"Lord Ghislain!"
The Fenris knights rushed to Ghislain's side, panic evident in their faces. They were battered and exhausted, but none as gravely injured as their leader.
Ghislain forced a faint smile. "You all did well."
"Are you all right?" one of them asked, concern laced in their voice.
"I'll need some recovery, but I'll manage."
Ghislain pulled out a potion and drank it, the familiar warmth of its healing magic spreading through his body. But the knights weren't satisfied with that. They began pulling out their own potions, pouring them on him without hesitation.
Ghislain groaned as the liquid soaked through his clothes. "That's enough. The external wounds are fine now. It's the internal damage that needs rest."
"But still, we can't take any chances!"
"Yes! Your safety is paramount!"
A few knights, clearly overwhelmed by emotion, uncapped their potions and splashed them on his face as though to ward off any lingering injuries.
"I said enough," Ghislain muttered, glaring at them.
"…Yes, my lord," they reluctantly replied, stepping back.
Once they confirmed that their leader's life wasn't in danger, the knights collectively sighed in relief.
As Ghislain's breathing steadied, Gordon approached. "What were those things? Why did they suddenly turn to dust?"
"It's because that beast died," Ghislain explained. "This place hasn't been fully corrupted yet."
"Corrupted?"
"Those creatures come from the Rift, but they can only exist in an environment that's been altered to suit them. That beast was here to change the terrain. They don't belong in this world."
The knights stared at him, their expressions blank with confusion.
Ghislain shook his head and continued, "That's all you need to know for now. You'll understand more with time."
"So… what about the Rift?" Gordon asked, glancing uneasily at the still-gaping hole. "Why hasn't it closed? What do we do with it?"
The Rift remained open, its ominous presence a constant reminder of the threat it posed. The knights and soldiers watched it nervously, unsure of what might emerge next.
"For now, leave it alone," Ghislain said firmly. "We can't close it yet. All we can do is keep it under watch and make sure nothing escapes."
"Leave it? Does that mean this area is uninhabitable?"
"Yes," Ghislain replied. "There's still something inside the Rift. It can't come out yet because it's too large for the opening, but it's waiting. When it emerges, we'll need to deal with it before the Rift can close."
The knights and soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
"What kind of creature is so large it can't fit through that Rift?" one of them murmured, his voice trembling.
The very thought was terrifying. The creatures they had just faced were already beyond anything they could have imagined, and yet something even worse lay in wait.
Despite their unease, the knights supported Ghislain to his feet. Rest and recovery were now the immediate priorities.
As they helped him move to a safer area, Ghislain paused, turning his gaze back to the Rift.
Swish.
From the shadows within the Rift, a glowing red eye emerged, locking onto him.
Ghislain stared back at it, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll see you soon."
As if in response, the eye retreated into the swirling void, its edges fading until it was gone.
For a moment, Ghislain thought he saw a flicker of amusement in that gaze—as though the creature were smiling.
"W-what on earth happened here?"
Count Selburk, the newly appointed administrator of the western region, was visibly shocked as Ghislain appeared before him, battered and worn.
Ghislain wasted no time, leading Selburk to the office at Linderstein Castle. Normally, Selburk would have considered this his domain, but with Ghislain present, he didn't dare argue.
After providing a brief explanation of the situation, Ghislain asked, "Have all the Rift sites in the western region been dealt with?"
"Yes," Selburk replied. "With the forces Marquis Branford sent, we managed to suppress them, though it wasn't easy."
The Salvation Order had fiercely defended their altars, making each confrontation more challenging than the last.
"Most of the locations you identified did have those 'altars,'" Selburk continued. "We've started calling them the Salvation Order's altars for consistency."
There were a few exceptions—places where no altars were found. Ghislain's intelligence, while extensive, wasn't perfect, especially for locations he hadn't personally scouted in his previous life.
Even so, the accuracy of his information remained remarkably high.
"There are still more out there," Ghislain said quietly. "Even in places we haven't identified. This one appeared in the Finros territory, didn't it?"
It was only a matter of time before more Rifts opened.
"Start drafting your reports," Ghislain ordered, turning to the knights he had brought from Finros.
These knights had been brought specifically to provide firsthand testimony about the Rift and the monsters that emerged from it.
As the knights began writing, Selburk skimmed through the initial drafts. His face paled as he read the descriptions.
"Superhuman-level strength… creatures stronger than soldiers…" Selburk muttered. "If these things keep appearing, entire territories could be wiped out."
"That's correct," Ghislain said.
The Salvation Order clearly understood the consequences of their actions. They wouldn't sacrifice so many lives without reason.
Ghislain handed a letter to Selburk. "Deliver this to every lord in the region as quickly as possible. I'll personally deliver a copy to Marquis Branford."
"Yes, of course," Selburk stammered, calling for a messenger to begin distributing the letters.
While Selburk handled logistics, Ghislain reviewed reports from the region. Stabilizing the west was just as critical as containing the Rift threat.
Eventually, Selburk returned with an update.
"The remnants of the enemy forces have been subdued," he reported.
Ghislain nodded. "They surrendered quickly?"
"Yes. Offering food ensured their compliance. Your reputation played a role as well."
Ghislain had earned a reputation for treating surrendering forces generously, even distributing surplus food. As a result, most of the deserters in the western region had laid down their arms, bolstering his forces to nearly 30,000 strong.
But the region's problems weren't so easily resolved. War had devastated the people, and some lords continued to exploit their territories mercilessly.
"It's time to clean up," Ghislain said.
"What do you mean?" Selburk asked cautiously.
"We'll deal with the lords who are hindering stability. Their lands will become directly administered territories."
Selburk swallowed nervously. "That… that could damage your reputation. The other lords might refuse to surrender if they think they'll be targeted."
"I'm aware," Ghislain said firmly. "We'll only target the worst offenders. This isn't about politics; it's about saving lives. We can't let greed and selfishness jeopardize everything."
Selburk hesitated but couldn't argue. The stakes were clear.
"This isn't a personal fight," Ghislain said, his voice resolute. "The Rifts are a threat to everyone. We must act with unity and resolve—or we'll all perish."
Selburk lowered his head. He couldn't deny the truth. If they failed to act decisively, nothing else would matter.
"I have no intention of letting my people suffer because we're showing mercy to scoundrels," Ghislain said, his voice steely. "Only those with sufficient cause will be dealt with—nothing more, nothing less."
For someone like Ghislain, who rarely indulged in long explanations, this was an unusual amount of detail. It was the best courtesy he could extend to Count Selburk, a high-ranking noble and the acting administrator of the western region.
"…Understood. What would you have me do?" Selburk asked reluctantly.
Ghislain began outlining policies, each one as decisive as it was ambitious.
"Our administrators will select which lords to make examples of. Dispatch the army and remove them immediately."
"Relocate people from small villages to fortified cities and strongholds. These smaller settlements are indefensible against Rift monsters."
"Redirect all resources to producing food and military supplies. That should also create plenty of jobs. Reward the population with adequate food supplies in return for their efforts."
"Increase the size of the army. Pour every resource you can into strengthening our forces. Now isn't the time for restraint."
As Ghislain rattled off his plans, Selburk's face grew increasingly pale.
"How can we implement all of this at once?" he exclaimed. "The administrative structure is in shambles—we're barely maintaining order as it is!"
"Don't worry. My people specialize in situations like this," Ghislain replied coolly. "The Fenris administrators are already here, aren't they?"
"Well, yes, but… they've been tied up assessing the region and resolving immediate issues…"
"They should be done by now. Summon the person in charge," Ghislain commanded.
A knight moved swiftly to carry out the order. Moments later, a man entered the room with a bright, confident smile.
"Lord Ghislain, it's been a while," the man said cheerfully.
It was Billy, a seasoned administrator and an old acquaintance of Claude. Once duped by Claude into joining Fenris, Billy had since proven himself invaluable, mastering the management of territories to the point where he could completely restructure an entire region.
"It's been a while. Are things ready?" Ghislain asked.
"Yes," Billy replied with a grin. "We've identified the worst offenders—those who routinely murder their people and embezzle supplies meant for relief efforts. Eliminating them will cause minimal backlash. We've also prepared clear justifications for their removal."
"Good. Take care of them, and deploy administrators to oversee their territories. Count Selburk will provide the troops. What else?"
"We've selected cities and fortresses for relocating the population. With sufficient compensation, laborers should quickly rebuild or repair the necessary infrastructure. We've also drafted plans for establishing new facilities to support the influx of people…"
Billy continued detailing plans for overhauling the western region's governance, leaving Selburk utterly speechless.
"Amazing," the count murmured. "You've already prepared all this? Do Fenris administrators even sleep? Now that I think about it, their offices are always lit, even at night…"
"…Indeed," Billy muttered, blinking back tears. He refrained from adding, "If they worked like we did, they'd die from exhaustion."
To ensure their staff didn't collapse, Fenris had even dispatched priests like Piote to accompany them, ready to revive overworked administrators if necessary.
The plans were robust—tested and proven in the resource-starved Fenris territory. With the west's relative abundance of resources and manpower, failure was unlikely.
Satisfied, Ghislain nodded. "Request additional supplies from Fenris for anything you're short on, especially food. Distribute it generously to stabilize morale and encourage participation in rebuilding efforts."
"Yes, my lord," Billy replied.
Fenris had become the kingdom's top producer of food, a position that extended even across the continent. Flooding the region with food would quell unrest and mobilize the populace for reconstruction.
Turning to Selburk, Ghislain added, "Focus on maintaining law and order with your army. I've heard reports of new bandit groups forming in the western outskirts."
"That's correct," Selburk admitted.
"Don't bother launching a full-scale suppression campaign. I'll lead the army myself to handle them. Just ensure the region's security in the meantime."
"As you wish."
Ghislain spent the next hour fine-tuning various policies with Selburk and Billy, addressing even the smallest logistical details. With Billy's experience and Fenris's proven strategies, stabilizing the western region seemed within reach.
But Ghislain's thoughts were already turning toward greater threats.
"Did you bring the medicine?" he asked suddenly.
Billy's expression darkened. "Yes, but there isn't nearly enough for everyone in the west."
Fenris had been producing medicine at an unprecedented rate, but it was still insufficient to cover the vast population of the western territories.
Ghislain nodded. "Prioritize soldiers involved in combat. We'll have to ration it for now."
Selburk hesitated before asking, "We've also begun producing the medicine locally using the recipe you provided. But… is it really true? Will such a thing actually happen?"
It was clear Selburk struggled to believe Ghislain's grim warnings, even as he followed the instructions.
Ghislain's expression remained calm. "Yes. We must prepare for the coming plague."
The plague would mark the beginning of the Era of Calamity.