Proofread by Thomas F

  "Don't worry, Lt. General, we will be fine," I said to the man responsible for my security as we rode out of the city gates.

  He wanted the whole entourage around us, but I capped it at twelve, with four more squads of elite soldiers keeping pace with us at a visible distance.

  The man didn't say anything aside from bowing.

  He doesn't need to fear my security; there are many powerful soldiers, including himself. There is also Lei and me; both of us aren't that easy to kill.

  In a few minutes, the carriages disappeared as we turned off the highway.

  "This is the thing I miss about this pce. The beauty, the serenity," I said as I looked around the trees and the beautiful sounds of the forest.

  "It's our little piece of heaven," replied Lei, with pride in her voice.

  It is indeed, especially for the Renwell region, which is another reason I wanted to conquer Nakar. There are so many things I could achieve with it, and I have already begun.

  I admired the territory as I rode tempest. He seemed to be enjoying it.

  He loves to ride in the wastend, but after months, he got bored. Greenery is familiar to him, and he liked it.

  I could feel that he wants to ride faster, crushing any obstacle he comes across, killing any challenge that dared to stand in his way.

  I patted him gently; this is not the pce for these urges. We will ride here without care for anything, but not today.

  Around fifty minutes ter, we had reached our first destination.

  A vilge, just looking at it, one could tell that it is new. The charred protective yer on the vilge's wooden wall remains unblemished.

  In the vilge, fifty-two houses have been built, with thirteen more under construction.

  This is one of four newly built vilges to settle the people who came from the empire.

  The vilge is pnned correctly.

  The terrain survey is conducted by a professional to select the optimal location for the vilge, with a grand scheme in mind.

  A civil pnner designed the vilge. Every house, every street was pnned with intention. From the market to the butcher's shop, it is where it should be.

  It is the same with the people; we have carefully selected each of them.

  Woodsmen, haulers, builders, carpenters, stone masons, and stly farmers. It is going to be a farming vilge, but there are only a few farmers here.

  We are still in the process of creating the farms.

  This is recimed forest nd. We can't simply wave the wand and start farming; we need to create the right soil first, before we can pnt.

  Around us is pin earth, but if one looks carefully. They will see a lot of grey and bck in the soil.

  We first cut the trees, then remove the roots and stumps, before burning the brush to enrich the soil, and finally level the soil.

  We have reached that stage, and it is enough, but here we are adding a little extra that will provide great benefits—the soil-enrichment alchemical compound.

  The compound is a special type of fertilizer made from the monster parts.

  They have created an industry of monsters here. They process every part of it, from skin to flesh to bones. Some of these parts are used to create a powerful soil enhancer.

  I was looking at these things when people came riding from the vilge.

  In the lead is a middle-aged man, a blond man with only one hand, covered in scars. Behind him are vilge guards.

  "My lord, my Lady," he greeted with a deep bow, before bowing to Lei.

  "Things seemed to be going well, Headman Norton," I said as I looked around. "It is my lord." He replied.

  "In a month and a half, the compound will fully settle into the soil, and it will be ready for farming," he informed, seeing me turning to the farms.

  He is my man, the citizen of Greltheaven. He was a soldier who fought in the wars against the undead and made huge contributions.

  Even with only one hand, he could still fight. The man had reached the level of captain, but he wanted to live peacefully.

  So, I gave him the job to make sure his talent didn't go to waste. He is a capable leader and has done a great job over the past few months.

  We walked toward the vilge and soon entered through its wooden gate.

  "Are the people getting along?" I asked. It isn't just the humans I am sending here, but also the orcs. "They are. I had made sure they knew the price they would have to pay if they created needless trouble," he replied.

  I smiled hearing that.

  Most of the humans I am sending to vilges are from the empire, and they have their prejudices.

  It is why I chose this man to lead; he knows when to be strict and when gentle.

  We rode around the vilge, looking at the wooden houses. Most of them are wooden except for a few, like the headman's house, the church, and the business.

  Wood is abundant here, and building with it is fast.

  "I am going to be sending the people next week," I said to him. "We are prepared to receive them," replied the man with a smile, which looked a little terrifying with those burned marks on his face.

  More than half of the vilge's houses are empty; they will be filled by the farmers when they arrive.

  Each would get a house and a farm, which they can purchase it in the future.

  Not all farmers who came from the empire are poor. Many have money, and they have purchased houses and farms outright.

  Just like many store owners who had already started their shops.

  "The people from the churches had come a few days ago. What did they say?" I asked.

  "The ones from the church of wealth just looked and walked away, while those from the church of God of War had some squabble with the priest of Dusk," he replied.

  "Even here, so far from the empire. The church is still drunk with its power," commented Lei.

  "It had not escated, right?" I asked. I have received the report on the incident, but I still want to hear from the man. "No, it was just a little squabble," he replied, smiling.

  When I first started pnning for the vilges, I informed the churches.

  Aside from the Church of Dusk, no one has responded with enthusiasm.

  I have to give it to the Church of Dusk; they are expanding around the dominion fast. They are opening churches everywhere they can, vilges, cities, towns.

  The only pce they haven't had much success is the baronies controlled by the barons.

  Aside from Lauryl and Baron Harrod's territory, they were not able to expand anywhere. It's not because the nobles didn't want them in their territory; they do with the benefits they are willing to offer, but they couldn't.

  The church of the God of War had used an underhanded method.

  They warned their mercantile houses, as they did mine when the Church of Dusk entered Greltheaven, but they couldn't do anything to me due to my legacy; however, it's not the same for the other mercantile houses.

  Many with territories here had chosen Prince Grelt. They are very skittish and don't want to make any mistakes.

  So, even if the barons want to, they couldn't. Though that's going to change in a few days, with the new ws, the nobles legally have to permit the churches.

  They wouldn't be able to refuse as long as churches are following all the rules.

  Soon, we had made the round of the whole vilge. "Take care, Headman Norton, and don't hesitate to ask if you need any help," I said.

  "I will not, my lord," he replied.

  With the st nod, I rode out of the vilge. I would have liked to stay longer, but I have other things to look at.

  "This is just a small farmnd. It will take some time for the rge swath of area in Lauryl to be converted to cropnd. Our territories do not have such a problem," said Lei, looking at me intently, while I smiled.

  Yes, I want farms in Lauryl, but not as much as she thinks. I have different pns for it. Of the four new vilges, only one is in Lauryl, while the three are in unoccupied territory.

  I pn to include more vilges and towns than Lauryl. This territory will be used for something different.

  "You all have pnned well," I replied, without taking the bait.

  It makes me happy to know they have extensive farmnds, but also envious. Lauryl, despite having the capital of the Nakar region, didn't develop the farmnds as much as others.

  This was territory under collective control. It doesn't benefit them personally by developing it more than it needs to.

  Besides, they are high commodities that they need for their own territories.

  The nobles, with the support of their families, had converted a massive area into farmnd. Thinking they will have a rge number of people working in them.

  Unfortunately, they weren't able to get the number of people they had expected, even with their families' help.

  "We need people, a lot of them. It will benefit Dominion as well, from taxes to the economy," she said, finally speaking what she was implying earlier.

  "I do not have any problem, providing you all the people, but you all need to agree with the ws, before that," I replied straightforwardly.

  There is no need to be vague about it anymore.

  Her expressions turned sombre, hearing that. "Those ws you are proposing are too restrictive and controlling. You want to turn us into your puppets," she accused with sparks of anger lighting up in her eyes.

  Seeing that, I couldn't help but smile internally.

  I know, she was hiding her real emotion under that mask of politeness.

  "Yes, some of them are restrictive, but it will benefit you a lot as well. It will reduce the influence of the families, give a near guarantee on the succession and weight of my authority."

  "I believe it's a good deal. It's a great deal," I replied, looking directly into her eyes.

  She is angry, but I could tell that she understood that as well.

  "I agree with all, but many might not want to give you such control," she stated, and I grinned. That turned her expression ugly; she likely remembered how I flipped Lauryl in my favor.

  She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it.

  I could do it forcefully, but I don't need to. I will make some exceptions to show I am listening to them, but only on the things I had pnned.

  The rest will remain unchanged.

  I need them under my control, not because I do not trust them, but because I believe there is so much potential, and it wouldn't be realized unless I have such power.

  There is also the thing about Grimvale.

  He isn't only trying militarily, he is also trying politically to turn my barons to his side, which I cannot let happen.

  That is a significant security risk. I would be an idiot if I let the Grimvale exploit it.

  She didn't say anything further on that subject, nor did I mention it. I am sure she had realised she had far fewer cards than she had thought.

  Though that doesn't mean she will give up. She is like our father; she will not stop until she exhausts all her options.

  An.

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