Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 217

Chapter 217: Stahl’s development
Henry sat alone in his study, leaning over his desk as his gray eyes scanned the pages of a thick, worn tome. Luna had tossed him this book without much thought, she had taken it from the body of a mage during the recent siege, but lost interest when she saw it contained fire magic.

To Henry, however, the book was a treasure. Its pages were filled with hundreds of unfamiliar symbols, and he spent hours trying to decipher them. He was so absorbed in the tome that he barely noticed time passing.

Suddenly, three firm knocks on the door broke the silence and his concentration.

“Come in,” Henry called, leaning back to rub the tension in his temples. The door swung open with a low creak. Luther stepped inside, his heavy boots thudding against the stone floor. His broad shoulders steady as always.

“You should take a break, Luther” – Henry said with a faint smile – “I can almost hear you walking more softly than usual, or maybe my hearing’s getting sharper.”

Luther chuckled, the roughness of his laughter softened by warmth. “My king, if you’re at the Sixth Stage now, I’d say you’re sharp enough to notice a pin drop.” – He nodded at the open book, the puzzling symbols a complete riddle in his eyes – “Don’t worry about me, though. A stiff drink keeps these old bones going. I’m more concerned about you. It’s been days since you left this room.”

Henry smirked and let out a tired sigh. “I’m making progress, but Luna’s help was minimal. She claimed fire magic isn’t really her thing. Yet there she is, out there teaching everyone else. I’d bet she’d be more willing to assist if I had more books to barter with.”

He momentarily scowled, then regained his composure. “I honestly don’t see why she’s so obsessed with those volumes. I’ve gone through them countless times without finding anything that remarkable.”

Luther shrugged. “She might just be one of those people who’ll do anything to get what they want. I’ve met plenty like that in the army and at court.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, your carriage is ready. Zahra and Agusa will be traveling with you to the conquered kingdoms.”

Henry nodded, already expecting those words. Closing the tome, he stood and tucked it under his arm. “I will leave the capital’s safety in your hands, Luther. I’ve given Luke a few orders to carry out while I’m gone.” He paused by Luther’s side, resting a hand on the old soldier’s shoulder. “Thank you, Luther.”

A warm smile flickered across the older man’s face, a hint of fatherly pride in his eyes. He had known Henry all his life, and no matter their titles, he couldn’t help but see the young king as family.

“Have a safe journey, Your Majesty,” Luther said, bowing with genuine respect.

-x-

The Kingdom of Stahl was advancing at a pace unseen in decades—perhaps even centuries. The White Merchant Road, once overrun by nature and bandits, had been cleared of threats and now buzzed with merchants. They carried goods from one region to another, finally tying the kingdom’s territories together.

In the Western Region, the old cold-iron mines, built long ago, were being reinforced and expanded. The number of mines had also increased, thanks to the dwarves’ experience in constructing mines. It allowed the kingdom’s iron production to take a great leap from just a single ton per year to at least five, allowing the production of weapons and tools to greatly expand.

A portion of the mined iron traveled along the White Merchant Road to Eisenburg, the kingdom’s capital. There, blacksmiths processed it into tools to aid farming, construction, and daily life. Henry had ordered each of the twenty blacksmiths in the capital to take on a dozen apprentices. Though the tradition of passing the trade down only within families caused resistance at first, the benefits quickly became clear. Within a few years, the number of blacksmiths would surpass two hundred, enough to support the growing kingdom. Henry wanted these craftsmen close to the capital, under his watch, where he could control the production. It was extremely important to develop the ability to create tools.

The remaining iron was sent to the dwarves. Although Henry hadn’t succeeded in convincing the entire dwarven city in the mountains to relocate to the capital, a few individuals had agreed to work directly under his command. Among them was an elder of their people, someone Leier had taken a liking to, especially when they toured the capital’s taverns together. Henry wanted these dwarves focused on creating weapons of unparalleled quality, capable of cutting through enemy blades like paper. However, the dwarves’ crude method of crafting was ill-suited for most humans. Adapting their techniques would probably be impossible to humans, at least for now.

Development in the Eastern Region was slower but just as significant. Initially, Henry brought every ship builder and craftsman to the capital, thinking it would speed up the process of building ships capable of navigating the open sea. But he quickly realized his mistake. Trials and errors needed to happen at the shore itself, where the sea’s challenges could be studied firsthand.

To fix this, he sent a blacksmith and a dwarf to be under Iosif, who was governing the region alongside his wife. Every bit of research was copied and sent back to the capital for preservation. Progress was constantly happening, also thanks to the help of the barbarians, who were bringing good wood from inside the Frozen Forest. However, there was still much work to do before Stahl could boast a fleet capable of exploring the sea beyond the coast.

Commerce cities were also flourishing. Cities like Icemit and Mirante, strategically located as entry points between regions, were growing rapidly. Though Eisenburg remained the capital, Henry couldn’t deny that these cities, with their bustling markets and constant flow of goods, were quickly becoming the lifeblood of his kingdom.

Despite these advancements, one critical issue loomed over the kingdom: agriculture. Stahl’s harsh northern climate made farming nearly impossible, leaving the population reliant on hunting. But in the recently conquered southern kingdoms, fertile lands offered a solution. Henry planned to transform these regions into the agricultural backbone of his empire.

He had momentarily stationed Olaro in those conquered territories to maintain order, helped by the former queen of Aritreia. Meanwhile, back in Stahl, an administrative framework was taking shape. Soldiers who graduated from the Commanders Training Center were promoted either to a leading army position or to civil service, being responsible for watching over a city and sending monthly reports to the capital. Of the fifty new graduates, some had already become instructors, easing Henry’s workload as he wrote numerous books on warfare for them to study.

Overtime, these graduates would soon become generals and prefects in every city. For now, however, villages remained under the partial control of their elders. It was a temporary measure, Henry intended to bring even the smallest settlements under direct royal authority as soon as he had enough manpower.

-x-

Inside the royal carriage, Henry leaned back against the polished wood, his fingers drumming idly. The ride was smooth, thanks to the structure of the White Merchant Road and the craftsmanship of the new carriage.

“This is my first time riding such a fine carriage” Henry remarked, glancing around the simple interior. “They did a good job with it. Don’t you think, Leier?”

Leier’s single blue eye locked onto him, her expression plain. “Yes, my liege,” she replied shortly, offering nothing more.

Henry sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. “You’re still as strict as ever,” he said, his fingers continuing to tap against the wood. “Tell me, have you placed the shadows among the remnants of the nobles?”

Leier nodded sharply. “Yes, my liege.”

“How many shadows have you trained so far?” Henry asked, leaning forward slightly.

“We’ve successfully trained thirty shadows,” Leier replied, her tone even. “As you instructed, all of them bear the same tribal tattoo as mine. However, the process has a high mortality rate. Over a hundred recruits died during the training, unable to withstand the implant. Only thirty survived. They’ve reached the First Stage and are capable of fending for themselves, at least against the remaining nobles.”

Henry nodded thoughtfully, his fingers resuming their rhythmic tapping. “It’s a pity the success rate is still so low. If it weren’t, we could build an army of them. How much longer until we reach our destination?”

“Approximately three hours, my liege,” Leier answered, her posture straight and alert despite the relaxed atmosphere of the carriage.

Henry couldn’t help but gaze out the window as the snow-covered landscape rolled by.