"Main Quest: To wear the crown, one must bear its weight! You are required to construct a complete city to fulfill your title as king.
The requirements include: walls over 5 meters high, at least 10 defensive structures!
Build facilities such as a blacksmith shop, a mill, and a leather workshop, and recruit at least 500 soldiers, as well as a minimum of 5,000 Zaltarion civilians."
"Holy cow!" Rynar was taken aback. What on Middle-earth was this? Are the requirements for kingship really so low now?
A mere town could be considered a kingdom?
Then again, it wasn't impossible—after all, Bard had claimed kingship in Dale, so why shouldn't he?
But this demand for 5,000 Zaltarion civilians was quite the headache. This was Middle-earth! Where was he supposed to find Zaltarion civilians?
"System, what's with these civilians?" Rynar inquired, adhering to his usual principle of consulting the system when faced with uncertainty.
"Please check the territory page yourself!" The system's cold voice carried a hint of disdain.
"Territory page?" Rynar was surprised to discover he had unlocked yet another feature.
Following the system's suggestion, Rynar opened the territory page. Upon glancing at it, he felt a surge of anger. Just look at this!
Territory Range: Riverguard.
Lonely Riverguard appeared on the page. This was to be expected since he was just starting out, but what followed was outrageous.
Riverguard:
- Area: Approximately one kilometer in diameter.
- Structures: A dilapidated lord's castle (1), crumbling residences (100), a severely damaged stone wall, and a barely functioning well.
Military Strength: 203
Population: 0
Evaluation: A lonely king leads the remaining subjects back to their homeland; this makeshift shelter provides them with some comfort. Darkness still threatens the newborn king, but perhaps its formidable military strength is the only commendable aspect of this lifeless town. Note: There are no civilians in the town!
Abilities:
1. As the only territory of the Zaltarion Kingdom in Middle-earth, it will attract Zaltarion refugees. The system will guide waves of wandering Zaltarion civilians daily, hoping the lord can properly accommodate them.
2. Allows recruitment and training of civilians into Rapid Infantry.
"Uh…" The original fury was replaced by surprise. Although the system's comments were scathing, the ability to attract Zaltarion civilians touched Rynar's heart.
When did this heartless system become so generous? After all, civilians could easily be transformed into Rapid Infantry, meaning Rynar had a steady supply of troops at his disposal.
"Hey? Is that our wandering kin?" A Battanian archer spotted a group of bedraggled refugees, laden with bags.
Despite their pitiful state, they still held a crudely made Zaltarion dragon flag, allowing the Battanian archers to quickly identify them.
"Damn! Can I take back my earlier sentiment, System?" Rynar grimaced at the sight of the ragtag refugees before him.
It was a pitiful number—only seven people, with just two adults among them and the rest children, appearing to be one family. Rynar frowned as he pondered their plight.
"Thud!" Suddenly, the group knelt down, startling Rynar. He was about to urge them to rise when the man at the forefront spoke.
"By the Dragon God above! There are still armies and lords of the Empire in this world…
We thought all the lords had perished! After wandering for so long, we finally see the Zaltarion flag waving again…" the man choked out.
"…" Rynar reached out to help them up, feeling the weight of kingship resting heavily upon his shoulders for the first time.
"You are safe now! The Empire's armies will protect you! You… no longer have to be uprooted from your homes." A myriad of words condensed into a single sigh as Rynar patted their shoulders.
When Rynar looked back at the territory page, he noticed the population had increased from 0 to 7.
"Damn it! How long will it take to gather 5,000 civilians?" Rynar lamented helplessly.
"Alert!"
Suddenly, Reynard shouted, and everyone quickly dropped their wood and stone materials, racing up the walls.
The newly arrived refugees instinctively huddled by a broken wooden hut, trembling.
Rynar felt a pang of sympathy; how much suffering must they have endured to instinctively seek refuge in a corner?
"What's happening, Reynard?" Rynar leaped onto the stone wall to get a better view.
"A war mage is coming! I sense the magic of a fourth-tier mage!" Reynard's expression turned serious.
Although a war mage posed no threat to Reynard, the Paladin Commander, or Caslow, the Dragon Knight, the other soldiers would surely be powerless against the terrifying power of war magic.
"A war mage?" Rynar suddenly recalled the griffins and earth mage he had purchased.
"Don't get too excited; it might be one of our own. After all, more and more Zaltarion refugees are returning."
With that, Rynar pointed toward the newly arrived refugees to mask the fact that he had spent a fortune on a mage.
"You may be right, but we still need to be cautious. Riverguard is still very fragile; a high-tier spell could lead us to ruin." Reynard remained vigilant.
"Honorable King of Zaltarion! I am here to serve you!" A booming voice rang out as an elderly man dressed in earth-toned robes rode toward them on a thin horse.
Though he was still far off, his voice echoed clearly in everyone's ears.
"Oh! Your Majesty, your brilliance will shine eternally! The Zaltarion Empire will be restored under your leadership."
The old man approached the wall and bowed deeply toward Rynar.
"Welcome, Mage Radir Frostbane! May the glory of the Empire shine upon us!" Rynar responded with a smile, curiously observing him.
"Ha ha ha, Your Majesty, these griffin eggs shall serve as my gift for your arrival."
Radir chuckled as he pulled a bag from the satchel on his horse, its weight evident from the horse's reaction.
"Oh! There are five griffin eggs!" Caslow exclaimed, leaping down from the wall to inspect the precious eggs.
"Come, Mage Radir; let's arrange a place for you to stay. And, Caslow, I'll leave these eggs in your care." Rynar descended from the wall, pushing aside a gate made of branches to invite Radir inside.
"Hey? A Dragon Knight? Your Majesty, you have indeed received the favor of Zaltarion!" Radir expressed surprise at seeing a Dragon Knight from Zaltarion, offering his blessings to Rynar.
"Haha, you flatter me. This place still requires your expertise," Rynar praised, knowing every earth mage was a competent builder, capable of using magic to create engraved stone bricks for constructing cities.
"Alright, let's disperse, everyone. We need to clear this area as soon as possible. Also, arrange a safe and clean house for the newly arrived refugees to settle in." Rynar met the grateful gazes of the refugees.
"Thank you, my lord…" the refugees choked out, overwhelmed with emotion.
"It's nothing; tomorrow will surely be better…" Rynar said with a gentle smile, gazing out at the roaring River Running.