"I told them that I’ll free them, but I can’t just do that."

Verc muttered. He’s back in his room now, lying on his bed with onyx sleeping beside him.

The stone walls of his private quarters felt familiar and secure, a stark contrast to the cold iron bars of the prison he had just left behind. He stared up at the dark wooden beams of the ceiling, his hands resting behind his head as he replayed the conversation with Elianna and Kael over and over in his mind.

’If I just let them go, it might cause some discontent with the others... they attacked the village, after all.’

He thought, remembering the scene he arrived earlier in front of the gates.

The memory of the bloody battlefield was still entirely fresh in his mind. He recalled the bodies of the fallen orcs laid out on the grass. His citizens had fought with everything they had to protect this home while he was away. If he simply opened the doors of his new prison and allowed the invading soldiers to walk away completely free without any form of punishment or consultation, it would send a terrible message to his people. They might think he didn’t care about their sacrifices or the losses they had suffered.

"Fuck it... I’ll just talk with the others tomorrow."

Verc realized that this isn’t something he can decide on his own. He might be the leader, but he can’t just not consider the opinion of others all the time.

He needed to hear what the family heads and the other leaders had to say about the situation before making a final move.

’So far, all I just did was build the castle, get people, and assign them to do things... They’ve been handling everything while I just lock myself in my castle, training selfishly.’

That’s why Verc wants to tell the others first and have them decide with him what to do with the prisoners.

He looked down at his own palms, reflecting on the history of the village. The orcs, the gnolls, the dwarves, and even the new comers had all poured their sweat and blood into clearing the land, planting the crops, and manufacturing weapons.

Anyway, with that settled—

"Hup...!"

He got up of his bed.

He stretched his body... and thought to himself that he feels rested now.

He already refilled his energy again with a few more gallons of monster blood a bit earlier. And for the first time in a while—he got to sleep for hours without any sudden interruptions, allowing his muscles to fully repair themselves.

’I’m in tip-top condition.’

Verc thought.

He rotated his shoulders. The heavy fatigue that had lingered in his limbs after the intense fight with the Lich was gone, replaced by a clean, sharp readiness.

FWIP~

Verc grabbed his sword that had been laying beside his bed.

He had enough rest, so now, just as usual—it’s time to train.

The night outside was quiet, the village was running smoothly under the watch of the guards, and he had several hours left before the sun would rise over the canopy.

Though, he’s not planning to use [Mana Circulation] tonight... He doesn’t want to spend all the energy he just got back.

Activating his mana pathways would only drain the fresh reserves he had just replenished with the monster blood.

SWISH—!

So instead, he was going to train purely using his swordsmanship.

He moved to the open center of his bedchamber, clearing a wide perimeter to ensure he wouldn’t strike any of the furniture. He raised the blade to eye level, his gaze focusing entirely on the tip of the steel as he assumed a standard low stance.

’I’ve been stuck with [Sovereign Swordsmanship] for a while now. Ever since I learned how to control mana, I started relying on it more than I had expected; making me stuck in this stage.’

Verc stated.

He realized that his rapid growth with mana had created a bad habit. He had instinctively begun to rely on heavy mana bursts and raw energy output to overwhelm enemies. Because he could simply blast his way through obstacles with his massive pool of mana.

But after fighting the Dark Lich, someone with about the same mana as him—Verc realized that if he had trained more in swordsmanship, then that battle would’ve been much easier.

The Lich had an incredibly dense shield of dark magic that resisted standard energy attacks, forcing Verc into a grueling, inefficient war of attrition. If his pure swordsmanship had been more refined and sharp, he could have found the subtle flaws in the enemy’s defensive forms, breaking through the barriers with pure physical technique rather than wasting vast amounts of his own mana reserves.

Mana is great—but it’s not something exclusive to him. If he encounters someone with stronger and more mana; then all he could rely was the skills he honed.

"There’s no shortcut. I need to train all my skills, not just one of them."

Verc muttered to himself.

SLASH!

And just like that—he spent the entire night swinging his sword, stuck in his own world where him and his sword only exists.

SWISH- SLASH--!

He brought the blade down in a clean vertical arc, the steel whistling sharply through the air before he transitioned smoothly into a swift horizontal parry.

He repeated the exact same forms over and over again, focusing on the perfect alignment of his wrists, the balance of his feet, and the control of his breathing. The repetitive motion became a rhythm, wiping away his thoughts until there was nothing left but the continuous sound of cutting air in the dark room.

... ... ...

... ... ...

... ... ...

*****

"Fuuuuhhh~"

When Verc stopped swinging his sword; the sun was already up.

The cool silver light of the moon had completely faded, replaced by the bright, warm golden rays of dawn that broke through the high windows of his chamber. The long hours of the night had passed in what felt like a single, seamless moment of deep concentration.

Even Onyx was already awake, just looking at him and waiting for him to finish.

The small pup was sitting completely upright at the very edge of the mattress, his head tilting curiously from side to side as he tracked the final movements of the blade. He hadn’t made a single sound all this time, patiently remaining in his spot until his master’s training session came to an end.

Verc was drenched with sweat.

His chest rose and fell with a steady, rhythmic pattern, his skin glistening under the morning light from the intense physical exertion.

"Ugh, I smell like shit."

He took off his shirt and took a towel to dry himself, wiping away the heavy sweat from his shoulders, chest, and arms before draping the damp cloth over the back of a nearby wooden stool. And after that—

FWIP.

He sheathed his sword on his waist and approached Onyx, the metal making a clean, sharp click as it locked securely into its scabbard.

He stepped over to the side of the bed, leaning down slightly to look at the small creature who was already vibrating with excitement.

"Did you wait too long?"

He asked.

-ARF!

Onyx just barked, wagging his tail.

The tiny pup let out a cheerful yelp, his front paws bouncing against Verc’s arm as his tail moved back and forth so quickly it became a complete blur. He showed absolutely no signs of annoyance, simply happy to finally have his master’s full attention.

Verc smiled and took him in his arms, lifting the light, furry pup off the bedsheets and holding him securely against his chest. And with that—the two of them left the room.

CREAK-- CLICK.

They walked out into the long stone hallway, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind them.

*****

Verc headed down to the first floor, it’s where the kitchen and dining area are currently in his castle.

The lower levels of the castle were already bustling with the early morning routines of the residents.

Tap-

Anyway, when Verc got to the dining area—there were already food.

The rich, savory aroma of roasting meats, fresh vegetable broths, and freshly baked grain bread filled the entire dining hall, immediately stimulating his senses and making his stomach growl after a full night of intense physical exercise.

Ashley and Maya were there.

The two of them are the cooks in this castle, they cook for the workers and everyone that stays here, including for Verc and onyx.

The girls were standing near the large iron stoves, busy lifting heavy metal pots, stirring giant cauldrons of soup, and arranging various platters for the daily meals of the fortress residents.

As the two sensed Verc’s arrival way before, they greeted him as soon as he got to the dining area.

"Good morning, Lord Verc."

Ashley said, her voice clear and welcoming.

"We have prepared the morning meal for you, My Lord."

Maya added with a polite smile, gesturing toward the main table.

Verc greeted them back, giving them a brief, casual nod as he walked into the spacious dining room.

"Good morning."

Verc said.

-ARF! ARF!

Even Onyx greeted them with an energetic smile.

The young wolf pup let out a high-pitched, enthusiastic bark from Verc’s arms, his ears perking up as he looked at the two familiar faces with bright eyes.

Verc walked over to the long, heavy wooden table that sat in the center of the hall.

"Have you two eaten already?"

Verc asked if they had ate already.

The two nodded their heads with a smile, clearly pleased by his consideration for their well-being.

"Yes, My Lord, we always make sure to eat before the main rush begins."

Ashley answered smoothly.

"The food are already distributed inside the castle now as well. All the workers, guards, and construction teams received their portions before heading out to their designated tasks for the morning."

Maya explained, ensuring Verc knew that the entire household had been properly taken care of.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Verc thanked them for their good work, genuinely appreciative of how smoothly they managed the massive task of feeding the entire castle population every single day.

Then he sat down, pulling out a large wooden chair at the head of the table while keeping Onyx nestled in his lap for a moment.

Maya and Ashley then started putting dishes on the table on front of him, moving with practiced efficiency to set down large plates of perfectly seasoned meat, bowls of hot stew, and small side dishes of preserved wild greens.

"Thank you."

Verc thanked them again, appreciating the rich spread they had prepared for him. Then with that; he started eating.

He picked up his wooden spoon and fork, consuming the hearty meal with a steady appetite, feeling the rich nutrients quickly absorbing into his body and completely erasing the physical strain of his sword training.

Onyx was given his own food as well by the two.

Maya quietly stepped forward with a small clay bowl filled with finely shredded meat and soft broth, placing it carefully on the floor right beside Verc’s chair.

-Arf!

The pup immediately slid down from Verc’s lap, landing silently on his paws before diving into his breakfast with absolute focus, his tiny pink tongue lapping up the food happily.

... ... ...

*****

After eating breakfast, Verc’s body was already back in its top condition.

The rich food had completely refilled his physical strength, and his muscles felt entirely loose, warm, and ready for whatever the day might bring. He set his clean utensils down on the wooden surface and looked up at Maya and Ashley, who were waiting nearby to clear the platters.

"The food was delicious. Thank you."

He told them with a genuine smile on his face.

The two were obviously happy with what they heard.

Their expressions brightened instantly, and they bowed their heads again, their smiles turning wider at his direct praise.

Anyway, after that, Verc then told them to call the others and head to the meeting room.

"Go find Grainne, Aodh, Kuma, Groo, Mamon, Pwyll, Bernia, and the pthers. Tell them to gather on the fifth floor immediately."

Verc ordered.

And before the girls could even ask--

"We need to discuss the human captives currently held in the new stone structure. It is a matter that concerns the entire village, and I need everyone’s input before a final decision is made."

He explained that.

He saw the slight look of curiosity in their eyes and chose to clarify the matter right away so they would understand the absolute urgency of the summon.

"We understand, My Lord. We will bring the others as soon as we can."

Ashley and Maya said that they will bring the others as soon as we can, speaking in unison with firm, reliable nods.

And excusing themselves, they left immediately after that.

They turned and quickly hurried out of the dining area, passing through the heavy doors to locate the various department heads scattered across the castle and the outer village grounds.

Verc then kneeled down to look at ONyx.

"Go on. You can do whatever you want for now."

Verc told the little pup.

And as if understanding him--

-ARF!

Onyx barked happily before running.

The small creature let out a high-pitched, joyful sound. It seems like he was running toward the library, where Nara was.

Verc smiled as he watches the small creature ran with its tiny legs, he thought it was cute.

The absolute innocence of the pup brought a brief flash of warmth to his stoic expression, providing a moment of calm before the difficult political discussions ahead. Then when Onyx was out of sight—Verc stood up again and started heading back to the 5th floor of the castle; to the meeting room.

Tap- Tap- Tap-

"..."

He walked out of the empty dining hall and stepped onto the grand staircase, his heavy boots echoing.