It had been a month since the necromancer was killed. Kai, Killian and Francis were busy doing their own things.

Kai had conducted more trials. Not more for the general population, but for the guards they already had.

Each of them had undergone a test and the results had given them two more candidates to become Enforcers. One of them was named Henry, a guard Kai had never interacted with before and the second was someone familiar— Feroy.

He had already seen his capabilities in the battle against the necromancer, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Killian constantly had to make sure the guards were practising and continuing the training regime he had created for them. Even a day’s setback would make it harder for him to train the newly recruited Enforcers.

Even if two of them were trained to a certain degree, the others left a lot to be desired.

Francis was given a few jobs to take care of. He tried to take Kai’s suggestions and got himself busy with the food distribution. Kai knew that the small bowl of soup every person in the city received was not so small for them.

The men who walked in as volunteers for the recruitment constantly thanked Lord Arzan for giving them the food they received.

Kai’s heart warmed as they thanked him and explained how it helped their families survive. In the end, even though the food distribution was for the commoners to survive the winter and get his reputation to turn for the better, the feeling of doing good exceeded his expectations.

Apart from checking up and handling matters related to the food distribution, Francis had to keep an eye on Malden and the distribution of Heat stones.

The Heat stones were being distributed for different prices. The commoners received the Heat stones for a cheaper price, and it varied greatly for wealthy merchants and nobles.

The two latter consumers created profits for them to pay off the debts.

The recent news Malden brought was something that even Kai hadn’t expected. When Francis read what Malden had sent, his eyes widened with his mouth. He clutched the paper tightly and reread the same words he did before— aloud.

….a grateful noble family not only endorsed Heat stones but even coughed up 1,000 gold for personalised ones for the entire household.

Two weeks later, Malden sent another letter.

It wasn't a proclamation of another noble or merchant family endorsing the Heat stones, but news everyone was keenly waiting for.

We have gotten enough money to pay off the debt! Most of the Heat stones had been sold!

It was something that took something heavy off the back of Kai. A debt he had never taken, but had to pay off, but with the money collected from it, he could finally look forward to his plans.

***

The frosty morning wasn’t anything peaceful or silent for Kai. The clang of steel echoed through the yard and rang in his ears.

Kai gripped a practice spear that felt oddly comfortable in his hand and parried a blow from Killian’s blunted sword. Right now, they were in a practice spar.

Out of all the weapons he had to choose, Kai had decided on the spear. A sword or a rapier was okay, but a spear gave him the ability to put distance between his enemy and strike at the right time.

A major reason was also because it just felt right in his hands.

Kai felt sweat trickling down his forehead, but he shifted his focus to the attacks Killian launched.

The spear became a blur as he jabbed and thrust, mimicking the fighting style he learnt after spending hours examining how Killian showed it.

The latter mirrored Kai’s movements with practised ease. His sword deflected each of Kai’s attempts.

When Kai moved on his right side, Killian would quickly mirror it and avoid attack. And when he tried to change the direction of his strike, Killian would easily slide back and parry it, showing his mastery.

He would quickly adapt to Kai’s rookie movements and even try to attack Kai back using different small tricks.

The fight thus continued.

By the latter end of it, frustration started rising in Kai’s mind. His progress was showing, but Killian was on another level.

If he had used his spells, the fight would be over in an instant. But for their spars, he had refrained from it.

Internally, he cursed himself for never learning a few tricks for close combat.

“Argh!”

Taking a moment to think, Kai moved around his spear and aimed for his right shoulder, but twisted the spear to go for the left. It hit, momentarily distracting him.

He kept the momentum up and aimed at Killian's abs, but he feinted, taking control of the pace.

As Kai missed his next two strikes, Killian took that moment and capitalised on the opening, his sword flashing out in a deceptive arc that caught Kai’s spear shaft near the base.

Kai’s arm jolted back in pain, the spear clattering to the ground.

“Umph!” Kai grabbed the hilt of Killian’s sword. It was a desperate lunge to disarm him.

But it seemed Killian anticipated the move.

He smoothly twisted the sword and sent Kai sprawling backwards.

Kai landed hard, the wind momentarily knocking out of him.

Killian walked towards Kai and extended his hand. “Not bad, Lord Arzan.” The amusement was evident in his voice but tinged with a hint of respect. “Your spear work is definitely improving, but remember, a weapon is only an extension of the warrior. You also did well with lunging after losing your weapon. In a battle, that might be a desperate final attempt, but most warriors would die either way if they don't have their weapons.”

Kai grasped Killian’s hand and hauled himself to his feet. “Thanks,” he said in a shaky voice.

This was the third fight they’d been training and he was almost out of his breath. He had been learning well, but it wasn't at a level where he could use it in real combat.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his ragged breathing before changing the subject. "How are the others?"

Killian grunted, remembering their state. "Recovering. Awakening's a harsh mistress. They all went through it yesterday, but the pressure…" He shook his head. "Even with your... assistance, it took a toll on them."

Kai winced. The awakening process was brutal. They had been training for over a month for it, but still, it had been too much for their bodies.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of worry for the new recruits.

He helped them to awaken yesterday but since the pressure was high, a lot of them passed out even though it was a success.

Killian chuckled. "Don't worry, Lord Arzan. They fainted, not crumbled to dust. They'll wake up with magical hangovers, but their dormant abilities are now awakened."

Kai nodded. “Yeah, I know. Train them well today, because there might be a test.”

He got to his feet and started shrugging off his clothes.

“What test?” Killian started by asking but a maid who came running abruptly halted their talk.

“Lord Arzan… Knight Killian…” The maid called them out. “Administrator Francis asked me to relay the message that Malden is in the castle, awaiting your presence.”

Killian’s eyes immediately came to Kai.

He nodded. “Let’s head down, then.” Kai stood up.

***

A wave of tiredness washed over Kai as he entered the room where Malden had settled. It was Francis’s office room and had enough space for everyone to sit and discuss.

Both Kai and Killian walked in as Francis and Malden bowed to him.

He stretched his arms over his head and started feeling his body move under pain. The training session with Killian had pushed him to his limits, and every muscle in his body ached.

Malden, however, looked like the picture of prosperity. Gone were the cheap, threadbare merchant clothes and furrowed brow; in their place, a well-tailored tunic and a gold chain gleamed around his neck.

Kai looked at his new appearance for a second as Malden sensed his presence.

"Lord Arzan!" Malden boomed, a jovial smile spreading across his face. "Come in, come in. You look like you could use a rest." He gestured towards a wooden chair.

Kai chuckled, collapsing into the chair with a sigh. "You could say that, Malden. Killian certainly put me through my paces."

"Ah, a training session with Knight Killian," Malden chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he glanced at Killian. Kai was sure that he had already gotten information about his training from Francis, but he still acted like he was hearing it for the first time. "Well, knowing how powerful you are as a Mage, I'm pretty sure some exercise would take your fighting prowess to the next level.”

“Enough about it,” Kai said, waving his hand. “Tell me everything about the sales. I can see you have greatly benefited from it.”

Malden tapped the golden chain around his neck with a sly grin. “It's all your grace, my lord. As for sales, I have prepared a note of every single transaction for you to check. I think you would be happy with what my small merchant company has achieved.”

“Let's see then.”

Malden slapped a thick ledger onto the table, the sound echoing in the room. "Over seventy percent of these transactions are for the 'improved' Heat stones we sold to nobles."

Kai opened the ledger, his eyes widening in surprise.

The nobles, it seemed, were easily fooled by size. They'd purchased the regular Heat stones, believing them to be a superior model simply because they were larger and more ornate.

Maybe they warmed the room a bit faster, but there was not a lot of difference between them and the regular model.

A pang of guilt flickered within him as he wondered how his master would have reacted to it, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sheer volume of gold amassed. 13,000 gold coins sat neatly documented in the ledger, way more than what he had predicted.

"You did well, Malden," Kai finally admitted, a hint of admiration in his voice. "This is a significant amount of coin."

Malden puffed out his chest, a prideful glint in his eyes. "Just doing my part, Lord Arzan. Just doing my part. And don't worry about a thing. I've kept meticulous records of every transaction, down to the last copper piece. Transparency is key, wouldn't you agree?"

Kai nodded, a genuine smile gracing his lips.

A glint of understanding passed between Kai and Francis as they made eye contact. Without a word, Kai’s lips curved into a sly smile. "Francis," he began, his voice low but firm, “Have you prepared what I requested a month ago?"

Francis, ever the stoic presence, inclined his head in a single, curt nod. A flicker of curiosity flickered in Killian's eyes, while Malden's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Excellent," Kai said, a hint of excitement lacing his tone. "Then Killian, gather a good number of guards. If any of the six are awake and coherent, bring them along too. We're going on an exercise."

Killian's confusion deepened, his gaze darting between Kai and Francis. "An exercise? What kind of exercise?"

Kai smiled. "Consider it a test. A test of both their abilities and ours. Details will have to wait until we arrive. Trust me, this little… excursion will be highly entertaining."

***

Within the opulent confines of the Tradeheart Merchant Company headquarters, Galvan, the silver-tongued merchant paced before a richly adorned desk, his voice laced with frustration.

Across the desk sat Erasmus Thorne, the head of Tradeheart. A man in his late fifties, Erasmus sat confidently. His sharp features were framed by a mane of iron-grey hair, and his cold blue eyes radiated a calculating glint. He was obese, and with his hands placed on the table, he gave off an aura of authority.

"Lord Arzan's return has thrown a wrench in our plans, wouldn't you say, sir?" Galvan pressed, his voice tight. "Public opinion has shifted dramatically. He's not just a scapegoat anymore; he's a hero who vanquished a necromancer and the messiah for the poor. Even his awakening as a Mage has deterred our plans greatly."

Erasmus scoffed; a dismissive sound that echoed in the opulent office. "A single victory does not erase his past failures, Galvan. The public is fickle. They'll forget his heroics soon enough, especially when the debts come due."

"But with the Heat stones…," Galvan began, his voice laced with concern. "They're generating a substantial income for the city. It's only a matter of time before they're able to pay us back."

Erasmus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. A cruel smile played on his lips. "There will always be ways, Galvan. We just have to be… creative. Besides, the farmlands remain the key. Once we secure those, the city's financial future will be firmly in our grasp."

Galvan bit his lip, a flicker of unease crossing his features. While he had initially embraced the company's plan to exploit the city's desperation, Lord Arzan’s return and the recent events had sown seeds of doubt.

“I don't think you are—”

Knock! Knock!

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the ornately carved oak door. A young clerk, his face pale with apprehension, peeked into the room.

"Boss," he stammered, "there are… guards outside. A large contingent, led by Lord Arzan himself."

Erasmus's smile faltered for a brief moment, but he quickly regained his composure. Galvan looked as apprehended as him.

“What does he want?” Erasmus asked.

“I-I don't know.”

“Okay, show them in. I will meet them personally.” He frowned, giving a look to Galvan and closing his eyes. before leaning forward and adjusting the golden bracelet that was on his wrist.