Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 242

“Your Majesty!”

“Master!”

Clayton, looking tired, and Hamarr, whose face was thin, stood up straighter when they saw Logan.

Logan felt a little bad seeing how tired they were. He knew it was necessary, but he still felt guilty. He smiled slightly and patted them both on the shoulder.

“You’ve both worked hard,” Logan said.

“It is for the good of the country, how could we refuse…” Clayton replied.

“If you know that, let us rest a bit…” Hamarr added.

The two men, who had given very different answers, exchanged awkward smiles as Logan looked around.

Logan thought, ‘As expected…’

Because they had worked together on big projects before, the work seemed to be going well.

The construction had started in the best place to reclaim the western wasteland of the royal capital.

The nearly finished water gate and the Tenon River, which could be seen beyond the tunnel under the mountains, looked perfect.

However, the problem he had expected had happened.

“Is the reservoir big enough? It looks smaller than the McLaine Dam. Have you forgotten that the land for farming is twice as large?” Logan asked.

“Considering the continuous flow of river water, this size should be enough, Master. We have some experience with this…” Clayton answered.

“No, dig deeper. Make it more than twice the size,” Logan said firmly.

Hamarr looked unhappy at the firm reply.

“You said we needed to finish quickly! This will make it take much longer!” Hamarr complained.

“Your Majesty, my calculations also agree with Lord Hamarr’s. I think this is enough,” Clayton added.

Logan shook his head at Clayton’s defense.

“It needs to be big enough to water the entire wasteland at once. We’ll be using mana-infused water farming here, and dissolving magic stones in standing water is much cheaper than in flowing water,” Logan explained.

Hamarr and Clayton looked surprised at Logan’s words.

“Mana-infused water… Didn’t you say we were having money problems, Master?” Hamarr asked.

“Are you sure about this? Really?” Clayton questioned.

“I’ll figure it out somehow, so just do as I say for now,” Logan replied.

“Ah…” Hamarr sighed.

Hamarr looked miserable as he realized the task had become much bigger.

“Ugh… Double this…” Hamarr groaned.

Clayton also sighed, but Logan remained firm.

‘It’s necessary. It has to be done. To save even a little time and money,’ Logan thought.

He felt a slight headache, maybe from being tired, but he didn’t show it.

“Hamarr, how long will it take to finish if we do that?” Logan asked.

“Haa,” Hamarr sighed.

Hamarr shook his head, looking unhappy, but answered right away.

“It will take at least two more months, Master,” Hamarr said.

“…Try to make it about a month,” Logan requested.

“Are you even listening to yourself right now!” Hamarr exclaimed.

“Hahaha. Lord Hamarr, let’s just try. Your Majesty, we will try our best,” Clayton said.

Logan felt sorry for Hamarr, who could only glare with his mouth shut, and for Clayton, who shook his head with an awkward smile.

Clayton probably knew that they were already spending as much money as they could.

“Yes. Then I’ll leave the final touches to you, Lord Clayton,” Logan said.

“Leave it to me, Your Majesty,” Clayton replied.

Both the one giving the orders and the one receiving them were tired.

However, those who knew the situation had no time to complain.

“No, how can we reduce it by a month…!” Hamarr exclaimed.

“Lord Hamarr. Shhh!” Clayton hushed him.

Except for one dwarf whose work had increased the most.

Mana-infused water farming has been completed up to the Esperanza Territory.

“That’s faster than I expected. I thought it would be done closer to when the dam was finished,” Logan said.

“Setting a clear amount of magic stones was a big help. I will send a separate report about this,” Victoria reported.

“Good. Well done, Lia,” Logan said, smiling slightly at Victoria’s report.

The plan had changed, but in a good way, making him smile.

“Return to the capital for now. Bring the magic stones needed for the dam when it’s completed,” Logan instructed.

“I have already packed them,” Victoria replied.

“…Good. Thank you for your hard work,” Logan said.

Victoria’s report was better than he had expected, making Logan smile for the first time in a while.

“You’ve done well on your mission, so I should reward you… Lia, is there anything you want?” Logan asked.

“No. This mission was a great achievement for me as a mage. I am just thankful for your trust,” Victoria answered.

Not only was her work good, but her answers were also nice, making Logan want to give her something even more.

“Still, tell me. Rewards and punishments must be clear to encourage others to work,” Logan insisted.

“If you insist, um… I’ve recently heard about the Magic Corps. I would like to join it,” Victoria said.

“What?” Logan asked.

There was no reason to stop her.

Logan believed that all the mages in the country should be in the Magic Corps.

Also, the Golem School had proven to be very useful in both engineering and combat support during the Battle of McLaine.

“Why? I’m curious why,” Logan asked.

“Actually, I don’t like researching in the Magic Tower. I would rather be in a place where I can use magic and train,” Victoria explained.

She wants to fight.

At the unexpected answer, Logan sighed softly and looked at Victor, who was standing behind Victoria beyond the communication device.

“Well, as long as your brother is okay with it…” Logan said.

“I am okay with it,” Victor replied.

“Hmm?” Logan questioned.

He thought Victor would not want his sister to receive combat training.

Victor looked calm as he looked at Victoria’s back.

He was no longer as protective as before.

He thought it was because he was seeing it through the communication device, but it was clear that he trusted his sister.

‘Have those children really grown up?’ Logan thought.

This was also a good change, and Logan nodded happily.

“Alright, I understand. Tell Lord Clayton yourself, and go to the Corps whenever you want,” Logan said.

“Yes. Thank you!” Victoria exclaimed.

“Victor. You’ve worked hard too. So, I’ve prepared a separate gift for you,” Logan said.

“…Yes? I haven’t really done anything….” Victor replied.

“From today, join the Royal Knights training. Your duties as a guard knight will be stopped for a while. After the regular training, the Sword Master will watch over your training, so learn well,” Logan instructed.

“…Yes?” Victor questioned.

Victor looked surprised for a moment.

But soon, his face turned red, and he seemed so excited that he might cheer at any moment.

The genius who had become a top-tier knight at the young age of twenty-one would now grow even faster.

So now.

‘The dam construction is going well, and the mana-infused water farming is almost finished. Now, I just need to check the troop training situation, right?’ Logan thought.

The last of the three big projects that cost a lot of money.

Soldiers who have been training for about three months now.

Dust swirled in the royal training grounds, thick with the smell of sweat and horse. Shouts and angry voices were common here almost every day.

“I see a foot out of step!” roared a knight.

“Is that all it takes to fall behind?” yelled another. “Knights with such weak legs? You should be ashamed of yourselves!”

Knights with shining armor, marked with bright flame designs, chased after others whose armor was still plain and dull. They pushed them harder and harder.

The knights being chased were close to collapse.

Plop.

Warhorses, made drowsy by a potion, were placed on their shoulders.

“Why, does a person carrying a horse and running even make sense?” one knight groaned.

“These madmen,” another muttered.

“Is this training or abuse?!” a third exclaimed.

They probably thought they were speaking quietly enough not to be heard, but their voices were clearly audible to those with keen senses.

The Sword Master, noticing Logan’s wide-eyed expression as he watched the knights’ training, cleared his throat and offered an excuse.

“Ahem. This isn’t the training I suggested. I heard they train like this in McLaine. I thought it would be good to try, to make the knight and horse work together as one.”

”
The effect will be certain. It’s a method already proven in McLaine. Of course, it’ll be less intense since it’s on flat ground, not a mountain.”

“Such madness…” Logan murmured.

“…?” The Sword Master questioned.

“Since they did such a thing, the McLaine knights must be strong. Esperanza’s subordinates are full of praise, saying the knights’ level is comparable to ours,” Logan explained.

That seems like too much praise.

“But weren’t you going to teach them the Iron Blood Sword? Why are you only doing physical training?” Logan asked.

“There were quite a few with weak foundations. And honestly…”

At the Sword Master’s slightly hesitant expression, Logan waited silently. The Sword Master eventually sighed and revealed his true feelings.

“Half of those fellows abandoned their lords and threw themselves into the royal knights. Even if, nominally, their lord’s lord is His Majesty, I wanted to check their mental state. No, I intend to make them loyal again.”

“…Do as you see fit,” Logan replied.

The Sword Master’s hardened expression even showed a hint of murderous intent, but Logan, who had already caused this old knight to abandon his lord once, couldn’t bring himself to stop him.

Of course.

“Still, you must ensure that the knights who meet your standards master the basics of the Iron Blood Sword before the harvest season this year, Master,” Logan instructed.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” the Sword Master confirmed.

“Understood. For now, that’s enough.”

“Ah, but Your Majesty,” the Sword Master added.

“Yes?”

“The McLaine knights were saying that I taught them this Iron Blood Sword…”

“Ah, I have a packed schedule today, so I’ll be going now. I’ll leave it to you, Master,” Logan said, quickly disappearing and avoiding the answer.

The Sword Master, blankly watching his retreating figure, tilted his head for a moment before refocusing on the training.

“Attention, everyone!!”

“Sir!”

The male trainees, who had been watching Kaisolon’s spear technique demonstration, snapped to attention as Logan approached.

Not all the personnel were gathered, but roughly estimating, there seemed to be about 5,000 men.

Logan was satisfied that such a large formation remained unbroken.

“Out of the total recruitment of 52,000, 38,580 male trainees have completed basic physical training and drill, excluding 121 dropouts. Currently, we are conducting weapons training, focusing on physical conditioning,” Heinkel reported. His indifferent expression was, in other words, an expression of confidence.

“We plan to conduct integrated training with the female soldiers soon.”

“Yes. But although the training is good, it seems the intensity is weaker than in the McLaine territory, for some reason?” Logan inquired.

Heinkel’s eyebrows twitched at those words.

Soon, he replied in a slightly lowered voice.

“There is a difference between the McLaine Knights, who were full of loyalty to McLaine, and those who came for the money. To do it McLaine’s way from the start…”

“Isn’t that the instructor’s job?” Logan challenged.

“…”

“Ah, sorry. If it’s not possible, there’s no helping it…” Logan relented.

Crack!

“From now on, I will retrain them properly,” Heinkel declared, his expression turning fierce. It sounded as if the trainees’ screams were audible, but Logan could finally wear a satisfied smile as he turned away from the training ground.

“Spears forward!”

“Ha!”

The spears wielded in response to the tall female soldier’s command in the front row were still clumsy overall. However, the formation was maintained without breaking.

Only three months since training began.

Within the old Grandia culture, the eyes of the female trainees, who had never exercised in their lives except for farming, were truly burning.

Even compared to the male trainees he had seen in the morning.

Eileen, watching the scene from afar, reported the results with a proud expression on her sun-tanned face.

“Out of the 52,000 soldier applicants who passed the final test, 13,420 were female soldiers. And as you can see, they are properly learning the training well without almost any dropouts. The dropout rate is actually lower than that of the male soldiers. This is also thanks to the senior McLaine soldiers, including Cassie, who are doing an excellent job as instructors.”

“I’ve also heard rumors that the first female knight in this country has become an excellent role model?” Logan asked.

“Of course, that is also true,” Eileen answered with a confident expression, looking so bright that Logan’s worries seemed to disappear.

He had entrusted the training of the female soldiers and hadn’t even visited for over three months, using his busy schedule as an excuse…

“You look good,” Logan commented.

“Of course!”

“…Of course?”

“I’m receiving swordsmanship training from the best swordmaster in this country, and I’m becoming someone that over ten thousand female soldiers look up to. I feel the worth of being alive every day!”

“…That’s a relief,” Logan said.

It was definitely a relief, but a bitter smile came out with a sense of emptiness.

But.

“Well, except for not being able to see you, who’s busy every day,” Eileen said casually, while looking at the training ground. Her remark struck Logan’s heart.

“I’m sorry. I have to say…”

An excuse came out reflexively.

“It’s okay,” Eileen reassured.

“Hmm?”

“I know that’s how it has to be right now. I understand everything, so focus more on what you have to do in the future.”

“That’s…”

“That’s how the days when we rode horses together in town will come back sooner, right?”

Unwavering blue eyes stared at Logan.

“Of course. Definitely…”

The firm gaze added strength to Logan’s troubled heart.

“I will make it happen,” Logan vowed.

Hands clasped tightly.