The soldiers were still tense, definitely nervous. Lark could not help but sigh. But he could somehow understand. These guys, after all, were mere residents a month and a half ago. They never held spears before that.
I guess they’re not so bad, since they’re really decent now with the basic thrust and pull of the spear. Qarat did a good job training these guys with the basics.
There were still a lot more they could do with the spear. Even close combat was possible if they used those poles correctly. But for now, Lark had to drill into them the most basic of things.
“Are there any questions?” said Lark.
A soldier timidly raised a hand, “Uhm, Young Master? How sure are we that those Goblins are going to come out of that cavern?”
“There’s a simple trick for that. Although Goblins are monsters, they’re just like other animals. They’re afraid of smoke and fire. We’ll force them out of the cavern with that.” Lark turned to Qarat. “The castrel oil?”
“We’ve put them in the barrels, just like you’ve asked.” Qarat pointed at the three small barrels near the carts. “We’ve also placed some dried leaves inside. All it need now is fire.”
Castrel oil was a bit expensive, but it was a necessary expense. It was an oil that does not burn fiercely like others, yet at the same time, the smoke it produces was far greater than other oils. After adding some dried leaves to it, the smoke would turn black and irritate the eyes, making it hard to see.
“Place those barrels near the entrance of the cavern. Make sure that the Goblins doesn’t notice you.”
Qarat saluted. Several soldiers began moving stealthily towards the cavern’s entrance, carrying with them the wooden barrels. After placing it near the entrance, they retreated back to the camp.
“Qarat,” said Lark.
“Yes!”
“I will not interfere after this. Once those Goblins come out of the cavern, all of the soldiers will be under your command. Direct them as you see fit,” said Lark. He planned on secretly saving the soldiers if ever they came into grave danger, but he had no plans of helping them subjugate these goblins. After all, if he helped, these guys would lose this valuable experience.
“I understand,” said Qarat.
Lark walked towards the front. He had used Magic Perception before. He was sure that the Goblins still have not noticed that they were surrounded. As expected, moving through the day was the best choice when dealing with these nocturnal creatures.
He pointed a finger. Three orbs of fire started forming at the tip of his finger. The soldiers curiously stared at this phenomenon. Most of them did not know that the Young Master was capable of military-grade magic.
“Now, let’s start.”
The orbs of fire shot towards the barrels near the entrance of the cavern, creating a deafening blast upon impact. The barrels exploded and black smoke swirled up into the air, a portion of it entering the cavern. Even from this distance, the soldiers were able to hear the numerous squeaking sounds inside the cavern, which was quickly followed by numerous footsteps.
Lark nodded at Qarat. It was now his responsibility to command the small army.
From the cavern’s entrance, the oil burned into thick smoke. From within the gap, numerous small green creatures came running out. They were screaming in rage, their eyes teary from the gas that entered the cavern.
Qarat gnashed his teeth.
“Soldiers! Spears up!” shouted Qarat.
Immediately, the soldiers pointed their spears at the charging horde. There were around the same number of goblins as that of the soldiers.
These guys are lucky. There’s no Hobgoblin or Shaman in the group. Even in the Magic Empire, that’s a rare find.
Seeing the humans that made a barricade around their den, the Goblins shrieked in utter fury. The Goblins held weapons as they ran. Their eyes were still teary, but the rage within those yellow pupils were apparent.
The soldiers gripped their spears tight, their bodies trembling, as dozens of Goblins came charging towards them. Most of the Goblins came rushing towards the only open path, while some of them collided with the barricade.
“Attack those that are stuck on the fence!” shouted Qarat. He stabbed a Goblin through the gap between the fences. “Those that are guarding the entrance! Spears ahead! Prepare for impact!”
Probably because of the gas that struck their eyes, the Goblins charged towards the soldiers without much thought. Those that charged through the open entrance were impaled by the spears, while several Goblins managed to breach the soldiers guarding the entrance. The Goblins and the soldiers quickly engaged into a melee. Several Goblins were still pouring out of the cavern. Some of them would fall into the traps and get impaled by spears, some collided with the barricade, while some charged towards the open entrance.
Lark sat on the bowfront of the carriage. He was a good distance away from the chaos, but he could see everything clearly.
That guy’s done for.
One of the soldiers dropped his spear. Currently, he was crawling through the ground. A Goblin struck his calf using a dagger. The soldier screamed in agony as blood came flowing out of the wound. The Goblin shrieked in delight upon seeing this.
Lark opened the small pouch beside him. Inside were several pebbles. He took one pebble, added some mana into his fingers, and flicked it. The pebble whizzed towards the Goblin and hit its forehead, instantly killing it.
The soldier stared dumbfoundedly at the Goblin that suddenly fell down the ground. He looked around and saw nothing but his fellow soldiers engaged in a melee battle.
Over there. Another reckless one.
Lark saw another soldier about to succumb into his bane. His spear was stuck on the ground and he was unable to pull it out. The Goblin on his left jumped and tried stabbing him with a pointed stone. The soldier rolled on the ground in panic and successfully evaded the attack. He pulled out his short sword and engaged the Goblin in a fight.
Just like what Lark expected, the soldiers were weaker than the Goblins in a one-on-one fight. The soldier’s short sword flew into the air in just a few seconds, and the Goblin’s weapon made a deep cut on his arm. The soldier took several steps back until he fell down butt-first towards the ground.
“H-Help!” shouted the soldier. But those that were around him were too busy fending for themselves.
Lark took another pebble and flicked it towards the Goblin. It pierced the Goblin’s chest, making it shriek in agony. As the Goblin wobbled towards the ground, the fallen soldier immediately stood up, grabbed the pointed stone from the Goblin’s hands, and stabbed it into its neck. The Goblin croaked as the light in its eyes vanished. The soldier fell on the ground, huffing.
Good job.
Lark was glad that the soldier made a follow through after that pebble strike. At the very least, they have a great sense of survival.
Secretly babysitting these soldiers were tiring, but he cannot afford to let them die here. After all, training these guys took a lot of time. Lark hoped that in a year or two, these soldiers would be worthy enough to wield the magic spears.
The fighting went on, and Lark would secretly help the soldiers every now and then. By the time the battle ended, more than half of the soldiers were injured and unable to move. Thankfully, because of Lark interfering during crucial moments, there were no casualties. Those that were injured were immediately treated with herbs and bandages.
Looking around, numerous green corpses were scattered about. The oil near the cavern’s entrance had dried out and the smoke subsided.
Captain Qarat, his leather armor tattered, saluted at the Young Master. “Young Lord, we’ve finished subjugating the Goblins. Thirty-seven soldiers are heavily wounded, but none of them are in grave danger.”
Lark gazed at the Captain. He was a former resident too, but it seemed that he had a bit of talent in the spear. Although he had numerous cuts here and there, his body was in a far better state than most of the soldiers.
&
nbsp; “Good work,” said Lark. He jumped down the cart. “Continue tending to the wounded. Take five soldiers. We’ll be going inside the cavern.”
After gathering the soldiers, Lark led them inside the cavern. The smell of castrel oil was still strong and it assaulted their noses upon reaching the entrance. As they went deeper inside, the smell of oil was soon replaced by the putrid stench of decay.
The torches carried by the soldiers illuminated the cave. Judging by the size of the walls, if they had fought the Goblins here instead of the outside, the soldiers would have been annihilated. There were hidden pathways here and there, which was probably meant for surprise attacks from the Goblins.
The soldiers accompanying Lark realized that just by simply taking the fight outside, they eliminated such advantage in terrain for the Goblins.
Lark saw the uneasiness within the soldiers. “Relax. There are no more Goblins here. We’re not here to fight.”
As he said that, he signaled everyone to stop. He smiled and pointed at the glimmering stones at the end of the cavern.
“We’re here to inspect the spoils of war,” said Lark. He completely ignored the weapons and items left behind by the Goblins.
“Kalrane stones,” said Lark. “From now on, they’ll be the town’s special product.”
Chapter Seventeen
Several days passed since the Goblins were subjugated. Lark went towards the eastern part of the Endless Forest, the area where the Mine was located.
“Good morning, Young Master.” Silver Claw greeted Lark the moment he went down the carriage.
Lark looked around. Contrary to before, this part of the forest was bustling with life. Numerous workers came in and out of the cavern. Some carried wood, while some carried shovels and pickaxes.
“You’ve been really busy lately,” said Lark.
Since Silver Claw was the only Mason in town, all of the construction works were given to him. It was no exaggeration to say that he was the busiest person in Blackstone Town right now. From the farmlands, the poultry farm, the irrigation system, until the construction of the residences – all were handled by him. And now, he was also tasked to oversee the construction of the railways and the fortification of the walls of the Mine.
“I’ve been enjoying myself these past few days.” Although his body had become thinner since the last time they’ve met, Silver Claw’s eyes glimmered with vitality and passion. His crooked grin held unmasked pride within.
“How’s the exploration?” said Lark. He felt someone staring at him. Upon looking, he saw a teenage girl, around the same age as him, hiding behind the logs near the entrance. It took him a while before he remembered who she was.
“About that…” Silver Claw scratched his chin. “We’re unable to go beyond the fifth tunnel.”
Two days ago, they found out that the Mine was absurdly vast. The cavern was filled with numerous tunnels and forks that even after exploring it for several hours, they were unable to see its end.
Silver Claw continued. “A worker almost died yesterday while exploring the fifth tunnel. He suddenly lost consciousness. We’ve investigated the cause and we’ve found out that–”
“—Air is unable to flow through that area,” completed Lark.
Silver Claw’s eyes widened a bit as he nodded. “Exactly. Yes.”
“As expected.” Lark had seen the tunnels within the Mine before. They were small and narrow, just enough for a single person to pass through. After seeing the twists and turns that formed numerous forks, he expected these things to happen sooner or later. That was why he repeatedly told Silver Claw to explore the tunnels very slowly, as accidents were bound to happen within such a complex maze. “It’ll take several months, but I want you to slowly widen the tunnels leading to the fifth area.”
Silver Claw nodded. “Understood. I assume that we’re also going to place wooden rails in that area after widening those tunnels?”
“That’s correct,” said Lark. The girl hiding behind the log finally revealed herself. She slowly walked towards Lark and Silver Claw. “Since the Mine is vast, it’s highly possible that there’ll be other stones aside from Kalrane. Who knows, maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll find Arcolnium there.”
The last part was said with a chuckle.
Hearing this, Silver Claw almost shivered in realization. Indeed, just like the Young Master said, this Mine was a treasure trove filled with untapped possibilities. When he was young, he heard that the Emerald City started from a small village. After discovering a Mine in the area, the merchants built numerous settlements there, forming a town, and eventually a large city was formed. Just thinking that this could also happen to Blackstone Town due to the appearance of a large Kalrane Mine made his heart pound.
“She’s fully healed, huh?”
Silver Claw looked at the direction where the Young Master was looking at. Upon seeing the timid girl tottering towards them, he said, “Ah! There she is! I’ve looking all over for you!” He gestured for the girl to walk faster. He grabbed her hand and whispered to her ear, “You begged me to bring you here, right? Go on. Say it.”
Seeing the flustered look of the young girl, Lark smiled. “Your name’s Anisette, right? How’s your body?”
The young girl looked at the smiling Young Master. Upon locking eyes with him, she quickly averted her gaze and said, “The Young Master knows my name?”
Lark chuckled. “Of course.”
Anisette’s face flushed red. “About before… for healing me from the curse.” She tried her best to look at the Young Master in the eyes. “Thank you.”
Lark smiled.
Silver Claw laughed and ruffled her hair. “My daughter really wanted to see you, Young Master. You see, she begged me to take her to this place last night.”
“Father!” The young girl glared at him.
Seeing this exchange between father and daughter, Lark could not help but feel warmth within his heart. He was reminded of the time he had spent with his disciples back in his previous life. To him who never had a wife or a child, those disciples were family.
“Young miss.” The young girl froze once again. “Your father’s been a great help to me – to this town. I should be the one thanking you and your father.”
Lark meant it. Without the Mason, the development of the town would have proceeded in a slower pace.
Silver Claw scratched his cheeks in embarrassment.
Lark looked at the workers coming in and out of the Mine. “We’ll be able to start tomorrow, huh?”
Silver Claw also looked at the workers. “Yes. It should be safe to mine Kalrane Stones after we’ve put the wooden pillars in the First Area. The workers can start mining tomorrow.”
It was a piece of good news. Lark said to Silver Claw, “Good. Gather the workers. I have something to tell them.”
Soon, dozens of workers gathered in front of the Young Master. They put down all they were doing just to hear the announcement. Since the news about the generosity of the Young Master to his workers have spread throughout the town, the look of contempt within the eyes of the people have lessened somewhat.
Lark was glad that the residents were starting to accept him little by little. He hoped that in a few more months, or maybe years, the former image left behind by the previous owner of his body would be forgotten by those living in his domain.
“Since time is of the essence, I will get straight to the point,” said Lark. The eyes of everyone was on him. “I will be implementing a yield-based profit system for this Mine. To put in simpler terms, the amount of Kalrane Stones you mine will dictate the number of silvers you’ll earn in a month. The more Kalrane Stones, the more silvers. Clear enough, yes?”
Lark gestured for a woman to come to him. A blonde woman wearing a plain dress.
“This here is Melody.” Lark noticed that most of the workers were aware of her identity. As the one teaching the soldiers how to read and write, some of the residents started calling her The Scholar. “Everyday,
before dusk, she will inspect each harvest and record it. At the end of each month, all of you will be appropriately compensated based on the amount of Kalrane Stones you’ve mined.”
Lark’s voice rose. “You want your own house? Work hard for it! Want delicious food? Work hard for it! Those that do not work do not eat! But I promise you this in the name of the Marcus Family! As long as you work hard, you will never go hungry! As long as you work hard, you will experience prosperity!”
The crowd was silent. The words of the Young Master carried vehement strength within that they could feel heat surging through their chests. At first, they thought that they would be given a monthly wage just like the rest of the other workers. But with this system, as long as they worked harder than their peers, they would earn more to satisfy their needs.
The workers clenched their fists.
***
After visiting the Mine, Lark went towards the northern area. The plowing of the land was almost done, and since the snow have melted, they began planting the seeds.
The farmers bowed upon seeing Lark.
“Don’t mind me. Continue.”
Along with some servants, Lark strolled through the reclaimed lands. Unlike other places, the soil in this area had some stench to it, definitely due to the large amounts of night soil spread through the ground.
He pressed a foot firmly into the ground, and without much effort, it dug several inches deep.
They did a good job plowing these. The amount of compost is good too. With this, even those ‘seeds’ wouldn’t pose a problem.
After buying several barrels of wheat seeds from the Lion’s City, Lark immediately cast magic on them. It took him several days, but he had successfully made the seeds into a more superior version that would yield three times the amount of a normal one. Since those seeds yield more than the normal ones, they also consume a far larger amount of nutrients. But with this amount of composts, that should not pose a problem for the land.
Lark knew that once harvest season came, the amount of wheat they would harvest was so large that it could feed a Major City or two. He planned on storing the excess in the basement in cases of emergencies and export the remaining towards other places. The timing could not be more perfect since the Kingdom had just experienced the Black Famine back in the previous harvest. It would take a year or two before the farmlands in the Kingdom fully recover. Lark planned on exploiting this to gain more profit for his domain.
Legend of the Arch Magus- The Expansion Page 11