Chapter 13: Spoils of war, Maids?

With the battlefield now cleared of enemies, Liam surveyed the aftermath of the clash, his eyes lingering on the fallen beasts and monsters strewn across the forest floor. 

Turning his gaze towards his slimes, he issued his commands with a commanding tone.

"Bring back the corpses of these beasts and monsters to the castle,"

 Liam ordered, his voice carrying a note of authority.

 "Some of these beasts possessed values that can be extracted, such as meat and their skins and bones."

He paused momentarily, a calculating glint in his eyes as he added.

 "I doubt that there is anyone who wouldn't be interested in these spoils of war among the billions of people."

The slimes nodded in understanding, their forms shimmering with arcane energy as they set about their task with silent efficiency.

With a series of coordinated movements, they began to gather up the fallen creatures, their towering forms casting long shadows in the fading light of day.

As the slimes worked, Liam retracted his sight from the map, his attention turning to the notification panel again. 

With anticipation, he scrolled through the notifications, his heart quickening with delight as he took in the rewards of his hard-fought victory.

[Ding, congratulations to the host for eradicating a level 1 monster camp]

[Gaining 5000 experience points]

[Gaining 3 (1 hour) speed-up cards]

[One small resources chest]

A satisfied smile graced Liam's lips as he focused on the speed-up cards, his mind already turning to the ongoing construction projects within his domain. 

"The experience points are still a couple thousand away from the next level, so I will let them be for now. As for the resources chest, Let's save it for now and open it in batches shortly."

Opening up the building panel, he scanned through the list of structures currently under construction, his brow furrowing in concentration as he sought out the one most needed acceleration.

Ah, there it was— stable, and alliances are currently being built. 

[Under Construction]

1. Stable level 1[Timer]: 1 hour 34 minutes left.

2. Alliance hall level 1[Timer]: 3 hours 34minutes.

With a mental calculation, Liam estimated the remaining time until completion and the impact of using the speed-up cards.

"It's been about 5 hours since the construction began."

"The stable doesn't need the speed-up cards as the time's left is just one more hour to be completed." 

"I should use these speed-up cards for the alliance hall instead."

 Liam murmured, his thoughts racing as he weighed the options.

 "With three speed-up cards, I should be able to shave off a significant amount of time for the alliance hall." 

Liam smiled at this thought, overlooking the panel again as he activated the speed-up cards with a decisive nod, his fingers flying across the interface with practiced precision. 

In an instant, the progress bar for the alliance hall surged forward, the construction site coming alive with renewed activity as the pulsating cocoon became brighter. 

As the timer steadily ticked, Liam watched with satisfaction as the completion date drew closer. 

With each passing moment, the buildings grew closer to completion, their walls rising higher and their foundations growing stronger under the relentless assault of the imaginary workers' hammers and saws.

And then, finally, with a triumphant flourish, the construction was complete. 

The stable and the alliance hall stood tall before Liam within the map feature. He pridefully surveyed the finished structure, knowing it would be a vital asset in the coming days.

With these buildings now complete, Liam turned his attention to the other ongoing projects within his domain, his mind already racing with plans for the future.

"Next and also the last one, the blacksmith."

Liam dragged his gaze across the building panel and finally fell at the bottom of it. There was the last building that needed to be built before he went to sleep for the night. 

Selecting the blacksmith, Liam opened the map feature and positioned it slightly further away from the castle, close to the residential area, then positioned it in the center of the two. 

Placing it down, Liam then set his gaze towards its timer.

"Another 8-hour building. By tomorrow morning, it should be completed."

After several more orders to the slimes, Liam called Rudolf in for his report, as he had already been anxiously waiting at the throne room's entrance for quite some time. 

"I am sorry to disturb you, my Lord," 

Rudolf began, his demeanor is respectful as always.

Liam waved off the apology, signaling Rudolf to continue his report.

"We have successfully settled the people into their respective houses, my Lord,"

 Rudolf reported, his voice steady and confident.

 "And I've assigned them various tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the settlement."

Liam's curiosity was piqued.

 "What tasks have you assigned them?" 

He inquired, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion.

Rudolf's expression softened as he explained.

 "The tasks include farming, tree-cutting, and stone-mining, among others. Each person's role was determined based on their skills and abilities."

Liam nodded in understanding, but a puzzled expression remained on his face. 

"Where did they get the tools to carry out these tasks?" 

He asked, voicing his confusion.

Rudolf hesitated momentarily before replying. 

"The Lord had instructed me to consult any concerns to one of the Lord's knights. Upon hearing my request, the knights used their magic to create several batches of dark axes, pickaxes, and other tools made from a strange substance..."

Liam listened intently, his confusion gradually giving way to comprehension. 

"I see," 

He said, nodding thoughtfully. 

"That explains it."

He paused momentarily, processing the information before continuing.

"You have done well, Rudolf. Your initiative and resourcefulness are commendable."

Rudolf's chest swelled with pride at the praise from his Lord. 

"Thank you, my Lord."

 He replied, his voice filled with gratitude. 

"It is an honor to serve you and our people."

Rudolf took his leave, leaving Liam to contemplate the newfound knowledge.

"It seems the slime troops are now evolving into all-rounders, given their current capabilities. "

"And with the people's help, I can relinquish the resources-gathering task from the slime knight duty. It is unbefitting for them to do such tasks from now on. Let's leave it to the people unless they ask for help."

After handling all of the affairs today, Liam felt quite mentally tired. 

As the weight of exhaustion settled upon his shoulders, Liam slowly made his way out of the grand throne room. Just as he reached the threshold, a chorus of voices called out to him from the side, breaking through the silence.

Turning, Liam was greeted by a group of young girls, their faces adorned with a gentle blush as they awaited his attention. 

Dressed in simple white robes, they stood before him with eager anticipation, their eyes bright with hope.

"Lord Liam, we've been assigned as your maids by Sir Rudolf."

 One of them spoke up, her voice trembling with excitement. 

"We're here to serve you in any way we can."

Liam studied them momentarily, noting their youthful enthusiasm and genuine desire to help.

 Despite his weariness, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth at their earnestness. He also noticed a tinge of different anticipation from them, though he won't be meddling with love with his current situation. He's tired for the night.

"Thank you for your willingness to serve."

Liam replied with a weary smile. 

"You may begin your duties."

The girls nodded eagerly, their faces lighting up joyfully at his acceptance. 

They wasted no time setting about their tasks, their movements swift and purposeful as they attended to his needs.

Their cheerful chatter filled the air as they worked, a welcome distraction from the weight of Liam's responsibilities.

 He listened idly, his mind drifting as he contemplated the challenges ahead.

Before they departed for the night, Liam called one of the maids aside, his expression serious as he imparted his instructions.

"If a knight brings a woman captive soon, I want you to inform the knight to safeguard that woman for the night."

 Liam said his tone firm. 

The maid nodded solemnly, her eyes wide with surprise at the unexpected task. 

"Yes, my Lord"

 She replied.

With that, the maids bid him goodnight and made their way out of the room, leaving Liam alone with his thoughts. Gradually, he fell to sleep.