Over the next few weeks Azrael continued to build upon these spear movements, creating and entire training regime. A few weeks was not enough to turn anyone into warriors, but it would allow for the villagers to hunt and defend themselves. He had to give it to them though, they were tenacious. Rarely did anybody complain and never directly, just a few muttered grumblings.

Even when he added in a few other exercises to ‘build some personality’ these grumbles never became more than a low mutter. Each one of the six was dedicating themselves to improving their combat power. This meant that he could condense more training into less time.

One of his added exercises included getting the villagers to jog through the forest carrying their spears and a sack full of quarried stone bricks. The stone bricks themselves came a quarry he’d sanctioned downstream.

The training was not without greater purpose though. While in the forest he pointed out signs of animals, plants and other things. Even the bricks had a purpose beyond tormenting them. These were the bricks he was using to build his house.

Originally, he’d intended to use earth mana to create the bricks but had soon discovered that even creating three regular sized stone bricks drained him of most of his mana. It seemed that the laws of conservation still held some meaning in this world. This left him with more mundane options. Luckily, he had slave labo… willing workers. Luckily, he had free and willing workers to slog his building materials through the forest.

The way he saw it, it was an exchange. Every minute he spent training them was a minute he couldn’t work on his house. So, he used them. Of course, he phrased it differently. He told them that carrying rocks while running was for speed and endurance, cutting trees to make timber was for strength and precision. One of the only things he’d learned from politicians was, it was all about the wording. He also gained a few points in both strength and endurance while participating, so it wasn’t as if he was lying to them completely about the training part.

From there, most of his days took on a predictable routine. Wake up near dawn, eat bland food that was offered to him, then meet his troops at their training grounds and drill spear moves into them. Overtime he progressed from simple movements to sequences and finally mock battles with wooden poles. The training would typically end before lunch time, with a cross-country ‘jog’ carrying stone bricks to the building site.

After dropping off the stone bricks and dismissing the spear squad he spent the afternoons hunting (mostly deer, fish, or hare). He used the hunting time to get away from the village and villagers. Having people ready to jump at his every wish was almost as annoying as having to do it himself. Hunting was rather dull, but he relished the silence.

His evenings were spent working on his house, using the rocks that they had transported during the day. Many of the villagers came and pestered him into allowing them to help, despite his protests. While it meant more time that he had to endure being around people, it also meant that by the end of the third week since he began, he had most of the walls standing. By the end of the fourth he was finishing the roof and was adding in the final touches. Here Hugh offered his services and Azrael begrudgingly agreed. Someone needed to make the furniture and it wasn’t going to be him.

After living in an uncaring world, the sudden pushiness of the villagers to help was a shock. For a short while he unconsciously found himself being grateful for their help, until he realised that they were only doing this because they wanted his strength and protection, not because they considered him one of them. People sucked up to the powerful. It was a way of the world.

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Instead of pushing them away, he made use of them. If they were going to use him, then he would use them more. Everyday, along with a delivered lunch he had a few villagers come up to him, trying to suck up to him by spouting about his virtues, his graciousness and his strength. He put them to work. Afterall, actions spoke louder than words. Also, their words were annoying.

By the time Azrael finally moved out of Cairn’s house and into his own, the leaves of the forest were beginning to turn brown and the days began to grow shorter. A few early autumn showers swept over the land, making him feel like he had wasted time to explore more of the forest. Still, in a way, he felt that it had been time well spent. Other than managing to go for regular (if short) jogs in the real world he’d also made a lot of progress in game.

True, he hadn’t gained anymore levels, but in the last month his skills had skyrocketed. [Spear Arts], [Stealth] and all of his mana related skills had increased. Though he noticed that it was getting harder and harder to gain a new level for a skill. Either that was because he’d picked all the low fruit, or each increasing skill level required increasing experience. One morning late into the month of training he’d also gained a new title.

[Teacher]

A seed will always remember the tree that it came from.

All students under your care have increased skill acquisition, for the skill that you are teaching.

(Requirement: Be at least 5 levels higher in the skill being taught)

[Lord’s Domain] had also changed in the past weeks to reflect the status of the village. New Beginnings and Gratitude had worn off, instead being replaced by a new ‘buff’.

[Lord’s Domain]

The people are a lord’s power.

This skill provides you with a passive, low level awareness of your domain.

Current Additional benefits:

Respect: All decrees that you issue will yield greater results.

Combat Training: All citizens gain a boost in acquiring combat related classes and skills

Due to both the title and the skill, coupled with his morning training meant that all of his ‘students’ had gained the class [Spearman] and levelled it up. With that his deal with the chief was done. He’d trained the troops. He’d given them the chance to protect themselves and what came next was up to them. He needed them to level his [Lord] class, but if they were eager to die, then that was on them. They could protect themselves and they were no longer his problem. He was getting them out of his hair.

Upon moving into his new home, he’d cut off all contact to the village, commanding them that no one (he’d clearly emphasised that point) was to cross over to his side of the shore. He still intended to visit every now and then, when he went hunting, though not for want of contact.

During his stay in the village, he’d discovered that it was so much easier to leave the dissecting of the animals to the villagers. All he had to do was kill it and bring it to the villagers. They would then dissect it and it would be delivered ready cut to his door. Of course, he made sure that they kept some as payment. He didn’t want them thinking that he owed them for the service.

Well, he’d have to walk the distance there, now that he’d moved out, but it was a minor inconvenience.

Pushing open the door to his new home Azrael marvelled at the sight. He’d taken inspiration from more modern designs. While the walls were made of a light grey, almost white stone, the wooden floors polished up into an amber gold. He wasn’t sure how Hugh had managed to make them gleam like that, without sandpaper or oils, but he appreciated the perfectly polished finish. Was it a [Carpenter] class bonus?

He ran his hand appreciatively along the wooden kitchen benchtop that ran along the right side of the room, before crossing over to the left. Here a wooden table adjourned a shuttered window that looked out towards the lake. Further in, set in the eastern wall, another door led to a single small bedroom. It was idyllic. It was perfect. It was his.