Jane rose to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. The realization hit her hard, this man, the one she'd thought might be her future, truly had no intention of marrying her. Worse, the idea of not marrying her seemed to fill him with a quiet joy.
The flood of emotion was too much for her to hold back. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to keep her composure. Shoulders trembling, she slowly made her way toward the door, each step a battle to suppress the wave of hurt and frustration surging within her.
But just as her hand reached for the door, strong arms encircled her from behind, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"I was just joking," came the soft voice in her ear. "Why are you crying?"
Jane sniffled, unable to respond at first. But before she could pull away, the man continued, his voice growing more tender, almost apologetic. "Your brother didn't pressure me into this, he helped me see things clearly. I want to marry you, Jane. I want to give us both a home. Our home."
He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to stand still.
"Wha; what...?" Jane mumbled through her tears. "You... you really mean it?" Her voice trembled as much as her body.
"I do," Logan whispered.
The realization that he'd been serious all along overwhelmed her. With a mix of relief and pent-up emotion, Jane couldn't hold back any longer. "You... you're so annoying!" she cried, burying her face in his chest. "Why did you lie to me like that? Wuwu...!"
Her sobs came louder now, uncontrolled, but this time they were tears of joy, not sorrow. She hit his chest weakly with her fists, though there was no real force behind it.
Logan chuckled, wiping her cheeks with the back of his hand. "Don't cry, don't cry. This is your home now. What would your aunt and the others say if they saw you like this? They'd probably think I was bullying you!"
Jane sniffled again, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Hmph... you are bullying me! If they hear, I'll have Fourth Brother come and beat you up!" She tried to sound fierce, but it only came out in broken sobs.
Logan couldn't help but laugh at her adorable outburst. "Then I guess I won't marry you after all!" he teased, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Jane's tear-streaked face shot up, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "You dare!" she hissed, with an intensity that could have scared a lesser man.
But Logan only laughed harder, clutching his stomach as he doubled over. "I'm just kidding, just kidding!" he managed to say between laughs, but the sight of her fiery expression only made him laugh harder.
———
The following morning, Logan was all business. He made his way to Abate's residence, where the arrangements were to be made. Abate, reliable as always, had already purchased a small but well-located house just across from the City Hall of Canyon City.
Logan glanced at it with satisfaction. "The Recruitment Hall," he said, naming it on the spot. It was more than fitting, given the purpose of the place.
Inside, Abate introduced him to the warriors they had gathered. Five sixth-level warriors stood before him, along with thirty-nine fifth-level fighters. Logan inspected them carefully, his eyes lighting up with approval.
The sixth-level warriors, though motivated by gold, had a valuable surprise in their midst; a rare earth magician. Magicians were hard to come by, and securing even one, especially a sixth-level one, was no small feat.
Logan clapped him on the shoulder. "Then let's get to work, my friend. We have a tribe to build, and it's only just beginning."
"In fact," Logan began, a thoughtful smile playing on his lips, "I've had the idea of establishing a tribal academy for quite some time now. But, as you probably understand, the real foundation of any academy lies in its mentors. Without experienced spellcasters, it's near impossible to create something on the level of the human kingdom's academies. And spellcasters?
Well, they're almost nonexistent in our tribe."
Abate nodded solemnly, taking in the weight of his chief's words. "Master Chief, I understand completely. But don't worry, I'll find a way to recruit more spellcasters." His expression was resolute. Abate knew that this academy could be the cornerstone of the tribe's future strength.
He thought back to the human kingdoms, where academies flourished. "The human kingdoms," he murmured, almost to himself, "they have so many academies. It's their secret weapon, really."
Logan raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Abate's musings.
"You see, humans may not have the long lifespan of elves, nor the natural talents in magic or combat that other races possess. But what they do have is sheer numbers," Abate continued, his mind clearly racing with ideas. "They've filled their lands with academies; schools that cover every aspect of life, from spellcasting to swordsmanship.
And through these schools, they've trained legions of spellcasters. Even the elves, with all their grace and skill, are amazed at how quickly humans can churn out such numbers."
Logan nodded thoughtfully. "That's true. Humans compensate for their shorter lives by multiplying their talent pool. For every thousand humans, there's bound to be a gifted one among them. And with so many colleges, they've turned that sheer potential into terrifying strength without even realizing it."
Abate's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Exactly! And it's not just humans. Even some of the stronger Beastmen tribes have started copying that model, establishing their own academies. Look at the Mashar Tribal Alliance in the northern wilderness. Under their leader, the boar warlord, their strength has skyrocketed, and much of that growth can be credited to their academy system."
Logan leaned back, impressed. "Mashar, yes. They've made incredible progress, that's true. But only the biggest, wealthiest tribes can pull off something like that. The rest don't have the resources to establish a proper academy, especially when it comes to finding competent tutors."
Abate's expression darkened briefly. "That's the real challenge, isn't it? It's easy to build a school, but where do you find the teachers? And Beastmen; well, we're not naturally inclined toward magic. Most of our talent is in physical strength, combat. Only a small fraction of Beastmen have the magical aptitude that humans or elves do, and that makes it even harder."
Logan let out a small sigh of agreement. "You're right. Beastmen spellcasters are rare, and when you find one, their talent often pales in comparison to what you'd find among humans. That's our biggest hurdle."
Abate suddenly straightened, his eyes bright with an idea. "Master Chief, what if we set up a talent recruitment center in the merchant camps?"
Logan tilted his head, intrigued. "Merchant camps?"
"Yes! Merchant camps are like crossroads for mercenaries. They're everywhere, spread across the wastelands, the Caesar Grasslands, and all the major regions. If we establish a Talent Recruitment Hall in these camps, we'll have direct access to every mercenary that passes through."
Logan's expression shifted as he considered the suggestion. "Hmm... You're right. The mercenary traffic in Canyon City has been rather thin, especially when it comes to spellcasters. Setting up recruitment hubs in the merchant camps could broaden our reach, casting a wider net."
"Exactly!" Abate said, his excitement growing. "We'd reach the mercenaries where they already gather. Some of them might be spellcasters or know where to find them. The camps are a melting pot of talent; we'd have access to warriors, spellcasters, craftsmen, anyone we need."
Logan grinned, clearly impressed with Abate's quick thinking. "That's an excellent idea, Abate. Not only will we increase our chances of recruiting spellcasters, but we'll also tap into the broader pool of talent passing through these camps. It could be the key to finally establishing our academy."
Abate nodded eagerly. "I'll start making the arrangements immediately. We'll need to position the halls strategically in the most frequented camps. This could change everything for the tribe, Master Chief."
Logan clapped him on the shoulder, a rare glint of hope in his eyes. "It very well could. And once we have the spellcasters and craftsmen we need, the academy will become a reality. The Silvermane Tribe will be stronger than ever."