Jolan woke up, staring blankly at the unfamiliar wooden ceiling above him.
"So… everything that happened wasn't a dream."
He muttered softly, then rose from his warm bed. A chill immediately swept over him, so he grabbed the hanging bear pelt, draped it over his shoulders like a cloak, and stepped out of the Lord's cabin to begin another eventful day.
He originally intended to head straight for the summoning gate, but his path was blocked by the massive corpse of a gray forest lizard sprawled before him.
At first, he had mistaken the vigor running through his body this morning as nothing more than youthful energy—but in truth, it was the promotion energy that had pushed him to the threshold of Green–Intermediate.
Opening his system interface, he saw a missed notification:
[ Your forces have slain 'Anara,' the Blue–Novice Forest Lizard. ]
Last night over dinner, Jolan discovered something crucial—his soldiers from the Underworld did not eat food like humans. Instead, they consumed the souls of slain creatures to fuel their bodies. Unfortunately, they still required sleep to rest their spirits.
As he pondered this, he summoned Anara to explain.
"Lord, I rose early and patrolled the borders. At dawn, most of the beasts began to scatter. Only this lizard remained. I slew it with a spirit attack spell."
"Well done. Return to your duties."
He dismissed her with praise, then ordered the logistics team to drag the corpse away as they had done yesterday.
Confirming the offering, Jolan watched as another Underworld soldier emerged—a Blue–Novice recruit with Silver–Intermediate potential, an archer wielding a longbow much like Leonard. Jolan assigned him to border patrol and had him collect the lizard's body.
[ Rewards Acquired: Forest Lizard Meat ×100, Complete Lizard Scales ×1, Reusable Housing Blueprint ×1, Chaos Gem ×17 ]
"What a great way to start the day."
The housing blueprint especially filled him with joy—his worries about shelter for his followers were over.
With that, Jolan resumed his original plan to use his daily summoning attempt.
Ten new figures emerged.
"I've seen the Lord!" ×10
"Stand."
He greeted them briefly and inspected their information. Among them was one White–Peak warrior—nothing that concerned him much. With the Summoning Grave, there would never be a shortage of fighters.
What caught his attention were two individuals:
A well-dressed elderly man with an air of wisdom.
A middle-aged woman in ragged clothes.
[ Name: Sarah ]
[ Origin: Frozen Highlands ]
[ Profession: Farmer ]
[ Strength: White–Intermediate ]
[ Skills: Mastery of Farming (White–Peak), Plant Care (White–Intermediate) ]
[ Potential: Green–Peak ]
[ Loyalty: 70 ]
[ Overview: A lifelong farmer who has tilled the soil since childhood. ]
"Sarah, take five villagers. Clear the snow and try planting these seeds."
"...Understood, Lord."
Jolan noticed her hesitation and gave her a reassuring smile.
"I know the climate here is harsh, but don't worry. Even if you fail, I won't hold it against you."
Relieved, Sarah took the seeds—immediately recognizing most as lettuce, along with about ten apple seeds. Jolan, unwilling to waste a single resource, kept the precious apples aside for future planting.
When Sarah and her group left, the old man remained standing respectfully.
[ Name: Berho ]
[ Origin: Frozen Highlands ]
[ Profession: Village Chief ]
[ Strength: White–Peak ]
[ Skills: Administration (White–Intermediate), Organization (White–Novice) ]
[ Potential: Blue–Novice ]
[ Loyalty: 75 ]
[ Overview: A seasoned elder who once governed a rural village before retiring, though ambition still lingers in his heart. ]
"Berho, can you write?"
"Yes, my Lord."
A talent for governance! Jolan's heart surged with joy, though his face remained calm to preserve the dignity of his role.
"Good. From today onward, you'll manage the affairs of the territory. Choose an intelligent aide, and every evening, I expect a summary of our main progress."
"As you command!"
"Go. Begin your work."
The burden on Jolan's shoulders lightened instantly. With the population growing, proper management was essential to prevent problems like corruption or stagnation.
After Berho left, Jolan visited Mira at the workshop, handing her the intact lizard scales to craft armor. Their natural defense was exceptional, though useless against spirit attacks. He also collected new clothing she had prepared for him.
Changing into the woolen garments back in his cabin, his appearance transformed entirely. The luxurious long-sleeved sweater paired with the mane of the Three-Tailed Lion draped over his shoulders made him look every bit the "Lord of the Frozen North."
Now ready, Jolan turned to his next tasks. He had a messenger summon all combatants while he opened the global market.
He listed:
50 units of lizard meat → in exchange for wood (20 each)
50 units of lizard meat → in exchange for stone (20 each)
50 units of lizard meat → in exchange for metal (3 each)
He had doubled his previous trade offers and even raised the metal exchange rate by half, certain that Blue–Novice meat was worth far more.
Then, he made his single daily post in the global chat:
[ Lord of the Frozen North: Fresh Blue–Novice meat available on the market! Limited supply—grab it fast before it's gone! Note: Blue–Novice meat grants massive promotion energy for new Lords! ]
[ Lord Sphinx: Damn, brother, it's only the second day and you're already this fierce?! ]
[ Lord Stunning Beauty: Lord of the Frozen North @ Please accept my friend request! ]
[ Lord Amir: Incredible! I barely managed to kill a single Green–Peak beast! ]
[ Lord Zero: Why does it feel like we're playing in the mud while you're rewriting history?!! ]
[ Lord Heavily Armed: +1 I feel the same. ]
[ Lord Dragon Rider: +2 Me too. ]
...
[ Lord Saad: +846551 Yep, we're all just playing in the mud. ]
Jolan closed the chat without concern. Fame among other Lords meant little to him—he had better things to do.
Almost instantly, the sound of successful trades rang out in his ears. Resources were flooding in.
---
"Lord, all fighters assembled!"
Ten stood before him—six undead warriors and four native fighters of the Chaos Continent.
"New orders! Split into two squads under Leonard and Anara. Patrol northward. The distance will be decided by the commanders."
"Yes, Lord!"
Both commanders responded with steady calm. Their squads quickly formed. Yet, Jolan noticed the faint fear in the eyes of the Underworld soldiers assigned to Anara's team—the reputation of magi in the Underworld was terrifying.
Unbothered, Jolan continued:
"Remember—keep no more than 500 meters apart. Support each other in emergencies. If you encounter an overwhelming enemy, retreat toward the territory. If escape is impossible, one squad must delay the foe to give the other time to flee. The territory will never forget your sacrifices."
"Yes, my Lord!"
The soldiers' eyes burned with resolve. They marched out under their commanders' lead, leaving Jolan seated calmly on his wooden chair among the graves, awaiting good news... or the corpses of beasts.
---
End of Chapter 15