Chapter 769: The Kingdom’s Craftswoman (Patreon)

[Your profession [Sentinel Botanist of Mother Freya] has reached Level 105!] (+21 Wisdom, +16 Intelligence, +13 Willpower, +10 Perception, +8 Vitality, +25 Free Points)

Luke grinned. It was paying off. Once he reached level 110, he would gain a new skill.

“Illyra, you might not be growing, but you’re getting much faster,” Luke said, watching the green sphere.

“I am. Thanks to you.”

“And the underworld?”

“I’m close to opening the entrance. Maybe one more day.”

“Good. I might need it sooner than I thought.”

A world inside his world. It sounded absurd even to him, yet it fit the logic of this place far too well. Over the past few days, Luke had been learning more about the continent. One thing bothered him: the humans here were incredibly low-level.

At first, he had assumed that a society with centuries of access to the system would have people at level 100 casually walking the streets. It wasn’t. Artemis had already explained why, and reality only confirmed it. Nobody was crazy enough to risk death day in and day out just for experience points. In the modern world, anyone could enlist, but that did not mean everyone became a Navy SEAL. Most people simply lived ordinary lives. The only difference was that the system was built into them.

There were other factors as well. A lack of basic education, for one. Most of the population could not read. That would already be a massive disadvantage in Luke’s world. In a world where floating screens offered skill choices and stat allocations, being unable to read was a hundred times more absurd. It was even worse when the knowledge required to awaken or advance a Profession was deliberately kept secret.

Luke spent the rest of his time reading about foreign lands, especially the other kingdoms. He wanted to gauge their strength. His main concern was whether the rulers of this continent were as powerful as the World Kings of the old Earth. If they were, would they really let him use the Teleportation Array to reach another continent without trying to stop him?

Probably not.

Activating the Array would essentially light a beacon for every other nation. It would be like broadcasting Earth’s location into space and hoping no hostile aliens picked up the signal.

If the kings on this continent get to the Teleportation Array first and decide I can’t use it, there’s no way I’m forcing my way through an entire army and a C-rank king.

That was why he needed more levels. And that was why the underworld might be the key. At least, that was what Illyra had suggested. According to her, the realm beneath the world was home to powerful creatures.

By nightfall, Luke was back at the castle. Only a handful of people were allowed inside, and several of them were there that evening with Angie. Even as he talked with the others, Luke kept part of his attention on what Charlie was seeing through [Soul Infection]. She and Norn were comparing the flavors of different beasts like wine snobs discussing rare vintages. It was their shared hobby.

Charlie needed to drink the blood of living beasts to feed her Blood Core, while Norn ate whatever she killed in the process. They complemented each other with disturbing efficiency. They spent almost an hour arguing over boars and rabbits. As long as Luke was not the subject, the two of them got along just fine.

Luke had just started listing everything he would need for the underworld when the office door flew open. Cecilia practically stormed into his laboratory.

“I want it too, Lord Luke!” she blurted.

Luke stared at her. Joseph’s newfound strength had not stayed secret for long.

Hard to believe there was a time when they were afraid to say hello to me.

“Cecilia, you shouldn’t enter my office like that. Especially alone.”

She froze. “Forgive me, Lord Luke. I shouldn’t have barged in. I let my excitement get the better of me.”

That’s not the problem. My vampire girlfriend likes to think she owns me and gets territorial around other women.

“I’m going to open the window. It’s a little warm in here.”

“I’m comfortable,” Cecilia said.

No, Cecilia. This window needs to stay open. Charlie’s nose is terrifying.

After opening it, Luke noticed that Cecilia was genuinely nervous. She already looked like she regretted barging in.

“Since you’re already here, tell me what this is about.”

Cecilia took a deep breath. “I want what Joseph and the others have, Lord Luke. I want to serve you too. Joseph keeps getting stronger. He can make things none of us could’ve imagined before. He can even carry a wagon like it’s nothing.”

I see. She wants citizenship and a Profession. Can’t blame her. This is a hell of a lot safer than risking her life fighting monsters in the woods.

“Once you do this, there’s no going back. Think it over and come back another day.”

“Forgive me, Lord Luke, but I already have.” Her voice steadied. “I’ve made my decision. I want to be stronger. I have my father and my niece depending on me. I never want to come that close to dying again. I want to be able to protect them, and myself. I want to be useful to the village.”

“Then we’ll do it now.”

They went to the Core. No one else was authorized to enter. Even if they had been, they still wouldn’t have been able to. The chamber remained completely sealed. It was Cecilia’s first time seeing it. Luke didn’t need to tell her that the chamber’s secrets never left its walls.

[Cecilia Milleroot has become a citizen of your Kingdom.]

[Granting Profession...]

[Cecilia Milleroot ’s Profession is awakening...]

While the evaluation continued, Luke reached out, touched her forehead, and tried to use a soldier slot. The skill refused to activate. Luke kept his hand against her forehead.

“What is it, Lord Luke? Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

“No. Just the opposite. You helped me confirm something important.”

Humans could not be turned into soldiers by the skill. Only monsters. Cecilia, however, could barely contain her excitement as she stared at her screen.

“It’s happening! My Profession is awakening! I’m a Craftswoman!”

A Craftswoman? That’s excellent.

There was one branch of that Profession Luke desperately wanted someone to unlock, one capable of creating Magic Scrolls that could be imbued with spells.

If she can make them, I’ll be able to create scrolls of [Message] and give Charlie and Angie as many as I want.

“Lord Luke, I swear I’ll do everything I can to make your vision for this kingdom real.” Cecilia’s eyes shone. “I have a Profession now. This is incredible.”

The chamber doors opened. Caleb stood on the other side. Naturally, Luke had already known he was there.

He lied anyway. “Caleb. I established rules regarding restricted areas of the castle.”

Caleb swallowed. “Forgive me. Punish me if you must, but I want to become your citizen too.”

According to Angie, Caleb had fallen hard for Cecilia, though Cecilia herself had no idea.

“I can’t do that,” Luke said. “I only grant citizenship to people I trust. Cecilia and the others have proven themselves. I’m not saying I don’t trust you, but we haven’t spent much time together. Why don’t we wait a while?”

Caleb dropped to his knees. “Please, Lord Moon. Everyone you’ve made a citizen has awakened a Profession. I want to help the village. I swear my loyalty to you.”

“I can see your determination, Caleb. I saw the same determination in Cecilia. But I won’t do this for someone who won’t tell me what he really wants.”

Caleb went still. “I swear, Lord Moon. I’ll be loyal to you. I’ll protect your lands. I’ll work harder than anyone if that’s what it takes.”

“Then tell me the truth. Why do you want to become my citizen?”

He clenched his fists. “Because... because I want to protect Cecilia.”

“Protect me?” Cecilia asked. “Why? Is this because I was hurt on the way to your house during the attack?”

Caleb looked away. “Because I should’ve been there.”

Cecilia softened. “You don’t have to blame yourself. I want to get stronger too. I have my father and my niece to look after.”

She’s incredibly dense.

"Look who’s talking", Artemis said.

Luke cleared his throat.

During the attack, Caleb had been one of the first villagers to start moving the wounded to safety. He had no combat experience, but people had listened when he gave them instructions. There might be something there.

“Cecilia, what if I made protecting you part of Caleb’s official duties?”

She hesitated, looking from Luke to Caleb. “I suppose that would be fine, Lord Luke. I mean... of course it would. It would be his official duty, after all.”

Luke turned back to Caleb.

“Caleb, how would you like to organize my first village guard?”

“Me?” Caleb’s eyes widened. “But I don’t have any combat experience. I don’t know the first thing about... any of this.”

“A kingdom needs both external and internal security. You’re charismatic. People trust you. And you have a sharp eye. More people will want to join us, people from other villages. I need someone they’ll feel safe around. Someone intelligent. Someone capable of protecting people like Cecilia, even from threats inside our own borders.”

Luke paused. “Find four people who genuinely want to protect this village. People you’d trust beside you when things go wrong. Bring them to me, and we’ll make the five of you our first official guard.”

Caleb stared at him.

“And if you do well,” Luke continued, “one day you might become my minister of internal security. The future commander of every guard in this kingdom.”

“What do you think?”

Caleb opened his mouth to answer.

A notification appeared before Luke.

[Establish a Military Guard]: A kingdom cannot keep itself safe without defenders. Citizens require a sense of security to create ideal conditions for Profession awakening, Profession advancement, and experience bonuses. Select 5 citizens who genuinely wish to protect the kingdom and appoint them as the founding members of its first official guard. Upon completion, [Granted Profession] will allow the Monarch to awaken the [Guard] Profession in those 5 citizens through the Kingdom Core.

Requirements:

—Each citizen must have joined the kingdom without an awakened Profession.

—Each citizen must possess a genuine desire to protect the kingdom and its people.

The offer solved two problems at once.

***

Luke climbed down from the wagon with Cecilia, Otto, and several other villagers. They had arrived in Nyvma. Every three days, Cecilia traveled to the city. The goal was simple: buy what the village needed and sell whatever it had to spare.

“I’ll be heading to the stall, Lord...” She stumbled over his false name. “James.”

Luke simply nodded and let them go on ahead. Cecilia had contacts among the local merchants after working in the city for a time. She was selling some of the produce from Luke’s farm, along with a few old items he had kept in storage.

He kept his distance and watched.

One of the merchants at the stall gestured toward Cecilia as Baron Vessel approached.

“This is the woman I told you about, my lord. The orchard belongs to her.”

Baron Vessel turned to Cecilia. “So you’re the one growing those apples?”

“Yes, sir,” Cecilia replied.

“The apples were exceptional. I’ve tried countless varieties in the capital, but none were as good as those.”

He was not exaggerating. They were, without a doubt, the most delicious apples that had ever existed. They came from a tree Luke had grown using a seed from the tutorial. Luke walked through the city without a mask. His hair was brown, altered by [Basic Appearance Shift], and he had changed his voice as well. He wore simple but elegant clothing, the kind a wealthy traveler might wear rather than a local villager.

When he arrived at the merchant’s stall, the man recognized him immediately. Luke took out two healing potions, just as he had promised. Ever since the orc attack, healing potions had become nearly impossible to find.

“You really brought two back from your journey.”

The merchant held both bottles up to the light. Same color. Same clarity. The liquid in both stopped at exactly the same point.

“Whoever made these knows what they’re doing.”

Luke said nothing. The merchant handed him a single gold coin for the pair.

It was an honest transaction, as long as neither side asked too many questions. The merchant believed he was getting a bargain because Luke seemed unwilling to explain where the potions had come from. Luke neglected to mention that he was basically a walking potion factory.

Afterward, he visited several shops. This gold coin is worth something close to ten thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money. I can buy two horses here and still have some left.

He bought the horses and arranged to have them delivered to Cecilia. He also gave her materials to help advance her [Craftswoman] Profession, along with stacks of paper and books.

“This leather...” She ran her fingers over one of the pieces. “I know how to work with it.”

Luke needed her to teach the other citizens how to read. Whenever Joseph received a new skill screen, he ran to Cecilia to have her read it, then went to Angie for advice. If Luke wanted anything resembling a functional village, its people could not remain illiterate.

The same applied to the goblins who would live there.

“Lord Moon,” Cecilia whispered, staring at everything. “Is all of this for me?”

“For you and everyone else in the village.”

Luke’s interest in Cecilia was simple. He wanted to create the best possible conditions for her to reach the branch capable of producing Magic Scrolls. Having a Craftswoman on his side would be incredibly useful, especially when paired with the [Spell Grimoire]’s secondary power.

***

The goblin quintet was hunting. Luke watched in silence as they fought a level 20 fox. The animal lunged at Boko. Instead of fleeing, the goblin planted his feet and raised a crude wooden shield. The fox slammed into it hard enough to knock him back several steps, but Boko held his ground.

Rilo watched the fox shift its weight.

“Now!”

Pip hurled stones at the animal. Mina leaped onto its back, flames gathering around her hands as she went for its eyes. A stone whipped past Mina’s ear. She flinched. The fox twisted beneath her, and for half a second, their formation broke. Boko slammed his shield into the beast’s jaw. Mina regained her balance. Ribbo charged in from the side and unleashed his super punch, knocking the fox onto its flank.

Within minutes, they had killed a beast that would have slaughtered an ordinary goblin.

“Well done,” Luke said.

They were panting, but they smiled at the praise.

“Mina, warn the others before you jump onto something Pip is throwing rocks at.”

Pip nodded quickly. Mina looked at the stone lodged in the dirt beside her foot.

“Right.”

“And Boko, good job covering for her. But next time, angle the shield. Let the attack slide off instead of taking the full impact.”

Boko adjusted his grip and nodded.

“Rilo, good timing.”

The fifth goblin straightened at the praise. The five future goblin village chiefs prepared the fox, cleaned the meat, and quickly built a fire with Mina’s flames. Luke sat with them and listened as they talked about how much stronger they had become.

“I don’t know how to explain it, Lord Luke,” Ribbo said. “But when we’re together, it feels like we’re stronger.”

“You’re learning to fight as a pack. That’s why you feel stronger together.”

It was partly true. It was also a lie. Their increased strength came from [Pack Nerve], the goblins’ innate power. But they did not know that. To them, the system was something instinctive, built into their bodies, not a floating screen full of text.

“We’ve been eating lots of monsters too,” Pip said.

“And you still gain power when you kill something as a group?” Luke asked.

“Yes,” Mina replied. “But not as much as when we kill something alone.”

Monsters gained experience by killing and devouring other creatures. The more time Luke spent with them, the easier the process was to understand. He made a mental note to try the same thing with his spectral beast and let it devour its kills.

If I keep helping these little goblins, sending them into fights and letting them eat monsters, they’ll become pretty strong.

Luke intended to make all five of them as strong as orc soldiers. They were the most motivated of the goblins, perhaps because of their positions. Five future chiefs, all eager to prove themselves. The perfect combination. The power of [Soldier] had given them the confidence they lacked, while fighting as a group empowered them even further through [Pack Nerve], whether they realized it or not.

If these goblins grow powerful, the others will get excited. [Pack Nerve] can handle the rest.

His kingdom needed strong monsters to defend it. It also needed them to build an army.

“Your son is very quiet, Lord Moon,” Mina said.

Franky sat beside Luke, nearly hidden behind his cloak.

“He’s shy.”

Strangely, Franky had at least stopped complaining whenever people called him Luke’s son. He still complained when they called him a child.

Once they finished eating, Luke left the goblins to continue their mission. They were hunting down every weak beast left inside the Core’s expanded territory. They were also exploring the forest for good fishing spots, caves, farmland, and lost goblins. Whenever they found any, Charlie and Norn sent them back toward the village.

“Don’t you want to stay with the goblins?” Luke asked.

“No...” Franky replied.

“You’ve got to stop hiding from everyone, man. Talking only to me, Angie, and Charlie isn’t good for you.”

When they returned to the castle, Franky went to his room while Luke walked to his office, where a [Teleportation Pentagram] had been placed. He stepped onto the circle, and a heartbeat after the pentagram flashed, he stood before the Great Tree.

Another Luke was already there, hard at work. He looked up and raised one hand. The newcomer cracked, fractures racing across his body like a pane of glass shattering, until he broke apart and collapsed into lumps of clay. It had been his Golem. No one had seen through it.

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