The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel-Chapter 48

“I've delivered the notices to each village.”
Skevin had posted recruitment notices for the Knight Order and the militia, as per Arthur’s instructions.
But he still had a lingering question.
“Young Master, will there really be anyone who wants to apply for the militia? I'm worried everyone will flock to the Knight Order.”
“I think differently.”
Arthur looked out the window.
While looking around the village yesterday, he had learned something new.
Contrary to his expectations, there weren't many young men in the estate.
When he asked Andrew and Lsanna for the reason, they said that there had always been more women, but the decisive factor that shattered the gender balance was when Lord Teheran led the Knight Order across battlefields to establish the Count's family's golden age.
The aftereffects had continued for decades, and the gender balance had only slowly started to correct itself since Count Malcom's time.
Because of this, there were more people suited for the militia than people of the right age for the Knight Order.
“The Devil's Corps will be in charge of training the militia. You just focus on the applicants for the Knight Order.”
“Understood.”
“And have all the partners for the Britannikers been decided?”
“It seems like it'll be decided by the end of today, but a few of them are resisting so strongly that it's proving difficult.”
“If they give up and go back to riding their original horses, they won't be able to fit in, will they?”
“I'm worried about that too.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur thought for a moment, then stood up.
“Let's go to the training grounds. There's a mountain of things to do, so we need to resolve this quickly.”
“I'd be glad if we could.”
The corners of Skevin’s mouth lifted.
***
When Arthur entered the training grounds, about ten of the beasts were still wrangling with the knights.
Then, a few of them stopped resisting.
The knights who had won their hearts let out cheers.
“I did it~!”
“Alright! Let's do well from now on!”
“I'll serve you like a queen!”
The knights were ecstatic with joy.
On the other hand, his eyes fell on the knights still struggling with the Britannikers.
There was Hellot, Mulan, Peri, and one beast that no one was approaching.
A brown coat and a golden mane.
It was the one Skevin had his eye on.
Arthur grinned and looked at Skevin.
“You haven't succeeded yet either?”
“Well, that is...”
Skevin looked sheepish and scratched his head.
“Go on, try. I'll see what the problem is.”
“Then I'll take you up on that.”
With an expectant look, Skevin approached the Britanniker that was standing leisurely.
Just then, Khan, who had been watching the Britannikers from one side of the training grounds, approached Arthur.
Hee-hing~.
It nuzzled its head against Arthur's shoulder affectionately.
Arthur smiled, stroking Khan's face as he asked.
“Why are those ones refusing?”
Khan shook its head as if to say it didn't know.
But seeing the slight glint of mischief in its eyes, it seemed like it was pretending not to know.
Khan's personality was very different from what he had expected.
He had thought it would be rough and taciturn, but he never imagined it would be so affectionate and playful.
It wasn't bad, being able to laugh when they were together.
With a smile on his lips, Arthur watched Skevin deal with the Britanniker.
“Isn't it about time you accepted me?”
Hee-hing!
The Britanniker snorted fiercely as if to say 'no way'.
Skevin continued to woo it as if placating a girlfriend, but the Britanniker didn't give him a single glance.
The situation with the others was the same.
“Hmm.”
Arthur, who was watching the knights' actions, examined the Britannikers.
Every one of them had a powerful aura, and unlike the other Britannikers, each had a unique characteristic.
The ones Hellot and Mulan chose looked as brawny and strong as the two of them.
And the one Peri chose was sleek and looked like it would be very fast.
They all felt haughty and prideful.
“They've chosen ones similar to themselves.”
Hee-hing~.
Khan neighed as if it had the same thought.
Arthur looked at Khan with a slightly dumbfounded expression.
It couldn't speak, but it understood everything he said and even agreed with him.
At this point, it was no different from a person.
“Well now, you think the same as me?”
Arthur grinned and continued.
“But it's hard to win their hearts like that. Where I used to live, there's a saying. 'Faint heart never won fair lady.'”
Hee-hing~ Hee-hing~.
Khan nodded its head repeatedly.
“The stronger they are, the more they're drawn to strength.”
Arthur shouted to Skevin.
“Stop letting it drag you around and be more forceful!”
“What if I get rejected then?”
“Are you just going to stay like that forever, then?”
“Ah, alright.”
Skevin looked at the Britanniker with a regretful expression.
“I didn't want to go this far either. But you're resisting so much, I have no choice.”
But the beast didn't even pretend to listen and just looked elsewhere.
As Skevin slowly raised his Mana, a powerful aura flowed out.
At that, the beast glanced at him.
“I'm not that weak, you know.”
He slowly approached, closing the distance.
The beast then snorted and glared at him.
A moment ago, he would have backed off and tried to coax it to stay in its good graces, but now was different.
It was do or die. He decided to push forward forcefully with strength.
“Let's see how you react.”
As Skevin raised his Mana to its maximum, a deep blue aura rose from him.
At the same time, a powerful aura erupted from him like an explosion.
Not to be outdone, the Britanniker also raised its aura.
Their auras clashed intensely.
Skevin confronted its aura, but a Britanniker was a monster strong enough to send an Orc flying with a single blow.
It was no easy task to continuously face the aura emitted by such a creature.
As time passed, he grew tired, and he could feel himself being pushed back.
“Damn it! Fine, if this doesn't work, I'll give up too. That's why I'm not going to back down easily.”
Skevin gritted his teeth and pushed forward with all his might.
Faced with a side of him he hadn't shown before, the beast flinched slightly.
Skevin didn't miss that opening.
He quickly closed the distance to the Britanniker and mounted its back.
Hee-hee-hee-hing—!
The beast bucked wildly, as if going crazy.
However, Skevin skillfully endured its struggles.
After a few minutes passed like that, the panting beast stopped struggling. Then, it stood still like a gentle sheep.
“Hoo~.”
Skevin let out a sigh of relief and stroked the beast's neck.
“Have you accepted me?”
Hee-hing!
The beast raised its head and let out a cry.
“Thank you. I look forward to working with you.”
Once Skevin succeeded, the others who had been watching from the side began to deal with their own mounts in the same way.
“Now that's settled.”
As Arthur grinned, a soldier guarding the castle gate approached swiftly.
“Someone has come to see you.”
“Me?”
Arthur tilted his head.
The soldier replied with a troubled expression.
“Well, it's not just one person. It would be best if you went and saw for yourself.”
“If it's not just one person...”
A meaningful smile appeared on Arthur's face.
He thought he knew who it was.
“They came sooner than I thought. Then again, I did tell them to disband immediately...”
“Should I send them away?”
“They are my invited guests.”
Arthur stroked Khan's face and said.
“When things are settled here, have a word with the others. Tell them that now we're one family, I'd prefer if no unpleasant incidents occurred. Especially since the horses in the stable are terrified, do something about that.”
Hee-hing~.
Khan nodded.
Arthur headed to the castle gate with the soldier.
When he arrived at the gate, just as expected, Kenlak and his gang were gathered there.
Upon seeing Arthur, Kenlak looked awkward, scratching his cheek as he asked.
“What should we do?”
“About what?”
“You know... about raising our value.”
“You have to turn over a new leaf.”
“What does that mean?”
Kenlak tilted his head.
“It means repenting for the wrongs you've committed so far and living a righteous and good life. But I'm not sure if you guys, who are far from that sort of thing, can pull it off.”
“We have to. Otherwise, we'll be kicked out of the estate.”
“I'm telling you in advance, it's going to be very hard.”
“We've been through thick and thin. You don't have to worry about that. Any guys who can't handle it will drop out on their own.”
Arthur grinned and gestured inside.
“Enlist.”
“You must keep your word from yesterday.”
“Don't worry. I always keep my promises.”
“Then, we'll be in your care.”
Kenlak, too, entered triumphantly with his gang.
***
A short while later.
Starting with Kenlak, people from each village began to flock to the castle to apply for the Knight Order and the militia.
Skevin and the Phoenix Knights came out to welcome them.
The castle became bustling with the continuous stream of people, and the high command was busy planning for future operations.
Arthur stood on the castle wall, lost in thought as he watched the endless line of applicants.
“So this is where you were.”
Millerf approached.
In the past, he would have stood side-by-side with Arthur, looking at the same view, but now he stood one step behind, looking at Arthur.
From now on, his sun was Arthur.
His duty was to make that sun shine even more brightly.
Anything else was meaningless to him.
“What do you think when you see that line?”
“It seems everyone is anxious.”
“They would be. Monsters have appeared in the once peaceful estate, and the village was burned down in a territorial war.”
“Their anxiety will subside with time.”
“Will it really?”
Arthur looked towards the West Mountain Range and continued.
“We don't know when the monsters will appear, and the territorial war isn't over yet.”
“But you've prepared countermeasures, haven't you?”
“Countermeasures are just that, countermeasures. No one knows what will actually happen.”
He wasn't wrong.
Therefore, rather than refuting him, Millerf simply looked at Arthur and waited for him to continue.
“Starting with Count Yarve, I plan to build our strength.”
“What kind of strength are you referring to?”
“With our strength alone, we can't even face monsters, let alone the Demon King.”
“How about forming alliances?”
“I don't want that. I will fight them only with the power I possess and my own people.”
“By that, you mean... Don't tell me!”
Millerf's eyes widened.
Arthur looked out over the estate and nodded.
“I will expand the power of the Count's family. Count Yarve will be good prey to announce our presence to the world.”
“M-My lord...”
“From now on, start gathering information related to the surrounding estates.”
“If word of this reaches the Emperor's ears...”
Millerf's face darkened.
“That's why you must proceed secretly. One wrong move and we could be accused of treason, which would be a headache.”
“Could you not tell me the plan in more detail?”
“For now, I just want you to follow my orders.”
“Then please tell me at least about the matters related to the estate.”
Millerf did not back down easily.
He couldn't, as Arthur's plan was dangerous and serious, and it would have an absolute impact on the fate of Grada Estate.
So, while other things could wait, he absolutely had to know about the parts concerning the estate.
“Hmm.”
Arthur pondered for a moment, then looked at Millerf.
“I will make this place an impregnable fortress.”
“How do you mean?”
“The west is impassable for enemies because of the monsters, and the east is blocked by the sea. If we properly establish defenses to the south and north, no one will be able to conquer us easily.”
“Ah...”
“But if we get cornered, it's over.”
Arthur continued with a very serious expression.
“That's why we must become stronger.”
“Now that we've even acquired the Britannikers, we've become strong enough to be ranked within the top five of all the knight orders in the empire.”
“I want to be the strongest. Nothing else matters.”
Arthur's eyes blazed fiercely, and his face was set with determination.
Millerf's head bowed on its own.
‘My lord...’
Before, he had only seen Arthur's strength, but now his other virtues were coming into view.
He was looking far ahead, worrying about the estate's future.
Beyond continuing Teheran's progress and his strength, he felt Arthur now had more than enough capability to be the head of the house.
The strongest.
A desire for the best!
As expected of a man who would be emperor.
But he was a man who would go further and become a supreme ruler!
The history of blood would begin now.
Expectation and worry crossed Millerf's face, then he clenched his fists tightly.
‘Become the sun. A sun so intense that it can dry up a river of blood in an instant.’