--- Count Elderwood's tent ---
"Increase the number of scouts in case the Raveneer Household tries anything?", Count Elderwood thought, "Indeed, the young Landragon heir is quite cautious...It isn't a bad idea, since we have men to spare"
--- Viscount Palford's tent ---
"Send 50 infantry soldiers in the [Green River Bridge] to guard it from bandits, merchants and a potential army. In case an army comes, defend it at all costs and alert the Dragon Army to take care of it...", Viscount Palford smiled, "Why would a territory from the Golden Plains involve themselves with the Southern Gate Region? Well...I guess there is a reason behind this order"
Viscont Palford shouted: "Squire! Take this letter to knight Jean Ignis, and tell him to depart tonight with 50 men"
[...]
Arthur smiled
[Your skill [Strategy] has risen by 3 points from the orders you gave]
His skills were rising steadily.
[Name – Arthur Landragon
Class – Level 10 [Intermediate Rank] Acolyte (0 / 15 000 EXP)
HP – 86 / 130 | Mana: 85 / 130
→ Experience Stored: 4 840
Attributes:
Strength – 15 | Agility – 5 (+1) | Vitality – 8 (+2) | Magic Power – 10
Skills: Advanced Swordsmanship (112), Advanced Archery (104), Magical Knowledge (86), Ice Magical Knowledge (72), Deceiving (40), Spell Reading (40), Acting (28), Strategy (68), Cartography (30), Scroll Copying (25), Eloquence (30), Charming (20), Poetry (20), Trading (20), Information gathering (35)
Perk: [Ice Physique: (+2) Vitality, (+6) Magic Resistance, (+30%) Ice Damage]
Knight Technique: Heavy Vertical Strike (60), Power Thrust (35), Killing Intent (95)
Spell: Ice Poison Aura [High-grade] (62), Soul Seal [Intermediate-grade] (43), Frozen Hands [Low Grade] (40), Shield of Ice [Low-grade] (35), Charm [Low-grade] (17), Ice Arrow [Low-grade] (58), Frozen Seal [Low-grade] (20), Frozen Curse [High-grade] (12)
Magical Artefact: Moonlight Ring (Strength Blessing Cast [1/1]), Arcane Fox Mask (+30 Mana), Blood Earing (+5 HP / spell), Blood Totem (Blood Arrow Cast), Vine Ring ([Vine] cast), Jogorn Elven Tribe Stone (+1 Agility), Elven Moonlight Pearl (+30 HP),
Unused Magical Artefact : Jogorn Elven Tribe Heirloom Pendant (+50 Proficiency points in shapeshifting)
Enchanted Items: Celeste (Medium-grade Enchanted Weapon), Ring of Courage (Low-grade Enchanted Item, (+1) Pain tolerance), Amulet of Healing (Low-grade Enchanted Item, +1 Regeneration), Orc General Flag (Low-grade, (+1) Fear)
Research: [Frozen Warrior Creation] - Progress (33%)]
His swordsmanship skills and knight killing techniques had increased by a couple of points, and [Killing Intent] was rising at a tremendous rate. He growing immune to the guilt of killing men. Like powerful knights and powerful acolytes, he was growing so strong that the weakness of soldiers and common humans began to make him feel alienated by them. He was not just a human, but an existence that surpassed them. In a word, he was part of an evolved species capable of wielding magic and displaying strength that normal humans could never achieve even if given a lifetime.
From the change of his tactics, the orders given to the [Dragon Army] and the various lords, his [Strategy] skill had risen by 10 points in total in a couple of days. This was a tremendous increase, since each point meant the morale of the army rising. Any skill that reached high enough proficiency displayed magical effects, unknown to those affected by it.
Perhaps the [Strategy] skill had more influence on the battle than his battle achievements. Ever since he took command, soldiers became twice as efficient, used their strength where it was needed, and trained like true warriors rather than mercenaries doing their work for their pay.
The standards of all soldiers was rising. Sure, the progress was slow and almost unnoticeable, but given a couple months, they would become 15%, or even 20% stronger than they originally were, especially when Arthur ordered the knights to begin joint training where more experienced veterans could share their experience and higher mastery in swordsmanship to their peers.
This was a rare environment where soldiers could challenge each other while exchanging their deepest attainments and understanding of battles with each other. It also relieved the army from the boredom of a siege. While Baron Lark's soldiers were feeling immense pressure from Arthur's daily barrage of spells and the huge army standing by the gates, laying traps all around their city where their family resided, soldiers in the Elderwood Alliance's settlement were having fun, brawling among themselves and training.
Morale played a huge role in wars. Psychological warfare was at play here. When the battle would begin, when the army would clash, the result of Arthur's orders would show. And the fact that his [Strategy] skill was rising so fast was proof of the effectiveness of what he was doing. Skills were pitifully slow to grind, but achievements made them rise very fast in short periods. The fact that he had surpassed his brother's proficiency in [Strategy] already, despite him attending the Royal Knight Academy told a lot about Arthur's potential.
'Now...Let's strengthen our ties with the Falister Household. Since an assassination attempt cost the lives of two beginner rank knights, I guess I must compensate them with a worthy gift...'
Arthur pondered on what to give. Magical ingredients would be fine, but that would be costly. To Arthur, who became rich overnight, it was difficult to spend the magical ingredients he had plundered from the Jogorn Tribe for his meditation matrix, so it was even more difficult for him to send them to another Household.
Instead, Arthur promised to pay a visit to the Falister household in the future, and gave a dozen elven paintings. In fact, since it was a noble, he might appreciate the gift better still. Nobles were known for appreciating art after all.
[Etiquette skill proficiency rises by one point]