Chapter 14: Sweeping Changes to the Lord’s Hall!
After Kaiden had calmed down a little, he drew out the voucher he had gained, and it appeared in his palm as a green card the size of the playing cards common in his previous world — engraved with beautiful patterns that emitted a faint white glow.
This was the first time Kaiden had acquired anything of this sort, so he opened its information interface with curiosity:
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Name: Land Improvement Voucher (200 meters)
Rarity: Rare
Description:
A magical voucher that grants you the ability to reshape the land within your territory. Upon activation, you may select an area of up to 200 square meters to instantly transform into high-quality fertile soil. Even the most barren of lands will be brought to life, made suitable for cultivating various Common-tier crops with stable growth rates and improved yields.
Note: The voucher has no improvement effect on rare plants or crops with special requirements.
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"Haha~ I really will become the Lord of the Fertile Lands, just as my name declares! Fate truly is a strange thing!" Kaiden murmured happily. He had chosen his territory's name out of frustration at being placed in a barren wasteland. Who could have imagined that just two days later, he would find a way to change the reality of his land?
Though he had yet to find seeds to plant, he believed that wouldn't take long.
Kaiden returned the voucher to his inventory and chose not to activate it now — for the time being, he still didn't have a particularly large plot of land.
With that thought about space in mind, it was time to upgrade his Crown. All the conditions for upgrading the Lord's Crown had already been met — only one requirement remained: upgrading the Lord's Hall to Level Six.
The Lord's Hall was currently at Level Four, and upgrading it required:
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- Wood × 240 units
- Stone × 160 units
- Iron × 10 units
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He had more than enough resources, so Kaiden stepped outside the Lord's Hall and selected the upgrade without hesitation. The familiar white light appeared and enveloped the entire hall, then receded swiftly to reveal the new structure. It had grown larger and grander, and its door had become fashioned entirely from iron.
Kaiden didn't choose to enter yet. Instead, he immediately checked the requirements for upgrading the Lord's Hall to Level Six:
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- Wood × 300 units
- Stone × 300 units
- Iron × 40 units
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Kaiden noted that the requirements had shifted from before. The demand for wood had decreased slightly, while the required amounts of stone and iron had increased. He filed the observation away and looked over the resources he had. He still had 80 units of iron, and his wood and stone were just barely sufficient. In any case, iron was the most important consideration. As for stone and wood — even if they fell short, he could purchase them from the World Market whenever he wished.
With that reasoning, Kaiden didn't hesitate to select the upgrade once more… but this time, the change was anything but ordinary.
The white light surged with tremendous force — and rather than spreading horizontally as it had before, it shot upward with fierce momentum. The light gradually receded, unveiling a scene utterly unlike anything before it.
An additional floor materialized from nothing, as though some hidden force had rewritten the very structure of the building from scratch. It was no longer a simple hall — it had transformed into an imposing edifice that wove sturdy timber and solid stone together in a harmony that spoke of strength and stability, with a touch of inspired craftsmanship.
Four arched balconies rose along the facade — two per floor — lending the hall a noble character befitting the dignity of a Lord. As for the main door, it had become a massive iron gate, traced with faint engravings that conveyed a quiet authority.
"Damn! I love this magical world!" A wave of overwhelming enthusiasm swept through Kaiden. He was now the owner of a two-story villa — something he had never been able to achieve even in his dreams back in his previous world.
Taking advantage of the golden light of dusk, Kaiden pushed open the iron door and stepped into the hall.
The new interior nearly made his jaw drop. He had grown accustomed to changes with each upgrade — but not to this degree.
His private chamber on the ground floor had vanished entirely, replaced by a vast open expanse that filled anyone who entered with a sense of the place's grandeur and majesty. An elegant wooden staircase in the corner led up to the second floor.
But what truly seized his attention first was an enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling, casting a soft fluorescent glow from an unknown power source, filling the hall with warm, even light. Along the walls, carefully designed sconces had been installed — adding a touch of order and elegance that made the place feel less like a mere residence and more like a true seat of governance.
The simple wooden table had disappeared without a trace, replaced by a rectangular table of polished white stone, finished with extraordinary care. Around it stood several finely crafted wooden chairs, with a large, supremely grand and distinguished chair reserved for him at the center.
And behind that chair, mounted on the wall, was a large painting…
But what truly astonished him wasn't its size — it was what it depicted.
Painted within it was a handsome young man with black hair and eyes as deep as a starless night, dressed in a splendid noble robe, crowned with a gold diadem set with jewels that added to his commanding presence. The young man sat upon a magnificent throne, one leg crossed over the other, his hand resting against his jaw, a faint and deliberate smile playing at his lips — carrying within it an air of mystery that only deepened the figure's charisma.
The painting was, in fact, a portrait of him. Though the young man depicted looked slightly more handsome and possessed rather more charisma and gravitas, the facial features, the eyes, and the hair color were entirely his own.
It was rather like someone touching up a photograph with artificial intelligence, or applying a filter — things people did back in his old world.
Kaiden admired the painting for ten minutes or thereabouts, privately resolving that he would one day wear a robe just as fine as the one depicted. Then, with some difficulty, he tore himself away from the painting and climbed the stairs to the second floor to see what had changed there as well.
Compared to the ground floor, the second floor felt far more familiar. It was his chamber — but it had now expanded to the size of a full apartment. Every piece of furniture had undergone a remarkable improvement: the bed was larger and more luxurious, accompanied by a small painting depicting a prosperous territory that bore an uncanny resemblance to his own. A comfortable sofa had been added, and the old oil lantern had given way to a magical lamp emitting a soft fluorescent glow that was gentle on the eyes. A short cord hung nearby — a single pull would turn it off or on.
As for the bookcase, it had grown larger and wider, and three small books now occupied one of its shelves. Upon seeing them, Kaiden felt an overwhelming surge of curiosity fill his chest. He reached out and pulled one down to examine its cover. It was written in English — his mother tongue — and bore the title: "Principles of Territorial Sovereignty."
Kaiden opened the first few pages and quickly realized he was holding a treasure in his hands. True to its title, the book explained the principles of governance and numerous common methods for improving administration. In short, it was an invaluable guide for Lords who had been abruptly pulled into this world with no prior knowledge — one that set back on the right path anyone who had gone astray. Kaiden flipped through several pages, his mind drifting, then turned his eager gaze toward the two remaining books.
The second bore the title: "Tactical Combat Guide for Emerging Lords." The book explained in precise detail how to form mixed combat teams of militia and elite soldiers, how to raise their combat effectiveness, as well as tactics for launching offensives, estimating the timing and logistical supplies required for campaigns, and much else besides. In some of its passages, Kaiden found answers to questions that had been weighing on him for some time.
He then moved to the third book, which carried the title: "Atlas of Common Regional Monsters." It was a reference atlas recording illustrations and names of the monsters found in his region — their habits, their methods of attack, their key weaknesses, and so forth.
He recognized illustrations and names of familiar monsters: lizards, eagles, snakes, and wolves — all creatures he had faced before.
Taken together, the three books were extraordinarily useful. From the few pages he had read, Kaiden felt his mind expand, and his understanding of this world leap forward by several degrees.
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— End of Chapter Fourteen —