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"Let's go." Claire took Melly's chubby little hand.

Melly stared at him with wide eyes. "Where are we going, Big Brother?"

"To find your brother."

"You're going to the military camp too?" Melly broke into a happy smile, her little legs carrying her ahead as she tugged Claire out with her.

Claire rubbed his forehead. She trusted people far too easily. Luckily, she hadn't run into any bad people on the road, or she might have helped count their money after being kidnapped.

He pulled Melly back and led her toward the carriage. "We don't need to walk. We'll take the carriage."

"Hooray!" Melly jumped excitedly. "This is Melly's first time riding in a carriage!"

Regan was somewhat surprised when he saw Claire bring back a little girl, but after recognizing Melly, he said nothing and instead helped her into the carriage.

The carriage set off again. Melly pressed herself against the window, her wide eyes taking in the scenery outside.

"Wow! So this is what riding in a carriage feels like? It's so easy. You don't even have to walk yourself." Melly's eyes were filled with longing.

"By the way, do you still want candy?" Claire took out some rainbow candy from his pocket and waved it before Melly.

"Slurp." Melly wiped the drool from her mouth. "Melly wants some!"

Claire placed the candy in Melly's hand and asked, "You know how to unwrap it, right?"

Melly nodded vigorously. "Mm-hmm! I saw Big Brother unwrap one before."

Her chubby little face scrunched up as she tried several times. Melly finally managed to unwrap the candy, muttering, "Everything else is fine, but why does it have to be wrapped in rainbow paper? Brown sugar isn't."

After popping the candy into her mouth, Melly wore a blissful smile. "It's sweet and sour. It seems much tastier than brown sugar."

The thought instantly filled her with guilt. She had always thought the brown sugar her brother bought was the tastiest, yet she had switched sides so easily.

Oh, right! Brother!

Melly seemed to remember something. Turning to Claire, she asked, "Big Brother, can you give me another candy? Just one. My brother hasn't tried one before. I want to let him have a taste later."

Claire chuckled softly and took out two more candies wrapped in rainbow paper, placing them in Melly's hand. "I'll give you two. You can eat them with your brother later."

"Hooray!" Melly waved both hands excitedly.

At the military camp, the fifty-seven youths had already changed into training clothes and stood in neat formation.

"What are we doing here?" one youth whispered.

"Didn't they say last night that the Baron would be coming? We're probably waiting for the Baron," another youth beside him replied quietly.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. But is the Baron really coming? I've never seen him before." The youth sounded excited.

"Me neither—"

Before he could finish, Hant interrupted him.

Hant pointed at the two and shouted, "What are you two whispering about? Have you forgotten the rules I told you yesterday? No talking while in formation! Now give me a hundred push-ups!"

"Yes, Captain!" the two youths answered in unison.

The others were thoroughly startled as well. They quietly straightened their chests, stared ahead, and did not dare move an inch.

Kellan stood in the front row. Though his body was somewhat thin, the captain thought highly of him. During recruitment, Hant had praised him several times, and now Kellan's posture was the most standard of all.

Kellan was also looking forward to the Baron's arrival. What did the Baron who had done so many good things look like? According to the girls who had failed to get hired, the Baron was not an old man, and he was very handsome too.

As his thoughts wandered, a carriage drove in through the gates of the military camp. Kellan did not dare turn his head, only stealing a glance from the corner of his eye.

Three people stepped out of the carriage. The one in front was probably the Baron, and behind him was likely Regan, the steward of the Baronial Manor. But why was there another figure less than a meter tall?

Kellan was confused. The figure also seemed familiar, but since he had only looked from the corner of his eye, he could not make out who it was.

Claire led Melly into the military camp. Melly looked around curiously with wide eyes. This was her first time entering a camp where knights trained; before this, she had only heard about it from her brother.

Claire walked up to Hant. Hant stiffened, performed a knight's salute, and shouted, "Salute the Baron!"

"Yes!"

Everyone shouted and copied Hant's gesture, saluting Claire.

Kellan's body suddenly froze. As Claire approached, he finally saw who that familiar figure was.

It was his little sister, Melly!

Why was she here? Why was she following behind the Baron?

Right, the Baron!

Kellan hurriedly turned his gaze to Claire, then let out a startled cry. "Ah!"

Hant's heart tightened. He frowned at Kellan in displeasure. He had thought highly of the youth, but why did he have to make a mistake at such a critical moment?

Claire smiled and waved at Kellan. "Looks like your dream came true."

Kellan froze for a moment. He had been about to speak, but then remembered he was in the military camp and quickly shut his mouth, nodding forcefully.

Yet his heart was in turmoil.

So that Big Brother from before was actually the Baron! He had even talked to us and given us candy. I knew he couldn't be a bad person. Mom even said he was just a relatively nice bad person.

And everything the Baron told me before came true. First, he said we could eat our fill. Then he encouraged me and said I could become a knight. Now he had done it all.

And since the Baron returned, the territory had been steadily getting better. The Baron really was a wonderful person!

Just thinking about it made Kellan's heart surge and his blood boil. He had never imagined that he would become a knight under such a Baron!

Hant gave Kellan a surprised look. He had not expected Kellan to know the lord, and his anger faded. Kellan's importance in his mind rose another level.

Even Melly, who had been holding Claire's hand, widened her eyes in surprise. She looked up at Claire blankly. She had never expected that the Big Brother who had been chatting with her all this time was actually the Baron!

"What is it?" Claire smiled and patted Melly's head.

"Big Brother is the Baron?" Melly asked blankly.

"That's right. Impressive, isn't it?" Claire said with a smile.

"Whoa, impressive. Really impressive!" Melly still had not recovered from her shock.

After sweeping his gaze over the youths, Hant asked tentatively, "My lord, would you like to watch our training?"

"Mm." Claire nodded lightly.

The previous day, Hant had taken a large sum of money from Regan and prioritized replacing the training equipment here. Repairs to the buildings, which would take more time, had been left for later.

At Hant's command, the fifty-seven youths immediately turned around. They first ran two laps around the two-kilometer track, then did obstacle courses, crawled through mud pits, climbed while carrying weights, and performed all kinds of training. Before long, the youths began to pull apart into three groups. Five or six ran at the front, the largest number occupied the middle, while those at the back were pale, clean-looking youths recruited from Nafu City. Their physical fitness could not compare to those who had worked on farms since childhood.

Kellan was among the group at the front. Every jump and shift of his body was executed perfectly.

Hant noticed Claire's gaze and said softly, "That youth is also the one I think most highly of. He is the most likely to be the first to cultivate Battle Aura."

"If they continue training like this, what is the soonest they can become Apprentice Knights?"

Hant frowned and thought for a moment before answering, "Two years. My lord, give me two years, and I guarantee that most of them can advance to Apprentice Knight!"

"Two years..." Claire murmured, pursing his lips. He was not entirely satisfied.

Hant immediately noticed and hurriedly said, "A year and a half! Give me a year and a half, and I guarantee I can complete the task!"

Claire waved his hand. "It's fine. Just train them according to your methods. There's no need to rush."

Hant breathed a sigh of relief. Normally, it took four or five years to train an Apprentice Knight. He had only dared say two years because the lord had provided such excellent food.

Compared to others, two years was already fast enough. Even the children of nobles who had never cultivated Battle Aura would not dare claim they could definitely advance to Apprentice Knight within two years.

Even so, Claire was indeed somewhat dissatisfied. Two years exceeded his expectations. He did not want to wait until then to reform all of Nafu City... but rushing things would only do harm. After weighing the pros and cons, he could only compromise.