Chapter 9 – "Strengthening the People"
The village had changed overnight.
New houses lined the once-barren dirt roads. A barracks stood proudly near the village center, its wooden beams sturdy and strong. Farmers tilled the fields with newfound skill, while hunters practiced their aim near the forest.
And yet, despite all these improvements, Reinhardt knew one thing—
A village without warriors was just a target.
The First Combat Training
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the training grounds. A group of eighteen men and women stood in a rough formation. Most were villagers who had picked up weapons out of desperation. Only Gerrick and the seven surviving warriors had real combat experience.
Reinhardt stood before them, arms crossed.
"Alright," he said, voice firm. "From today, you're not just villagers. You're the first soldiers of my empire."
Murmurs spread through the group.
One man, a young black-haired farmer, raised a hand. "B-But my lord, we're not warriors! How can we fight against knights and bandits?"
Reinhardt smirked. "Then I'll make you warriors."
He turned to Gerrick, the grizzled veteran. The old warrior had already proven his loyalty in battle. It was time to make him more.
"Gerrick," Reinhardt called.
The older man stepped forward. "My lord?"
Reinhardt opened his system interface and navigated to "Evolve Profession."
[Gerrick – Current Rank: Basic Swordsman]
Potential Detected → Can Evolve to: Veteran Swordsman (100 SP) OR Knight Initiate (500 SP)
"Perfect," Reinhardt muttered. 500 SP was nothing compared to his 1.5 billion.
He selected [Knight Initiate].
A golden light enveloped Gerrick. His muscles tensed, his posture straightened, and his eyes gleamed with newfound strength. His rusty sword shimmered, reforging itself into a proper knight's blade.
The villagers gasped.
[Evolution Complete: Gerrick is now a Knight Initiate!]
Gerrick exhaled sharply. His entire body felt… stronger. He looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists.
"I… I feel like I'm in my prime again," he whispered.
Reinhardt clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Good. Because you're going to train these people."
Gerrick turned to the recruits, his expression now filled with authority. "You heard our lord!" he barked. "Form up! From now on, we train like soldiers!"
Reinhardt smirked. Now they had a real military force.
Establishing Warrior Ranks
He pulled up the Ranking System in his interface.
[New Ranks Unlocked – Military]
Basic Swordsman → Veteran Swordsman → Knight Initiate → Knight → Knight Captain → Paladin (Special)
Hunter → Ranger → Elite Ranger → Shadow Stalker (Special)
Spearman → Pike Master → Dragoon (Special)
"Good. Now I can properly evolve my people over time," Reinhardt muttered.
Turning to Gerrick, he said, "Once these men and women improve, I'll rank them up further."
Gerrick grinned. "Then we'll forge them into true warriors, my lord."
Reinhardt nodded. "That's exactly what I want."
Assigning Elara as His Advisor
After the training session, Reinhardt returned to the village hall. There, Elara waited, flipping through an old book.
"Elara," he called.
She looked up, adjusting her glasses. "Yes, my lord?"
"You're the smartest person here," he said bluntly. "I need you as my advisor."
Elara blinked. Then a slow smile spread across her lips. "I accept, my lord. But… are you sure you trust me so easily?"
Reinhardt chuckled. "I've seen how you observe things. You don't panic like the others, and you're always thinking. I need that kind of mind beside me."
A system prompt appeared.
[Would you like to assign Elara as "Advisor"?]
[Yes] [No]
He selected Yes.
[Elara is now your Advisor! She can provide insight, diplomacy, and research support.]
Elara smiled. "Then I shall do my best to guide you, my lord."
Reinhardt smirked. "Good. Because we've got an empire to build."
Developing the Economy
Now that the military was being trained, Reinhardt turned his attention to trade.
He opened the System Shop.
[Marketplace – 750,000 SP]
Allows trade with nearby villages.
Generates income based on economy level.
"Perfect. Buy it."
[Marketplace Constructed!]
In the village center, a large wooden market appeared, complete with stalls, a trading post, and storage for goods.
Villagers gasped in awe.
"WE HAVE A MARKET!"
Reinhardt grinned. Now they could start trading.
That night, Reinhardt stood on the village wall, watching the flickering torches below. For the first time, the village felt… secure.
Elara joined him, holding a cup of herbal tea.
"You did a lot today," she said softly.
Reinhardt exhaled. "Yeah. But we still have a long way to go."
She sipped her tea. "You enjoy this, don't you?"
He chuckled. "What, ruling? I don't know. It's… fulfilling. Back in my old world, I was a nobody. But here? I'm building something that will last."
Elara studied him, then smiled. "Then I will ensure your legacy survives, my lord."
Reinhardt grinned. "Damn right you will."
As the village settled into the night, Reinhardt knew one thing—
This was just the beginning.