Grace

Damian closely examined the first city template that appeared.

Village Marketplace (Level 1): Increases the total number of maintenance-free troops by 1, adds 2 gold to monthly taxes, and allows recruitment of City Militia.

Very unique attributes indeed.

The Village Marketplace offers a slot for one maintenance-free troop, meaning troops stationed there wouldn't require a monthly salary. Additionally, it provides a monthly income of 2 gold, though Damian observed that this amount was not fixed but rather influenced by the number of citizens and economic buildings.

Lord's Hall (Level 1): +1 morale for defending armies, +2 law and order, allows issuance of municipal policies.

The Lord's Hall grants morale bonuses during city defense and increases the general level of security in peacetime.

Market (Level 1): Increases trade income, allows recruitment of common officials: Merchant.

The Market, as expected, serves for trading purposes. As for the common Merchant official, Damian found it somewhat redundant, as they were mere merchants requiring a monthly salary.

Wooden Wall (Level 1): Provides a city wall, adds 1 unit of City Militia to the garrison.

This structure was quite useful, as it could muster citizens into City Militia during wartime, especially with its provision of a city wall, which effectively deterred immediate conquest.

With the system-acknowledged city and its four buildings, the environment underwent peculiar changes.

The city became more prosperous overall, with additional streets and dirt roads; the wooden walls were reinforced, leaving traces of lime between the wood and stone foundations; the Market gained notice boards and tax collection points; the Lord's Hall displayed Damian's banner, along with an angelic flag with red and black stripes.

These were subtle alterations that most people wouldn't easily notice without careful attention. However, they were crucial infrastructures that contributed to a more comfortable living environment.

Damian glanced at the newly added troop type.

Basic Troop: City Militia (Base strength of 40, 1 gold monthly salary. Equipped with short spears and shields, they would dedicate themselves to defending their homeland, but don't expect them to engage in distant campaigns.)

Well, these troops were usable only for city defense and were otherwise ineffective.

It seemed that a complete barracks complex was necessary to create genuine combat units.

Though Damian hadn't gained any direct income from this market, he had laid the foundation for success.

The surrounding farmers now knew of the Free City, and more merchants eagerly inquired about the next market day. Upon learning that Damian didn't impose heavy taxes, they eagerly pledged to reserve long-term stalls.

Everything was progressing in the right direction.

After the market closed, while Damian patrolled the city, a woman suddenly appeared.

"Well done, Damian!"

She patted his shoulder, her kittenish face beaming with a smile, as if she were an old friend.

In that instant, Damian recalled who she was.

Grace Sant, from a merchant family in Friesland, a region in the Netherlands, was also part of a relatively affluent free household there.

A decade ago, when the Principality of Friesland was embroiled in internal turmoil, Grace's family fled south along the Rhine River, settling in Bovendon for a long time before returning home after the unrest subsided. Over the years, Damian and Grace had maintained a yearly exchange of gifts and letters.

This was Grace Sant's identity as displayed by the system.

Despite this, the memories were genuine and reliable, leading Damian to naturally regard Grace as his childhood companion.

"Grace? You... something happened in Friesland?" Delighted yet concerned, Damian asked.

In these times, even merchants were reluctant to move. If Grace had come south, it means...

"Friesland has been plagued by an epidemic these past two years. My... my parents passed away, and our hometown is deserted. I was studying in a convent in the city, so I managed to escape unscathed. But..."

Grace smiled brightly, but tears of sorrow streaming down her face. "I spent all my travel money to find you here in Gottingen County. Then I heard... you're very close to a female knight, but I believe my business skills are stronger than hers. If... if you think I'm of no use to you, I'll just head back."

Grace turned around and started walking away with long strides, her gray-blue dress swaying, revealing her slender legs. The patches on her clothes and skirt seemed to confirm that she had indeed spent all her money.

Damian knew she had heard about his relationship with Joan, for he had given up an estate for her sake. However, Grace misunderstood. While he did have feelings for the Countess, his relationship with Joan was purely friends.

"Don't say such foolish things," Damian said, pulling Grace back.

"Consider this your second home," he offered.

Friesland and Lorraine, where Damian lived, both lay along the Rhine River, and their languages, the Middle Low German, were quite similar, so communication wouldn't be a problem.

[Elite Official: 'Trade Master' Grace, a penniless heiress from a merchant family, skilled in discovering and optimizing various goods. Can investigate the region's commercial specialties, shorten construction times for commercial buildings, and expedite preparations for the next market.]

In short, with Grace around, he wouldn't need to worry much about commerce.

As he thought this, Damian took Grace on a walk through the city, sharing his urban planning ideas by the sea, finding many shared sentiments.

In present-day Friesland, due to its coastal location near the English Channel, trade had flourished rapidly, giving rise to early forms of free trading cities.

However, their conversation was cut short when a messenger from Connersa summoned Damian.

Something significant had occurred!

Gothingen Castle, Countess's bedroom.

Velvet from Paris adorned the entire room, Persian carpets and Greek silk decorated the floor and the large bed, while various meticulously carved furniture came from the skilled craftsmen of Lozarengia's capital.

The voluptuous Countess stood almost naked in the room, berating her brother.

Having just finished bathing, the Countess hadn't even had time to care for her fair skin when she received the intelligence: right next to Gothingen, Conosa's brother Harlow shamelessly declared that Gothingen had plunged into chaos and he intended to send troops to rescue his sister from peril!

What a joke!

With Damian's assistance, she had already restored the security of her domain.

Such arrogant declaration of war clearly indicated sinister intentions toward her territory!

Knight Joan furrowed her brow, "My Lady, our knight order has suffered severe losses and hasn't fully recovered. How should we face Harlow's army?"

Hearing this, the Countess's bosom heaved like a turbulent sea in anger, gritting her teeth, "Where is Damian!?"

Unconsciously, the Countess had completely relied on Damian.

At that moment, a maid opened the room door, revealing Damian standing at the doorway, giving the freshly bathed Countess a clean view. The Countess, upon seeing him, was struck dumbfounded.

Next, Damian places his hands below his abdomen, as if shielding something fierce that lurks beneath.