"Truly, my thanks. If it weren't for you, I honestly wouldn't have known which way to turn."
Looking at the elderly man dressed in ornate robes, Mohg offered his sincere gratitude.
"There is no need for such formality. It is a mere trifle," the old man replied with a warm smile.
"I haven't had the pleasure of learning your name, elder."
"Oh, I am Bonata. I am a Magic Professor in service to the Royal Family. However, I am old now and my inspiration for magical research has long since dried up. My current duties involve teaching a few spells and helping oversee the palace's security."
Bonata stroked his beard as he explained, his demeanor exceptionally kind. Mohg nodded in understanding.
"I am Gwen. I'm a knight recently brought back by Princess Rellana. She assigned me to the Guerrilla Unit, and I was just having a headache trying to figure out how to get there."
"Haha, so it's you! I've heard your name. But I recall that little girl Serena was supposed to receive you. Where is she?"
"Uh, Lady Serena left immediately after showing me my room and briefing me on my post..."
"Honestly... that girl is always like this. She's terrible at these sorts of tasks. She always forgets the most crucial instructions. I wouldn't be surprised if she's just now realizing her mistake and is rushing back as we speak."
Bonata shook his head with a chuckle and patted Mohg on the shoulder.
"Let her deal with the headache; it'll serve as a lesson for her. I'll take you directly to the Guerrilla Unit's headquarters within the palace. By the way, which squad are you in?"
"That Serena, really... Come along, I'll take you to the commander of the Guerrilla Unit. I'll also help you get familiar with the palace layout so you don't get lost or wander into places you shouldn't be."
"I am deeply grateful, Professor Bonata."
On the other side of the palace, Serena—who had been basking in the satisfaction of completing Rellana's task—suddenly froze. Her face paled as she turned and sprinted back toward Mohg's quarters.
She reached the door and knocked, but upon receiving no response, she didn't care if she was being rude. She threw the door open. Seeing the room empty, Serena's expression crumpled. She leaned her forehead against the wall with a groan.
"This is bad... I hope he hasn't caused any trouble, or I'm going to be held responsible..."
Suddenly, Serena felt like the unluckiest person alive. Loye had been assigned to receive someone else, so she could accept that. But Serena knew she was ill-suited for this, yet she had been given the task anyway. It felt unfair.
Her other colleague, Kay, was currently idle too. Why was it always her? She felt targeted. Definitely targeted.
"Alright, I believe after that tour, you should have a decent grasp of the castle's internal layout. Now, I'll take you to the Guerrilla Unit."
"I'm sorry to have troubled you so much," Mohg said apologetically.
"It's nothing, nothing at all. This old man happens to have a free day today anyway." Bonata waved it off with a smile.
During their walk, Bonata had introduced Mohg to the armory, the library, the research wings, the training grounds, and the residential areas. The palace was strictly divided by rank and role. Mohg was an anomaly; despite being in the Guerrilla Unit, he had been assigned to the residential wing used by Carian Knights.
This clearly signaled Rellana's high expectations for him.
"Professor Bonata, could you tell me more about the Guerrilla Unit?"
"It seems Serena really didn't tell you anything at all..." Bonata sighed and shook his head.
"The commander of the unit is a Carian Knight named Shuster. He specializes in sword-and-shield combat and has mastered many sorceries. Aside from Carian magic, he's proficient in various utility spells. He is quite formidable."
Mohg nodded, listening intently.
"The unit itself consists of elites selected from the Carian army. Many of them are on the verge of becoming Carian Knights themselves. Their primary duties are harassment and intelligence gathering. I'm sure you'll learn the specifics once you officially join."
Bonata smiled as they approached a new section of the castle. "Here we are. This is the Guerrilla Unit's sector. I'll let you discover the rest for yourself. Let's go meet Shuster."
"Mmm." Mohg followed.
As they entered the area, a figure among the soldiers caught sight of Mohg's back and paused, lost in thought.
"Muun, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's just... I don't think I've seen that man before." Muun shook his head and pointed at Mohg's retreating form.
"Oh, that guy? Word is he's a 'backdoor' hire..."
Whack!
"Don't listen to his nonsense. That man was scouted by Princess Rellana herself. Apparently, he's here as a Carian Knight reservist."
Muun nodded, but his brow remained tightly furrowed.
Even though Mohg had changed his physical appearance and even his aura, Muun's instincts told him he had seen that silhouette before. He just couldn't place exactly where.
"If you have an issue with him, you can always ask the commander for a spar. I doubt the commander would refuse," his colleague suggested, seeing Muun's lingering scowl.
Muun's eyes lit up. Right! A spar might be exactly what I need to figure out where I've seen him!
Knock, knock.
"Shuster, it's me."
"Professor Bonata? What brings you here?"
Shuster, who had been processing paperwork inside, was visibly surprised. He smiled as he opened the door, but his eyes turned inquisitive when he saw the figure behind the professor.
Bonata quickly explained Mohg's situation.
Shuster couldn't help but chuckle. "That sounds exactly like the Serena I know. Come in."
"Commander Shuster." Mohg bowed slightly to the knight.
"Mmm. Good presence. You look sturdy enough. Personally, I trust Princess Rellana's eye for talent, but whether your teammates trust you is up to you." Shuster looked Mohg over with satisfaction, even stepping forward to squeeze the muscle on Mohg's shoulder.
"I understand. Sir, is there anything you need me to do right now?"
"Not at the moment. I'll have someone show you the ropes and explain our duties shortly. After that, you'll follow the schedule Princess Rellana laid out for you. Her Highness told me not to micromanage you too much. It must be nice to have such powerful backing, eh?"
Shuster looked at Mohg with a playful smirk. Mohg chuckled; it was clear the commander was just joking.
"For now, have a seat in my office. My adjutant will be here soon and will take you on a tour."
Mohg nodded and looked at Bonata, who was still standing nearby. "Thank you for everything, Professor Bonata."
"It was no trouble. I suspect we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other soon, Lord Gwen."
Mohg was puzzled for a second before realizing Bonata meant his magical studies. It seemed this was the teacher Rellana had promised him.
"I look forward to your guidance then, Professor."
Bonata nodded with a smile, bid Shuster farewell, and departed. Mohg sat and watched Shuster work for a short while until the adjutant entered.
The man was tall and wore armor adorned with Carian filigree. He had silver-gray hair styled in a way that immediately reminded Mohg of Kenneth Haight. Between the hair and the similar facial features... if the hair color were different, Mohg might have mistaken him for the noble himself.
Kenneth Haight: Reincarnated as a Carian Soldier? It felt weird, though Kenneth Haight: Reincarnated as a Carian Magic Professor would have fit better.
"Commander Shuster, this is..."
"Ah, you're here. This is the newcomer Princess Rellana sent, Gwen."
Mohg stood and bowed slightly to the adjutant.
"This is my adjutant, Mingal."
Mingal placed a hand over his chest and returned the bow.
"Mingal, I'll leave him in your hands for now. I have paperwork to finish. Take Gwen to get familiar with our sector and explain our missions and responsibilities."
"Understood." Mingal looked at Mohg. "Follow me."
Once outside, Mingal began the tour. He explained that their current area was for intelligence processing, administrative tasks, and rest. "Administrative tasks" included handling incidents within the city; when the city guard was spread thin or encountered a particularly troublesome individual, the Guerrilla Unit was called in.
After visiting the training grounds, barracks, dining hall, and armory, Mingal led him to the most important area: the Mission Assembly Point.
"This is where we gather before a mission. I'll take you to get a Glintstone Medal later. When the medal glows and the mana begins to fluctuate, you must gear up immediately and report here."
Mohg nodded, scanning the room. Only a few people were passing through, save for one... a knight in heavy Blackgaol Armor sitting quietly in a corner.
"That is Lord Berclora. He is technically a member of our unit, but he rarely acts with us. He usually carries out solo missions based on the intel we gather or direct orders from Princess Rellana."
Mohg couldn't help but look at Berclora again. The knight seemed to sense his gaze; he looked up and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"It seems his Lordship recognizes you," Mingal remarked with a trace of curiosity.
"It's likely my hair. And Princess Rellana was quite high-profile when she brought me in. It wouldn't be surprising if her direct subordinates knew who I was."
Mingal didn't press further and continued explaining their duties. Beyond what Bonata and Mingal had already mentioned, Mohg learned of other responsibilities: Assassination, decapitation strikes, interception, and even the theft of high-value items.
Mohg immediately realized the truth. This wasn't a "guerrilla unit"—it was a special ops group, a shadow unit with no official name or number, comprised entirely of Carian elites. They were the "Black Ops" of the Royal Family, handling all the dirty work.
"Adjutant Mingal!"
"Mmm?"
Mingal turned at the sound of his name and saw Muun's trio approaching.
"Muun? What are you doing here? I don't recall you being assigned a mission."
"I am here for the new colleague standing behind you."
"What?"
Mingal's expression turned wary. Muun was highly skilled—nearly on par with Mingal himself. In the Guerrilla Unit, few could best him besides Shuster and Berclora.
The problem was that Muun was a troublemaker. Shuster didn't trust him with a leadership position because he feared Muun would lead his squad into a ditch. Mingal's first thought was that Muun was annoyed by "Gwen" being a high-profile recruit and had come to pick a fight.
"If you're bored, I suggest you go do some extra training. That way you won't waste your useless energy on meaningless things."
"Sir, I don't believe this is meaningless. It's a spar. Not only will it deepen our understanding of one another, but it will also sharpen our skills!" Muun stood tall, his neck stiff with defiance.
"You—!"
Mingal grew angry and raised a hand as if to strike Muun, but Mohg called out.
"Adjutant Mingal, there's no need for that. It's just a spar. I accept."
"This... it's not quite appropriate. It's your first day, and Princess Rellana personally ordered..." Mingal frowned with worry.
On a small scale, it was just a duel. But on a larger scale... it looked like they were questioning Rellana's judgment or suggesting she showed favoritism.
"If Princess Rellana has questions, I will speak with her myself."
As he spoke, Mohg narrowed his eyes, examining the man before him.
Memories of his first entry into the Lakes began to sharpen. This was the man who had fought him that day!
So... is this a coincidence?
Mohg's gaze instantly turned dangerous.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (445 Chapters – Full)
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