The Sovereignty System has now reached the one hundred chapters milestone! There are now only nine chapters left before the first volume is finished!
(╥﹏╥)
If you are enjoying the novel make sure to vote with your power stones!
(＾‿') 乃
There are over six thousand readers who have this novel in their libraries but we are only receiving on average thirty power stones a day from votes!
ლ(ಠ益ಠლ) (‡°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
On another note Jorge359 asked for an updated map of the roads that Ben has created or improved!
(>‿◠)✌
This new map shows where Ben has currently built these new roads along with the location of a few new locations! You may have to save the map to your desktop and zoom in to properly see these new additions.
¯\(◉‿◉)/¯
[Updated Map]: [https://i.postimg.cc/nhHjWy1N/Updated-Concrete-Roads.jpg]
Now we return to Planet Victus where the first signs of winter begin to appear across the lands.
(∩｀-´)⊃━━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
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A month has passed and the first snow now lightly covered the ground. Ben has remained around the fortress cultivating, leveling his spells, and working out in the Gym.
Before he decided to dedicate the month to training he told each of his employees he would be absent for some time.
Before he left Goldcrest he also had built a small greenhouse over his farm outside the city walls. To protect the crops and plantations from the cold weather and snow.
_______________________________
Ben left the Qi chamber after another long night of cultivating and opened his notification icon.
[Notice] [You have advanced in cultivation! Cultivation Stage Six: Level Six!]
'I have improved quite a few skills and spells over the past month of training. I even raised my attributes in the Gym and increased my cultivation. It has been a while since I checked on my stats, let's see how they are coming along.'
STATUS!
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[STATUS]
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[Host]: Ben King
[System Level]: 65
[Health]: 1820/1820
[Mana]: 2060/2060
[Strength]: 199
[Agility]: 184
[Stamina]: 226
[Intelligence]: 206
[Wisdom]: 201
[Vitality]: 182
[Charisma]: 153
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[SKILLS]
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[Running: Level 9]
[Spriniting: Level 8]
[Enhanced Hearing: Level 19]
[Sword Mastery: Level 12]
[Hand to Hand Combat: Level 5]
[Pain Reflection: Level 5]
[Chameleon: Level 19]
[Silent Movement: Level 7]
[Bowman Sniper: Level 6]
[Victus Zoologist: Level 8]
[Poison Resistance: Level 5]
[Analyze: Level 9]
[Echolocation: Level 6]
[Mercantile Skill: Level 6]
[Iron Grasp: Level 7]
[Herbalist Aura Vision Level 9]
[Penmanship: Level 1]
[Grappling Level 2]
[Night Sight: Level 9]
[Acrobatics: Level 2]
[Photo Reading]
[Mount Riding Level 1]
[Piano: Level 3]
[Modini Dance: Level 2]
[Dollu Dance: Level 2]
[Singing: Level 3]
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[SPELLS]
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[Spells]:
[Mana Manipulation: Apprentice Level: 9]
[Mana Ball: Apprentice Level: 1]
[Mana Shield: Apprentice Level: 8]
[Enhance Form: Adept Level: 9]
[Slave Command: Apprentice Level: 5]
[Mending Touch: Adept Level: 5]
[Mana Javelin: Apprentice Level: 9]
[Sleep: Apprentice: Level 1]
[Zoom Spell]
[Raise Earth: Apprentice Level: 8]
[Lower Earth: Apprentice Level: 7]
[Ensnare: Apprentice Level: 8]
[Barkskin: Apprentice Level: 7]
[Weather Control: Apprentice Level: 3]
[Reverse Gravity: Apprentice Level: 4]
[Wind Control: Apprentice Level: 4]
[Firebolt: Adept Level: 9]
[Lightning Bolt Adept Level: 6]
[Disguise Self: Apprentice Level: 2]
[Open Lock: Apprentice Level: 1]
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[CULTIVATION STAGE]
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[Stage Six: Level: Six]
[Current stage provides +5 to attributes per level]
[Current stage +100 QI per stage and +10 QI per level]
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[CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES]
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[Immortal Strengthening Technique: Stage 6: Level 6]
[Whirlwind Maneuver: Level 12]
[Aura Assault: Level 3]
[Cultivation Reader: Level 1]
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[CLASSES]
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Druid Class:
Provides boosts to healing, weather, animal summoning, nature, and elemental based spells.
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[PROFESSIONS]
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[Sign Maker Level 2]
[Graphic Designer Level 1]
[Carpenter Level 6]
[Furniture Maker Level 5]
[Interior Designer: Level 2]
[Metallurgical Engineering: Level 4]
[Public Speaker: Level 2]
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'I have to laugh every time I look at this Status menu! It just keeps growing longer every time I open it. I now have over 2000 mp which will come in handy with my Zoom spell. I can almost cast Zoom five times in a row with the amount of Mana I have and the reductions of Mana use I received. Well, I guess I should go check in with by businesses. I haven't stopped by them in a month now to collect the profits from them. I hope Goldcrest made an economic recovery and the winter isn't hurting trade.'
Ben cast Zoom and was standing in his store office one minute later. He opened his top drawer and was pleasantly surprised to see it filled with gold, silver and copper coins. He moved the coins to his inventory and went out on the sales floor to check in with his employees.
He found out things were beginning to improve in Goldcrest and the roads he had built helped decrease travel times for traders and merchants.
Everyone in the city was aware that he had improved the western Aregard roads and had established a new kingdom in a vast grassland oasis just north of the Wayward Woodlands.
When people found out how the merchants and traders were now safely traveling through the dangerous forest, of course, everyone began to talk about it. To them, it was as if someone came up with a way to travel to the north pole while remaining toasty warm and safe from any dangers.
Once he caught up with his employees and went around greeting the customers and thanking them for shopping at his store he recast Zoom and teleported to his business District Stables.
He planned to do a bit of jumping around still so he swallowed a couple Mana Infusion pills to help recover his Mana as he went to each of his Goldcrest businesses. People were frequenting his entertainment establishments again and profits were looking good. He could not expect too much during the winter but the way things were going once things picked up again after the snow was gone he would be bringing in some nice profits from the business district.
Ben cast his Disguise Self spell and walked over to the noble district. He released his spell when he was near the gate and passed through to enter the Small Palace.
Steward Edward Hughes and Sergeant Faust Stokes were looking good as well as the other slaves who had been exposed to eating the spirit food and living in vastly improved conditions.
The Small Palace looked great and everything was clean and in order even though there were over a hundred people living in it now.
Ben walked out back to the hidden neighborhood grove with Steward Hughes and built a few new building for them.
[Small Clinic]: A clinic which will cast a minor healing spell on any person who enters injured. [Locked until: built five structures] [requires: stone, wood]
[Movie Theater]: just like on Earth people can sit down and watch blockbuster movies on the big screen. [Locked until: built recreation center-research center, Power Plant]
[Dentist]: This Dentist office has five partitioned Dentist stations equipped with a chair, rinse sink, electric drill, overhead swing arm lamp, tool drawers, and vacuum suction lines. [requires: wood, glass, stone, steel] [Locked until: Power Plant, Water Treatment, Waste Treatment]
[Barber Shop]: A modern Barber Shop with four barber chairs and two shampooing stations. [requires: wood, glass, stone, steel] [Locked until: Power Plant, Water Treatment, Waste Treatment]
Ben explained the new facilities to Steward Hughes so that he could let the others know what they were. After he added the same movies from the fortress Movie Theater to the new one here, Ben recruited two level five Dentists and two level five barbers.
Now that the Small Palace bedrooms were all in use Ben had to make four new Small Houses for the new Dentists and Barbers. While he was here Ben went and added Heating Coils under the Small Palace horseshoe-shaped driveway and the pathways connecting to the back neighborhood.
He left teaching the new employees how to use the menus and appliances in their homes to his Steward.
After Ben gave the new Dentists and Barbers the tools and supplies they would need to work at the new facilities, he teleported to his office in the Wolfmere store.
Once again Ben was greeted with a decent amount of profits and realized he might finally need someone like Baynard around this store to keep records of what was being sold and needed delivering.
He went out on the sales floor to greet his customers and inquire if there was a local slave market. The locals were all familiar with its location and happily gave him directions to it.
Ben walked across the city and entered the slave market which was much bigger than the one in Goldcrest. He let the agent know he was looking for someone who can read, write, and was good with mathematics.
He figured it would be a long shot because the majority of these slaves were going to be the bottom of societies barrel.
Once again Ben was shown to a lounge where he could sit down and view the presented slaves. He viewed a couple groups and used his Analyze skill on them to check their skills and conditions.
In the third wave of slaves brought before him, he instantly spotted a pretty woman in the line up whos bearing looked out of place amongst the other slaves.
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[Name]: Priscilla Clavell
[Age]: 27
[Rank]: Slave
[Skills]: Etiquette, Advanced literacy, Experienced Mathematician, Experienced Dancer
[Emotional state]: Anxious
[Physical Condition]: Average
[Mental Condition]: Excellent
[Status Effects]: Slave Command, Non Copulation Command
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When Ben used Analyze on the beautiful woman he saw a new line of information. He had gained a couple levels in his Analyze skill and now found it was providing a new category called [Status Effects] to his information menu.
He was familiar with the Slave Command but the Non-Copulation Command was new to him.
The slave agent noticed Ben was looking over the pretty woman and approached Ben.
The agent quietly said, "I see you have noticed Priscilla she is from a noble family who lost their nobility title and the family was sentenced to be sold as slaves. Due to the fact she was from a noble family and wasn't related to the crimes committed by her household the royal court allowed her to have a Non-Copulation Command placed on her.
If anyone were to try and force themselves on her they would receive the same punishment a slave would if they were to ignore a command. You would feel an increase in pain until it eventually killed you or you ceased your actions. This has scared off every interested buyer so far.
Most men fear they would have a problem controlling themselves around her so she has remained up for sale for some time now. The price for her is also rather higher but she has been educated by excellent teachers."
Ben shook his head and said, "As expected of a magical world there are so many fascinating spells out there to be discovered."
The agent looked at Ben with a puzzled expression wondering what he meant by his statement.
Ben turned toward the agent and asked how much they were selling her for and was told they wanted 300g. It was almost as much as he paid for every slave he purchased to work at the Small Palace!
He had a large amount of money on him and was intrigued by her so Ben decided to purchase Priscilla.
He did not care about the Non-Copulation Command on her and actually liked the idea of her having it. He would not have to worry about the male merchants from his store doing anything stupid when he wasn't around.
Outside the slave market, Ben removed the shackles from her wrists and placed them into his inventory. His new slave named Priscilla was startled to see them vanish and assumed Ben must own a spatial ring.
As they walked toward the store Ben introduced himself and explained why he purchased her.
Ben smiled and said, "My name is Ben King and I own a store here in the capital. I just opened it recently and it has become very popular. I sell many unique foods and products that can't be found anywhere else so people flock to my store locations."
"My Aregard Goldcrest store is well known and this one will also soon be known by everyone in Wolfmere. The reason I bought you was not only to help myself but to help you as well."
"Whenever I can I try to purchase slaves to improve their way of life while also making use of their talents. From now on you will be my slave but I will not treat you like a slave."
"You will work at my store as a bookkeeper but you will have permission to go anywhere in the city you want on your own time. If you want to go for an evening stroll or visit anyone, you are free to before or after store hours. You will live at the store and I will provide everything you will need."
Priscilla glanced at Ben and quietly said, "I have some relatives in the city can I really visit them when I'm not working?"
"Of course, As long as you do not leave the city you are free to go off on your own." Ben replied.
When the two of them entered the store Ben rounded up the Merchants and introduced her as the new store manager. Ben had her sit down in the corner of the food department and watch the Merchants interact with the customers.
Upstairs on the third floor, he made an seperated extension off of the large Apartment the Merchants shared. He made a large bedroom with a lounge sitting area a private bathroom, and a walk-in closet. He decorated the room with the fancy furniture he sold in his stores. Priscilla Clavell was once a noble and even though she was a slave now he wanted her to live in a nice room.
She would also be the store manager so she should be provided with better living conditions due to her job title. Ben also had a soft spot for women and enjoyed spoiling them so this may have had a lot do to with him providing her with such lavish living quarters.
Ben walked through the Merchants apartment and found they had been eating mainly premade foods from the can or the processed foods he made for his troops. It seemed they were not confident with their cooking and it should be expected. They were merchants and not cooks.
'I feel bad now none of them know how to cook and I am sure Priscilla can't cook. I need to make some changes to this third floor it looks like.'
Ben left the apartment and deconstructed the departments he previously made on the third floor. \When he finished the third floor had a large open area near the staircase.
He opened the Build Menu and decided to build a scaled down Restaurant like the one at the fortress. He had Athena uploaded the saved recipes list into the new Restaurant Menu. This would allow them to have access to proper meals now without having to constantly eat canned or processed foods.
Ben placed a steel door at the top of the third-floor staircase and then went downstairs to find Priscilla. They went into the clothing department and he had her try on a few different sized dresses until they found her proper size.
When they had her size Ben took her around the store and they loaded up his inventory with clothing, hygiene products, perfumes, brushes, books, paper, and writing instruments. From there they went into the back storage room and Ben explained everything she saw in here was to remain secret.
He taught her how to use the Market to withdraw products that would need to be restocked and to remove anything she may need later on. Ben removed store uniforms, fancy dresses, footwear, and accessories in her sizes.
He placed the huge stack of additional clothing into his inventory with the other items and took Priscilla upstairs. The two of them went into her new room and her jaw dropped when she was told this was her room now.
The walls were covered with polished decorative wood paneling and the floor was covered with a thick burgundy carpet with a gold border. The ceiling had the same miniature crystal chandeliers which are also hung downstairs. The red upholstered with dark wood furniture around the room added to the rich feel. On the back wall was a large canopy bed with red veil drapes.
This bedroom would not lose to any of the bedrooms or lounges in any noble home in the city. Ben let out a satisfied chuckle when he saw her reaction and walked over to the desk and bookshelf.
He took out the books, papers, and writing instruments and called her over to show her how to use the pens and markers.
The two of them placed the books on the shelf beside the desk and then went into the closet to hang the huge assortment of clothing.
He placed all of her shoes and accessories on the closet shelves and then moved onto stock the bathroom with all the hygiene products.
Ben had to yet again explain how to use the toilet and toilet paper and was almost at the point where he didn't turn bright red over the ordeal. He quickly moved on to go over the soap, shampoo, and other goodies she may be unfamiliar with.
When her room was set up they went downstairs and furnished an office for her. It was the same office Baynard had in Goldcrest directly next to Ben's. He also gave her a mechanical calculator, empty logbooks, and additional writing instruments.
Her job would be identical to Baynard's job. She would greet customers at the door and tell them which departments they could find the products they were looking for.
At the end of the day, she would record everything sold into the log books and place the profits into his desk drawer.
Ben also gave her permission to occasionally use the store profits to go out with her relatives or to buy anything she might need that the store couldn't provide. He just asked her not to get carried away with spending large amounts of money. He did not have any employee salaries at this store location so he did not mind her going out to have fun now and then.
The only thing Ben could think of that they were missing would be a way to wash their clothes. Ben told Priscilla he was going out to find a laundry business. To save time he asked a few customers and was told about one not too far from the store. Ben walked over and set up a weekly pick up time. He paid extra for the pickup and delivery fee and choose the noble service fee.
The laundry's noble service fee would have them use clean water and carefully hand clean every garment to prevent damage. It cost much more than the standard service but the extra detail would allow the clothes to come back cleaner, wrinkle-free, and extend their wear life.
For the rest of the day, Ben hung around the store and continued to train Priscilla. When the store closed he took everyone upstairs and introduced them to the new Restaurant.
They all sat down to enjoy a delicious meal together and got to know one another.
The next few days Ben returned to the Wolfmere store to help Priscilla learn the new products and foods. She was quick to learn and it wasn't long before she settled right into her new job as the Wolfmere store Manager and bookkeeper.