Jeff sat in his room with the lights fairly dim as he looked over his notes and plans one more time. Half a dozen pitchers of wine sat nearby was a testament to how desperate he hoped his plans worked. Because the plan relied on something he did not have much faith in, others. With everything revealed outside of one’s imagination known to everybody, there was no other way he could make a plan to succeed other than to entrust other people with parts of the plan that he did not even know about. For his part of the plan was simple. Become strong enough and gather a following large enough to cut into the demon lands. Then all that was left is the gamble that was other people. With the two thousand extra gold crowns, his breathing room for mistakes had opened up considerably, but in truth, he knew even with that they would not be able to hold their ground for more than a year.

This is where his trust in others will come into play. In a manner of speaking, he held three cards. His ace being Amanda and her caravans. Then the middle card of Rachel, who he was not sure if she could build up a following for whatever religious path she would be walking. Then there is the complete wild card that would be aid from the dragonkin. It is not something he wishes to count on, nor call upon, but it was an option he had to admit to having.

And up against him is The Association. After losing their golden figurehead, there had been several subtle attempts of sabotage and forced recruitment. Luckily for everyone else not in the guild, however, they soon woke up to their strong arm tactics and kept their distance. They no longer truly worried Jeff now, but their mysterious backer sure did. The biggest thing was the oddly timed price increases the guild crafters needed to learn their trades.

Another potential rival he has to account for is the human princess, who had been mildly smitten with Lucas. Not in a fair maiden sense, but more as a political backer. And now she had her horse tied to the Association, she was not happy with their hit to reputation.

However, it was not all bad. He did get to meet the royals of other species for a time and made fast acquaintanceship with them as well. They will become important later when the town is built and trade between species is opened up.

Speaking of the town, Weston spoke to his father who agreed to the deal offered by the guild with a few amendments and negotiations on prices. Many of the guild will be leaving soon, after winter passes, to begin work on it. In addition, he himself will be leaving then as well to find a way to power level while Wit works on getting his mercenary company with actual mercenaries. Jeff had a few ideas for this as well, but wanted to recruit the types of individuals he had in mind personally.

With one final guzzle of his goblet, Jeff leaned back and found his seat gave way to his weight and he fell flat on his back. With a simple motion of his legs, he turned it into a roll that allowed him to land on his feet, but soon realized he was too drunk to do any more so he proceeded to fall face-first into his bed.

His maid constructs quickly stripped him and put him to bed while the boss looked at the scattered notes before writing a message and using Jeff’s stamp before handing it to one of the maids. Who did not question the action and went to take it to a scribe to distribute.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

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Jared Wainwright sat in his room as he plucked his guitar. All around him were various types of instruments and stands with sheet music on them. During his first otherworldly experience, he was an assassin, and he was quite good at it. He felt it quite ironic he only got to live in his old life once more for a few hours before the meteor struck. Unlike most of the others, he kept his full memory of both his previous worlds. Not only that but everything that he earned in his first isekai adventure. He and the other four hidden double reincarnators swore to themselves that this life was theirs and they were not going to be used again. Which is why Jared quickly picked up the secondary class of Bard when he discovered he retained his old class.

As he tuned the strings, a voice came from beside him of his elven wife from his first adventure, who had been trapped in the demi-plane connected to his soul with the others of her village he once saved long ago.

“ How strange this world is. The elves here are not immortal. It is quite fortunate for us however that you were brought here.”

Jared finished his tightening of strings and played what seemed to be a few random notes, but to the elf in his soul, she understood the words behind them clearly.

“ You saved my people with your pact. Already you have given us years we would not have had otherwise. A thousand and more in fact and now we are in a new land we might call home and not be looked upon as, what did you call it, Star Trek fandom?”

Jared plays a few more notes, some of them in clear annoyance, but most of them lovingly.

“ Yes, yes, of course. I merely tease my love. Still, that leaves the question, what will you do?”

Jared takes a deep breath and speaks out loud.

“ I wonder if that mercenary band of the cardmancer could use a bard?”

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Jeff’s basic stats at this point. + new unmentioned class skills (relevant to his cardmancer class)

Name: Jeffory Terner

Main Class: Cardmancer

Level: 5

Exp: 50%

Secondary Class: Noble (Lesser)

Level: 4

Exp: 07%

Secondary Class: General

Level: 3

Exp: 78%

Stats: S-8 E-8 D8 I-13 W-12 L-11

CP- 38

New class skills.

Squads- you can group cards into squads effectively reducing the cost to the commanding unit. Has many benefits and demerits. (general lvl 3)

Command Presence- your other command classes have increased cp bonuses. Does not effect itself. Improves with noble rank.(noble lvl 3)

Battlefield awareness- increase the awareness of yourself and those under your command. (Cardmancer lvl 3)

Notes from author

I hope this clears up a little confusion some of you might have had when I told how Jeff can field 200 units even though he is so low level. It is important to note, each squad is made up of lvl 1 privates with a more senior card leading them. This effectively made the squads cost from 5 to 1 cp per (with 2 being free for being under the direct command of his boss) with 4 privates + 1 SC, that is effectively 201 cards up at the same time. The rest of the missing 300 come from the clerical members and support from guild 88.

It is an unmentioned detail that I hinted at in previous chapters. First off with secondary classes and the fact that Jeff mentioned he was aiming for both general and noble secondary classes.