Sorcery Monarch

 

Chapter 47: The Temptation of Land

 

The sun hung high in the sky.

 

This giant ball of fire unleashed light and heat without restraint.

 

The cool winter chill had completely melted away, bringing a long-awaited warmth.

 

But the warmth on their skin couldn't compare to the craving for food.

 

Merril took a delightful bite of fish, slowly chewing and savoring it.

 

The unique sweetness of the protein caused an uncontrollable smile to spread across her lips.

 

Carefully, she dipped the soft white bread into the soup, taking a luscious bite. The crispy yet soft texture instantly blossomed in her mouth.

 

Before she knew it, Merril had eaten two loaves of white bread, a one-pound yellow fish, and a bowl of rich, fragrant bone broth.

 

"Ugh, I think I ate too much again..."

 

"It's okay; the teachers said we're growing, so we should eat more..."

 

Comforting herself, she patted her belly contentedly, feeling more satisfied than ever.

 

At that moment, the white-haired Liana sat down at the other side of the table, grabbing some white bread and roasted meat, devouring them ravenously.

 

Liana was eating so quickly that she had trouble swallowing. Merril quickly stood up, poured her a bowl of bone broth, and gently said:

 

"Don't rush, eat slowly. Butler Ralph said we have plenty of food."

 

Liana gratefully took a sip of the bone broth, swallowed the dry food, and gave Merril a thankful glance before continuing to devour her meal.

 

It was obvious that Liana hadn't had a full meal in days.

 

Merril curiously rested her face on her hands, her eyes reflecting her thoughts as she murmured to herself:

 

"The new lord is so kind... I wonder when we can start learning spells..."

 

With her mouth still full of half-eaten roasted meat, Liana shook her head, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. Merril couldn't help but laugh, then took a deep breath and made a gesture of determination:

 

"No matter what, I'll do my best to live up to the lord’s expectations and become a mage as soon as possible."

 

"I hope the lord's Mage Tower is built soon so I can help out..."

 

Little Liana didn’t understand what Merril was talking about. She drank her soup happily, feeling her belly swell slightly and thought to herself:

 

"Is this what it feels like to be full? It's so wonderful."

 

"If we stay with the lord, will Mama and I always be able to eat our fill?"

 

"Yes, the lord is so powerful, I'm sure we will!"

 

It wasn’t just these two enjoying their meal—nearly all the children in Bay Village were busily stuffing their faces.

 

Butler Ralph exhaled slightly. Preparing food for so many little gluttons was no simple task.

 

Fortunately, the food Matthew had purchased from Adam Smith was more than enough, so there was no major pressure in that regard.

 

However, providing ample food was only the first step in cultivating professionals.

 

Experienced professional instructors, regular intake of magical creature meat to ensure proper nutrition, and specialized training camps for unique skills were the real heavy investments to come.

 

Ralph quickly pushed these stray thoughts aside as he directed the laborers to deliver the remaining food to the outskirts of the village.

 

There, hundreds of hungry kobolds awaited their meal eagerly.

 

"Hum hum..."

 

"Gur gur..."

 

The kobolds chattered endlessly, their excitement heightened by the enticing aroma in the air.

 

Dozens of wooden barrels were set down, filled with a mixture of black bread and thick soup, giving off a peculiar scent.

 

The kobolds gathered around, dozens of them huddled together, devouring the food noisily.

 

Old John watched these unusually well-behaved kobolds in amazement, scratching his head in confusion:

 

"What's going on? What's the use of keeping these kobolds?"

 

Just as he was about to take a puff of his tobacco, he reconsidered and set it down. Village Chief Field knew that his retirement plans would likely need to change, so he shook his head and said:

 

"The lord has his own plans. I never would have thought that these normally crazed little creatures could be so obedient..."

 

Butler Ralph remained silent, watching as Village Chief Field returned to the construction site, repeatedly inspecting the progress made over the past hour or two, all the while contemplating the upcoming tasks.

 

Angela took the parchment that listed each soldier's contributions and the exact contribution points earned.

 

The standard for earning one contribution point was the defeat, capture, or killing of a Level 1 professional.

 

This was the base contribution value, with additional points awarded based on the spoils of each battle.

 

"From now on, the contribution point system will follow this standard."

 

"Those who are injured or sacrifice themselves will also receive additional contribution points, but these will only apply to the individual."

 

"Commanders will have three times the contribution points deducted if they deliberately use soldiers as cannon fodder."

 

"The exchange of contribution points will be supervised, and all points will be calculated openly, transparently, and in real-time..."

 

Upon hearing Matthew's arrangements, Angela quickly realized that this contribution system would have far-reaching effects on the soldiers and others in the territory.

 

"After lunch, you and Butler Ralph will host the exchange and public announcement."

 

Angela nodded thoughtfully and immediately began making arrangements.

 

Butler Ralph rubbed his temples, starting to feel that there were too many tasks for him to handle alone.

 

Matthew noticed this and smiled as he said:

 

"Begin recruiting personnel to form a specialized administrative team to help you manage things."

 

Feeling a stir in his heart, Butler Ralph nodded thoughtfully, looking down at the recruitment notice in his hand. After some hesitation, he asked:

 

"There’s still a shortage of military supplies, and the usual training wears them down. Should we contact Adam Smith in advance?"

 

Without hesitation, Matthew nodded and, recalling the trolls in the forest, smiled brightly as he said:

 

"Inform Adam Smith to spread the word in Blood Moon City—there will be a 50-gold bounty for capturing a troll in the Dark Forest!"

 

In the past, Butler Ralph would have thought the lord had gone mad.

 

But after seeing the piles of blood-replenishing potions Matthew had produced, he now understood the lord’s intentions. He respectfully bowed and replied:

 

"I’ll also have Mr. Adam Smith arrange for the first batch of supplies to be escorted by these adventurers."

 

Matthew licked his lips and looked out at the endless wilderness, continuing:

 

"Also, have Adam Smith put out a call: the first wave of civilians to settle in Bay Village will receive the permanent lease of 50 acres of land upon completing the task of cultivating 500 acres."

 

Ralph paused slightly before turning around, silently nodding. He could sense that the lord was becoming eager.

 

With these two announcements, Bay Village, which had been quiet, was soon going to become bustling with activity.

 

After all, who could resist the temptation of land?