Kapitel 27: Chapter 27: Wandering People
"Main Quest: To wear the crown, one must bear its weight! You are required to construct a complete city to fulfill your title as king.
The requirements include: walls over 5 meters high, at least 10 defensive structures!
Build facilities such as a blacksmith shop, a mill, and a leather workshop, and recruit at least 500 soldiers, as well as a minimum of 5,000 Zaltarion civilians."
"Holy cow!" Rynar was taken aback. What on Middle-earth was this? Are the requirements for kingship really so low now?
A mere town could be considered a kingdom?
Then again, it wasn't impossible—after all, Bard had claimed kingship in Dale, so why shouldn't he?
But this demand for 5,000 Zaltarion civilians was quite the headache. This was Middle-earth! Where was he supposed to find Zaltarion civilians?
"System, what's with these civilians?" Rynar inquired, adhering to his usual principle of consulting the system when faced with uncertainty.
"Please check the territory page yourself!" The system's cold voice carried a hint of disdain.
"Territory page?" Rynar was surprised to discover he had unlocked yet another feature.
Following the system's suggestion, Rynar opened the territory page. Upon glancing at it, he felt a surge of anger. Just look at this!
Territory Range: Riverguard.
Lonely Riverguard appeared on the page. This was to be expected since he was just starting out, but what followed was outrageous.
Riverguard:
- Area: Approximately one kilometer in diameter.
- Structures: A dilapidated lord's castle (1), crumbling residences (100), a severely damaged stone wall, and a barely functioning well.
Military Strength: 203
Population: 0
Evaluation: A lonely king leads the remaining subjects back to their homeland; this makeshift shelter provides them with some comfort. Darkness still threatens the newborn king, but perhaps its formidable military strength is the only commendable aspect of this lifeless town. Note: There are no civilians in the town!
Abilities:
1. As the only territory of the Zaltarion Kingdom in Middle-earth, it will attract Zaltarion refugees. The system will guide waves of wandering Zaltarion civilians daily, hoping the lord can properly accommodate them.
2. Allows recruitment and training of civilians into Rapid Infantry.
"Uh…" The original fury was replaced by surprise. Although the system's comments were scathing, the ability to attract Zaltarion civilians touched Rynar's heart.
When did this heartless system become so generous? After all, civilians could easily be transformed into Rapid Infantry, meaning Rynar had a steady supply of troops at his disposal.
"Hey? Is that our wandering kin?" A Battanian archer spotted a group of bedraggled refugees, laden with bags.
Despite their pitiful state, they still held a crudely made Zaltarion dragon flag, allowing the Battanian archers to quickly identify them.
"Damn! Can I take back my earlier sentiment, System?" Rynar grimaced at the sight of the ragtag refugees before him.
It was a pitiful number—only seven people, with just two adults among them and the rest children, appearing to be one family. Rynar frowned as he pondered their plight.
"Thud!" Suddenly, the group knelt down, startling Rynar. He was about to urge them to rise when the man at the forefront spoke.
"By the Dragon God above! There are still armies and lords of the Empire in this world…
We thought all the lords had perished! After wandering for so long, we finally see the Zaltarion flag waving again…" the man choked out.
"…" Rynar reached out to help them up, feeling the weight of kingship resting heavily upon his shoulders for the first time.
"You are safe now! The Empire's armies will protect you! You… no longer have to be uprooted from your homes." A myriad of words condensed into a single sigh as Rynar patted their shoulders.
When Rynar looked back at the territory page, he noticed the population had increased from 0 to 7.
"Damn it! How long will it take to gather 5,000 civilians?" Rynar lamented helplessly.
"Alert!"
Suddenly, Reynard shouted, and everyone quickly dropped their wood and stone materials, racing up the walls.
The newly arrived refugees instinctively huddled by a broken wooden hut, trembling.
Rynar felt a pang of sympathy; how much suffering must they have endured to instinctively seek refuge in a corner?
"What's happening, Reynard?" Rynar leaped onto the stone wall to get a better view.
"A war mage is coming! I sense the magic of a fourth-tier mage!" Reynard's expression turned serious.
Although a war mage posed no threat to Reynard, the Paladin Commander, or Caslow, the Dragon Knight, the other soldiers would surely be powerless against the terrifying power of war magic.
"A war mage?" Rynar suddenly recalled the griffins and earth mage he had purchased.
"Don't get too excited; it might be one of our own. After all, more and more Zaltarion refugees are returning."
With that, Rynar pointed toward the newly arrived refugees to mask the fact that he had spent a fortune on a mage.
"You may be right, but we still need to be cautious. Riverguard is still very fragile; a high-tier spell could lead us to ruin." Reynard remained vigilant.
"Honorable King of Zaltarion! I am here to serve you!" A booming voice rang out as an elderly man dressed in earth-toned robes rode toward them on a thin horse.
Though he was still far off, his voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears.
"Oh! Your Majesty, your brilliance will shine eternally! The Zaltarion Empire will be restored under your leadership."
The old man approached the wall and bowed deeply toward Rynar.
"Welcome, Mage Radir Frostbane! May the glory of the Empire shine upon us!" Rynar responded with a smile, curiously observing him.
"Ha ha ha, Your Majesty, these griffin eggs shall serve as my gift for your arrival."
Radir chuckled as he pulled a bag from the satchel on his horse, its weight evident from the horse's reaction.
"Oh! There are five griffin eggs!" Caslow exclaimed, leaping down from the wall to inspect the precious eggs.
"Come, Mage Radir; let's arrange a place for you to stay. And, Caslow, I'll leave these eggs in your care." Rynar descended from the wall, pushing aside a gate made of branches to invite Radir inside.
"Hey? A Dragon Knight? Your Majesty, you have indeed received the favor of Zaltarion!" Radir expressed surprise at seeing a Dragon Knight from Zaltarion, offering his blessings to Rynar.
"Haha, you flatter me. This place still requires your expertise," Rynar praised, knowing every earth mage was a competent builder, capable of using magic to create engraved stone bricks for constructing cities.
"Alright, let's disperse, everyone. We need to clear this area as soon as possible. Also, arrange a safe and clean house for the newly arrived refugees to settle in." Rynar met the grateful gazes of the refugees.
"Thank you, my lord…" the refugees choked out, overwhelmed with emotion.
"It's nothing; tomorrow will surely be better…" Rynar said with a gentle smile, gazing out at the roaring River Running.
Kapitel 28: Chapter 28: Famine
"Ah! This hammock is really uncomfortable to sleep on!" Rynar groaned as he twisted his tired waist, just waking up in the early morning.
"Come on, I can't believe I'm so young and feeling this worn out... " With no one around, Rynar began to contemplate the happiness of his later years.
"Lord, it's time for breakfast!" Caslow suddenly pushed the door open, the creaky wooden door groaning under the strain.
"Just put it on the table!" Rynar casually replied, glancing at the table still showing fresh-cut marks.
"Very well, enjoy your meal, Lord." Caslow respectfully placed the breakfast on the table and then stepped back out.
"Hmm, not bad at all, quite exquisite!" Rynar remarked, eyeing the breakfast in front of him—a bowl of oatmeal, three slices of white bread, and two palm-sized grilled fish.
He couldn't help but be surprised. Were these old men really this skilled? Their cooking could only be described as edible but unremarkable…
Thinking about this, Rynar pushed the door open, only for it to crash down with a loud bang.
The door finally gave way, and he winced, helplessly ordering the two knights standing guard to clean it up.
"Caslow, who made today's breakfast?" Rynar curiously asked the knight who was devouring his meal.
"Um... it was the wife of that group of refugees who arrived yesterday. After all, we're not exactly cooking experts, and Aivy is someone who can only eat! Not very womanly at all," Caslow muttered.
As he spoke, Rynar noticed the black bread and water pouch in Caslow's hands and frowned. "Is this what you're eating?"
Rynar was taken aback, unable to believe that the noble Dragon Knight had resorted to eating black bread. He felt a surge of anger.
How could these commoners feed the soldiers protecting them such poor food? Rynar quickened his pace toward the refugees' home from the day before.
At that moment, one family was busy preparing breakfast for the soldiers. They carefully mixed the ground flour with bran to bake black bread, distributing it to the already famished soldiers.
Nearby, a large pot simmered with mushroom and wild vegetable soup.
The family's wife diligently served a bowl to each soldier on guard, while several young children looked on longingly, their bright eyes fixated on the steaming bread and soup, but they remained huddled behind their parents, trying to absorb the enticing aroma.
"Time to eat!" the mother smiled as she served the children their breakfast—a bowl of thin porridge mixed with bran, vegetable roots, and a small amount of grain.
The children rushed over, eagerly devouring their portions, finding the hard-to-swallow bran and roots tasting like rare delicacies in their mouths.
Rynar, who had just leaned in, was met with this heartbreaking scene.
His anger dissipated instantly as he glanced at the bowls behind the couple, which contained the food they had saved for themselves—a thin broth with a few vegetable leaves floating in it.
Helplessly, Rynar looked at everything before him, unable to understand why it had come to this. Behind him, Caslow, now aware of the situation, quickly pulled Rynar aside.
"Lord, our food supplies are running low; we have to conserve what little we have..." Caslow explained quietly.
"I just want to know why the people under my rule are eating scraps! Why are my soldiers gnawing on black bread?" Rynar's voice was low but filled with rage.
"It's winter now! We have no supplies..." Caslow hung his head, saddened.
This was the sorrow of a force without foundation…
A harsh winter could spell disaster.
Besides the food rewards he had received from the system, he had no other means to replenish supplies, leading to the greatest crisis facing Riverguard—famine!
Rynar rubbed his nose helplessly; all his lofty ambitions crumbled into dust. How could he hope to restore the glory of Zaltarion when he couldn't even survive this winter?
"Let's organize some archers to go hunting!" Rynar decided to rely on hunting to solve the immediate problem.
"Reynard has already taken some men out! This place is a wasteland… there won't be much," Caslow said, reluctantly pouring cold water on his hopes.
"Didn't we organize anyone to fish? The River Running is less than two kilometers away! There are plenty of fish we can eat!" Rynar asked again.
"We have no fishing boats or nets... Fishing with a rod is just a matter of luck; the yield would be laughable..." Caslow explained.
Suddenly, the air grew silent, and Rynar and Caslow exchanged bewildered glances.
"Wait! What did you say we were missing?" Rynar's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Fishing boats and nets!" Caslow repeated, confused.
"Hahaha! Problem solved!" Rynar burst into laughter.
Caslow was startled, thinking his lord had gone mad.
"We have boats! Did you forget about the galleons we used to sail to Long-Lake?" Rynar felt his previous decision to keep those ships was incredibly wise.
"What about the nets?" Caslow quickly followed up. Even if they had boats, without nets, how could they catch fish?
"Why not check the ruins of Long-Lake? There were plenty of fishing boats left behind by the archers when they fled!
There must be a full set of fishing gear there. You can fly along the lake on your dragon and take a good look!" Rynar eagerly suggested a plan.
"You're right! Lord, you truly are wise!" Caslow ran off to an open space to summon his dragon, soaring into the sky.
"Come here!" Rynar called out.
"Lord!" A few patrolling knights hurried over at his command, as the skilled archers had all gone hunting.
"Gather the idle knights! We're going fishing by the river!" Rynar ordered.
After assembling a group of knights, Rynar headed straight for Radir's house.
"Radir, we need to solve the food shortage in the city, keep an eye on things here," Rynar instructed.
"Hahaha, Your Majesty, go ahead and don't worry. As long as this old bone of mine is still alive, Riverguard will remain safe," Radir assured him with a smile.
...
"Boom!" The heavy dragon body thudded against the grassy bank of the river, producing a dull sound.
Seeing the bundles on the dragon's back, Rynar couldn't help but smile; it seemed Caslow had done well, with a glimpse of dried fish peeking out from one of the bags.
"How did it go, Caslow?" Rynar asked about his findings.
"An abundant harvest! I thought they had taken everything with them before we drove them off, but it seems they left quite a bit behind!" Caslow beamed, showing off his spoils.
"How many fishing nets did you find?" Rynar inquired about his most pressing concern.
"Oh! The fishing nets! There are 17 of them here! Plus 8 damaged ones, which can be repaired later," Caslow replied, untying the nets from the dragon's back.
The young wind dragon let out an impatient huff, clearly unhappy about being used to carry cargo.
"Hahaha! Soldiers! We're going fishing!" Rynar joyfully announced as he released the galleon ship from the system's storage.
...
By evening, watching everyone gathered around the campfire roasting the plump white fish, Rynar smiled happily, fulfilling his duty as a lord and ensuring his subjects were well-fed.
However, as he looked at the joyful, beaming faces of the townsfolk, a pang of sadness struck him.
The arms holding the roasted fish were merely clad in a single layer of linen cloth, shivering in the cold evening breeze…
"Lord, another 11 refugees have arrived today; they are three families..." Aivy, who had stayed in the city, informed Rynar about the new arrivals.
"It looks like I need to make a trip to Erebor..." Rynar sighed, looking at the similarly scantily clad new subjects.
"Caslow, accompany me to Erebor tomorrow. Reynard, you lead the others to continue fishing!"
After giving everyone their orders, Rynar turned and left, not wanting to witness the heart-wrenching scene.
"System! You really are a piece of trash! You can't even spare a few extra clothes for the refugees!" Rynar silently cursed the system in his heart.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
200+ Power-
Rangliste 
46 Power-
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