The military reform was fully spearheaded by Kaen himself.

He took it upon himself to reorganize the army, blending archers with spearmen and light cavalry to create two entirely new types of units:

— Bow Infantry

— Mounted Archers

These new units would serve as foundational forces for both foot soldiers and cavalry.

The Bow Infantry were designed to be a tier between veterans and elites, easily outclassing the former and able to go toe-to-toe with the latter.

As for the Mounted Archers, they were classified as elite troops from the outset.

The existing Heavy Infantry and Heavy Cavalry were elevated as advanced units—positioned between elites and top-tier forces. They could crush regular elites and still hold their ground against even the most powerful elite troops.

The Rangers, meanwhile, were designated as a special forces unit. Their strength would scale based on their opposition—unpredictable but powerful, also situated somewhere between elite and top-tier classifications.

Kaen proposed forming a Royal Guard, made up of the strongest and most imposing individuals—this unit would be his kingdom's supreme military force, categorized as a top-tier unit with no peer.

But Kaen's reforms didn't end there.

He scrapped the outdated classification system that grouped soldiers by type, replacing it with a unit-based numerical structure, organizing the army based on headcount.

- Squad — 10 men

- Platoon — 50 men

- Company — 100 men

- Battalion — 500 men

- Warband — 1,000 men

- Legion — 5,000 men

Once Kaen laid out his vision, all the civil and military officials exchanged glances—and then nodded in full support.

The only ones who looked confused were Zakri, Mundar, and Cathril.

Cathril raised her hand and asked curiously,

"Lord Kaen, since the units we were leading have now been merged… what roles will we have moving forward?"

Kaen smiled.

"You three will serve as the commanders of these newly formed units."

Then, Kaen shared the planned recruitment numbers and officer assignments:

- Bow Infantry: Recruit two warbands, totaling 2,000 soldiers, to be led by Zakri and Reger.

- Mounted Archers: Recruit one warband, totaling 1,000 soldiers, under the command of Cathril.

- Heavy Infantry: Expand with one battalion, 500 soldiers, led by Caden.

- Heavy Cavalry: Recruit one battalion, 500 soldiers, led by Sigilion.

- Rangers: Maintain one company, 100 soldiers, still commanded by Lairon.

- Royal Guard: Form one company, 100 soldiers, personally commanded by Kaen.

As for the 1,000 soldiers stationed in Azure Spring, Kaen decided to dispatch the most experienced and steady-handed commander—Mundar—to take over and lead them.

With that, the military reforms were finalized, establishing a long-term framework that would guide the kingdom's armed forces moving forward.

This reorganization marked a massive leap in the kingdom's military might.

Kaen now had 5,000 soldiers under his banner—enough to match the military strength of a small, established kingdom.

At the close of the war council—

Kaen summoned Norman into the chamber.

In front of all the gathered officials, Kaen declared:

"From this day forth, Norman shall serve as the Governor of Elariel Town. He will oversee all civil administration, establish the Governor's Estate, and serve as the local authority."

"He will be subject to evaluations from the Department of Administration, and inspection from the Department of Oversight. However, any removal or replacement of his post must be approved by me personally."

Norman bowed solemnly.

"I shall carry out your will, my lord!"

And with that, the first Royal Assembly of Kaen's kingdom came to an end.

….

After the meeting concluded, Kaen took the time to meet personally with the civil talents who had arrived from Rivendell.

He asked each of them about their strengths and skills and then assigned them to various positions in civil administration, military logistics, and regional governance.

The whole process lasted deep into the night.

….

The Next Day

Mundar set off for Azure Spring, accompanied by a few talented officials from Rivendell and half of the materials that Rivendell had sent as aid.

Before his departure, Kaen gave him parting words:

"You have been loyal to me longer than almost anyone. That's why I'm entrusting you with the troops in Azure Spring—you'll be the first stationed general of my kingdom."

"I need you to step beyond the mindset of a warrior. Begin thinking like a marshal. Only then will you truly be capable of commanding on your own."

Mundar's eyes burned with resolve.

"Rest assured, my lord. I will not let you down."

…..

Meanwhile, Norman, along with his team of administrators, quickly laid the foundation of the Governor's Office in Elariel.

Even though the royal seat of the kingdom remained in Elariel, Kaen still established full regional branches for the judiciary, law enforcement, treasury, and inspections.

Likewise, he dispatched people to Azure Spring to set up corresponding departments there.

Once these local departments were up and running, both towns began implementing autonomous civil governance under central oversight.

This administrative model would serve as a prototype for the future capital—when the true heart of the kingdom would finally rise.

Kaen's reforms rolled out quickly, with orders traveling swiftly between the two towns. Any problem that arose was immediately addressed and resolved.

From rocky beginnings, where chaos reigned and systems faltered, the officials gradually found their rhythm.

Kaen's political machine had finally begun to churn into motion.

….

Even as internal structures solidified, the number of refugees arriving steadily increased.

While there were no longer massive waves, hundreds—sometimes over a thousand—still arrived every day. The flow had become consistent.

Old Jack compiled a report and handed the census to Kaen:

- Total Refugees: 14,437

- Able-bodied Adults: 8,234

- Craftsmen: 178

- Adult Women: 3,618

- Minors: [data omitted]

- Elderly Men and Women: [data omitted]

It was the dead of winter. These people had crossed the wilds, braving the unforgiving cold. The weak—elderly, children, and the ill—had mostly perished on the journey.

Those who made it through…

Were either tough survivors or incredibly lucky.

And among them, the able-bodied men were battle-hardened souls who had survived cold, hunger, and despair—they were prime candidates for recruitment.

Kaen immediately sent word to his commanders to begin recruiting soldiers directly from the refugee shelters.

….

Military Salaries After the Reform

Kaen also standardized soldier pay following the reform:

- Bow Infantry: 5 silver coins/month

- Mounted Archers: 5 silver coins/month

- Heavy Infantry: 10 silver coins/month

- Heavy Cavalry: 10 silver coins/month

- Rangers: 10 silver coins/month

- Royal Guard: 1 gold coin/month

All warhorses, weapons, armor, and supplies would be provided by the kingdom directly.

With these enticing benefits, the moment commanders entered the refugee camps to begin recruitment—waves of eager volunteers surged forward.

Within two days, every unit had met its recruitment quota, and new recruit training commenced at once.

….

But while Kaen now had soldiers, he was faced with a new headache—equipment.

He drafted an equipment list and handed it to Tifa, who hailed from a family of arms dealers.

"This is a major order. Can your family take it on?"

Tifa glanced at the scroll, and after just one look, a complex mix of emotion flickered in her eyes—temptation, pain, and helplessness.

She sighed and spread her hands.

"We can't take it. In fact, no arms-dealing family in the Western Continent could handle this order."

The request was staggering:

Gear for 5,200 troops

Including 1,100 suits of heavy armor,

4,000 chainmails,

4,100 leather armors,

Plus bows, spears, and countless other items…

All in all, the cost totaled 70,000 to 80,000 gold coins—an astronomical sum. And that didn't even include ongoing maintenance.

Kaen frowned.

"Then do you have any way to acquire this equipment?"

Tifa shook her head.

"No. Outside of the Lindon Elves on the coast, there are no real human nations left on the Western Continent—only scattered lords."

"A batch of just two to three hundred chainmails or leather armors is already considered a massive order."

"For over a thousand years, only our kingdom has dared to place such a colossal order all at once."