The moment those words left Aven's lips, every knight present changed expression.
Though they had already expected their captain to receive a heavy sentence, a faint hope had still lingered in their hearts that perhaps, because of the recent pardons, he might be spared.
Now that hope shattered. Still, they could only sigh softly. They all knew that, compared to most lords, this punishment was already merciful. Had it been anyone else, the sentence would surely have been death.
They turned their heads aside, some unwilling to meet their captain's gaze, others glancing quietly at Matthew, who stood nearby. His face remained utterly calm, showing no sign of pleading on his former captain's behalf.
"Serfdom, huh…" Darius closed his eyes in agony.
The result was already lenient, but to a man who once led knights into battle with honor, it was no different from being killed outright.
"However," Aven continued, "I can give you an opportunity."
"In my domain, serfs who earn enough contribution points can be promoted to free citizens."
"Therefore, you can work to atone for your crimes and accumulate contribution points through labor reform. I will suspend your execution for now. Once you have earned enough points, your sentence will be reduced, and the demotion to serfdom will be lifted."
His words were oddly formal, almost bureaucratic—but when the knights heard the final phrase, "the demotion will be lifted," every head snapped up in astonishment.
"As long as one accumulates enough contribution … one can rise to the rank of freeman," Darius muttered to himself, repeating Aven's words.
At that moment, a book wrapped in faint blue light floated to him. On its cover were the words: Serf Advancement Manual.
"That's right," Aven said with a slight smile. "Earn enough contribution points, and you may be free again."
"However, because of your crimes, you'll need more than the usual amount. If you only farm or perform manual labor, it will take a lifetime to reach the goal. Therefore, I suggest you become a teacher."
"Given the amount of contribution required for your redemption, ten years of teaching will be sufficient for promotion. And during that time, I can guarantee you will live with the same rights and treatment as a freeman."
Aven's eyes softened slightly as he looked at the former knight captain. Finally, he revealed his true purpose behind this judgment.
As expected, when they heard his words, the knights' faces lit up with surprise and joy. Once they compared their situations, they realized just how merciful this punishment truly was.
"A teacher… like a tutor?" Darius repeated, his tone distant.
Once, he had despised those frail-looking men who lectured in schools. To him, a true man should charge into battle, not hold a pen.
Was this truly the fate awaiting him now? Yet, compared to becoming a serf, this was indeed a mercy—a pardon granted by the lord himself.
Still, for him, it all felt meaningless. Were it not for his lingering concern for his subordinates, he might have already taken his own life. For a captured knight, that was often the only way left to preserve his honor.
He looked toward the knights who had retained their titles, then back at the Serf Advancement Manual in his hands.
If even a condemned knight captain like him could receive such clemency, then perhaps his comrades could also find a path to survival. By becoming teachers, they could at least retain their freedom.
That thought eased his heart slightly. He had no family or ties; his life or death mattered little. But his men—they still had people waiting for them.
"Darius," Aven said evenly, eyes fixed on him. "State your decision."
The quill pen floating in midair stilled, hovering silently above the parchment as if waiting for his answer.
"…I thank Lord Aven for his mercy," Darius said hoarsely. "May I… have a moment to think?"
"Very well," Aven nodded, letting the pen and book drift down onto the table. "Matthew, bring in the next one."
Matthew gave a brief nod, glancing at Darius before turning away. Soon, another knight was brought in.
When this man saw the other knights standing nearby—and the once-proud captain sitting silently—he froze, confusion flashing across his face.
Unlike Darius, he had no time to collect himself before the questioning began.
The procedure was the same as before—Aven asked whether the knight had ever harmed innocent civilians, whether he could read and write—while Kirlia's psychic energy silently revealed the truth behind every answer.
At the end, Aven gave his verdict. When the knight heard he was to be demoted to serfdom, his face turned deathly pale.
He had a wife and children. If he became a serf, his family—and every generation thereafter—would bear that shame forever.
But when Aven continued, explaining that through labor reform and accumulated contributions, one could delay the sentence and eventually be freed, hope surged back into the man's eyes.
"I'm willing, Lord Aven! I'm willing!" the knight cried desperately. "I've known how to read and write since childhood—I can teach, I can serve as a teacher!"
"Good," Aven nodded with satisfaction. "Then sign this employment contract."
Without even glancing at the contents, the knight seized the pen and hastily signed his name, relief washing over his face.
"Matthew, take him away. Bring in the next."
And so, one after another, the trials continued. Most knights were sentenced to serfdom, yet given the option to teach and earn redemption. In this way, Aven suddenly gained a small army of teachers—all loyal out of necessity.
Until, at last, an ordinary-looking knight was brought forth. The moment Kirlia began probing him, its brow furrowed in discomfort. Something about this man felt… wrong.
"The trial begins," Aven said softly, his eyes narrowing.
"Have you ever killed innocent civilians?"
The knight responded quickly, but Kirlia's psychic pulse revealed—he was lying.
Aven paused, then asked several more questions—each time different from the ones before. The surrounding knights exchanged uneasy glances.
Finally, Aven's voice dropped lower. "Do you know any sorcerers?"
The knight froze. "Sorcerers? I don't know what that is. I've never heard of them."
"Never heard of them? Are you certain?"
Aven suddenly stood. At his side, Mismagius appeared from the air, its eerie form shimmering like a shadow.
A wave of ghost energy rippled outward. The knight's eyes glazed over—and moments later, he slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
"Maaa~"
Mismagius let out a low, ghostly cry before diving straight into the man's body.
Every knight watching was stunned. Aven's calm gaze, the mysterious questions, the sorcerer's name—all of it now made sense.
Could it be… he's connected to the forces behind Marquis Hormay?
Moments later, Mismagius drifted out of the man's body, nodding toward Aven—it had found what it sought.
"Excellent work, Mismagius," Aven said approvingly. He turned to Matthew. "He's connected to the sorcerer organization. Detain him securely."
Matthew's expression darkened. He knew the name sorcerer well and to learn that their influence had already seeped into the knight order was deeply unsettling.
Darius's face grew even uglier. He too knew the sorcerers well—it was their corruption that had led Marquis Hormay to betray his people.
"We'll accelerate the rest of the trials," Aven said coldly. He glanced at Darius. "Matthew, bring all remaining knights here. We'll judge them together."
Now that they had uncovered a connection to the sorcerers, he could hardly wait to see what Mismagius had discovered within that man's dreams.
"As you command, Lord Aven."
Soon, a large number of knights were gathered again. The same procedure repeated.
One by one, verdicts were announced—some wept with relief, others screamed in anger.
Those with lighter crimes and literacy became teachers; those without such skills were sent to labor camps.
The strong ones filled the ranks of pioneers and builders—still able to earn points, though much more slowly.
Through this system of contribution and redemption, Aven had effectively created a structured, self-sustaining penal system. Combined with the serf advancement policy, it maximized the use of every available human resource.
As for the truly guilty—those who had committed grave crimes—there was no mercy. No labor reform, no chance for redemption. Only death awaited them.
Aven believed firmly that only by maintaining the death penalty could he preserve order and deter wrongdoing.
"Darius," Aven finally said. "It's your turn once more."
"As the former knight captain, you must be quite skilled in administration, aren't you?"
"I need you to oversee the teachers. Understand that while I have granted you all an opportunity, I do not yet fully trust you."
"This is an experiment. If I ever find that this system fails to work, I will abolish it—without hesitation."
Darius's eyes widened. If the system were abolished, then everyone would return to being serfs.
The color drained from his face. Around him, every knight who had just been granted a second chance tensed, realizing the same thing. They exchanged looks of silent determination—no one would risk losing this fragile hope.
"Well then," Aven said at last, "give me your answer."
Darius closed his eyes in anguish. His voice rasped, "Lord Aven… do I truly still have a choice?"
"Very good," Aven said softly. "As long as you do your best the Pokémon Domain will not disappoint you."
He placed a hand on Darius's shoulder and turned to leave with Mismagius floating at his side.
"Captain Darius, this is wonderful news!" Matthew said, smiling.
"Wonderful? Wonderful, you say?" Darius gave a bitter laugh. "Do you know what it means to want to die, yet be forced to live?"
He gave a cold snort, then turned toward his worried comrades. After a long pause, he sighed deeply.
"Still… I must thank Lord Aven."
(End of Chapter)
TN: Change Bloodhowl's name to Darius, still a strong sounding name. I thought he was just a tough side character that was supposed to die, originally named Blood Roar in the raw. By the way this chapter is going about him, he might become the minister of education and having a teacher named Bloodhowl sounds wrong? Or right if he's teaching PE.