The next morning, Arthur awoke early, drank the Enhancement Elixir, and trained hard with his Swordsmanship. He performed a series of physical exercises that boosted his fitness. After breakfast, he and Octavia—who had become his trusted assistant—headed to the blacksmith's workshop. There, he crafted large quantities of soap and shampoo specifically for the new recruits. He also ordered the artisans to produce eighty toothbrushes and ended up making two large jars of toothpaste himself.
The reason behind producing such a large quantity was that he had made personal hygiene an essential part of the recruits' training. As for why he crafted everything personally, it was because he didn't want his techniques to be leaked. He firmly believed that knowledge was power—no matter how simple or silly it might seem.
His day was so packed that he didn't find time for anything personal. He spent the entire day organizing matters related to the recruits.
He arranged sleeping quarters, designated bathing areas, and divided them into teams that would take turns fetching water and cleaning the space. Simultaneously, he ordered the soldiers to head into the forest and hunt as many beasts as possible. He had decided to provide the nine promising recruits and their instructors with daily Brutal Enhancement Elixirs.
Since the elixir's recipe was a precious secret, he resolved to brew it himself away from any prying eyes. He also decided to deliver the elixirs personally and supervise their consumption—firstly to prevent leaks, and secondly to strengthen the recruits' loyalty to him by appearing before them and reinforcing his presence in their hearts.
By the time the sun was about to set, Arthur returned to his room with an exhausted body. However, he couldn't sleep or rest—he had to guide the two recruits who had magical potential so they could sense the mana around them.
After a brief wait, Octavia arrived accompanied by the blonde-haired girl named Selene, who had moderate magical affinity, and a fourteen-year-old boy named Varek, who had low affinity. Arthur was slightly surprised to find three individuals with magical potential. He assumed he could discover more if he searched the entire barony—but he simply didn't have enough time.
The two future mages stood before him with bowed heads, afraid to meet his cold gaze. In contrast, Arthur scanned them with sharp eyes and commanded the system to determine their magical affinity.
[Magical Affinity: Fire Element]
[Magical Affinity: Earth Element]
'Hmm, this is a problem.' Arthur frowned in displeasure upon seeing their elemental inclinations. Unlike the water element, the methods he knew to help them sense mana were somewhat extreme—and arguably inappropriate. That left him with two options: use traditional methods, which required a long time, or take a more ruthless approach.
But he really didn't have a choice. He had to harden his heart. Calmly, he said, "Listen closely. You two have the potential to become mages respected by all."
Selene's eyes widened, and she lifted her head to gaze into Arthur's eyes. As for Varek, it took him a few seconds to process what he'd just heard. Then he trembled in stunned disbelief. The word mage had always been associated with mysterious figures of great prestige—something far removed from the imaginations of poor peasants like them.
"But becoming a mage is not easy. You'll go through severe pain and unspeakable torment. But the result, in the end, will be very satisfying. Know this: what I've told you is a secret. If even a part of it leaks, I will cut your parents' heads off before your eyes—then I will kill you."
Selene and Varek's joy vanished, replaced by pure fear.
In a voice that brooked no argument, Arthur said to Octavia, "Take Varek to the nearest farmland and bury the lower half of his body. Stay by his side and teach him the meditation method I showed you earlier."
Once Octavia left with Varek, Arthur turned to Selene and said, "This will be painful." He calmly brought out a lit candle, instructed her to sit in front of it, demonstrated a specific breathing technique, then told her to close her eyes and stick her finger into the flame.
Selene hesitated, unwilling to comply—but his threats compelled her to follow his every word. Her expression twisted in agony the moment her finger touched the flame. The pain made it impossible to clear her mind or think straight, preventing her from maintaining the steady breathing Arthur had instructed.
After a few agonizing seconds that felt like an eternity, Arthur lifted her finger—but didn't let her rest. With a coldness that masked his guilt, he said, "Use your other finger. Repeat the process until you can maintain mental clarity."
After fifteen minutes, all of Selene's fingers and even her palms were burned. This brutal method, in fact, was one used by the Lizardmen. However, unlike humans, they had a high resistance to fire due to their thick skin. Typically, fire-aligned mages would simply meditate beside a flame—never touch it—because it was too damaging.
Naturally, Arthur was not heartless. Once he saw that Selene could no longer endure it, he called the healer Faelor, who healed her.
After letting her rest for about an hour, he repeated the process. But due to the accumulated damage, the healing was less effective the second time. Arthur softened his approach and no longer allowed direct contact with the candle flames. Instead, she kept a few millimeters' distance between her fingers and the fire.
In the end, by midnight, she managed to enter a meditative state.
...
The following morning, the villagers woke to the sound of heavy footsteps marching in unison down the main street. Many were annoyed by the commotion and stepped outside to investigate.
They saw dozens of young men running in formation under the command of a soldier. It was a strange and comical sight—nothing like it had ever been seen before. Some laughed and went back inside, while others shouted angrily at the noise. But once they learned that these were Arvan's orders, they deeply regretted their reaction and silently prayed they wouldn't be punished.
That wasn't the only thing that changed in the village. Rumors spread like wildfire—horrifying rumors. They said Arvan had buried a young boy in the ground like a carrot, leaving him to freeze from the head up all night.
They said he had burned a young girl's hand just for touching him by accident—then had the healer treat her, burned her again, healed her again, just to torture her.
No one knew the full truth. But Varek's parents and Selene's grandfather were shocked by the rumors and rushed to the castle to beg Arvan for mercy. However, they were turned away without achieving anything. On the contrary, some even said they were incredibly lucky Arvan hadn't punished them himself.