas offered a warm smile.

The fact that the merfolk had not bared its teeth upon seeing him proved it remembered what happened before fainting.

“You… saved me? Two… legs…?”

“Yes, I saved you. Also, I am human—you may call me by name: Gervas Gail.”

“Thank… you. My name… is Waga!”

“Waga? Pleased to meet you. You’ve recovered well, yes? Can you return to the sea now? I plan to send you back!”

“Of… course. I’m… fine now, Gervas. You truly mean to let me go?”

“Yes. But before you go, can you do me a favor? Something sank to the seabed.”

“Not deep—only twenty or thirty meters. Just retrieve it for me.”

“That… of course. You saved… Waga. Waga… must repay!”

Thus, Gervas happily reached an agreement with the merfolk.

He did not make excessive promises, nor did he try to keep the little merfolk captive—

because the little merfolk would return to the sea eventually anyway.

Even if Gervas wished to enslave it by force, it was impossible.

So better to be generous—if future friendship could be built, that would be fine.

Not to mention, only this merfolk could retrieve the ring from the sunken ship.

Twenty to thirty meters underwater, though not deep, still carried danger.

Only those who cultivated water-affinity battle qi would be safer.

……

“Set sail!”

After negotiating with the little merfolk, Gervas led his party straight to the coast.

But since Migen and the knightly retainers had taken the potion, they remained in the castle to absorb its effects today.

Arriving at the shore, the Stormwind had already been waiting, as forewarned.

“Head south!”

“Yes, my lord!” At Gervas’s command, Old Jack immediately turned the helm.

With the sea wind’s aid, the Stormwind cut through waves smoothly until reaching the southernmost border of Stormhold.

“Now turn east—distance is about sixty nautical miles!”

“Yes, port helm, east sixty nautical miles!”

Old Jack’s seamanship had grown increasingly skilled.

Of course, the apprentices handling the sails had grown equally skilled.

The ship sailed farther, the sea around them a boundless blue—nothing but seagulls in sight.

After roughly an hour and a half, the lookout atop the mast suddenly shouted, “My lord! A new island ahead, due east!”

Whoosh!

“We’ve found a new island!”

“Indeed! What treasures might this island hold?”

“Who knows—but they’ll surely be valuable. After all, our lord’s steed, Chase Moon, found it!”

“Chase Moon is a unicorn—they say only the king and our lord own one in the entire kingdom!”

“Right! Whatever Chase Moon finds must be treasure!”

Somehow, even the guards now knew that whatever Chase Moon found was treasure.

And they attributed this to its being a unicorn.

After all, it was a divine creature rarer than dragons.

This spared Gervas the trouble of explanation.