Chương 143

"We have a lot of work to do," Rudra had told them in the courtyard.

"I need to build a new kitchen, a massive public library, and secure our infrastructure." An hour later, the group gathered inside the Lord's Office. The large oak table in the center of the room was completely covered in blank parchment scrolls. Winfred, Piaro, Singuled, Kentrick, and the rest of the Red Knights stood around the table. They waited patiently to hear what their new Duke had planned. Rudra slapped a charcoal pencil onto the wood.

The faint, savory smell of roasted garlic and sweet river-kelp drifted through the open window from Kratos's leftover lunch bowl. Back in the real world, Rudra had spent hundreds of hours playing kingdom-building simulation games. He read countless web novels about managing territories. He absolutely loved this kind of stuff. But he also knew he only understood it on a surface level.

"Alright," Rudra smiled, leaning over the table.

"I have a lot of ideas for Stormbreak. But I am not an administrator. I just want the people here to be safe and healthy. So I'm going to give you the broad concepts, and Winfred, I need you to figure out the actual math and logistics." Winfred stroked his grey beard.

"A wise delegation, Lord Rudra. Let us assess our current state first. The city's outer walls are currently stuck at a basic Level 2 rating. The stone is heavily battered by the ocean tides. The inner roads are mostly packed dirt, and the residential housing is crumbling."

"Right. So we start from the bottom up," Rudra said, quickly drawing a messy, squiggly grid on the parchment.

"First, plumbing." Kentrick blinked. The giant vanguard looked totally confused.

"Plumbing, Lord Rudra? What about the walls?"

"The monsters aren't going to kill us if dysentery gets us first," Rudra stated flatly.

"We are putting in a massive underground drainage and sanitation system. I want paved roads everywhere. If the city smells like a swamp, the food tastes like a swamp. And I am absolutely not eating swamp food." Dante sat quietly in a corner chair, sipping a warm cup of chamomile tea. His raspy cough sounded noticeably better than it did a week ago. He gave a small, approving nod.

"Clean water prevents disease. A strong foundation for the people." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Outside the window, a couple of local kids were laughing loudly, playing an intense game of tag across the cobblestones. They were completely unfazed by the heavily armed guards standing nearby. Rudra smiled at the sound. That was exactly what he wanted to protect.

"Next up," Rudra continued.

"We are building a massive Public Dining Hall right in the center of town." Singuled crossed his massive, bandaged arms.

"A public tavern?"

"A buffet," Rudra corrected.

"I'm going to mass-produce buff-granting meals. If the stone masonry guilds and the construction crews eat my food every morning, their stamina and strength will double. We will upgrade those Level 2 walls to Level 4 twice as fast." Kentrick pumped his fist.

"If they get to eat your cooking every day, those builders will gladly work through the night!" Winfred's eyes lit up. He immediately pulled a blank piece of parchment closer and started writing.

"Using culinary buffs to artificially inflate civic labor efficiency. That is brilliant. It completely solves our initial labor shortage."

"Then, we build a Grand Public Library," Rudra added.

"To educate the citizens?" Amelda asked, stuttering slightly in her excitement.

"That will attract scholars and high-tier craftsmen to the city!"

"Exactly," Rudra agreed. He also just really wanted a centralized place to read up on local monster habitats and rare recipes. An educated city meant better trade goods and more interesting quests for him to stumble into.

"Finally, the borders," Rudra said, turning his attention to Mumud and Elysia.

"Stormbreak sits right on the edge of the Red Sea," Rudra noted.

"The monster tides are going to keep crashing against our new walls. I want a permanent, territory-wide defensive barrier." Mumud stepped forward.

"A barrier of that magnitude requires an immense mana core, Lord Rudra. My magic can weave the structure, but stabilizing it over such a vast area is incredibly difficult without physical anchors."

"That's why Elysia is helping you," Rudra smiled. Elysia straightened her posture. She had been pushing herself relentlessly in her new lab and was just a single step away from the Craftsman level in alchemy.

"I can synthesize high-density mana crystals to act as anchor points," Elysia suggested smoothly.

"If Mumud weaves the magic network with his spells, I can provide the advanced physical conduits to hold the barrier in place."

"You two are going to be a great team," Rudra laughed.

"Mumud brings the magic. Elysia brings the alchemy. Get it done." Piaro smiled warmly. He rested his calloused hand on the hilt of his sword.

"It is a good plan. I will ensure the fields produce enough fresh crops to supply your dining hall. The soil here has potential."

"Perfect," Rudra clapped his hands together, his red eyes shining with excitement.

"Meeting adjourned. I need to go figure out how to bake a pizza in an iron cauldron."