Tap, tap, tap…
The carriage sped forward, wheels rattling against the dirt road as the War Wolves emerged from the surrounding terrain. They flanked the carriage, forming a protective escort as they raced toward the city outskirts.
With both Chris and Number Two absent—off training a fresh batch of recruits—the squad moved without their usual leaders.
Originally granted a three-day leave, the team had decided to rest for only one day, then rotate shifts for the remaining two. After all, ensuring the safety of the Lord of the City was their top priority.
Before long, the group passed beyond the walls of Sedona City, charging eastward toward the military administration's outpost—the very grounds where the field training exercises were underway.
Tap, tap, tap…
Ten minutes later, the carriage arrived at its destination. Before Lucas even stepped down, the sound of shouting and heavy breathing reached his ears from not far away.
"One-two-one! One-two-one!"
"Get those legs moving, you lazy brats! Are you planning to skip lunch today?!" Aiden's booming voice roared across the field.
"Listen up! We feed you all that meat so you can build muscle, not pack on fat! Anyone caught slacking off—I'll personally send them to the coal mines for a month!"
"Don't think getting accepted means you're safe. In one month, if you fail the assessment, you're out of the military administration! You can go back home and chew on your wheat!"
Aiden's thunderous shouts echoed across the training grounds, making every soldier's heart tighten. No one wanted to lose the privilege of hearty meals from the military mess hall.
Inside the carriage, Lucas glanced at Nicole, whose expression was a mix of surprise and mild embarrassment. "Nicole, your brother's got quite the voice, huh?"
"...Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Nicole's eye twitched slightly.
"Come on, let's take a look." Lucas pushed open the carriage door and stepped down, followed by Nicole and Mina.
Mina's eyes swept the surroundings with sharp vigilance, her hand gripping the hilt of her military knife in a reverse grip. With only four War Wolves members present, she was on high alert—training grounds could be the perfect place for an assassin to blend in unnoticed.
"Don't worry, it's fine." Lucas patted the cat-eared girl's shoulder gently. His danger sense hadn't reacted, which meant no one harbored ill intent toward him.
"Mm." Mina nodded, though her expression remained serious. Even knowing Lucas's strength surpassed hers, her duty was to ensure his safety.
As she once said, "If the young master has to step in, that's my failure. My disgrace."
"Come on." Lucas shook his head, not bothering to argue. He strode toward Aiden, eyes scanning the recruits struggling under the weight of large wooden beams—one of the outdoor training drills.
Carrying those heavy logs wasn't just about building endurance; it also taught teamwork. If one person slacked off, the log became heavier for everyone. And if they dropped the beam? The whole squad would be stuck drinking thin barley porridge while watching others feast on roasted meat.
"Good. Has anyone dropped out yet?" Lucas asked calmly.
"No, still three hundred fifty." Aiden replied with a shake of his head. When selecting recruits, they had prioritized those with strong physical endurance. Besides, the intense training hadn't fully started yet.
Right now, all the drills focused on two core principles: physical strength and discipline. Stamina was essential for wearing heavy armor, while discipline formed the backbone of any formidable army. As for cultivating a true warrior spirit—that would take more time.
Horseback training would have to wait, too. There simply weren't enough horses yet. They'd have to wait another six or seven days until Yosen delivered the next shipment.
"Hmm, the essential training for those veteran soldiers must not be stopped." Lucas instructed.
"Yes, aside from the necessary patrols, the veterans have all been training." Aiden replied seriously.
"Start armor training next month. The horses will arrive in six or seven days, and they'll need some time to be conditioned. Next month, have them begin cavalry training as well." Lucas ordered.
These new recruits would become the backbone of his future army. Together with the veteran soldiers, a force of over four hundred men equipped with his specially designed armor wouldn't necessarily dominate the world, but they'd have no problem defeating a thousand-strong cavalry unit.
In this era, having a cavalry force of a thousand men would at least belong to a marquis or a duke. By next year, when his income from currency circulation increased, he could expand the army even further.
A navy also needs to be established to provide escort protection; otherwise, the "Golden Waterway" won't be very safe—those city lords are no saints.
"Understood." Aiden nodded.
"How's today's training progress?" Lucas shifted his focus to the army, noticing that the soldiers didn't seem too exhausted. His brows furrowed slightly.
"Morning runs and sparring sessions have already concluded. As for carrying the logs, they still have five more laps to go before finishing." Aiden quickly reported.
"Are the logs dry?" Lucas asked in a stern tone.
"Yes, they're all dry logs," Aiden replied.
"That's too easy." Lucas's brows pressed together as he narrowed his eyes in thought. He glanced toward the Forbidden Mountain Range, made a quick calculation, and said calmly, "In a couple of days, have them haul logs from the Forbidden Mountain Range—three trips a day."
"Master, do you mean hauling them all the way here?" Aiden asked, eyes wide with surprise. That kind of work would be exhausting.
"Just to the docks," Lucas replied softly. "A shipyard needs to be built there, so they can haul the logs as both labor and training. One month of this will do."
The location Lucas referred to was an area just above the docks, where there was a large natural gap. With a bit of clearing, it would be the perfect spot to build a shipyard.
Lucas had chosen this location some time ago. He was simply waiting for Dahlia's shipbuilders to arrive so he could start organizing the logging and construction.
For now, he planned to build a wooden shipyard since constructing one with cement would have to wait until spring when the weather warmed up. Otherwise, the cement would freeze before it could set properly.
"Yes, sir." Aiden let out a quiet breath of relief. Hauling logs to the docks wasn't too bad—three trips a day was manageable.
He glanced at the group of shouting recruits, shaking his head slightly. In a few days, they wouldn't have it so easy. After all, wet logs were significantly heavier than dry ones.
"How's the comparative training with the compressed military rations going?" Lucas continued asking—it was one of the key things he wanted to check today.
"Young Master, the squads eating compressed military rations are progressing slightly faster in their training compared to those eating regular meals." Aiden reported seriously. When he first saw the numbers, it had shocked him.
"Very good." Lucas nodded with satisfaction. A slight increase was already incredible. These compressed rations had great potential—though their production cost was a bit high.
With most of Sedona City's income already invested in the military, Lucas's finances were starting to get tight. For now, he could only maintain things as they were.
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