The early morning chill still lingered in the air as Ladir burst into Roland's tent, his excitement unmistakable. "Your Highness, you need to see this!"

Intrigued, Roland followed Ladir outside. As they approached a hidden area near the barracks, Roland’s eyes widened at the sight before him—five tiny griffins, newly hatched, crawling around a straw nest. Their little wings flapped clumsily, and their wide eyes, full of curiosity, melted away any future image of ferocity.

"They’ve hatched?" Roland marveled, surprised by how early it seemed. "Isn't it too soon?"

Ladir chuckled, stroking his beard. "Griffins usually take four weeks to hatch, but with a little magical assistance, they’ve arrived early."

Roland nodded, understanding. "These griffins will need knights—loyal ones who can raise and bond with them from now on."

Ladir’s face lit up with approval. "Indeed, Your Highness. The bond between a griffin and its knight is lifelong. Choose wisely, and these knights could forge a legacy that lasts for generations."

Roland pondered this as he walked over to where Carlos was tending to his dragon, Kaldor. Seeing Roland's approaching figure, Carlos immediately noticed his lord’s unusual excitement.

"What’s got you so thrilled, Your Highness?" Carlos asked, curious.

"The griffins have hatched. We need to find knights for them," Roland announced, a grin spreading across his face.

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Carlos raised an eyebrow. "So soon? That’s excellent news! It’ll be good to have more than just me in the sky."

Roland studied Carlos for a moment before asking, "You’re a dragon knight—training griffin knights should be within your expertise, right?"

Carlos bristled with pride. "Of course! Training other aerial knights is easy compared to dragon-riding. No one’s better suited for the job than me."

"Good. Then start selecting candidates from the village children. We’ll need knights who can form a strong bond with these griffins from an early age," Roland instructed, knowing this was a task that required patience and precision.

After Carlos left, Roland realized he had forgotten to check in with the system that morning, distracted as he was by the hatching. He quickly corrected that, standing in the barracks as he called out, "Sign in to the system!"

The system chimed in his mind, *"Sign-in successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining 500 Recruited Light Infantry."*

Roland’s initial excitement quickly faded as the reality of the situation sank in. "Five hundred soldiers? That sounds great, but… Recruited Light Infantry?" His heart sank further as he envisioned a ragtag militia rather than the elite force he had hoped for.

Moments later, the alarm from the city’s sentry tower interrupted his thoughts. A large group was approaching the city, and knights were quickly dispatched to intercept them. As the knights returned, they brought with them a group that looked more like desperate refugees than soldiers.

"Your Highness, these are the Empire's conscripted light infantry!" one of the knights reported, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Roland’s heart dropped as he surveyed the newcomers. Their armor was nonexistent, just plain clothes and a few hastily gathered weapons. They looked more like survivors of a calamity than an army ready for battle. These were the reinforcements? He could barely hide his disappointment.

"These are little more than armed refugees," he muttered to himself, a bitter realization sinking in. The system’s so-called gift was far from the elite soldiers he needed. Instead, he had a group that would require substantial time and resources to train into anything resembling a fighting force.

Roland sighed, feeling the weight of his responsibilities grow heavier. This was a reminder that not every gift was what it seemed, and that even allies could come in unexpected—and less-than-ideal—forms.

He would have to make the best of what he had. Even if these new soldiers were far from the elite warriors he had hoped for, they were still people who could be molded and trained. With determination and a bit of luck, perhaps they could become something more.

"Well," Roland said aloud, trying to lift his own spirits as much as those of the knights around him, "We have our work cut out for us. Let’s get to it."

And with that, Roland resolved to turn this ragtag group into a force to be reckoned with, no matter how impossible it seemed at the moment.