I Am Not The Duke's Evil Son
Chapter 48: Changes

Chapter 48: Changes

Three days passed swiftly, during which everyone learned that all the elite soldiers had perished. However, Arthur did not make an official announcement at first. Instead, he ordered his followers to wait and see if there were any other survivors. Just as he had anticipated, two days after Chadwick’s return, three more soldiers made it back.

Unfortunately, their conditions were dire: one had lost an arm and his body was covered in bite and claw marks"; the second was deeply traumatized, Unable to live a normal life again; and the third, though injured, was in a relatively stable condition both physically and mentally.

With their return, the truth was confirmed, all elite soldiers, including the official mages, had been annihilated by the Calamity Wolves. The news was deeply shocking, spreading sorrow and fear throughout the Village. As a mourning ritual, candles were lit and placed at doorsteps overnight.

That night, Arthur looked out from his window and saw the Village faintly illuminated — a rare sight. He felt guilty but couldn’t bring himself to admit it or ask for forgiveness. After long contemplation, he decided to compensate the families of the victims with fifty silver coins each and granted them small plots of semi-fertile farmland. He also organized a public funeral and personally attended, delivering a stern speech warning the populace of the dangers lurking within the Thorndark Forest.

Seeking to capitalize on the Calamity he had indirectly caused, he announced during the funeral the creation of a new military unit: the Reconnaissance and Surveillance Unit. This new unit’s task was to monitor forest beast activity in order to better prepare for future Beast tides.

The idea was well-received by the townsfolk and helped ease their anxiety. The compensations and new policies increased their respect for Arthur and shifted public perception. Still, not everyone was convinced. Some blamed him for the soldiers’ deaths, claiming they would still be alive if he hadn’t ordered the bandit extermination.

This wasn’t the only thing that occupied Arthur’s mind in the past three days. He had been overseeing the census and project management, as well as launching new initiatives. Chief among them were temporary public toilets. The design was simple: a 3.5-meter-deep rectangular pit, with a small cabin built on top, divided into two rooms, one for men, one for women. Each room contained a wooden seat with a circular hole leading to the pit, functioning as a primitive sewage system.

The design was highly practical. Even in his technologically advanced world, some remote regions still used such methods. The deep pit, low in oxygen, minimized odors, and he intended to assign someone to throw wood ash into the pit weekly to further reduce smell and accelerate decomposition.

...

On the fourth day, Arthur woke up early, starting his day with a Enhancement Elixir and training. His busy schedule had made him neglect his own growth.

However, unlike usual, his movements were tense and erratic.

Swish!

With frustration, he swung his sword with extreme force, but it suddenly slipped from his hand and smashed against the wall near his bed.

The unexpected event made him freeze. He stared at his trembling hand for a moment before sighing.

"I’m not ready. Even after all the insane things I’ve done, the idea of meeting Arvan and Novarian still terrifies me."

He clenched his fist tightly, his expression hardening. "Tch... I chose to see this through. There’s no room for hesitation. It’s either them or me."

After calming down, he took a cold bath to reset his mood, then headed to the dining hall. While eating breakfast, one of the recruits informed him that most census staff had completed their work. Arthur dismissed the news with disinterest.

’Now’s not the time to work.’ Wanting to mentally recharge, he decided to take the day off. But then, he suddenly resolved to do something he had long postponed.

He stood and quickly ordered Sir Brock to prepare some horses and supplies for a trip into the Thorndark Forest.

An hour later, all preparations were complete. At the castle stables, the recruits awaited him, but Arthur immediately noticed something — there were far fewer horses.

’I forgot that most of the elite warhorses died alongside the elite troops.’

These warhorses were specially trained for combat and could remain calm in the chaos of the battlefield, unlike ordinary horses.

Sigh.

’Another item to add to the list of things I need.’

He dismissed the thought and calmly mounted the prepared horse. This time, his entourage consisted of only ten people, including Sir Brock, Sir Chadwick, Sir Archie, and the ever-excited Otieno.

Without further delay, the group departed. His followers didn’t know their destination, but Arthur had made up his mind. On his day of rest, he would give a proper burial to his savior. When he had taken the Magical Artifact from the skeleton earlier, he had vowed to return once things had settled.

Unlike previous trips, they encountered many E-rank and D-rank monsters along the way. Strangely, they even saw beasts not native to the area, astonishing everyone — including Arthur, who had unintentionally caused the phenomenon. He hadn’t expected the Beast Lure he created to be this effective.

After four hours of travel and 30 kilometers through dense forest, they arrived at their destination, a colossal tree covered in long, sharp thorns. Hundreds of dense thorny shrubs surrounded its base.

Arthur raised his eyebrows as he examined the tree. ’The hole I made before is gone. Just as I suspected, this tree isn’t ordinary, it has become a magical element after absorbing the mana leaked from the Thornspire Bracelet.’

Previously, when he tested the bracelet, he had attacked this tree and left a mark. Normally, a D-rank attack could destroy any regular tree regardless of size, that’s why he suspected the tree had become a magical artifact.

"Chadwick, Archie—come here."

The two veteran soldiers rushed over and stood before him, thumping their chests firmly in salute.

"What are your orders, my lord?"