Chapter 763: The Core Finally Levels Up (Patreon)

Three days had passed since the goblins began settling around the castle. Tents had gone up, though most had been built to human proportions, leaving some far too large for their new occupants. Still, they worked. Humans and goblins remained wary of one another, keeping their children close and watching for sudden movements, but by now, the humans had understood one important thing.

These weren’t orcs.

Questions made their way to Luke through Otto, Caleb, and Joseph. Some came from fear, others from simple curiosity. But once people saw the wounded goblins, the exhausted elders, and the children too small to pose any threat, Luke noticed that fear beginning to fade.

Working side by side helped. Nothing brought wary people together faster than shared work and common problems. Nearby, a human carpenter was showing two goblins how to reinforce one of the oversized tents. None of them looked particularly happy about the arrangement, but the tent was still standing. That counted as progress.

“Just accept these,” Luke said, handing the [Citizenship Cards] to the four goblin chiefs.

Boggy, who now had only one arm, studied his card cautiously. Thanks to Angie, the wound hadn’t killed him, but the loss was still far too recent to ignore.

Merrik looked from the card to Luke.

“And if we refuse?”

“Then you refuse.” Luke shrugged. “You just don’t get the benefits.”

The chiefs exchanged glances.

[Citizens: 4/10]

Until now, the kingdom’s citizens had been Charlie, Angie, Franky, and Norn.

Boggy accepted first.

[Citizens: 5/10]

“Something just appeared,” he said.

Something shifted inside the Core. Luke felt it a heartbeat before the light came. The Core pulsed once, releasing a brief burst of concentrated light.

[New Dark Lord Soldier Slot Unlocked]

Just like I thought. More citizens, more slots.

[Soldier Slots: 1/2]

It wasn’t exactly concrete information. More like something he simply understood through the Kingdom Core. The stronger the Core became, the more power it would grant whoever held the [Dark Lord] title.

The other chiefs followed.

[Citizens: 6/10]

[Citizens: 7/10]

[Citizens: 8/10]

Luke studied the chiefs for a few seconds. “What do you feel?”

Merrik frowned, struggling to put the unfamiliar sensation into words.

“It feels like one of my ears just popped,” he said. “And my mana... it’s coming back faster.”

“Those are the benefits of being part of my kingdom.”

The goblins stared at their cards with something close to religious awe. Each one bore a perfectly clear image of its owner’s face, rendered in more detail than any goblin would consider natural.

“These cards identify you as citizens of my kingdom,” Luke explained. “Keep them safe. They’ll be useful later.”

They handled the cards with reverence. Some even wrapped them in cloth as though they were sacred relics.

“No goblin will be enslaved or forced into anything against their will. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have duties. And there’s something I want right away.”

Merrik swallowed. “What would that be, Demon Ki... I mean, Lord Moon?”

“I want one child from each of you.”

Every chief went rigid. Boggy’s remaining hand closed around his card. Merrik’s eyes narrowed.

Luke let the silence hang for another second.

“Relax. I need assistants, not sacrifices.”

Some of the tension left their shoulders. Not all of it.

“I want them working together under my direction,” Luke continued. “They’ll help me with whatever needs doing.”

“A-assistants?”

“Like I said, I won’t force them into anything against their will. But I’m not giving you my protection for free, either.”

Luke had more than errands in mind. The chiefs barely trusted him, and they trusted one another even less. Their children would learn to work together before old grudges had time to take root. At least, that was the idea.

Luke had already used [Message] to ask Angie to bring them in. A short while later, five goblins entered. One of the chiefs had sent two of his own.

“Pip,” Boggy said when he saw one of them.

The young goblins approached Luke drenched in sweat, their bodies stiff with tension.

“Take these,” Luke said, handing them the cards. “They’ll make you official citizens of my kingdom, just like your parents.”

They looked to the chiefs and moved only after receiving permission. Pip accepted first, taking his card with both hands.

[Citizens: 9/10]

One of the younger goblins accepted next, then poked at the tiny image of her own face as though checking whether it would move.

[Citizens: 10/10]

[New Dark Lord Soldier Slot Unlocked]

Another one. So it’s every five citizens.

[Soldier Slots: 1/3]

[The quest ‘Level Up the Core’ has been successfully completed.]

The Core began to glow. Its light darkened to black as motes drifted through the air around it.

[Your Kingdom Core has reached Level 1!]

[Your Kingdom Core has unlocked a new skill!]

The remaining goblins accepted their cards and joined the kingdom as well.

Kingdom CoreMonarch: Luke MoonKingdom Name: -Level: 1Citizens: 13/100Soul Energy: 5,147/15,000

Skills: [Dark Lord’s Army], [Citizenship Card], [Sovereign’s Gaze], [Domain Mana], [Kingdom’s Calling], [Safe Domain], [Kingdom Bond], [Core Soul Reservoir], [Crown Vigilance]

The Core’s Soul Energy capacity went from 10,000 to 15,000.

Luke selected the new skill.

[Crown Vigilance]: The Monarch can partially sense those who harm, threaten, or act against citizens within the Kingdom Core’s sphere of influence. This detection does not necessarily reveal their identity, exact location, or full intent. Instead, it manifests as a sense of hostility, disturbance, or danger. The greater the harm and the stronger the victim’s bond to the Kingdom, the clearer the warning becomes.

Now this could be useful.

Would it warn him about an assassin? A traitor? Someone planning an attack before they ever made a move? He had no idea. But he intended to find out. More than that, he could feel his connection to the Core growing stronger.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good, sir,” Pip answered before the others could.

“Good. Go tell each village to form a line. By the end of today, every goblin here will be a citizen.”

And that was exactly what happened. Throughout the day, goblins arrived in groups. Luke handed out cards one by one, all while wondering how he was supposed to support so many people. At least the goblins knew how to survive. Even with their crops destroyed, they could plant new fields here. They could fish, forage, and build. If everyone worked together, maybe they could pull this off.

[Citizens: 98/100]

[Citizens: 99/100]

A broad-shouldered goblin man stepped forward, still covered in dirt from the fields. Luke offered him a card. The goblin studied the image of himself, then accepted it with a firm nod.

[Citizens: 100/100]

[New Dark Lord Soldier Slot Unlocked]

The Core shone once more, then darkened.

[Your Kingdom Core has reached Level 2!]

[Your Kingdom Core has unlocked a new skill!]

It worked.

Luke selected the new skill.

[Verdant Domain]: The Monarch’s connection to plant life harmonizes with the mana radiated by the Kingdom Core, naturally increasing the fertility of the Kingdom’s territory. The soil absorbs nutrients and mana more efficiently, plants grow with greater vigor, and barren or depleted land gradually recovers. The stronger the Monarch’s affinity with nature and the higher the Core’s level, the greater the effect within the Kingdom’s sphere of influence.

Interesting. I was just thinking about that.

Luke looked up at the Core.

Wait. Can you actually hear me?

The Core offered no response.

Luke narrowed his eyes at it.

Hey, Core, if you can hear me, I wouldn’t mind getting the power to locate the teleportation array.

[New information has been unlocked for the quest ‘Teleportation Array’.]

Nice timing. Almost convincing.

Luke glanced at the Core.

But no. The quest only unlocked because you reached Level 2.

[New information has been unlocked for the quest ‘Kings of the New Era’.]

Luke stared at the notifications for a moment. He continued turning goblins into citizens. The numbers kept climbing. So did his soldier slots.

[Soldier Slots: 1/37]

When the kingdom reached two hundred citizens, Luke watched [Dark Lord’s Army] expand to forty soldier slots.

[Your Kingdom Core has reached Level 3!]

[Your Kingdom Core has unlocked a new skill!]

And still the goblins kept accepting. Luke discovered something interesting along the way. Goblin children couldn’t become citizens. He figured the rule probably applied to all children, likely as a safeguard against anyone forcing a child to join a kingdom.

Still, the Core let Franky become a citizen. Maybe it counted his age as a serpent instead of his five-year-old human appearance.

The numbers continued climbing long after the second threshold. As he handed out more cards, Luke read the Core’s newest ability.

[Hands of the Kingdom]: Loyal citizens who practice their Professions within the Kingdom’s borders gain 10% more Professional Experience. This bonus reflects the Kingdom Core’s blessing upon the labor of its people. Blacksmiths advance faster at their forges, farmers improve in the fields, soldiers grow through training, and artisans hone their crafts while serving the Kingdom.

An elderly goblin woman approached slowly, leaning on a gnarled branch she used as a cane.

“Here you go, ma’am,” Luke said, offering her a [Citizenship Card].

She stared at the white card. Then she stared at Luke.

“You’re the Demon King?”

“Apparently.”

Her eyes opened wider, and she straightened. “Then I’ve got a few words for you!”

“Mother!” Fenn rushed over, his face pale. “Mother, don’t—”

“Let go of me, Fenn! Let go!” She struggled against him. “I’m not leaving until I’ve had my say.”

“Mother, please. Show some respect. Come on, let’s get you back to bed. Your soup’s waiting,” Fenn said, the words tumbling out.

“It’s fine,” Luke said. “Let her speak.”

Fenn swallowed. “M-my mother is very old, Lord Moon. She doesn’t have much of a... filter.”

“I’m older than everyone here. Those humans too. Maybe even you, demon,” the old woman said, pointing her cane at Luke.

“Uh... maybe. I have no idea how long goblins live.”

“Long enough to learn some wisdom.”

She walked right up to Luke and tilted her head back to glare at him.

“I may be old, but hurt my family, especially my grandchildren, and I’ll beat you with this cane if it’s the last thing I do.”

The entire crowd went silent. Every goblin froze. Several stared at Luke. Fenn was sweating.

Luke broke the silence. “What’s your name?”

“Nessa. Remember it.”

Luke laughed. The tension broke all at once. He crouched until he was eye level with her.

“You have my word, Nessa. I won’t harm any goblin unless they threaten the peace I’m building.”

Then he stood and looked at the other goblins gathered nearby.

“When I said I joined forces with the Great Spirit to bring peace and prosperity to this forest, I meant it. I don’t want any of you thinking I lied.”

“Of course not,” Merrik said quickly.

Nessa looked down at the card still resting in Luke’s hand. Then she snatched it from him.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“I figured you would.”

She tucked the card into her clothes.

“And don’t think the cane was an empty threat.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Nessa grunted, apparently satisfied, and shuffled away.

Luke returned to handing out cards.

[Citizens: 300/300]

[Your Kingdom Core has reached Level 4!]

[Your Kingdom Core has unlocked a new skill!]

Three hundred citizens. Three hundred mouths to feed. Three hundred lives to protect. Three hundred different ways this could all go wrong.

No pressure.

Luke selected the new skill. Then he read the description again.

Food. Shelter. The ruined villages.

That solves one problem.

He read it a third time.

Make that three.

***

The orcs had been quiet since sunrise. Too quiet. Garen rode his scaled strider across the plains, watching the orc army camped beyond a ragged line of trees. The creature moved beneath him in quick, smooth strides, its clawed feet barely slowing over the uneven ground.

Every other morning since their arrival had begun with blood. Reinforcements from Veyra and the surrounding cities had poured into Nyvma, turning the border town into a makeshift military camp. The orcs had tried to advance several times, always the same way: fast attacks launched from the cover of the forest. Every attempt had failed.

Rosemark’s soldiers knew this land well. They knew every trail, every dip in the ground, and every place where an ambush could turn against those who set it. But today, there had been no attack. No horns. No scouts moving between the trees. Nothing.

When Garen returned to camp, he pulled his scaled strider to a stop and swung down from the saddle. A soldier approached him.

“Should we try sending another messenger?”

“Did you learn nothing from the last one?” Garen asked. “His head is still sitting on a stake where everyone can see it.”

The soldier fell silent. Orcs had no respect for diplomacy. Killing a messenger would have been an outrage in any other war, but the orcs had no interest in rules, much less appearances.

Garen turned his gaze back toward the enemy camp. A new banner hung above the largest tent, its dark fabric stirring in the wind. It hadn’t been there yesterday.

There was an orc general in that camp, and an army that had attacked every day since arriving had suddenly decided to wait.

Garen had fought orcs before. He had never seen an entire army wait for one.

“Double the night watch,” Garen said.

The soldier straightened. “Yes, sir.”

Garen kept his eyes on the distant banner.

What level is that thing?

<< Chapter 762 | Index | Chapter 764 >>