A long bath helped, but afterwards, as I made my way down to dinner, every step was a painful one. My muscles were already stiffening. It would be even worse in the morning. Still, I was determined. And that encounter with the ambassador of Southway just made me even more so.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdRt5WtMv6
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdttIjCpAm
A long, polished wooden table had been laid out with what looked like a banquet to me, despite my instructions. Silver candelabra held our source of light, light which glittered off a wide array of polished trays and bowls. There were grapes; cherries, apples and peaches stacked high; there were at least four kinds of fish, filleted and laid out with herbs and lemon on trays decorated with fishing net designs; bowls of peas, green beans, tomatoes and carrots were full to the brim, at least four different kinds of bread had been prepared, with slices and rolls displayed on yet more silver trays; while goblets of cut glass sparkled, ready to receive wine from a choice of six decanters.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuBt3x8mkE
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaNP6La6gp
The table was laid for four people but the placings were spaced so far apart that it was like a socially distanced event during the COVID pandemic back home. Much to the consternation of a servant who was standing by the wall and hurriedly came over to help, I started re-arranging the plates and cutlery, bringing all the places up to the top end.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydIToh9CDF
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEudSxCBiyH
No sooner than I'd taken my own seat, than Lord Arval, my Paladin General came in with a brisk march. Even for dinner, it seemed, he wore his chainmail and carried his sword. With a gesture that was nearly a smile, he took the seat to my right after I pointed to it.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LQSyzYqrU
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgVo0aYYS7
'I heard about your training today sire. It gave encouragement to the troops.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsF1E9XWcX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJbBR5NPBN
'There's a long way to go.' I glanced at my fleshy arms, so different to my previous body.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDicYsxQX3Z
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyrsa1cBSx
'I also heard that you scorned the ambassador of Southway.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFo42tgB8Y
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcAiDBxSa9
'Oh did you? What did your sources say, exactly?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVADpYaKezi
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWb73Klc1Pv
'That you were offered wine and women for the rest of your life if you'd do the bidding of their king and you refused, telling him that it was him who would be grovelling in chains before you.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5XBv6V7gd
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNeDRouzv3
'Did I though?' I laughed. 'The story has grown. Good. They have the spirit right at least. That guy was so smug, I wanted to punch him in the face.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7if0m8am2
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu78zk2QiO
We were interrupted by the arrival of Chancellor Parrin and the sorceress Carlena. Although they were not arm in arm, there was something about them that suggested to me they might be a couple. They were the right ages – she with silver hair and he with the grey and sliver of his beard – and they moved towards me with an ease in each other's company.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPraYvZE38
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI83KQ8FrQP
'Another innovation I see,' said the Chancellor with a glance at the place settings and then at the servants. I got the message: careful, go easy on the changes.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSug7woegEL
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlr7I2PikB
I repeated my story of meeting the ambassador of Southway, to the approval of Parrin and Carlena but they were surprisingly taciturn. Only when we had eaten did Carlena lean towards me, so that I caught the full intensity of her stunning purple eyes, and whisper, 'send the servants away please, so we can talk properly.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJczG8rZ9h9
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK3zLYGlNC
I nodded. And after the next time my glass was refilled, I slapped the table with my heavy palm (it was effective for that at least). 'Out! Servants out and don't disturb us until you are called for.' I spoke with unnecessary volume as they jumped to respond.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSOC73E7WV
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfI0BSceIQf
'Spoken like the old Carlos,' said Parrin with a smile when we had the room to ourselves.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfq30f6klX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMr6WvgCgU
The two of them then began an interrogation that would have never have been allowed by the previous king. What was I researching? What was I building? How would we cope with the loss of our grain-generating lands? What other information was in the menus? On the whole they were cautiously positive about my decisions and plans. At least, they didn't propose I make any changes to it. I was warned that my popularity, already very low, would drop further if we did start trading iron to the necromancer king, but they could see the necessity of this.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFH7ZaDwOF9
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MhbimJOZB
By the end of their questions, I was totally clear about one thing. Carlena, Parrin and (to a lesser extent) Lord Arval saw me as their instrument. I was accountable to them and had to take their instruction. In business terms, this was a board meeting and I was the CEO, not a king with absolute power. This didn't upset me. I could totally see their point of view: the kingdom was on the ropes and everything they owned, including their lives, was in jeopardy. They couldn't afford any mistakes from me. Also, while I quite enjoyed the authority of being king and the way all the people were quick to obey me, I didn't like the barrier that the role created. At least here, with these three, I could be myself.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhJxRTTwe7
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ702Ac3m6KY
'I have a question about the menus,' I looked from one to the other. 'How is it there are so few people on them compared to the size of Carrick?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRW2ccCKHZ
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LSZyT6skS
It was Carlena who answered. 'I believe the numbers allowed on the menu are capped in some way by the overall happiness of the realm. Most of our citizens would join the menus if allowed, wanting Miya to triumph and not wishing to be conquered. You should try to facilitate them.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVRxbmlRcG
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WvoO6cQAA
That made sense and exporing how to raise happiness was yet another goal for me to add to the 'to do' list.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6nuDKRAeS
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cDfGIXV8a
'How goes your personal progress?' asked Parrin.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ev3gBcX77
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i9zaxrio9
'I don't know yet.' I patted the rolls of stomach fat that were resting on the table top. 'I've made a start on shedding these. But I haven't seen any change to my character sheet yet.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHV75yJdy7e
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4Mz7cX46k
Carlena frowned. 'What level Fighter are you?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6NyXt8QHD
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsr2siOiCVm
'I'm not even a Fighter yet,' I confessed. 'In fact I was thinking my character sheet meant I should be a Sorcerer or Cleric.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpML4exq2Lc
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uN3JGzgDt
All three of them turned pale faces towards me, eyes glistening in the candlelight.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJZsND8ckQ
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfet1sbdhN
'Oh no,' said Carlena. 'Not a Sorcerer. You won't have any spells. To obtain spells you have to build a scriptorium of the spell level and then research them, getting a random result It would take you forever. And it's not what we need on the battlefield.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3zhOkyp54
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9L5Jz9rKL
'I believe King Wace is level twelve,' muttered the Chancellor pointedly. 'And Queen Rorgesta of Trolland is eleven at least.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHk5dwm0P7
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhdkxRWkWm
I caught the Scout's eyes and said, 'I'll start levelling up soon. But with my current stats, I'd be a hopeless warrior of any sort. I have to find out can I improve my Strength before starting my personal progression as a fighter. Really, I should be a caster: a mage or cleric. And I also need to know how to level. Do I fight monsters? Complete quests?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYte0Ny7HIo
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZZzh81Ary
'I suppose you are right to wait,' Lord Arval spoke after a short interval. 'But every day that you are not progressing is a day more for them to get ahead. You could easily reach level two or even three by performing task quests in the town itself.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzNmXdRjMP
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMA3xJyuQ3
'And we can bring you to areas nearby where there are monsters you can fight and kill for experience,' offered Lord Parrin.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFHtXsnIHx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VTIHkTKP3
That sounded promising and exactly like the RPGs I was used to.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn49XwfIxiR
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZmxF2M4eO
I took a deep breath. 'I will progress soon then. For now though, my body is a mass of aches and pain. I can barely lift this fork with my left hand, my shoulder is so sore. There's nothing more I could have done today to advance this body towards where it should be.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQwUEHCQQB
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24wpzLE8EI
'True.' Lord Arval nodded. 'Don't push so hard you damage yourself.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpOI6ohvDK
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVpGkV4zIh
'We need time. Time to fix the kingdom's economy and time for me to level up.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOX5NlffJcZ
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJyw5mRfvA
'Indeed. And in that light, provoking the king of Southway might not have been wise.' Carlena spoke tentatively, as if exploring the idea.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTALYbqFtNw
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1iiJiYXfj
'Sean was right to refute him so publicly and so firmly,' Arval came in, 'the message to the soldiers and people was clear. We will endure.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyTKc9YdjW
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRMnHPWQYQ
Chancellor Parrin nodded. 'I think so too. But still, there is a real danger of the two armies continuing their advance together and overcoming our defences.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdpXbiWwM9
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx4I6VB0a2
'Speaking of which, I'd like to see them. We have a fort at the head of the valley that leads here, right? I might be able to upgrade it.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Cz5crgpKT
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiV799GSaE
'You can't get there, it is thirty miles away and no horse can carry you.' It was Arval who made this depressing, if practical, point.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKJc1w6XMY
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zoEb6xbvf
'I can show you on the map at least,' offering Parrin, 'and you should be able to find a menu for it. It's called Three-Ways Fort.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTvWALxJAw
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1Vqo72M5N
'I'll check later. And if it's all right with you, I'll move any remaining troops from here down to it, including the new archers.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUozz6lBnYz
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFDcT1nsG9
Everyone greeted my proposal with approval.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtGpjhWn6q
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSejOjCK59
I had been thinking about Carlena's point about unnecessarily provoking King Wace. 'Could we maybe divide them? By talking with Queen Rorg… whatever … the Trolland queen. By suggesting that we might be willing to be a protectorate under her?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJAHWuL4mD
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoPIqXPPw8
'Perhaps,' the Chancellor nodded. 'It would be a mission for Figus.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbattVZ2tj
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxI8O4j4Qw
'When he gets back,' I said.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjCbNuXq78
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAhZkCjqoV
'When he gets back,' Parrin repeated.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVEyHDAwem
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdMlavyxnA
'In the meantime, I think you need to go down to the lowlands and monitor the enemy's movements, to give us notice if they are advancing.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWTkBQpSdw
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdt1kFlqDu
'Me?' Parrin looked surprised. 'We have scouts, of course.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAr3yNv3JX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm1I62cyb9
'Yes, but they are all level zero, right? Whereas you are level nine.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RbeQws6xb
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdfiFcbLE0
'It's been a while since I dusted off my scout skills, but you know what, I'll do it!' Parrin rubbed his beard around his mouth, where a smile was forming. 'I'll set out in the morning.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ghLGxF59U
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOZr8Z8wXd
'Just don't take any risks.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWSDXqChQu
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPogd5oru6
When our strategizing was at an end, Lord Arval called the servants back in and we resumed a more formal tone, until I was ready for my bed. Well, not quite ready.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFdX3Cr0K2
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbCBj1eGQR
'Can the king ask for a massage?' I leaned in towards the General.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEEiARAKf7
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtgZ8U4pbg
'Of course. I'll send someone.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBzMN1gh4G
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6x2fZDRFa
'Good, I'll go on up to my bed.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWA4tCtzzZT
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28oyOBFBhg
It was an effort, I was almost tempted to ask for help and a push, but my groaning legs carried me up two flights of stairs until I collapsed on the bed. Not long after I did so, a heavy knock came on the door and after I called for the person to come in. It was the masseur I was expecting. Well, not quite. A tall, muscular man in a soldier's tunic came in.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42aSPkAMK6
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYZm4L6u4e
'Massage sire?' he asked gruffly.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3MhQ0F46t
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhQIRtrEyv
'Please.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8LBYfJv4d
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnlwq9bTX5
'Saw you walking today sire. You'll want the legs looked at.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmXtXIadR8
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwQVmuanoM
'Left shoulder too, from carrying that sword.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGa3eBcBqd
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqPbo91rVV
He nodded. 'Too right. You know they make the dummy out of lead, deliberate like? So when you pick up your first real blade, it feels light.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyxHW4NNUX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gX4e2X9bt
I didn't reply and soon I felt his hands on the backs of my thighs, through my clothes. I wasn't going to remove them, even if that limited his access.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdhHjWAILC
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyFYGvt8UX
Before long, I was getting some serious work done, loosening my cramped and tight muscles and while it was borderline painful, it was effective. What with the wine and the exercise, I'd sleep well. There was one thought still nagging me though, arising from the questions that the sorceress and the chancellor had raised with me. Oh yes. The hunting lodge, level 2 had been due for completion earlier this evening.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywMmt0B6xS
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVu7eSDJml
I paused the massage long enough to call down the town menu, then got back into position while I studied it.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRJMeQV4da
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCNvcsvZlW
Greyland501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk1yHBFPLT
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWI7FJYX2Yp
Economy501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVP8CnUzfm
Currently building:501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHdH8iYHVd
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OMYvEvVag
Monthly trade income: 0501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fZ7iHcnSJ
Monthly tax income: 54 gold501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssxqluw0jl
Treasury: 2 gold501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth2bnld7Zu
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LKfLv7UhG
Daily food consumption: 13 units501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIuDUXzXHN
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfoaQgbFr5
Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ862PtBunMD
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 20 days501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn37ubWick9
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 33 days501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPAAmFP884
Meat yield: 5 units daily501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA51eW2cS2v
Timber yield: 17 planks daily501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxN0eqwEiK
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9r2uFxahF
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpXZFvBYhp
Smithy yield: steel pickaxes on hold. Awaiting iron.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlrXfz35Gn
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqIEEiBfWr
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZFH802xci
Research: Shipbuilding One501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn3FBy0Vk3
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd67QOcSs6N
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpskGVTm683
Resources:501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxvrlWJRQk
Wheat: 14 food units501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlkBp7LAGR
Vegetables: 25 food units501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lhhz1ZgAo
Meat: 8 food units501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVDKZe8wgZ
Wool: 7 bales501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTisc95eIi
Timber: 150 planks501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPTa3zRehl
Iron: 0 ingots501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Lyv8MMdSG
Stone: 39 blocks501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB3GMH04zR
Cloth: 4 bolts
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4Qp9S905S
The meat yield had gone up by one. I had hoped for two but I couldn't argue with a 25% increase. That still left us losing about 6 food units a day, with reserves of 47. I winced, and not from the pain of the knuckles digging into my shoulder. I had to set a new town building project and the attractive options were hunting lodge level 3 or mine level 3. Both would take two days to upgrade.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbKbJrFsNF
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXjagCIl3A
In trying to figure out which of the two would work best for solving the food crisis, I realised that something was wrong. The smithy should have made me eighty-four steel pickaxes. If they significantly improved iron output, I would build the next level of hunting lodge. Yet the smithy was on hold.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjM98Vz6tx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEFTxPwkWf
The problem was iron. I had made a mistake. I blushed at the thought of talking about this with the others. If I had waited to create the new archers, I would have had plenty of iron for the pickaxes. Scrolling deeper into the menus, I could see that the Smithy had built a stock of 12 pickaxes before I had assigned the remaining iron to training the archers. Then it had come to a halt.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgVxWVey6k
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AMvOTaJ2K
Oh well, I allocated the twelve new pickaxes to the miners and given that at least two iron would come in tomorrow, the Smithy would be able to make 24 steel pickaxes, which would surely improve the daily output of iron? Three days would see me with a mining workforce fully equipped with the new pickaxes. Three days though. When I should have been using those days in building up a surplus ready to trade for food if Figus came back from the Necromancer with a decent deal.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWQ4gdWpEI
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScq6vjqihk
This was discouraging, but more positive was the discovery that the hunting lodge level 2 had the capacity for four more workers. That was a must. I assigned the new hunters from the reserves of workers (now only 8 strong) and went for the hunting lodge level 3 as the next build. While iron was vital, food was even more so and there was no guaranteeing that my ambassador would even return, let alone with a trade agreement.
