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“What in the world is happening?”

Startled by the unprecedented sight, the priest hastily infused her with divine power.

“Oh, Goddess!”

He couldn’t stop exclaiming in wonder. Every time he had previously attempted to heal her, the disease had fiercely resisted the divine power, making treatment impossible—but not this time. It was an unbelievable situation.

Having treated Rachel several times before, the priest knew exactly how powerful the disease’s resistance to divine power had been. But now, her body absorbed the divine power without any rejection, as easily as cotton soaking up water.

After a long while of channeling divine power into Rachel, the priest stood up with a dazed expression.

“As unbelievable as it is… it seems her condition has improved. This is a miracle! The Goddess has bestowed a miracle upon us! Oh, merciful Goddess, to bless such a place as this den of demons!”

The priest began to praise the Goddess enthusiastically, declaring that the Goddess had forgiven Rachel’s sins and performed a miracle to heal her.

Though the priest had said he couldn’t stay long, he showed no signs of leaving, standing and sitting repeatedly while reciting prayers.

Seeing that the priest had no intention of leaving, Ghislain muttered a word to the knights.

“Send him home.”

The knights forcibly dragged the priest, who was still insisting he needed to witness more miracles, out of the room.

Only after seeing the overly excited priest did Gillian finally become convinced. His daughter’s illness had truly been cured.

His heart raced, and his legs trembled to the point that he could barely remain standing. Falling to his knees, he caressed his daughter’s face while shedding endless tears.

“Oh… Oh, Rachel…”

As Rachel’s condition improved and her pain diminished, a peaceful smile appeared on her sleeping face. It was the first time in years that Gillian had seen such a serene expression on his daughter’s face, and he couldn’t help but break down in tears.

How long had it been since he’d last seen that smile? How many times had he wished and prayed to see it again? This was a miracle.

“This… This can’t be happening…”

After sobbing for a long time, Gillian suddenly regained his composure and stood up, gazing at Ghislain with desperate eyes.

“Is it… Is it truly possible for my daughter to be cured?”

“If she continues to take the medicine for a month or two, she should be fully healed.”

“H-how is it possible to cure an incurable disease… when even divine power couldn’t?”

“Divine power only stimulates vitality and strengthens the body’s regenerative abilities. It’s up to the body to fight the disease. That’s why there are more illnesses that divine power can’t cure than people realize.”

Ghislain replied with an air of arrogance.

Gillian was left speechless. What could he say when the person who had cured his daughter was right there?

Staring blankly at Ghislain momentarily, Gillian suddenly snapped out of his daze and asked with a desperate tone.

“What… What do you want? Surely, you must have come to me with something in mind.”

“What can you give me?”

“All I have left is this worthless body. If you ask me to become a dog, I will. If you ask me to be a slave, then I will be your slave.”

Gillian was sincere. He was prepared to give Ghislain whatever he wanted for his daughter’s sake.

Ghislain let out a small laugh and shook his head.

“There’s no need for that. I just need the old you, the person you used to be.”

Gillian paused, remaining silent for a while before finally forcing himself to speak.

“If I refuse… what happens to my daughter?”

“Don’t worry. Even if you refuse, I’ll still treat your daughter. I don’t really care about the money either.”

Gillian stared at Ghislain in disbelief. The idea of offering help without expecting anything in return? No one in this world did that. His life experiences had taught him that many times over.

Sensing Gillian’s skepticism, Ghislain continued with a relaxed expression.

“Don’t believe me? It’s really no big deal for me. It’s not as huge of a favor as you think. This much is easy for me to give.”

Despite Ghislain’s words, they weren’t convincing. He knew a cure for an unknown disease and had gone out of his way to find a complete stranger like Gillian. It was hard not to be suspicious.

“Honestly, I’d be disappointed if you refuse, but I’m not in the habit of forcing people to do things they don’t want to do. If you don’t want to, then that’s that.”

Gillian looked at Ghislain for a long time. Behind the innocent, childlike exterior, there was an odd sense of maturity—a calm confidence that radiated from him. His eyes reflected a clear sense of purpose.

‘What on earth is this man dreaming of?’

Gillian soon steadied his gaze. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed a dagger.

Snip.

He gathered his long hair that had reached his shoulders and cut it all off in one swift motion.

His once hunched shoulders and bent back straightened, and his figure appeared more imposing. The lifeless look in his eyes ignited, burning with intensity like flames.

He looked completely different from the man Ghislain had first met.

The sudden surge of energy startled the knights, who instinctively gripped their sword hilts. Belinda narrowed her eyes and reached into her coat, thinking Gillian might threaten Ghislain to get more medicine.

As Gillian strode toward Ghislain, the knights quickly blocked his path. Gillian stopped in his tracks, locking eyes with Ghislain.

Standing a full two handspans taller than Ghislain, Gillian looked down at him, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure despite his calm posture.

With a deep, resonant voice, Gillian asked,

“Are there any others besides the people here with you? Or is anyone else coming to meet us?”

“No, it’s just us. There’s no one else we need to meet, and no one else is coming.”

Hearing their conversation, Belinda slowly drew her dagger from her coat. The questions themselves were suspicious—asking about their group and potential contacts could easily be interpreted as a threat, especially with Gillian’s sudden change in demeanor.

However, Gillian didn’t seem to care whether Belinda was wary of him or not. Squinting his eyes, he asked Ghislain, “Do you happen to have any enemies who hold a grudge against you?”

Ghislain chuckled as if amused by the question.

“Of course I do. Some people hold grudges against me now, and there will be more in the future.”

The moment Gillian heard that, he wordlessly grabbed a harpoon from the corner of the room and tied it to the end of a long rope. Without a word, he exited the room and hurled the harpoon with incredible force toward the door.

BANG!

The harpoon pierced through the door and flew out at breakneck speed. Immediately after, Gillian infused the rope with mana and yanked it back hard.

A man in a gray robe, impaled in the shoulder by the harpoon, was dragged through the shattered door.

“Gahhh!”

The man screamed in pain, writhing as Ghislain watched in disbelief.

“Well, looks like we had a tail following us,” Ghislain remarked with a dry laugh.

The man who had been dragged inside stared up at Gillian with eyes full of terror. He had no idea how someone had managed to spot him, let alone pull off such a precise strike, piercing only his shoulder to avoid a fatal wound.

Belinda and the knights’ eyes widened in shock at Gillian’s incredible throwing skill. Not only did it require mastery of mana, but it also demanded precise control of every muscle movement.

Unfazed by their reactions, Gillian grabbed the man’s head with one hand and dragged him over to Ghislain. Ghislain looked down at the man coldly and asked, “Who sent you?”

“I-I…”

The man trembled uncontrollably, unable to complete his sentence. He couldn’t understand how he had been singled out. He had been blending in with the crowd, pretending to be just another passerby.

And yet, Gillian had targeted him so precisely.

Seeing the man unable to respond, Belinda stepped forward and swiftly searched his belongings. She found a poison-coated dagger and various concealed weapons, but there was nothing that identified his background.

“What should we do with him?” Gillian asked.

Ghislain thought for a moment before turning his gaze back to the man.

“I suppose you have no intention of talking, do you?”

“…”

The man hesitated but ultimately remained silent.

Ghislain shrugged with a look of disappointment.

“That’s a shame. It would have been easier for both of us if you’d cooperated. I really didn’t want to dirty my hands on such a fine day.”

Even when it came to killing, Ghislain believed there had to be at least some reason for it, especially when dealing with enemies. It was a principle he had maintained since his days as the King of Mercenaries.

Looking down at the man, who still refused to speak, Ghislain turned to Gillian.

“I think I already know who sent him, so there’s no need to ask further. Since we have no other questions, it’s best to send this uninvited guest on his way.”

Nodding, Gillian dragged the man into another room.

Crunch.

A sickening sound echoed through the closed door, followed by an eerie silence. Shortly after, Gillian returned, his expression cold and indifferent.

The knights were stunned by Gillian’s decisiveness. He did not need any further confirmation before taking action, and his unwavering resolve was overwhelming.

‘Was he always like this? How could he change so suddenly?’

‘There’s no hesitation in his actions. The Young Lord has brought a dangerous person into his fold.’

Gillian, who had seemed so weak and powerless when they first met, now exuded an overwhelming presence, like a completely different person.

Ghislain, observing him, spoke.

“Judging by your actions, it seems you’ve made up your mind.”

Gillian took a deep breath and slowly knelt down.

“I pledge my loyalty to you, my lord.”

“You won’t regret it?”

“I’ve already fulfilled my lifelong wish. From now on, I will live only for you.”

His firm tone conveyed his unwavering resolve. Satisfied, Ghislain personally helped him up, a pleased smile formed on his face.

“Good. Rachel will be taken care of at the estate. Her remaining treatment will, of course, continue.”

“Thank you.”

Ghislain, with a playful expression, shifted the topic.

“By the way, that was impressive. How did you manage to pinpoint him so accurately and drag him in? Even our knights didn’t notice.”

At those words, Belinda and the knights’ faces flushed with embarrassment. They had detected that there were people outside, but it had been difficult to determine whether they were enemies. After all, even in a secluded area, a few passersby weren’t out of the ordinary.

Yet Gillian had immediately sensed that the man was suspicious and acted accordingly.

“Hey, I could’ve done that too if I wanted! I was just watching the treatment, that’s all!” Belinda shouted, looking aggrieved.

Ghislain shrugged.

“It’s alright. I didn’t notice either.”

“Don’t say it like it’s normal not to know!”

As Belinda continued to grumble, Gillian responded with an impassive face.

“It’s because I’ve been cooped up at home for so long. When you stay in one place for too long, it becomes easier to notice people who behave suspiciously.”

Belinda pursed her lips in frustration.

“But still, you could’ve made a mistake, right? No one’s perfect.”

“More important than making a mistake is the safety of the Young Lord. If it turns out to be nothing, we can deal with it then.”

Gillian replied firmly.

Belinda and the accompanying knights paled slightly. As attendants, they couldn’t act so recklessly—any mistake could tarnish the honor of the one they served. Even if the situation was resolved without error, it was nearly impossible to restore once honor was damaged.

However, Gillian’s attitude made it clear that he didn’t care, even if the man he had just killed had turned out to be an innocent guest or an unrelated bystander.

‘Tch, it’s my job to protect the Young Lord.’

Feeling like Gillian had been taken from her, Belinda grumbled inwardly. She understood Gillian’s mindset, though. He had been a broken man, unable to do anything but despair beside his dying daughter.

Now that Ghislain had saved his daughter’s life, how could he not be grateful? He would surely lay down his own life if asked.

‘Still, I didn’t think he’d change this much.’

His presence was overwhelmingly intense. A person like that would undoubtedly draw attention, for better or worse.

‘Hopefully, he won’t cause any problems.’

Unaware of Belinda’s concerns, Ghislain patted Gillian on the shoulder and said,

“Well done. I’m counting on you from now on.”

Gillian bowed his head.

“I will never disappoint you.”

And thus, the variable Ghislain had prepared—Gillian—officially joined the group.