Epiphany

Not everyone had spent those three days training. Some trained for a day before giving up, while others trained continuously for three days but still failed to break through to Apprentice Knight.

The three days passed quickly. Claire returned to the military camp, and since she had announced her visit beforehand, things looked much better than they had the first time.

At the very least, Claire no longer had to wait for the knights to gather. However, they still stood sloppily, wearing unconcerned expressions.

Claire raised an eyebrow, finding it rather interesting.

Walking up to Hant, she asked, "Did anyone break through?"

Hant shook his head. "No."

He wanted to see how the Viscount would deal with those people as well. He felt the same way they did: Claire could not possibly dismiss all of them.

"Oh." Claire pursed her lips. "Then have the knights who failed to advance put down everything belonging to the camp and leave."

The moment those words came out, the knights' eyes widened in shock.

"What? How can you do this? My family has served as knights of Nafu City for generations!"

"My Lord! You can't do this!"

"That's right! We're all knights loyal to you!"

The knights below erupted in outrage, roaring loudly. If not for their fear of Claire's status as a Viscount, they would probably have rushed forward already.

With a flick of her hand, a revolver appeared in Claire's right hand.

The next second, the previously clamorous crowd fell completely silent. They recognized the revolver—it was the weapon that had killed the former Knight Captain. They could not withstand it.

"I'll give you ten minutes. If you haven't left by then, bear the consequences yourselves!"

The knights were immediately intimidated. They looked at one another before finally placing their hopes on their captain, Hant.

"Captain, help us. Please plead with the Viscount!"

"Exactly! Three days is far too short. If we had more time, it's not like we couldn't cultivate battle aura!"

"Captain Hant, we've worked together for over ten years. Please put in a good word with the Viscount for us."

The members who had failed to advance to Apprentice Knight pleaded with Hant. Rather than packing up and leaving as Claire had ordered, they surrounded him tightly.

Hant looked somewhat helpless and began to waver.

"Captain Hant, as captain, your words definitely carry more weight than ours. Please plead with the Viscount."

"That's right, Captain. You're the only Bronze Rank knight in our Viscount territory. Even the Viscount will give you some face."

"Yes, yes. You're so strong—the Viscount will definitely give you some face."

Hant wavered even more. That was right. He was now the Knight Captain, and he was also the strongest knight in the Viscount territory. The Viscount would surely need his help in the future. If he tried to persuade the Viscount over such a small matter, it should be fine, right?

Besides, if he did not even dare to make a suggestion, who knew how those men below would speak of him behind his back? They would call him a coward.

With that in mind, Hant gathered his courage and walked toward Claire, intending to plead for his men.

The moment he arrived, his entire body froze.

Click!

Claire flicked open the revolver's cylinder and removed five bullets. After the cylinder spun once, it snapped back into place with another click, its dark muzzle aimed at Hant.

Thud!

Hant's legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees. At this moment, he could not care less about embarrassment. His life was more important.

"Did you train according to the booklet I gave you three days ago?" Claire asked softly.

"N-No." Hant was drenched in sweat. This Magic Weapon had killed the previous captain, and he had been standing at the very front then, seeing everything clearly.

"Good. Since you failed to complete the task I assigned you, you deserve punishment. There is one bullet in the cylinder now. You have a one-in-six chance of dying. Do you accept this punishment?" Claire asked softly.

Hant closed his eyes and nodded tremblingly. "This subordinate accepts."

"Very good!" Claire stepped forward and pressed the barrel against his forehead.

The instant it touched him, Hant's body visibly shuddered. He did not dare open his eyes, continuously muttering prayers under his breath.

"What is the one thing a knight must never lack?" Claire demanded.

Hant opened his mouth and answered in a trembling voice, "Courage..."

"Louder!"

"Courage!"

"Good! Then open your eyes wide!"

"Understood, my Lord!" Hant roared, his eyes wide with a look of readiness to face death.

Click! Claire pulled the trigger. The cylinder turned once, but no terrifying explosion followed.

Hant collapsed to the ground like a limp pile of mud, his face pale. He had completely gone limp. Facing the unknown and death was simply too unbearable.

Claire shook the gun in her hand again. "Hant, right?"

"Yes, my Lord!" Hant scrambled back up and answered respectfully.

"Do you know why you became the Knight Captain?"

Hant shook his head, then quickly nodded. He did not want to display his ignorance before Claire.

After frowning and thinking hard for several seconds, he ventured, "Because I was the only one who charged forward at the time?"

Claire shook her head. Hant's heart tightened again, and he continued racking his brains.

"Then because I was the strongest knight present at the time?" Hant's tone was full of uncertainty.

Claire shook her head again.

Hant could no longer think of any other reason. With a bitter expression, he lowered his head even further. "Please enlighten me, my Lord!"

Claire looked down at him and said softly, "Because I appointed you. That is why you became the Knight Captain."

Hant's body trembled. Somewhere unseen, his soul trembled and rose with it. In that instant, he seemed to understand something.

That was right. The reason he had become the Knight Captain was not his strength or what he had done back then. Although those things had some influence, the most important point was the Viscount's appointment!

She had granted him the position of Knight Captain and entrusted the authority of the Knight Captain to him!

That meant he was not irreplaceable. He could be the Knight Captain, but so could anyone else. His strength and everything else about him were unimportant. So long as the Viscount appointed them, anyone could become the Knight Captain!

At that moment, Hant seemed to have grasped a fundamental truth of the world. His entire body grew excited, his blood boiling.

"Looks like you're a smart man. You understand what I'm saying." Claire chuckled. This was why she liked dealing with smart people—there was no need for excessive explanation.

Click!

Claire's finger curled around the trigger again as she asked, "Since you let those people persuade you into coming to plead with me, shouldn't you receive another punishment?"

Hant's eyelids trembled slightly, but he was no longer as terrified and distraught as before. In a resolute voice, he said, "Please punish me, my Lord!"

Claire smiled, moving her hand so the muzzle no longer pointed at Hant but at the head hanging at the entrance to the military camp.

Bang!

Flames burst from the pistol, followed by another deafening blast! The hanging head in the distance was struck and, after swaying a few times, fell to the ground.

Everyone present was stunned. Even Regan, standing behind Claire, jumped at the sound. Though he had experienced it several times, he still had not fully adjusted.

"Since this is your first offense, I'll let this shot go," Claire said softly. She had long known from the marked white trace that this chamber definitely contained a bullet.

Hant slammed his forehead heavily against the ground, tears spilling uncontrollably from his eyes. Even he did not know why he was crying. Perhaps he was celebrating his narrow escape from death, or perhaps it was for some other reason...

"Thank you, my Lord!"

An offer for a contract came in. I might sign in a few days.