Chapter 30: Daily Training
"Corn porridge on the left, black bread on the right—everyone take one portion first. If you finish, line up again for seconds, but no one is allowed to take any home!"
Elder Field, looking much younger, shouted with authority.
His voice carried great weight; most people obediently complied.
Any would-be thieves were quickly spotted by his sharp eyes and dealt with by a swift knock from his cane.
Ralph, observing the newly dug trenches by the villagers, nodded in satisfaction, but then hesitantly glanced at the soldiers lined up for their meals, asking:
"Bay Village has just over 2,000 people. Relying on taxes alone, it's hard to maintain a force of 100 professional soldiers…"
Matthew, understanding the underlying concern in Ralph's words, nonchalantly shook his head and confidently set the tone:
"I'm not relying on taxes to support professional soldiers right now. This area is full of dangers; only with a well-armed, obedient force can we survive."
Ralph nodded in understanding, then pulled out his reports to brief Matthew:
"Adam Smith's goods have been fully delivered. He himself used a teleportation scroll to return to Blood Moon City this morning, and the others just left. The first batch of supplies should arrive in about two weeks."
Stroking his chin, Matthew looked at the trenches that would soon encircle the entire village and said somewhat resignedly:
"The transportation is still too inconvenient; travel is too slow. Once we have enough manpower, we need more routes…"
Ralph wasn't sure if Matthew was just venting or seriously planning, but he had learned that the lord always had future plans.
"Wow, they even gave out sausages! And the fish soup is fresh. Are we eating too well?"
Rebecca, eating with the soldiers, was busy gobbling down the fragrant lunch while curiously asking.
Recalling the days of gnawing on dry bread with salted fish soup at the outpost, Leon compared and decided he preferred the current life.
The newly recruited soldiers were also surprised by the improved meals, but Old John just sneered:
"Eat up, eat up—if you eat more now, you'll be able to train harder later!"
Saying this, Old John happily picked up a fresh deer leg and took a big bite.
Elder Field had brought this deer leg as a gift for the lord, saying it was for the lord's table.
Field's skill was impressive; despite the lack of seasoning and simple roasting, the flavor greatly surprised Matthew.
The slightly charred exterior was wonderfully savory, while the deer meat inside was tender and melted in the mouth.
Matthew had a hearty appetite, thoroughly enjoying the pleasure of the meal. Even though the pressure was great, he made sure to eat well.
Greedy Yaya, already awakened by the aroma, happily gnawed on a crispy bone, occasionally taking bites of roasted meat that Matthew handed her, looking very content.
Angela ate quickly, her mind focused on the soldier training methods Matthew had taught her:
"For personal strength training, soldiers can be trained individually, with special focus on those with potential."
"Daily training should emphasize cooperative combat routines."
"For instance, how to deal with powerful individual enemies or large numbers of enemies."
"Or how to use different weapons and tactics in various terrains…"
"In short, our soldier numbers are limited; they're not expendable cannon fodder. We need to maximize their abilities so they can be more effective."
"…"
The Netheril Empire was a land of arcanists, but ordinary soldiers were still indispensable.
After all, you couldn't expect high-ranking arcanists to charge into battle like cannon fodder, only to be brutally worn down.
As the number of great arcanists increased, the Seventon Council's influence and control grew stronger, leading to a natural class divide and knowledge monopoly within the Netheril Empire.
Even among nobles, knowledge was guarded to prevent others from learning their secrets.
If a knight's personal training granted Angela the skills of a professional and mastery of more combat techniques and weapons...
It was because nobles trained them to be effective tools and qualified enforcers.
Then the knowledge Matthew imparted to her was the foundation upon which many skilled lords and Netheril generals built their reputations.
Seeing Angela so eager, Matthew reminded her:
"Be strict, but not harsh. Make sure their treatment is good—if anything is missing, go straight to Ralph."
"Training and selecting professional soldiers is currently the top priority in developing the territory."
Matthew spoke with intent, and Angela listened with care.
Roasting meat nearby, Field caught every word, recalling last night's conversation with Captain Sean and all the lord's actions up to this point. Without hesitation, he asked:
"Lord, do we still need more soldiers? How should we choose and recruit them?"
Matthew responded with a mysterious smile, looking at the somewhat scrawny villagers of Bay Village, and said in a calm tone:
"Anyone who can keep up with the training intensity can sign up for selection, but there's only one chance every two weeks…"
Becoming a professional soldier had its conditions, but Field didn't mind that.
He was more concerned that Matthew wasn't opposed to the villagers becoming professional soldiers, which showed a high level of trust—exactly what Field wanted to know.
On a clearing in the wilderness, 104 soldiers stood in four neat rows.
They marched forward in unison under Old John's command.
Never having trained in this before, their movements were a bit uncoordinated.
Angela patiently explained the key points of marching in formation.
Occasionally, she would have Old John discipline any soldier who was too careless.
After half an hour of marching practice, they moved on to battlefield formation drills.
Shieldmen at the front, spearmen behind, they followed orders, advancing step by step or moving side to side.
A large group of children watched for a while, disappointed not to see the swordplay and weapon demonstrations they enjoyed.
Most of the children soon ran off to bother the trolls.
A smaller group of children stayed to learn in secret, as instructed by Captain Sean and the elder.
In other villages, becoming a lord's soldier wasn't considered a great path—there were few opportunities for advancement, and it was a dangerous job.
But in Bay Village, things were different. Here, they were always in danger, and only strong military power could make them feel safe!
Two hours of formation drills left the once-enthusiastic soldiers groaning, with many unable to understand the purpose of such training.
"Split them into teams and pick out the sharpest ones for sparring…"
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