Steam floated in the air like thin clouds, curling and rising until it vanished into the cold sky.
The hot spring was quiet except for the soft splash of water and the slow drip from the rocks.
Lucian leaned back against the edge, his arms resting behind him as the warmth soaked into his skin.
Next to him, Clara giggled as she kicked her legs gently under the surface. Her hair was tied into two small buns, and she kept humming while glancing at her brother.
Veyra was sitting across from them, her wet hair draped over one shoulder, and her sharp grey eyes fixed on him.
She didn't smile, but there was a calm in her gaze that didn't exist when they first met.
Then, she moved closer and tilted her head.
"Would you like me to rub your back, master?" she asked, her voice flat, but there was something teasing in her tone.
Lucian looked at her, raising a brow. "You don't need to call me that all the time, you know."
"But I do," she replied, leaning closer. "That's what I was summoned for, isn't it? To serve you, to fight beside you, and to obey you."
Clara looked between them with a confused face. "Why would she rub your back? Do you have an injury?"
Lucian laughed softly and stood up. The water dripped from his body as he stretched, and Veyra's eyes went low before she gave a quick snort.
"…Small," she muttered under her breath.
Lucian turned around sharply. "I'm only fifteen, alright?! Give it a few years!"
"I'm sure," she said, turning away and hiding a tiny smirk behind her hand.
He stepped out of the spring and dried off quickly. Clara climbed out too, wrapping herself in a towel.
The moment passed. He slipped into his usual clothes and headed toward the pens.
Ellowynne was already there, holding a bucket of grain and shouting at one of the goats that kept ramming a fence post.
"Damn stubborn thing!" she cursed. Then she turned her head and saw Lucian approaching. "Well, there he is, our new warlord. Are you finished soaking with your little fan club?"
Lucian didn't answer. He just grabbed the other bucket and started walking with her.
She watched him for a second, then sighed. "Alright, fine. I'm asking. What the hell is going on with you lately, huh? You've been acting like you've got the weight of the whole damn kingdom on your back. You're leading bandits, shouting orders, doing drills, scouting the land, and now I heard you're talking to nobles. You're fifteen. Why are you trying to lead an entire army?"
Lucian kept walking in silence. They passed the last pen and reached the edge of the pasture.
The grass swayed gently in the cold wind, and beyond the hills, a distant shape was forming—banners, armored men, caravans moving across the roads like ants.
His eyes narrowed.
"You wouldn't understand," he said quietly.
Ellowynne frowned. "Try me."
But he just tightened his grip on the bucket.
"I just… have to do it," he said finally. "That's all."
Ellowynne stared at him, but this time, she didn't say anything. She looked toward the horizon too. And for a moment, neither of them moved.
A whole month had passed, just like that.
The drills were getting sharper. The men moved cleaner. And now, they were no longer bandits — they were becoming soldiers.
He had taken two side quests during the month. The system offered more rewards, but he didn't hesitate.
He picked what he needed most — the army expansion and his class.
[Reward Claimed: +10 Soldiers]
[Reward Claimed: Unique Class Unlocked – Blood Mage]
He remembered the moment the class fused with him. His body burned and froze at the same time. Blood became a tool. Power followed with every drop spilled. And now, he was level 9.
One more… just one more level and I can summon another harem member.
He closed his eyes. It's moving fast, but I need it to move faster.
Lucian walked down from the cliffs and passed the outer defenses.
The village was now filled with people — some soldiers, some traders, some former outlaws that had sworn their loyalty to Drogas and now to him.
Tents filled the eastern side, and smoke curled from new chimneys on the rebuilt houses.
He found Drogas near the well, checking a map with his second-in-command. The scarred man looked up, grunted, and nodded at Lucian.
"Commander."
Lucian didn't waste time. "What did the nobles say about your army?"
Drogas scratched his chin, then spat into the dirt.
"They were surprised, boy. Some of 'em even sent messages sayin' they respect how we turned things around. One lord even said he'd consider 'recognizin' us' if we kept order in the southern forest."
Lucian narrowed his eyes. "And?"
"And the others…? They'll stop us. They said we're dangerous."
Lucian looked toward the horizon, where the nobles' cities rose beyond the hills.
"Let them come," he said. "I don't care."
Drogas smirked, but there was a seriousness in his voice now. "Then we better be ready. They won't send letters next time."
Lucian nodded. "Then we'll break them."
"How's Mirra and Elias?" Lucian asked, glancing at the rising sun.
"They're safe," Drogas said with a faint smile. "I can't thank you enough for that, Commander."
Lucian nodded. "It was nothing. We plundered enough gold. It was only right to use it."
A week ago, he had sent a small group to trade the thousand gold coins they'd taken from a noble caravan.
The exchange was clean. Mirra and Elias were released, and they now lived in the back of the village near the orchard. Elias had even started helping in the stables.
Lucian leaned forward. "Now tell me. Is there any place around here we should hit next?"
Drogas didn't hesitate. "Southern Forest. I've been hearing rumors about a big monster that has been tearing through villages and dragging people into the dark. Locals call it the Hollow Beast."
Lucian stood up. "Perfect."
He turned and walked off. "Prepare the army. We march tomorrow."
---
The next morning, the snow had melted just enough to let boots hit dirt. Lucian wore a black cloak, katana on his back, eyes locked on the tree line ahead.
Behind him stood 500 bandits. Their armor was mismatched, their weapons were stolen, but their morale was strong. Veyra walked beside him, dressed in tight combat gear, holding two daggers, silent as ever.
"You sure about this?" she asked.
Lucian grinned. "Yeah. If I want to build an army that can face nobles, I need them to face monsters first."
Then, he gave the signal. The march began.