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Instead of celebrating their victory, they were busy treating the wounded and honoring the fallen.

They held a solemn service for their fallen comrades, praying that their spirits would find peace.

It wasn’t grand, but it was a moment to remember their fellow soldiers and share in their grief.

And then…

“Wahahaha! Cheers!”

A victory party was held to celebrate the successful subjugation.

Though the party was simple—just grilled meat and strong alcohol—it was more than enough for the soldiers.

The officers gathered separately in their own meeting area.

“You’ve all done well. It wasn’t an easy task… but thank you for doing your best.”

Wilkis raised his glass to the officers.

Many had died during the subjugation, but—

“The families of the fallen will receive compensation. Make sure that none of the deceased soldiers are overlooked, and conduct thorough investigations within each unit.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood!”

Since the end of the subjugation, Wilkis had subtly changed. Or rather, it had started when the special forces team was assembled.

It seemed he, too, had brought his own story to this subjugation.

Wilkis glanced at Homen, who was seated nearby.

“How are you feeling?”

Though Homen had been tainted by dark magic, Claire’s purification had significantly improved his condition.

Homen nodded.

“I managed to overcome it with the power of the gods. Thank you for your concern.”

“If not for you, this subjugation would never have succeeded.”

Wilkis turned his gaze to Tarion and Basil.

“Forgive me for underestimating you. Your contributions were crucial to our success.”

“No apology necessary.”

“It’s alright.”

At Tarion and Basil’s response, Wilkis smiled faintly.

“There will be special rewards for your units, so wait for those. And…”

Wilkis shifted his attention to Tarion.

“You called it a crystal, right? The source of the dark magic?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Who was it that destroyed it?”

Wilkis asked, and Tarion glanced at Homen.

Homen nodded, signaling that it was okay to share the truth.

“It was Damian of the Neokalitz unit.”

* * *

“……”

Damian was still in disbelief at the changes happening in his body.

He had changed so much since he first set out for the subjugation.

A transformed body.

It felt similar to before, but much lighter, and his strength had increased significantly.

But the most notable change was—

“…I’ve reached the fourth level.”

The Delft Mana Refinement Technique, which had been stuck at the second level, had jumped to the fourth.

And his magic core, once barely the size of a walnut, had expanded to the size of a fist.

Damian had never imagined that the dark magic that had invaded his body would be purified and turned into mana.

“…Phew.”

His magic core was not just full; it was overflowing with mana.

‘Is this what it feels like?’

The difference between the second and fourth levels was enormous.

It wasn’t just twice as powerful; it was more like five times—or perhaps even more.

And even after filling his core, there was still mana lingering in his body.

Although he couldn’t use all that mana immediately—

‘When my core expands further… I’ll be able to use it all.’

Though it was just a fraction of the vast dark magic the crystal had contained, it had advanced him by several years.

Damian gripped his spear and drew upon his mana.

Woooooong!

The energy that now radiated from him was a vivid blue, far more distinct than before.

Damian’s eyes flickered slightly.

‘It’s not just the quantity that’s increased.’

He wasn’t sure what had happened, but the way the mana flowed within his body felt much smoother and more natural than before.

It was as if the pathways through which his mana moved had widened.

‘If it’s now…’

Damian exhaled briefly and pushed his mana into his spear.

Whoosh.

The blue light enveloped the spear, and for a moment, it seemed to hum with energy. But—

“Huff!”

Damian, maintaining the flow of mana into his spear, exhaled heavily.

Sweat dripped from his forehead.

“This is… quite exhausting.”

Channeling mana outside his body to enhance an object would require further training.

He had managed it when breaking the crystal, but—

‘That was just a brief moment.’

He would need extensive training to maintain this ability in the future.

Depending on how it was wielded, mana could be a powerful weapon or a solid shield.

Right now, Damian was only scratching the surface of basic mana manipulation.

“I didn’t expect to reach this level so soon.”

Once he passed the third level, mana control training became increasingly important.

Enhancing specific parts of the body with mana during combat was essential.

‘The knights I fought back then… They were on a completely different level.’

With superior mana control, they could perform combat feats far beyond their inherent capabilities.

Damian clenched his fist.

Though he felt a sense of urgency due to the sudden changes, he knew—

‘I need to take things one step at a time.’

He calmed himself and began thinking about his next plans. Just then—

“What are you doing out here?”

“What’s up?”

Kyle approached, and Damian asked.

Kyle replied.

“The subjugation commander wants to see you.”

“Baron Wilkis?”

“Yeah, I think that’s his name. Anyway, they told me to bring you over.”

Damian raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it further.

“Let’s go.”

He followed Kyle toward the gathering of the officers.

* * *

The party was in full swing.

It was no surprise.

The subjugation of the Bronselian Forest had proven to be far more difficult than anyone had reported.

No doubt, Baron Wilkis, who led the subjugation, would see his reputation soar because of this achievement.

“For the glory of the kingdom!”

As Damian entered the gathering of officers, he saluted Wilkis.

Wilkis stood up abruptly, looking at Damian.

“Welcome. Your name is Damian, correct?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Come closer.”

Damian walked to the center of the U-shaped table where the officers were seated.

Wilkis looked at Damian and asked, “I heard you were the one who destroyed the object containing the dark magic. Is that true?”

“Commander Homen struck the first blow, and I merely finished it off. It’s not an achievement I can claim alone.”

“Hahaha! That’s an amusing way to put it.”

“Yes, indeed.”

Wilkis, whose face was slightly flushed from drinking, poured more alcohol into a fresh glass and handed it to Damian.

“Do you drink?”

“Yes, I do.”

Damian accepted the glass from Wilkis.

The liquid inside was tinged with a light red hue, and the mixed aroma of fruit and alcohol wafted up.

‘…This is good stuff.’

It had been a long time since he’d had a drink, especially one of this quality. Even in his previous life, such fine liquor had been a rare indulgence.

Gulp, gulp.

Damian downed the glass in one go, without a change in his expression.

Seeing Damian drink so boldly, Wilkis burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! This soldier can really handle his liquor!”

Clearly delighted, Wilkis chuckled heartily, but then his demeanor shifted.

“As you said, it’s a collective effort. But no matter what anyone says, the one who contributed the most to this subjugation was you.”

He had already heard everything from Homen.

The power of the magic contained within the crystal had been so overwhelming that even getting close was nearly impossible.

Let alone destroying it—it was a task that required risking one’s life.

“Merit has no age. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished.”

“…Thank you.”

With Damian’s response, Wilkis sat down and continued.

“I called you here because I have something to say. There will be an official reward later, but if there’s anything you specifically want, let me know. I’ll grant it, as long as it’s within my power.”

“…”

Damian’s eyes darkened at Wilkis’ words.

It was clear from his demeanor that the success of this subjugation had relieved a difficult situation for him.

For Wilkis, the subjugation of the Bronselian Forest must have been incredibly important.

Without hesitation, Damian spoke.

“Thanks to your achievement, Baron Wilkis, the Bronselian Forest will change significantly.”

First, he praised him.

Wilkis’s lips twitched into a small smile.

The other officers simply watched in silence.

“The Bronselian Forest holds great potential. The herbs and various special products harvested here are indispensable to the kingdom.”

Damian continued to talk about the Bronselian Forest.

Wilkis and the other officers looked at Damian with surprise.

Despite being known as the youngest soldier in the unit, Damian was remarkably knowledgeable about the Bronselian Forest.

“And to distribute these goods throughout the kingdom efficiently, we need a trading company to manage it.”

“That’s true.”

Wilkis agreed with Damian’s assessment.

It wasn’t just about gathering herbs and special products; having the means to transport them in good condition to other places was crucial.

“So, what is it that you want?”

As Damian’s explanation dragged on, Wilkis asked directly.

Damian answered.

“Grant me the exclusive right to manage the goods produced in the Bronselian Forest.”

“…Exclusive management rights?”

Wilkis’s eyes widened.

He had expected Damian to ask for money, a house, or perhaps an artifact.

But to ask for the exclusive management rights to the goods from the Bronselian Forest?

“Hahaha!”

Wilkis couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Turning to Tarion, he asked, “How old did you say this boy is?”

“…Thirteen years old.”

“Thirteen? Hahaha! Can you believe this is coming from a thirteen-year-old?”

Wilkis shifted his gaze back to Damian.

“You’re a remarkably exceptional soldier. Asking for exclusive management rights, huh.”

Wilkis trailed off, his laughter fading into a serious expression.

“However, obtaining exclusive management rights is not something that can be granted lightly. It requires considerable power and effort.”

“…”

So, it was impossible after all?

Damian knew he was being ambitious.

But considering Wilkis’s position and the circumstances, Damian thought it might be feasible.

He bit his lip.

“But…”

“…?”

Damian looked back at Wilkis, hopeful.

Wilkis spoke again.

“It will take some time to organize and activate the Bronselian Forest. In that chaotic atmosphere…”

Wilkis pondered for a moment, then held up his index finger.

“From now, I’ll grant you the management rights for one year. During that time, no other trading company will be allowed into Erkal.”

Wilkis smiled slyly.

“How about that? Is that good enough?”

Damian’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Thank you!”

Damian saluted, bringing his right fist to his chest.

Wilkis chuckled and then said, “And by the way, Damian, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“How would you like to join the Knights?”