[Evolution Requirements]

Town => Castle Town

- Build a Castle -

- Construct walls to separate and encompass the separate areas of your town -

- Construct a Gaol and evolve 3 cruel minions to Jailer -

- Reach more than 1000 minions (842/1000) -

- Build 1 Gentlewhomen’s Club and evolve 20 lazy unproductive minions to Aristocracy -

- Evolve the most ambitious offspring of two Aristocracy minions to Lord -

- Evolve 20 Guard minions to Cavalry Men -

- Evolve 12 Archer minions to Sharpshooters -

- Build 1 Marketplace, evolve 3 Merchants to Wandering Traders, and evolve 3 cart-driving minions to Caravaneers -

- Establish permanent trade and supply routes -

- Build 1 Branch Office of the Adventurers’ Guild and evolve a Mayor minion to Guild Master -

- Evolve 5 Brave Minions to Adventurers and give them names -

I looked at the Aristocracy offspring after it had been evolved into a Lord. Imu looked a bit harder than I did, visibly shaken by the appearance he had taken.

“10 points for the actual, proper clothes,” he started, but then spun around to where I hovered and launched a chubby index finger at the new Lord behind him, “but look at him! Look at his species! What the heaven?!”

“He seems normal.”

“NORMAL!? Look at his blessed skin and features, you feeble moron!”

Now that I inspected him a bit closer, it was clear that he was different from my other minions. After all, his bulbous eyes were even bigger and his lips were even thicker and more luscious, plus his tongue was quite long, which he seemed to enjoy pointing out by swinging it through the air like some kind of weapon. But what really set him apart was the fact that his skin was covered in rounded scales, had become brownish-green, and wore a constantly wet sheen. Also, he had no ears anymore, just two small holes.

To figure out exactly what Imu was talking about, I used my Appraisal

Name: Toadskandarr

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Occupation: Lord of Town Toad

Species: Toadkin

Level: 50/250

Alignment: Prideful-and-Haughty

Faction: Toad Town Dynasty

I wasn’t sure how, but he had managed to give himself a name, or maybe the System had decided on it, though it hadn’t done so with any other minion before. What also caught my eye was that rather than being of the Toad Town faction, he was part of a dynasty now, just like what Toadicus had had in the pond, before the Honking Calamity took over and killed all his offspring and sister-cousin-wives. Also, given that his maximum level was two-hundred-and-fifty, he might actually be able to fight the Goose3 and take vengeance for Toads all across the forest.

I had just picked up on the unique species, when—

Congratulations! For somehow unlocking a new species called ‘Toadkin’, you have gained the [Superior Toad Genes] perk!

[Superior Toad Genes] – Henceforth, every offspring born within your demesne will manifest traits of the Toadkin species. If two such offspring breed, their offspring will become a Toadkin.

System came running, and though Imu tried to quickly hide, she picked him up and put him on her shoulder, before running around in circles with her arms out, making a strange sound with her mouth like brrrrrrbrrrrbrrrrrbrrrr!

The Lord sighed, then said, “Where’s my kwastle?”

System immediately stopped and Imu who was holding on to her featureless head for dear life also froze, then they turned to look at the Lord.

“He can speak,” Imu muttered.

“The Aristocrats could speak after their evolutions too,” I reminded him.

“What do you think I am?” the Lord replied. “Clearly I’m a superior species, you fat little ball of flesh.”

Imu narrowed his eyes, still sitting on System’s shoulders. “Say carrot.”

“Kwarrot,” the Lord replied.

The Myling grinned sadistically. “Who’s the superior species now?” Imu taunted him. “You speech-impeded pretender! You’re a minion, behave like one!”

“Imu, you’re being really mean,” I told him.

“You clearly just like him because he’s some misbegotten abomination that bears a passing resemblance to your former self. Yesterday you executed someone in public for being ugly! Don’t fucking start with me, Toady!”

Toadskandarr adjusted the collar of his fancy brown cashmere suit, then shook his head sadly, before demanding, “I want my kwastle finished as soon as possible.”

“Yessir!” I obliged and immediately sent all my Builders to obey his command.

“Oi, Toady… why are you listening to your minion?”

“You don’t get it Imu!”

After a mad two days of pushing my Builders to the limit, and then beyond, using newly-assigned Slavers equipped with Slaver Whips, my Castle finally stood finished. But instead of letting the Builders rest on their laurels, I immediately put them to work on the quadrant-dividing walls, which were still only twenty percent of the way complete.

“Make sure you keep an eye on the Defiance levels of your Builders,” Imu advised me.

We were inside the giant castle, watching all the newly-assigned maids and servants tend to Lord Toadskandarr and the assembled honest of sycophantic Aristocrats, who all bemoaned their lack of having manifested any traits of the new Toadkin species.

“What are they going to do?” I asked him. “Revolt?”

“Erm… yes. That’s exactly what they’ll do.”

As Goldie hopped out through the door leading to the massive castle gardens, carrying Imu on her back, I floated along behind them.

Thanks to Imu’s design, my large tree stood in the centre of the park-like garden and my childhood pond lay under its massive shadow-casting canopy. The roots of the tree burrowed deep into the ground and down through several levels of the castle, such that the Toadcaller’s lodge, which lay beyond outer walls of the castle, still nestled amongst its roots.

“I like the design,” I told him. “You did well.”

“Don’t patronise me. I know I did well. But, thank you.”

“Did you notice that we finished the final house to reach the minion cap of 1000?” I asked him.

“I did,” he confirmed.

“I placed another house, but, even though it increased the maximum number of minions, it didn’t change the demesne size,” I complained. “Why can’t we get bigger!?”

Imu sighed. “I probably should have told you about this, but, the size we have now, that is roughly 300 metres in radius out from your tree, is the largest we can naturally grow.”

“Oh no!”

“I wasn’t finished.”

“Oh.”

“Once you evolve again, we’ll have to _____________ in order to expand your demesne.”

“Did you just get censored?”

“…Yes. Blessed System is actively undermining any attempt at planning ahead.”

“Can you tell me when I evolve?”

“Sure, but by then it will be too late.”

“What should I do then?” I asked, very confused.

“Focus on evolving an army,” he told me. “We have loads of unassigned idle minions that are waiting for a purpose. Let’s give them one and also be proactive about what’s coming, because once _______ happens, then all the ________ will _______ you.”

“You just got censored again,” I told him.

“I know, you doofus! Read between the lines maybe!”

“Okay!”

Imu sighed. I could tell he had lost faith in me. Or maybe he had never had any in the first place?

“I’ll start by evolving my Guards and Archers.”

“Attaboy, Toady.”