Chapter 70: The Black Armored Legion Returns!
The phrase “first internal meeting” coming from Nolan’s mouth gave everyone present an unfamiliar yet solemn feeling. At last, they were no longer a group huddled around a campfire discussing how to save the kingdom. Nor were they merely mercenaries, guards, or priests anymore. From this moment onward, they shared a new identity—and a common goal.
Nolan walked behind the massive desk that had once belonged to Baron Haus, bracing both hands against the tabletop as he leaned forward slightly.
“First, let’s establish everyone’s responsibilities. We’ll begin with internal affairs and logistics.”
His gaze landed on Anna.
“Anna, you’re meticulous, responsible, and highly sensitive to numbers. Starting today, you’ll serve as head of internal administration for our territory. Economic matters, governance, and all related affairs will be under your management.”
Nolan walked to the corner of the room, drew his sword, and split apart a half-human-sized nude statue with a single slash.
Everyone stared in shock as a hidden door appeared near the base of the shattered sculpture.
“There’s a treasury hidden inside the manor,” Nolan said calmly. “Haus spent years squeezing the people dry to fill it. We’ll gladly be accepting his generosity. If my estimate is correct, there’s at least eight hundred thousand gold coins in there—roughly five years’ worth of local tax revenue.”
The sheer amount stunned everyone.
Anna covered her mouth in disbelief. “Mr. Nolan… how did you know about this?”
Nolan merely gave a sly grin instead of answering directly, “If I chose Haus and Coldsteel City as targets, did you really think I came without preparation? As for how I knew… you’ll understand eventually.” He tapped the desk lightly. “And this money will become our starting capital.”
Although he avoided giving a direct explanation, the fortune itself was undeniably real.
Anna’s eyes lit up immediately. “You want to help the people?” She was talented in both commerce and accounting, and instantly grasped the most obvious use for such an enormous sum.
But Nolan shook his head with a smile. “They don’t need ‘charity.’ I’d rather call it stabilizing public sentiment.”
Seeing the confusion on several faces, he sat back down and explained.
“Coldsteel City has been exploited by Haus for years. Public resentment is already boiling over. If we want to establish ourselves here, the first step is making everyone understand that our arrival is good for them.”
He folded his hands together.
“Specific policies—like tax reductions—are promises we’ll actually fulfill. Fortunately for us, Haus was such a complete monster that winning popular support won’t be difficult.”
He nodded toward Anna.
“You’ll handle the financial side. If anyone has proposals or ideas, bring them to her.”
Anna nodded firmly. Her mind was already racing with ways to accomplish the greatest effect with the least amount of money.
Nolan then shifted his attention toward Hank, Little Donnie, Vivi, and the newly joined Rehanna sisters. “Next comes the military. This is the foundation of everything we’re building.” His eyes sharpened. “Hank, Little Donnie, Vivi, Rehanna—you’re all capable fighters. We’re severely lacking manpower, so beginning now, you’ll oversee recruitment.”
He gestured in the air as though sketching a map.
“According to the information I’ve gathered, Coldsteel City and the surrounding towns and villages have a combined population of roughly eighty thousand. Our goal is to raise a professional army of two thousand to twenty-five hundred soldiers in the shortest time possible.”
He turned to Hank.
“You’ll oversee the city guard. That’s your specialty anyway. The private soldiers Haus left behind are unreliable, and I don’t trust them, but they can still serve as a defensive force for maintaining order. Your task is to break them apart completely, reorganize them, and retrain them from scratch.”
Hank stood as straight as a spear and nodded once. “Understood.”
“Little Donnie and Rehanna, the two of you will handle the daily training of recruits. I want the harshest standards possible. Turn them into real soldiers.”
Little Donnie puffed out his chest excitedly, while Rehanna answered crisply, “Leave it to me.”
Finally, Nolan looked toward the half-beast girl quietly standing in the corner. “Vivi, your assignment is extremely important.” Vivi blinked in surprise as Nolan continued, “I need you to select the sharpest and most reliable people from both the new recruits and the veteran Fire Fox mercenaries. Form an eighty-man scout unit.” His voice grew more serious. “I want this elite reconnaissance force to become my eyes and ears, monitoring every movement within and around our territory. In the future, you’ll form the foundation of our intelligence network.”
Vivi clearly hadn’t expected such an important responsibility. Feeling Nolan’s complete trust in her, she raised her head, golden-brown eyes shining brightly. “Don’t worry, Nolan! I’ll do it!”
At last, Nolan looked toward Renee. “Renee, I know you’re an excellent elementalist. Your job is to assist Rehanna, but I also need you to evaluate the magical aptitude of every recruit.” He added after a moment, “Anna’s magical sensitivity is exceptional as well. She can help you. In the future, we’ll need a proper mage corps.”
Renee had not expected to be entrusted with such an important role either. She nodded quickly, visibly excited. “Yes! I… I’ll do my best!”
Once everyone’s assignments had been made, Nolan’s tone grew heavier.
“Our time is extremely limited. News of Haus’ death can only be concealed until next week at most. Once Archduke Demont learns the truth, retaliation will begin immediately.” He swept his gaze across the room. “Before his armies fully mobilize, we have at most a month and a half. We cannot afford to waste a single moment.”
An invisible pressure settled over the room.
Nolan continued, “What I want is not a fragile private militia that collapses at first contact, nor ordinary mercenaries.” His voice rang with absolute conviction. “I want to recreate the legendary army that followed the founding king, Fleven, during the kingdom’s earliest days—the force that crushed every enemy standing before it and built the Kingdom of Elfin itself, the Black Armored Legion.”
“What?!”
“The Black Armored Legion?!”
“Did I hear that correctly?”
The room instantly erupted.
Hank’s eyes widened in shock. Little Donnie stood there gaping. Rehanna and Renee looked utterly stunned. Even the normally composed Anna covered her mouth in disbelief.
Only Vivi tilted her head in confusion. “What? Why’s everyone reacting like that?”
“‘What?’” Kayan stared at her as though she were an alien rather than a half-beast. “That’s the Black Armored Legion!”
Seeing Vivi still looking completely lost, Kayan launched into an explanation. As a gifted preacher, he was equally talented at storytelling.
The Black Armored Legion existed now only in the songs of bards and the pages of history. To every citizen of Elfin, the name represented an age of unmatched glory. It had been the invincible army personally led by the founding king, Erik Fleven, during the kingdom’s earliest days. Legend said the army received full support from both the elves and dwarves, and every soldier wore black runic heavy armor, giving rise to the legion’s name.
Twenty-five thousand Black Armoreded soldiers marched beneath the founding king’s banner to overthrow the tyranny of the Rus Empire. They shattered every enemy that stood before them and became known as the Black Steel Torrent. In the end, they liberated the lands that now formed the kingdom and established the nation called Elfin—a word from ancient language meaning “hope.”
It had been the kingdom’s greatest age of glory, the pride of every Elfin citizen.
But after the founding king’s death, the Holy Osu Empire of the elves collapsed into a century-long civil war following the Moonrise Festival Incident and could no longer support the kingdom. Then came the Pillar of Shame incident, which severed ties between the kingdom and the mountain dwarves.
The technology required to forge and maintain the black armor was completely lost. And so, the legendary army faded into history, becoming little more than a fantasy told in bedtime stories.
When Kayan finished speaking, silence filled the meeting room.
And now Nolan—this mysterious and powerful young man—claimed he intended to revive it.
But how could that possibly be real? It sounded utterly impossible.