Dawn continued to inspect the water after Rosalia left, walking away to see if it properly reentered the river. Good.

  Dawn returned to the field, scooping water and pouring it back over all the plants. With the plants watered, she returned to town, sitting conspicuously in the middle of what had until just earlier that day been her classroom. She closed her eyes, finally taking time to conduct her own research on her recent spike in power.

  Hours ticked by, with no one arriving to announce their completion, nor any breakthroughs by Dawn herself. And the day ended, Dawn ate, slept, hunted, watered the plants, and continued her meditations. And so on and so forth. On the 5th day of her research, someone approached.

  “Your majesty?” the voice asked, quiet and shy. Dawn rose and turned to the newcomer.

  “Have you come to report your exam results?”

  “Ah- yes!” the young man answered. He lifted his hand, formed a rune decently quickly, then it burst into flames 2 seconds later. Its strength was great, nearly on par with Rosalia’s, but its casting speed would be quite the hindrance. Perhaps there are magical talents, and casting speed is one of them.

  “You pass. You have 3 options for a job,” Dawn explained the young man's options, staring emptily at him for the minute it took for him to decide.

  “I… will be a farmer.”

  “Understood. Follow me.” Dawn led the farmer to the fields. “Here is the current field. If need be, we can expand the river,” Dawn gestured to the thin stream of water, “but it should do for now. Every day, you must pour water over the crops. When you have done so, study this rune until you understand it as you do for [Flame].” Dawn manifested [Rapid Growth], showing it to the farmer. “Any questions?”

  “It’s… water the field, and study that rune? Nothing else?”

  “Good point. As well, check for if the plants are being eaten or growing sick and weak. If you see anything, unless you know what to do, it is appropriate to call for me. I will warn you now, but my knowledge is also rather lacking. You will be also responsible to teaching all others assigned to this job, at least for a while, and it is also your duty to be determine what to do in a crisis. So, 5 points. Water the fields, study [Rapid Growth], make sure the plants are healthy, teach newcomers, and be in charge during crisis. Any further questions?”

  Dawn waited for the farmer to think. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Good.”

  As more people passed over the next few days, and Dawn was finally moved to a real home, Dawn noticed how no one had volunteered for the job of warrior. Should I conscript people? No. They will be unreliable.

  The next person arrived, and became a farmer. The next, another farmer. The third, a teacher. But the last two arrived together, and asked to be warriors.

  “Are you sure? You will be taken to battle, and can die quite easily.”

  “We’re sure,” the first soldier said, the second nodding in agreement.

  “What are your names?”

  “I’m Jared.”

  “I’m Ryan.”

  “You two were the guards when I annexed the town, right?”

  “...yes,” Jared mumbled, both he and Ryan looking away.

  “Ok. First, we will determine your weapons. Then, move onto conditioning and weapons training. Any questions?”

  “Uhm…” Ryan began, freezing when Dawn’s gaze snapped to him. “Wh- what do you mean by conditioning?”

  “We’ll work on your physical condition, making you strong and with plenty of stamina. We’ll also work on your mental and magical condition, making you capable of casting magic constantly during battle, even when injured. Any more questions?”

  Jared and Ryan just stood at attention.

  “Alright. Private Jared, and Private Ryan, what range do you want to fight at? Close, mid, or long? Multiple?”

  Seeing the confusion on their faces, Dawn manifested a sword. “This, is a sword. It’s a close range weapon, only extending out this far,” Dawn said, arm outstretched. “A spear is midrange, as you keep your enemies out of arm’s reach. A bow is long range,” Dawn explained, manifesting the weapons as she mentioned them.

  “So, which range do you want to fight at?”

  “Short,” Jared responded.

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “Private Jared, and Private Ryan. You two will refer to me as Commander. You will not be reprimanded this time, but be warned. Understood?”

  Jared and Ryan nodded immediately.

  “So, short range was it, Jared? Do you want a sword? Axe?”

  “A sword Commander.”

  “Alright. Ryan?”

  “Uh- long range please… Commander!” Ryan hurriedly added the commander after seeing Dawn’s gaze linger on him.

  “Alright. It’s time to start your first lesson: Mana Manifestation. You two, condense your mana to be physical on your hands.”

  The two responded by getting straight into trying. Dawn kept a close watch on the two, waiting patiently. Several hours later, Ryan managed to get a small drop of mana to manifest on his hand.

  “Good. It’s dinnertime now, so you two are dismissed for today. Tomorrow, at dawn, meet me here. If I do not find you, I will drag you here by force. Am I understood?”

  The two privates nodded, so Dawn turned away and ate dinner.

  When Dawn rose, she waited for Jared and Ryan. And when the sun began to break over the horizon, both privates arrived.

  “Good. Now, get back to practicing. You may ask questions if you need help.” Dawn promptly sat down, and began to meditate. She felt that she was on the cusp of a breakthrough.

  Rank. The measurement of how many breakthroughs a mage has made. The higher the rank of a mage, the more powerful they are. Each rank improves a mage's mana, body, and mind.

  Dawn’s eyes snapped open. So that’s what happened. I ranked up after growing the tree. What should I do now? Dawn’s focus drifted to the privates in front of her. They both had tiny pools of mana on their hands, barely held together through the obvious struggle on their faces.

  I need to hunt. This town is getting to be somewhat self sufficient, so I can soon focus on expansion. When I bring back the food, I’ll get to investigating the neighboring town.

  “Privates,” Jared and Ryan snapped to attention, “I will leave you two to your practice. I will still make sure you’re up at dawn, but until you two can manifest your weapons in a moment, you will keep practicing. When I meet with you two in the morning, I will check your growth. Am I understood?” They both nodded.

  “Then I will be off.”

  Dawn, having just dropped off the food at town, began the walk towards the cannibal's town. But, Dawn sensed… something.

  Dawn looked down, noticing something crawling beside her. It seemed like a worm, but it was a deep shade of purple, and with almost ghostly tendrils extending out from its body.

  “Hello,” Dawn said to the worm, stopping her walk.

  It stopped alongside her, and appeared to be attempting to move its tendrils in response.

  “If you can understand me, crawl to the other side of my foot,” Dawn said, also drawing the path with her finger right above the worm.

  It set to the task, rushing as much as a worm can rush.

  When it completed the task, Dawn kneeled and extended her hand to the worm, giving it the ability to climb upon her hand.

  “Will you join my empire? Crawl onto my hand if you accept.”

  The worm stopped, seemingly in contemplation. Time ticked by, Dawn staring at the worm as the worm remained still.

  But the worm acted. It crawled onto Dawn's hand.

  “Welcome. Do you have a name?”

  The worm just sat there, unmoving.

  “Move to my ring finger for no,” Dawn pointed at her finger, “or my index for yes. Got that?”

  The worm crawled over to her pointer finger in response.

  “... was that a response to the name, or if you understand? Move to my palm, then back to the index if it was for understanding.”

  The worm did just that.

  “Do you have a name?”

  The worm wiggled over to no.

  “Do you want me to take you in as my child? I will name you as well.”

  The worm responded yes.

  “Then I shall name you… Silk. Your name is now Silk Faith.”

  The worm wriggled back in forth in what Dawn could only guess was excitement.

  Dawn returned to town hours later, having finished her initial investigation. She took Silk with her to her house, setting it on the dirt ground. She carved a quick y and a quick n upon the ground.

  “So, do you want to interact with humans?”

  Silk responded with yes.

  “Do you want to reveal yourself as a worm?”

  Silk didn’t respond.

  “This is quite difficult with only the ability to say yes or no. Perhaps sleep will let me think of a new idea.”

  Dawn said goodnight to Silk and fell asleep.

  Dawn rose, preparing to head out to check up on the privates, when she notices there were several more worms than the day before. The worms were bunched up, tendrils weaving the bodies together.

  “Silk?” Dawn asked.

  “Y Y Y Yes,” the mass of worms barely managed to get out.

  “Are those other worms part of you?”

  “Y Y Yes.”

  “Good. So, what do you plan to do?”

  “W W We W W W Will J J join Y your T Town.”

  “How will you appear? As a worm?”

  “W What O Other o options are available?”

  “If you wear a cloak, you could appear to be a human.”

  “A d disguise? How i interesting! We want to d do that.”

  “Alright. Stay hidden here for now. I’ll bring you leaves and we can weave you a cloak. Now, I must be off. Stay good.”

  “B Bye!”