Chapter 309: Chapter 277: Rewarding Merits, the Founding of [Giant God Security]

"When Mr. Claudio gets back, we’ll sit down and have a proper talk. There are some things that require him to be present."

"For now, I’ll deal with matters at the Workshop."

Sutton’s expression immediately fell.

"Sigh! You kid, how can you leave us hanging like this!"

「 」

The afternoon sun flowed over the forecourt of Grent Manor, washing away the smell of gunpowder.

Jon stood on the stone steps before the main residence, his ice-blue eyes sweeping over the assembled crowd below—the Workshop’s apprentices had changed into new clothes and were looking up in anticipation, while the Radiant Knight Order’s armor glinted with a cold light after being cleaned, their expressions solemn.

Rosalind, Reya, Dolores, and the others stood in the shadows of the colonnade, gazing at him quietly.

The air was filled with a complex mixture of scents—furnace coal, incense, and cleaning agents—lending it a particularly solemn feel.

Jon took a step forward, his shadow stretching long in the afternoon light.

He wasted no time on pleasantries. His voice carried across the courtyard, landing clearly in everyone’s ears.

"Everyone, the battle for Heta County City is over."

After a brief silence, he stated firmly.

"We won."

Two simple words, yet they were like a boulder thrown into a lake, instantly creating silent ripples through the crowd.

The apprentices’ tense shoulders relaxed. Some subconsciously clenched their fists, their eyes glinting with the complex light of survival—relief, exhaustion, and even a faint, indescribable euphoria from their baptism by fire.

The Knights, on the other hand, instinctively straightened their backs, a flicker of imperceptible pride flashing across their resolute faces.

"This victory belongs to every single one of you."

Jon’s gaze swept over the faces, some young, some weathered.

"On the battlefield, you proved your courage and loyalty, proved that the Power of the Giant God Workshop is not to be underestimated. In recognition of your efforts, I declare—"

He paused briefly, his gaze turning sharper.

"All Workshop members who participated in this battle will have their compensation raised by two tiers!"

A wave of stunned whispers swept through the crowd.

They could no longer contain their hushed gasps. The apprentices’ eyes instantly lit up with disbelieving joy.

Compensation raised by two tiers!

To put it in perspective, the compensation at the Giant God Workshop was already unimaginably generous. Most of them were currently just "apprentices," yet their income was enough to support a family without any worries.

An increase of two tiers on top of that? What level of pay would that even be!?

But Jon wasn’t finished.

"At the same time,"

Jon’s voice rose above the murmurs, laced with unquestionable resolve.

"You will become the first official members of the newly established ’Giant God Security’ organization!"

"Your names will be carved into the [Cornerstone] of the Workshop’s Power!"

Giant God Security!

Those three words were like a searing brand, burning into everyone’s hearts.

Did the establishment of this organization mean they were no longer a disorganized band of apprentices, but Warriors with an official title, a place to belong, and a future?

In that moment, boundless hope and passion burned in their chests.

Jon’s gaze, however, passed over the crowd and landed precisely on two figures.

"Aaron!"

The young apprentice who had been called flinched and instinctively straightened his back.

"Raymond!"

The steady, middle-aged apprentice also took a deep breath, his expression turning exceptionally grave.

"I saw how you both performed on the battlefield. You were the two most outstanding apprentices on this expedition."

"Aaron, you are bright, eager to learn, and calm under pressure. Raymond, you are experienced and work seamlessly with others."

"I now appoint you both as the first captains of Giant God Security—Raymond as First Captain, and Aaron as Second Captain!"

Envious gazes, like tangible threads, instantly focused on the two of them.

Rosalind stepped forward at the right moment, holding a tray covered with dark velvet cloth.

In the sunlight, two badges on the tray glinted with a hard, metallic sheen. Engraved upon them was the Giant God Workshop’s unique insignia of a giant fist clutching a gear, and a faint magical glow flowed along their edges—a clear sign they had been meticulously enchanted.

She walked to the bottom of the steps, her silver eyes as placid as still water.

First, she pinned one badge to Raymond’s chest, her movements meticulous.

Raymond bowed deeply, his voice thick with suppressed excitement.

"Thank you, Mr. Jon! Thank you, Lady Rosalind!"

Next, she pinned the second badge to Aaron’s chest, causing the young man to become so excited his fingers trembled and his words became incoherent.

"Th... Thank you... Ma’am... I... I..."

Rosalind simply gave a slight nod before resuming her usual cool demeanor and retreating behind Jon.

The two shining badges pinned to the new captains’ chests refracted the sunlight with a proud gleam, silently proclaiming their new status and recognition to all.

The air in the courtyard seemed to ignite. The apprentices stared at Aaron and Raymond, the envy in their eyes almost tangible, their chests filled with boundless hope for the future and a thirst for Power.

Jon’s gaze swept over every face below, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, before he spoke in a deep voice.

"Everyone, there’s no need for envy, and certainly no need for impatience."

The buzzing murmurs instantly fell silent.

The apprentices instinctively straightened their backs, their gazes returning to the silhouette on the steps, backlit by the afternoon sun.

"The flames of war in Heta County have been extinguished, but the Giant God’s march will not stop."

Jon raised his hand, clenching it into a fist, and pointed toward the vast, frozen lands beyond the manor.

"Soon, we will have a brand-new territory of our own!"

"Walls must be built from heavy stone, the Workshop must be forged in fierce flames, and armaments must be hammered day and night! Every corner will need your hands, your sweat and blood!"

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an incomparable weight that struck a chord in everyone’s heart.

"[Giant God Security] is only the beginning! In the future, more divisions will be established, and everyone will have the chance to use their talents and earn a promotion!"

The dim light of disappointment in the eyes of the apprentices who hadn’t received a reward was suddenly rekindled, as if they could already see that incredibly bright future.

Some excitedly wrung the corners of their clothes with their calloused hands, while others instinctively tightened their grip on the buckles of the tool pouches at their waists.

Then Jon dropped an even more explosive piece of news at the perfect moment.

"And before that—"

"Two of the Empire’s Princesses, Her Highness Belina Benest and Her Highness Cecilia Benest, have placed two orders with us. The orders are large enough to keep the Workshop busy day and night, and they have already arrived!

"This means our Workshop’s business has reached a new level, and that we have gained incredibly important partners!"

An uproar exploded from the crowd!

The crowd was in an absolute frenzy!

It wasn’t a cheer, but a clamor mixed with shock, excitement, and a sense of "of course."

Favor from two imperial princesses!

The young apprentices’ faces were a mixture of vicarious pride and the dizziness of being slammed with a massive workload, as if they could already hear the ceaseless, day-and-night roar of the forge hammers.

Even the level-headed Raymond and Aaron instinctively glanced at each other, seeing the gravity and fighting spirit in the other’s eyes.

Dolores, standing to the side, was the first to leap up, her short violet hair tracing a brilliant arc in the sunlight.

"Awesome! Boss! The Workshop is going to make a fortune! Can we celebrate with a month’s worth of honey-glazed ribs?"

Her amber eyes shone astonishingly bright as she made the loud, trouble-making suggestion.

Her perfectly-timed antics instantly broke the solemn and emotional atmosphere, and even Jon’s serious expression softened a little.

His gaze swept over Rosalind’s calm silver eyes and Reya’s pursed lips and sparkling emerald eyes, before he announced loudly.

"A month is too long. We don’t have that much time. But tonight—"

He threw his arm out in a grand gesture.

"There will be more than enough for everyone! This is the reward we’ve won with blood and fire! Let’s celebrate!"

"ROAR—!!!"

The long-suppressed emotions erupted at this moment like a dormant volcano!

The apprentices could no longer hold back. They threw their arms in the air and cheered, the sound like a flood bursting through a dam, instantly overwhelming the entire forecourt of Grent Manor!

Young faces flushed red as they slapped each other on the shoulder. Some were so excited they jumped up and down on the spot.

The clang of metal, the stomping of boots, and the sounds of laughter intertwined, merging into a searing wave of sound that startled the Cold Crows roosting in the withered trees outside the manor.

But amid this celebration, certain people who should have also been celebrating the victory found it very difficult to smile.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.