After the first demonstration, Duke Vardon moved swiftly. He immediately gathered the most loyal and trustworthy blacksmiths and carpenters in the Dukedom. He also gathered large amounts of varying materials. He did this with the utmost secrecy.
As the Iron Duke of the North, he was no stranger to spies. No matter how tightly he controlled the information, the sudden mobilization of craftsmen and resources would eventually draw attention. The flow of goods could be slowed, but not hidden forever.
The spies of nobles within the kingdom, as well as the spies of those from other kingdoms and Empires, reported what they found.
Upon hearing the reports of their spies, the people behind the spies' initial thoughts were that the Iron Duke was building something, but based on the materials he gathered, they could not imagine what kind of thing they were building.
Their patrons ordered the spies to keep watching, waiting for anything to explain the Iron Duke's strange mobilization.
...
Far to the west, in the opulent halls of House Darenthal, one of Norvaegard's most powerful noble families, Viscount Cedric Darenthal leaned back in his chair, brows furrowed as he read the latest report delivered by the spies he had in Stellhart.
"Mobilizing blacksmiths and carpenters… hmm. No sign of military deployment. No monster wave warning either. Also, these materials, they don't add up to anything..."
He drummed his fingers in an uneven rhythm, a habit that surfaced whenever something refused to make sense to him.
"What is that monster of a man planning?"
His advisor, a sharp-featured man named Vellis, cleared his throat. "Shall we consider tightening our own border defenses near the Northern passage, my lord? If he's preparing for war—"
"There's no need for that." Cedric interrupted. "The Iron Duke Vardon only cares about protecting the North from the periodic monster waves, as well as those barbarians that keep on messing with him. He has neither the time nor interest in court politics or territorial expansion."
Cedric frowned, thinking that his own plans might go awry because of this move of the Iron Duke.
...
Across the kingdom, and even beyond its borders, others were engaged in similar discussions. Nobles and spies, merchants and generals, all speculated about what Norvaegard's Shield could be doing.
To outsiders, it looked like the Duke was merely preparing for another monster wave. A perfectly normal act for the Dukedom of Stellhart.
The things being made by calling all the craftsmen remained a tightly guarded secret. It would take some time for them to get any information, especially since the Iron Duke was still on alert.
...
The production of the Arquebuses and the gunpowder was going more smoothly than predicted.
At first, the blacksmiths and carpenters were slow in making one Arquebus, but once they got used to the unusual design, their work became faster.
As for the gunpowder, which was the most important element, Lucen taught Robert how to make it. Since Robert had sworn a mana-bound oath, he would never tell the secrets of gunpowder to anyone. Breaking a mana-bound oath, which is under the Goddess of Justice and Judgement, Thalara's watchful eye was impossible.
The gunpowder, after production, was put into a barrel which is sealed tightly with wax-lined lids, and buried in sand, this is so that it won't accidentally blow up.
Their work was conducted in a sealed, heavily secured location to ensure no information would leak beyond their walls.
Since he was no longer needed as much in the Arquebus production, Lucen focused on his training. Of course, even when he was busy, he kept on training, with Vahn sparring with him every now and then.
Thanks to his [Training Adept] trait, he gained far more than most would from the same effort. Which is why his body had become leaner, more muscular in just a few short months.
...
One day, during training, Sir Thalos strode in with the force of a thunderclap.
"Young master! I see you've kept at it. Hm? Pardon me, I must inspect something."
Without waiting for permission, Thalos knelt and poked Lucen's arms, legs, and abs like a blacksmith testing steel. His eyes widened, then gleamed.
"Incredible! A few months ago, you were all skin and bones! Now look at this! Solid muscle! Hahaha! I knew it! You were born to forge a body worthy of legend!"
He clapped Lucen's shoulder with a force that would stagger a lesser man. "Come! Allow me to personally oversee your training. Even without Aura, I will train you enough so that you may be able to struggle to survive. So what say you, do you wish to learn my training methods?
Lucen, panting, gave him a dry look. He didn't remember Sir Thalos from the game's story; someone this loud would've been unforgettable.
There was only one explanation Lucen could think of: Sir Thalos had died early in the original timeline. Either during the monster wave or the territorial war.
'Even this man, whose body was a palace of muscle and whose overwhelming presence could die.'
Lucen sighed inwardly once again, strengthening his resolve to not only grow stronger but to make the Dukedom itself stronger so that he and the others may survive the upcoming threats.
"Alright, Sir Thalos," Lucen straightened his back as he looked directly at Sir Thalos's eyes. "Show me how to get stronger."
Sir Thalos roared with laughter, gripping Lucen's arm like a comrade-in-arms. "We shall forge your body that will become a weapon that no Aura or Mana can break!"
From that day forward, Sir Thalos's training began in earnest. His regimen was brutal, bordering on cruel, pulling logs through snow-laden fields, climbing sheer cliffs with weighted packs, submerging in frozen lakes to supposedly awaken the blood.
At times, it seemed more like torture than training. To make a twelve-year-old child who had no Aura do these things would have been called child abuse in Lucen's previous life. Still, he endured and continued training.
Lucen could barely feel his arms as he dragged the log through the snow. His breath steamed in clouds.
Every step felt like his legs would be torn off, but he kept moving. He understood that this world was dangerous, and it wouldn't wait. Only Velmira's embrace would come to him if he stopped.
It had been a few weeks since he started this rigorous training.
The system had acknowledged his efforts, and throughout the training, many notifications of his stats going up kept ringing in his mind.
It was incredible since Lucen knew that the more his stats increased, the harder it became to increase them again, but because of Sir Thalos's training, it kept on increasing. The greatest benefit he got from this training was gaining a new trait.
[New Trait Acquired: Grit (Normal)]
Lucen couldn't help but smile brightly as he saw he gained a new trait, since, unlike skills and stats, which can be gained through grinding, traits were like pulling from a gacha machine, you never know what you'd get, or when you'll get it."
As with all traits, there was no description. No hints. Just a name and a rank. But Lucen could feel it. The pain he once felt during training dulled. What would have left him breathless now felt like nothing at all.
...
When Robert had time, he would start teaching Lucen about Alchemy. It was less teaching and more like he made Lucen read some books and explain some things in between.
Then one day, Robert wanted to teach Lucen a few basic spells that would help in alchemy, but that was when Robert learned that Lucen couldn't even do a basic spell.
"Huh? You already have one circle, how come you don't know any spells?"
Lucen's first Circle wasn't born of training, but forcefully shaped by the System. A crude foundation, but one uniquely his.
Robert did not bother to ask for permission and simply grabbed hold of Lucen and then sensed the mana within. Robert showed a surprised expression, and then his lips curled into a grin.
"Hoh… This is interesting. Your mana, it's condensed and volatile. Like it's on the verge of exploding, yet stabilizing itself just enough to avoid doing so. No wonder you can't use basic spells. Your mana is tuned toward destruction. With something like this, I'd bet you have some kind of unique magic."
Lucen decided that it was fine to tell Robert a bit about his skills, so he nodded his head. "Yeah, it's a kind of magic that allows me to create things like the Arquebus using mana alone and my knowledge."
"Well, that's quite a fascinating, unique magic. Hehehe, you're like an onion, the more I peel, the more there is to uncover. Very well, I'll find a way to teach you alchemy without the need for you to use spells. This might be quite the challenge… Alchemy without being able to use spells, how very interesting."
His tone said challenge, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.
...
Lucen's days settled into a relentless rhythm: supervising Arquebus production, studying alchemy under Robert's eccentric guidance, training under Sir Thalos's brutal methods, and sparring with Vahn every now and then.
Lucen's body was being broken down and then recreated numerous times. It was being forged into something great, something powerful.
...
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Lucen Thornehart
Age: 12
Class: Gun Mage
Health: 50 / 470
Mana: 10 / 160
Aura: Locked
Mana Core: First Circle
Skills:
• Bullet Creation – Active (Novice)
• Gun Creation – Active (Novice)
• Gun Knowledge – Passive (Novice)
• Marksmanship – Passive (Novice)
• Gun Kata – Passive (Novice)
• Alchemy – Passive (Novice)
Traits:
• Thornehart Lineage (Dormant)
• Foreign Soul (Unique)
• Training Adept (Rare)
• Grit (Normal)