Mount Vulcan, the Spiritual Mountain.

After the volcanic activity ceased, this rugged yet beautiful mountain became known as the kingdom’s most treacherous climb. Few attempt the ascent. The climb is too arduous, with no proper paths and frequent encounters with wild boars. There are even rumors among herb gatherers of bear sightings.

If that weren’t challenging enough, what makes Vulcan truly terrifying is its erratic weather, which ignores the seasons. By day, temperatures soar to 40°C, while by night, they plummet to –30°C, bringing frost.

It’s a mysterious phenomenon, and all plants and animals that survive in such conditions have unique medicinal properties, making them highly sought after. It’s truly a spiritual mountain.

But one misstep on the climb could mean death, and if one were stranded, they could die of dehydration or freeze to death. Hence, it's wise to avoid the mountain altogether.

Only those chasing quick wealth through rare herbs dare to make the climb, people who live day to day, seeking a one-time fortune.

Therefore,

“Haa! This is crazy… This is madness…!”

Climbing it as part of ‘training’ is, in itself, a foolish act.

…So they were fools and lunatics.

“Ughhhh!”

“I’m going to die…”

“W-water…! P-please, water…”

The fallen, or rather the fainted, are numerous.

The ascent, a sheer cliff disguised as a slope, was not made for climbing. It was merely a precipice.

The cadets were not walking on two feet; they were crawling on all fours, like beasts, resembling turtles. One misstep backward and they would tumble to their deaths. If turtles biologically cannot walk backward, they were equally forced not to, for survival.

In such a situation,

“Ah, the air is so fresh. As expected, this mountain truly is spiritual. It’s refreshing.”
“The air is genuinely nice, Instructor.”
“Well, it’ll be unbearably hot come afternoon. Wasn’t it supposed to be sweltering until 6 p.m.?”
“This place is insane.”
“Haha, just realizing that now?”

Ihan, who carried almost twenty times the load of others, was at ease as if he were on a leisurely stroll. Though he was climbing the same steep slope, he seemed to exist under different gravity.

It was impressive that he was standing on two feet, not crawling on all fours. Was it balance, or something else?

“Instructor, your toes are incredibly strong.”
“I’ve trained them well.”
“…I’m not sure if that’s something one can train.”
“Turns out you can.”
“……”

He was climbing barefoot, as if shoes were a hindrance, gripping the ground with his toes as he ascended.

The way he walked, leaving prints with each step, brought to mind a wild beast.

“Don’t just talk to me. Help that one over there.”
“Yes, sir.”

A gentle hum.

Irene’s magic fluctuated, grabbing hold of someone.

She used telekinesis to lift those who had fainted or were suffering from dehydration.

“Haa, even this is getting tiring.”
“If you don’t want to do it, that’s fine. But you’ll have to walk from now on.”
“…I’ll keep rescuing them.”

At present, Irene wasn’t walking like the others. She was hovering slightly, almost as if floating.

It was also telekinesis. While it could be seen as cheating, Ihan allowed it.

After all, he had come to see telekinesis for wizards as muscles are for warriors. Besides, with Irene Windler’s stamina, marching would be impossible from the start. With strength that barely surpassed that of a kitten, marching was out of the question.

It was simply more efficient to put her to work in rescue efforts like this.

‘Quite useful.’

Originally, Ihan had planned to carry the fallen on a cart, but now he didn’t need to. He still found magic inconvenient, but he couldn’t deny its usefulness.

“Ah, another one fainted.”

With a gentle flick,

She was managing not only herself but also transporting over ten cadets. All were unconscious or had collapsed, including Levi Folt, who had fainted at the base of the climb.

Yet Ihan had no intention of scolding her. The fact that she made it this far on such a fragile frame was a miracle. That was endurance, not physical but mental strength.

“In terms of mental strength, she’s better than the saplings.”
“Levi is tough. She says she has to work harder to revive her family’s name, or something like that.”
“You seem to have grown close with Cadet No. 1.”
“Well, we have tea and meals together. Not quite friends, but acquaintances.”
“That’s usually what people call friends, isn’t it?”
“…I haven’t had many friends, so I’m not sure.”
“Hmm, my apologies.”
“…It’s even more pathetic to receive an apology.”

[Irene, stop saying such unnecessary things. You’re embarrassing me.]

The unconventional survival march seemed to be off to a smooth start.

Well.

“Help… please…”

For the cadets, it wasn’t smooth at all.

 

They didn’t conquer Vulcan.

In other words, they didn’t reach the summit.

But this was Ihan’s intention. He never said their goal was the summit; he simply told them they were climbing this mountain.

Their destination was not the peak but rather,

“Unload your gear.”

The midpoint of Vulcan.

Thud!

After a grueling three-hour climb, they finally dropped their gear, and the ground shook. It was a testament to the massive load they’d hauled up here.

“I-I survived…”
“I thought I’d die before reaching Avalon at my age…”

However, they were more thankful to be alive than for the quantity of supplies they’d brought. It was brutal and relentless, a living hell…

“You all are pathetic. The maid, who is far more petite than you, made it here just fine. What are you all doing?”

-……

“Pitiful wretches.”

-……Ugh.

They wanted to retort, but they couldn’t. After all, while they had fainted or collapsed from exhaustion, the only one who successfully completed the climb with more gear than them was the ‘maid.’

“Hehe, the air here is great. Should I set up the tents here, Knight?”

…She’s full of energy.

Not even out of breath?

Leyra Winter.

The royal maid, despite enduring the same march, appeared unfazed. What was she, exactly?

As the cadets stared at her in disbelief, Ihan shouted at them.

“Feel ashamed. The maid Leyra, who’s much smaller than you, carried more gear and completed the march.”

…Truthfully, Ihan found her astonishing as well.

How could she be so fine with that body?

He’d suggested using telekinesis to move, but she had refused.

-[It’s not really that hard.]

She truly wasn’t struggling. She was far from an ordinary person. Perhaps she possessed some mythical physique, like the Celestial Body or the Phoenix Body from martial arts novels.

But the secrets of her physique could be explored later.

For now, his task was not to make them ‘saplings’ but ‘wildflowers’ within a month.

So the current speech was just fuel to reignite their dwindling motivation, a bit of kindling to stoke their fire. A larger flame would benefit the upcoming schedules as well.

‘Being an instructor isn’t easy.’

With a newfound respect for educators, Ihan injected motivation like a potent dose of oxygen into their flickering spirits.

“Levi Folt, as well. While you all have learned swordsmanship, she hasn’t, nor has she learned the Toughening Technique. Yet, she walked a full 10 kilometers on sheer willpower!”

The cadets looked at Levi Folt. She still struggled to stand, her legs trembling, but she was trying to rise.

…On that fragile frame.

“You have been defeated. Not by a woman, so don’t take it as a blow to your pride! You lost to a ‘beginner’! In mental fortitude, persistence, and grit—all of it!”

The cadets clenched their fists tightly. It wasn’t just oxygen but fuel being added to the fire, reigniting their spirits.

“Get your act together. Training has already started. I helped you when you fell during the march, but not because I like you. Just because you were pitiful.”

Their frustration boiled over.

He knew exactly how to provoke and drive them.

“Damn it…”

Most of the cadets ground their teeth in frustration, disappointed in themselves. They were eager to release that frustration immediately.

But this was where he had to ease up.

A fire that burns too hot and too fast extinguishes quickly. To keep it going, he had to maintain it steadily.

“Alright, if you’ve got some sense back, listen up. Set up your tents within the next thirty minutes and take a ninety-minute nap. Afterward, I’ll detail the basic training and schedules, so rest well. Got it? Rest well.”

Resting was also part of the training. This was something he always emphasized, and the cadets responded with a strong shout.

Seeing the fire in their eyes was satisfying. Nodding to himself, Ihan turned his gaze to the few who still looked too fine.

“You lot, come see me for a moment.”

“Kunta wants to sleep.”
“I’m tired, too.”
“Even mercenary companies allow rest…”

“So what?”

“……”

They had no choice but to go with him. Of course, some tried to blend in and avoid being seen.

“Come out now while I’m asking nicely.”
“B-but the nap…”
“A nap for a cadet? What luxury.”
“…Cadets are still people!”
“Since when?”
“…Damn it.”

The cadet shed a tear.

 

“-Are you alright, Jack?”

“My lord.”

Jack bowed his head. His lord, Roen, had endured the march with the same load and didn’t look tired at all. He was evidently far beyond the capabilities of an average knight.

By contrast, Jack was utterly exhausted. He was disappointed in himself, realizing his own inadequacy.

“Rest. You look worn out.”
“…I apologize, I’m nothing but a disgrace.”
“No, your talents have only just begun to blossom. In fact, the fact that you managed this grueling march after only half a year of training is remarkable.”
“…Though I’m still far from being useful for the job.”
“……That’s true.”

Jack, a man with a rather forgettable face, looked like any man you might pass on the street. Some said he was so unremarkable he was hard to remember, which was actually his ‘talent.’

It allowed him to blend in and hide wherever he went.

Thus, he was ‘more suited to being an assassin.’

While he might lack the talent to be a knight, he could potentially reach the top in espionage and assassination.

But he—

“Still, it’s my choice. You’re the one who told me that even someone like me could become a knight. So don’t look at me with pity. Unless, of course, you were lying to me?”
“No, I meant every word.”
“Then that’s enough.”
“…Though I do feel a bit guilty, as if my ambition has derailed your planned future.”
“It’s fine. You said yourself that your ‘foresight’ isn’t absolute, right?”
“Hmm…”

Roen nodded at Jack’s words. That’s what Jack believed—Roen’s ability was [Foresight].

‘That’s all he needs to know.’

It’s better that way. The fewer who know his true secret, the better. If it were known, it would only cause confusion, and that wasn’t what he wanted.

As he hid his true thoughts, Jack stood up despite his fatigue, speaking as he did so.

“Those we plan to recruit won’t be ready until next year. There aren’t many to recruit this year, so we could spend this time strengthening ourselves… And besides, it seems like you’re interested in the instructor’s training methods.”
“It’s a different perspective. Learning it will certainly be beneficial, especially when we face the ‘Temple’.”
“Hmm…”

At his lord’s words, Jack looked around cautiously. They couldn’t risk anyone overhearing this conversation.

But his lord wasn’t careless, and they were in a soundproofed space. As expected, he was thorough.

Roen, thankful for his subordinate’s loyalty, spoke in a firm tone.

“Remember, Jack, we must grow stronger. The instructor’s harsh training will make you much stronger than you are now. I’ve said it before, but I can’t be the only one growing stronger. You must become strong too. I can’t defeat them on my own.”
“Yes, my lord.”

Why did they enroll in this trivial academy?

First, to grow their power in a place free of enemies.
Second, because there’s someone in the capital who needs to be eliminated.

And finally,

“So keep a close watch on this training. I suspect we may see an unexpected crop of talent.”

The influx of talent and the establishment of a stronghold could happen not next year, but sooner, depending on how these cadets, these weeds, change through the instructor’s training.

“Do you truly believe that? Honestly, I’m still skeptical.”
“I’m not certain. But, Jack, I believe this.”

Even weeds, ignored by all, could someday blossom into wildflowers.

“And I prefer wildflowers to greenhouse blooms.”

The young man had hope, while the assassin shook his head, thinking his lord was, at times, a romantic chasing after impossible ideals.