I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 446: Marquis of Ravenswood

There was a moment of stunned silence.

One of the commanders opened his mouth slightly but didnʼt speak. The shock was clear in their eyes. Sending home sixty percent of the recruits? Just like that?

”But Your Grace…” the youngest commander finally said, ”that would mean discarding over two hundred soldiers. Some of them might still—”

Julian turned to look at him, his expression serious.

”If they canʼt rise now, theyʼre wasting our time,” he said coldly. ”I have no use for mediocrity.”

The commander stiffened and bowed his head.

”In their place,” Julian continued, ”recruit mages. Archers. Spearmen. Healers. Anyone with a skill set that complements the battlefield. Diversity is strength. Not just numbers swinging blades.”

He walked forward slowly, his voice low but commanding. ”Every recruit who joins us from now on must compete. Build separate arenas for each group. Let them earn their place. No more easy paths. I want warriors, not bodies.”

The commanders bowed deeply.

”Yes, Archduke.”

Julian scanned the recruits for a while longer, noting the composition of the army. ”What basis do you use to select these individuals?”

The lean commander stepped forward, his back straight. ”Your Grace, we conduct a selection test. Only those men who pass the physical and magical criteria are allowed to enter.”

Julianʼs eyes narrowed. ”As I thought.”

He turned to face the three commanders fully.

”Do not limit the recruits to just men,” he said firmly. ”From this moment forward, remove that restriction. Allow women to join.”

The atmosphere was silent for a moment.

”We donʼt care about gender,” Julian continued. ”We care about capability. If a woman can outperform ten men, she deserves ten times the recognition. Skill and strength—thatʼs the only metric I want.”

The commanders nodded, more solemn now.

”Yes, Archduke. Weʼll update the recruitment policy immediately.”

Julian folded his arms, watching them carefully.

”I want word of this spread across the duchy,” he added. ”Post announcements. Send out messengers. Talent must not be hidden behind tradition.”

They bowed deeply once more.

With that, Julian had nothing more to observe. He offered one final, inspiring farewell speech and then, without waiting for applause or acknowledgment, he turned and walked away from the training grounds.

By the time he returned to the castle, the sun had dipped low in the sky, casting a orange hue over the halls. Evening had arrived, and with it, a silence that filled the corridors.

Julian walked through the gardens, the scent of blooming flowers drifting on the cool evening breeze. The faint sound of water trickling from a nearby fountain added a peaceful rhythm to his strolling.

”I need to move forward with my plan for developing the duchy,” he murmured to himself.

He had already planned everything and now, only execution remained.

He yawned, his shoulders sagging slightly. ”After the visit to Apollo tomorrow, Iʼll prioritize time for it.”

The exhaustion was catching up to him. The day had been long—negotiations, inspections, and commanding decisions, each draining in their own way.

His feet moved automatically through the hallways of the castle, and reached his chambers. Julian wasted no time. He undid his armor, dropped it to a chair, and fell onto the bed.

Sleep claimed him almost instantly.

Meanwhile,

Beyond the borders of Ares, stood a magnificent castle—its walls glowing and shimmering as if forged entirely from gold. The light reflected off its polished surfaces, giving it an ethereal glow that made it seem more like a divine monument than a man-made structure.

Surrounding this central marvel were numerous smaller castles, each one grand in its own right. Some had weird but breathtaking architecture, some were adorned with carvings, towering gates, and banners fluttering in the breeze.

The entire estate stood like a kingdom of its own.

At one of the massive gates leading into the central castle was carved:

Castle of Marquis Ravenswood

The gate stood open, but the air around it was still—unnaturally still.

The gardens of the castle were massive, filled with flowers of every imaginable color. Tall, thick trees stood like ancient guardians scattered throughout, casting long shadows as the sun dipped beyond the horizon.

But inside the castle, the mood was entirely different.

Every inch of the interior screamed luxury. The walls were plated in gold, polished to a shine that reflected even the faintest light.

Massive golden chandeliers hung from above. Ornate carvings of beasts and unidentifiable creatures, adorned the pillars and corners, making the space feel both royal and oppressive.

In one of the massive, dimly lit chambers, sat a man alone in a grand chair. The room was lit only by four torches stationed at each far corner, casting flickering shadows that danced eerily across the golden surfaces.

The man appeared to be in his fifties. His thick raven-black hair had yet to show a trace of gray, and his eyes were just as dark.

Despite the commanding presence his gaze projected, his features were not entirely intimidating. His face bore slight wrinkles from age, and his body was far from battle-hardened. His round, fat stomach pressed against his dress, suggesting a life of comfort and power wielded from a throne rather than a battlefield.

Swirling a goblet of deep crimson wine in one hand, the Marquis watched with a hunger too old to name. His eyes, dark and unblinking, were locked on the scene playing before him.

On the enormous bed—draped in black velvet—three bodies were tangled together in intimacy.

The first was a woman, perhaps in her forties, with brown hair cascading over bare shoulders. Her beauty was mature, weathered by time but sharpened by experience. She moved with grace, like a queen.

Beside her, a younger woman—no more than twenty—was lost in her own haze. She had the same raven-dark hair, the same sharply features, and the same unmistakable fire in her gaze as the man in the chair.

Her breath came in gasps, lips parted in moans as her body twisted in sync with her companions.