Three days passed since they had established their routine. Eldric, the group's leader, was proud of their progress. Every day, the group would do daily tasks, train and hunt, sharpening their skills and honing their instincts. The sun would rise and set, marking the passage of time, and with each passing day, the group was growing stronger.
Finally, after three days of hunting the familiar echo sounded again.
*Ding* Congratulations, House Snow, for welcoming two Tier 1 Man-at-arms to your ranks. Reward: two knight broadswords, horse stables, and six swaybacked horses.
Night fell and once more the Knighting ceremony was held. Eldric's heart pounded with thrill and excitement. "Well done, lads! Solen, Cael, you've been knighted!" Eldric announced, holding up the two broadswords and handing them to the new knights of House Snow.
That night, Eldric slept soundly, his dreams filled with visions of their bright future. The morning after the knighting of Solen and Cael was a memorable one. Eldric woke up with a sense of achievement and fulfillment. He had a new blueprint in his hands, another reward from the system.
As he unrolled the parchment, his eyes widened at the intricate design of horse stables. "Where would the horses come from?" Eldric mused when he heard a shout from outside.
Lachlan's shout broke through his thoughts. "Eldric, come quick! There're horses at the river!"
Eldric's heart raced as he followed the sound of Lachlan's voice. His eyes widened as he saw the majestic swaybacked horses, their coats shimmering in the morning light. He could hardly believe his luck. "They are extremely nice horses, even Father doesn't have such a fine horse," he muttered to himself.
The rest of the group gathered around, their eyes wide with awe and surprise. Each of them approached a horse, speaking gently, reaching out to touch their silky manes. To Eldric's surprise, the horses were unusually calm and seemed to accept their new masters without any protest.
"This is amazing, Eldric," Galen commented, patting his horse's flank gently. "But where do we keep them?"
Eldric grinned and held up the blueprint. "We've got that covered, Galen. I thought of everything."
Upon seeing the blueprint, the faces of his comrades lit up with excitement. They could already envision the horse stables standing tall and majestic in their midst. "Let's not waste any more time then," Solen declared, his voice echoing with determination.
The group's excitement was palpable. They dropped everything else and immediately set to work. The blueprint was detailed, showing how to construct a stable with compartments for each horse, a storage area for hay, and a small tack room. It was a big project, but they were determined to complete it.
Eldric coordinated the work, directing everyone according to the design detailed in the blueprint. They cut, shaped, and assembled the wood, following the blueprint faithfully. As the structure of the stables began to take shape, their excitement grew.
And just like that, Eldric and his house found themselves falling into a comfortable rhythm. The morning sun would find them tending to their daily tasks, their hands skillfully navigating through the familiar routines. Lachlan would take the lead in gathering fruits and vegetables. Galen, with his keen eyesight, would take charge of keeping the area secure, ensuring no intruders breached their territory.
The afternoons were reserved for hunting. They would traverse the outside, their eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of game. Their hunting trips were successful more often than not, thanks to the incredible speed and agility of their new newfound strength. The thrill of the chase, the intensity of the hunt, and the joy of bringing back food for their group was an exhilarating experience that they looked forward to every day.
Days passed by and they found their skills improving significantly. Their aim became sharper, their movements quicker, and their strategies more effective. They were no longer just surviving; they were thriving.
In the evenings, once the day's work was done, they would gather around a fire, roasting their catch and sharing stories. These were the moments Eldric cherished the most - the camaraderie, the shared laughter, and the sense of belonging that warmed him more than any fire could.
And every night, as the moon took its place in the star-studded sky, they would retire to their tents, their bodies exhausted but their spirits high. Each night was a testament to their hard work, a promise of another fruitful day.
Meanwhile, the horse stables were coming along nicely. Every day, a little more progress was made, a few more planks were added, and the structure became more and more stable. The horses, sensing their new home's approach, would often trot over, nudging the builders curiously with their soft muzzles.
As Eldric looked at the half-completed stables, his heart swelled with pride. They were not just building stables; they were building a future. Every nail driven, every plank laid, was a step closer to their dream. And with every passing day, House Snow was growing stronger, ready to face any challenge that lay ahead.
< Morning >
Eldric awoke in his humble abode getting up and making ready to start the days chores when the familiar sound echoed once more.
*Ding*
Congratulations for the House of Snow for having five Tier 1 Man-at-arms.
Reward: Main mission unlocked
It took Eldric a moment to gather himself as he almost jumped up in joy, the system sounded which meant the last and youngest of the group had finally advanced to Tier 1. Eldric then turned his attention to the system's reward only to be confused. Not understanding, he summoned his panel.
[Name: Eldric Balmore]
[Household Name: House Snow]
[Power: None (Core damaged)]
[Household Power: Beginner knight household]
[Army: 5 Man-at-arms (+)]
[Quests: Main Mission (+)]
Eldric saw the new feature and tapped the plus sign.
[Main Mission] For the House to become the strongest Knight Household it would need to have its own training ground and Headquarters.
1-Build a training ground (+)
2-Build the Knight Headquarters (+)
Reward: 10 Civilians, armor blueprint and blacksmith, +1 in personal strength.
When he saw the mission, he didn't think much of it as it would not be a very difficult problem to complete as they already had five men-at-arms. Just as he was going to look at the system's reward, he saw the + at the back and opened it.
His previously nonchalant attitude hardened as he saw that there were certain requirements to be met.
1-Build a training ground
- Must be at least 70 meters in length and 70m in width
- Must be tidy and have enough space to expand
- Must be able to handle fight shocks
2-Build a Headquarters
- Must be 150 to 200 meters (about 656.17 ft) in width and length as well as 3 meters tall.
- Must be abbe able to expand further when needed
- Must be on a defendable position
- Must be sturdy
He could not believe the requirements for these projects because the cavern would not even be able to handle the training ground, not to mention the house HQ. They would maybe be able to gather the resources, but to build it is another matter altogether. Even with their strength it would take about a month of hard work to complete and even then, it would not look the best.
He sighed and thought to himself that the rewards better be worth it. He closed the tab and he looked at what he could possibly get for such a project.
When he saw the rewards, he got excited, 10 civilians meant that there would be another 10 men-at-arms joining in the future and the armor blueprint would be much needed as they have nothing of the sorts to protect themselves. The blacksmith coming with is just an extra bonus. The personal strength increase left him dumbstruck and it took a few confused blinks before he started to imagine what it could mean.
Eldric was so excited about the fact that he could maybe, just possibly be able to regain his strength. He ran out of his house and immediately gathered the group. He discussed his plans and without any hesitation they started looking for a place to establish their HQ.
As they scoured the cavern, they realized that having it here is not possible and as such the whole group turned their heads to the cavern mouth. Galen then said" Well, looks like there is only one place to go then."