'Are they still up this late at night?' It felt stupid to ask since I could already guess what Renata's answer would be.

Oh, I better lay some context before we jump into it.

So, we were on our way to Trodin's fief. As usual, Renata would play the role of the guide to point the way.

Trodin lived further down south, so I actually needed to increase our speed a couple of notches above the speed of sound to make our schedule.

And boy, it was fast...

Down south, there were fewer mountains and hills, replaced by the periodic grasslands, tall and sparse forestry, and vast marshes.

The change of scenery was awesome, to be honest. Not to mention, the air was also to my liking. A bit warmer than the Dawson in the north.

"Are you holding on fine?"

"Thanks to my Lord's barrier...Do you need something, my Lord? You need only to say the word, and I'll see it done."

'Talk! I just want to talk, woman!' Again, humoring her would only be my loss. Ignoring her was the best way at a moment like this.

"I noticed there's a problem in recruiting the shadows?" I began.

"For now, we have reached a bottleneck. Recruitment can be useful for the second class Shadow. But for the first class, the elites, it's hard, considering we have to ensure where their loyalty lies. Unless...my Lord plans on binding them with vows." Suggested Renata expectantly.

"No. I'd like to avoid that as much as I can."

Why? Because binding people was like adding extra weight to my soul. Maybe I make do with dozens or maybe hundreds of them, but at what cost?

It was not an efficient way and was outright stupid to enslave people left and right.

I needed my soul to be as free and as powerful as it could be for the last showdown.

And that was the harsh truth.

"By your will, my Lord." Answered Renata in reply.

I looked at her, and thought to my own before opening my mouth.

"...Is that why you recommend us to come to Paladin's place and check up on the slaves?" Seeing Renata's calm reaction and remembering a few things, I finally connected the dot.

"Yes, my Lord. I have instructed a few handpicked Elites Shadows to train a batch to become the Seedlings."

"And why do you need me there?"

"Since my Lord's command on the last council is to make the slaves an army, I don't want to go behind my Lord's back and wish to ask for permission only after my Lord sees the potential of the seedlings."

"It's good that you wish to honor me and all that, but I will expect a better way, time and effort-wise. If you want manpower from the captured slaves, discuss it with Paladin, and a report is all I ask. Is that clear?" Again, she was too fixated on things like this.

"My apologies, my Lord. My thoughts were short." Saluted Renata, bowing deep.

'...Well, we're out here already...' I mused inwardly, gazing forward once again. "So, can I expect good things from them?"

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"We have selected a dozen of younger slaves with very satisfying results." Answered Renata faithfully.

'Hm...'

"How young are we talking about here?" It was fine to train kids, but I would prefer if she didn't include the much younger kids.

"They ranged from the age of ten until fifteen."

'So, basically teenagers until adult...Okay, that's fine.'

"Are you planning on giving them mana contracts?" I asked.

"Yes, my Lord."

"What's the plan on that one?"

"First, they will have to finish their training. And if they can finish the given tests, they will receive the mana contracts." Explained Renata, her eyes gleaming excitedly under the moon.

"So, rather than forcing them to take mana contracts one-sidedly, you want them to think that it is earned instead?"

"Yes, my Lord." Smiled her proudly.

'Well, that's some next-level brainwashing shit there...' I commented inwardly.

"...It sounds hard...Do you need anything?"

"So far, I have given a detailed plan on how to train the Seedlings and have one of the Elites oversee the process. But I have a major concern regarding that, my Lord." Expressed Renata, studying the movement of my eyes hidden behind the mask.

"Go on," I replied.

She nodded and continued. "Temporarily, this was the best we could afford, but if we want the same quality or more, we need to find a better teacher, my Lord. I wish I could split myself into two so I can serve my Lord and teach these Seedlings at the same time. Pity I cannot do so."

'Okay, enough nonsense, and tell me what you want...'

I give her that impatient look. "You have someone in mind?"

"Pepe. A member of a Phantom Squad...and also the one who taught me." Confessed Renata.

A chilling and sharp tone. She meant business.

I thought quietly for a while before addressing her once again. "You want to capture him alive and force him to teach the future Elite Shadows?"

"He is by far the best, in my opinion, my Lord." Renata didn't back down.

"...Can we expect someone of his caliber to accept a Mana contract obediently? It will defeat the purpose if he chooses to end his life instead." I sounded my logic out.

"At that time, my Lord needed only to do one little thing and leave everything to me. I will handle that man." Declared Renata.

"If you say so..."

After all, if there was someone who I believed the most at stuff like this, it was Renata, The Assassin.

----------------------------------------

Silence lingered over the massive cave filled with rows and rows of people.

It was the place Trodin constructed in order to build the army I asked for and served as a refugee camp for the slaves or some sort.

I thought it would be one of those kinds of caves that wouldn't be well-lit, damp, and scary. It turned out I was wrong.

The cave was bright and wide with more than enough space even with all the things they built and maybe more to come.

I didn't know this at first, but the more I thought about it, the more impressed I was by what the Seatholders of our House could do.

Following Trodin's and Renata's requests, I was now floating and showing myself in front of all the shadows and Trodin's closest men inside the said cave.

He said something about creating a lasting impression of myself in front of all these people, but I still didn't have a clue what I needed to do to achieve that.

Yeah, what did he expect me to do by asking me out of the blue to cook some shit up right on the spot?

Thus, I choose silence.

No, I was kidding...I was thinking my ass off, in fact.

Not saying anything might add to the pressure and suspension, but I couldn't keep being mute forever.

'Fuck...What to do...' Inside the oversized costume, I sighed, contemplating my plight.

'Ah, damn it. Whatever...Here goes nothing.'

A flew a bit higher and then moved the mana, stirring the air.

"...A great danger is approaching us..."

I opened my mouth and amplified my voice to the far end parts of the cave.

"We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind, but the world is not ready and will not be ready when the time comes. They are busy waging war, inflating their egos and greed while remaining blind for the coming tragedy."

"They will not be ready...But we will. We will prepare ourselves. We will live today, and we will train for the future. We will be ready to fight when the abyss comes, and we will be ready to be the light when all hope has disappeared."

"We will wage war, by the sea, land, and air. In the light shall we brandish our weapons, and in the dark shall we fight with all our might and with all the strength god can give us. We will be the shield and spear of salvation!"

"The night will be long...But when the day the enemies come to tear down our walls, our world! Let it be known to foes and allies alike that we, House of Light and Darkness, will stand there in the eye of the storm!"

"Crush your fear and steel your hearts! For the soldiers of the Light and Dark will prevail!!"

"WE WILL PREVAIL!!"

"WE WILL PREVAIL!!"

"WE WILL PREVAIL!!"

"WE WILL PREVAIL!!"

'Welp, thank god I can still remember bits of good-old-wise Churchill's speech.'

Judging by Trodin's gesture and the crowd's reaction, I think I did a good job there.

It feels like I'm giving them a warcry when we aren't even going to war anytime soon, but it's whatever.

The ship has sailed, and it is what it is.