Chapter 55: The End of Day Five — At Last!
"Crown Fragment Absorption… and Victory Options?"
While waiting for his forces to reach the courtyard, Kaiden opened the description of the first new feature.
Crown Fragment Absorption
Description: This feature allows the Lord's Crown to absorb Crown Fragments from defeated Lords.
How to Use: Take the Crown Fragment out of storage and open the Lord's Crown board — the Absorption option will appear.
Note: This feature is required for upgrading the territory's Crown.
He had caught a glimpse of a notification about acquiring a Crown Fragment after killing the enemy Lord, but hadn't had the time to pay it any attention at the moment. Now he took the fragment out of his storage from among the enormous haul of spoils he had accumulated over this long day.
A small piece of a shattered Black Iron Crown materialized in his hand. Despite its condition, it still retained a faint trace of the dignity and gravitas that distinguished a Lord's Crown — as though it carried remnants of the authority that had once belonged to its previous owner.
Name: Lord's Crown Fragment (Black Iron)
Type: Special Materials
Description: Just as Origin Points are classified as special materials, Crown Fragments fall under the same category. Obtained exclusively by defeating other Lords as determined by the system. Used to upgrade the Lord's Crown, and also serve as hard currency in exchanges between Lords.
Note: Regardless of which victory option you choose, you will receive a Crown Fragment based on the defeated enemy Lord's Crown tier.
Note 2: Please upgrade the Lord's Crown to unlock additional functions for Crown Fragments.
Kaiden grasped the function of Crown Fragments quickly.
In short, they were a special material similar to Origin Points — but incomparably more valuable. In truth, he didn't believe even 1,000 Origin Points would be sufficient to equal the value of a single Black Iron-tier Crown Fragment.
Which was precisely why the system had described them as hard currency.
"But… what could possibly be valuable enough to trade between Lords in exchange for Crown Fragments?"
He murmured that and stared at the black piece between his fingers.
He had already read through all the new upgrade requirements — they were demanding, but the harshest of all was the Crown Fragments requirement.
He needed ten Black Iron-tier fragments, while he possessed only one — obtained after a fierce battle. And worse, he understood clearly that he had been fortunate this time. He had managed to catch the enemy Lord off guard outside his territory. In the future, things would not come so easily.
Kaiden was no naive man. He knew Lords would not simply rush outside for a fair fight.
They would shelter behind their walls, their forces, and their defensive structures — and the attacking Lord's forces would have to breach every one of those layers before reaching the true target.
That was why he couldn't stop himself from wondering about what things might equal the value of Crown Fragments.
But thinking about it now would yield no answers.
He would discover that when the time came.
So he closed the description and moved on to the second new feature.
Victory Options
Description: Upon defeating another Lord, you may choose one of the following three options: Destruction, Enslavement, Occupation.
Destruction:
Complete destruction of the enemy territory along with its residents.
Option Reward: War Spoils Chest.
Enslavement:
Complete destruction of the enemy territory, excluding its residents — who will become slaves to the victorious Lord and receive the Slave Brand, preventing them from betraying their master.
Option Reward: Residents ready for service.
Occupation:
Occupy the enemy's lands as they stand. You will also acquire the negative territory talent effect of the defeated Lord's territory talent, in addition to a fixed number of residents appearing daily inside the occupied zone. A subordination system favorable to the victorious Lord will be established, with a slim probability of betrayal.
Option Reward: Population surplus, subsidiary city.
Note: In all three cases, the defeated Lord — should they remain alive — loses their right to possess the Lord's Crown power, system boards, and all other system privileges.
Kaiden rubbed his temple as he reviewed the three options with careful thought.
Each had its clear advantages.
Although he hadn't opened the War Spoils Chest yet, he doubted its rewards would be meager — if the system placed it as a standalone option alongside the others.
As for Enslavement, it was straightforward enough. He would simply gain a ready supply of manpower for work and service without fear of betrayal — a very enticing option.
Occupation, on the other hand, appeared considerably more complex.
It didn't merely grant him residents — it granted him an entire territory with its buildings, lands, and defenses. True, the occupied zone would lose the Lord's Crown and system boards like the other options, but obtaining a subsidiary city that produced residents daily and retained the characteristics of the previous Lord's territory talent was a massive strategic gain.
Even so, it was not an option without risks.
Betrayal was still possible.
Which meant controlling occupied territory would require careful management and sufficient force to impose order.
"This world won't let anyone farm in peace, will it?"
Kaiden let out a quiet sigh as he closed the interface.
After reading through all the information, the picture had become clear — Crown Fragments were indispensable for advancement.
And the victory options were enticing enough to push any Lord toward conquest.
A Lord who did not pursue conquest…
Would end up the target of someone else's.
It was that simple.
---
Kaiden waited a while until everyone had arrived in the courtyard before the fortified Lord's Palace.
He first sent one of the soldiers ahead to inform Casper to lift the emergency status inside the territory, then turned to face his forces.
The signs of exhaustion were evident on everyone.
Tired faces.
Half-shattered armor.
And bodies still bearing the marks of the battle that had ended only a short time ago.
"Today we faced one of the greatest challenges since this territory was founded — and we emerged from it victorious."
He let his gaze travel across the soldiers for a moment before continuing.
"Every one of you fought with great valor and courage. I am proud of each and every one of you."
He paused briefly and chose to keep what followed short — everyone was exhausted, himself included.
"Tomorrow we will hold a proper burial and farewell ceremony befitting the sacrifices of the comrades who fell today. For now — go get a proper meal, then rest. You have earned it."
---
As for Ibla, she received different orders.
From now on, I want you to continuously monitor the ground below. If you detect any suspicious movement, report it to me immediately.
Understood, master!
The response came in her sweet voice that was entirely at odds with her enormous monstrous body — then she disappeared swiftly into the earth and returned to her natural environment, where she felt far more comfortable than on the surface.
As for Piedra — in truth, Kaiden didn't know exactly where she was at this moment. After her injuries he had allowed her to withdraw and recover, then the successive events that followed had consumed him and he hadn't had the opportunity to look for her again. In any case, he could check on her tomorrow.
With that thought, he finally entered the Lord's Palace.
The first thing to greet him was the new main hall. His steps slowed for a moment as he took in the scene before him. The place had grown more magnificent and spacious than ever — the glowing chandeliers suspended from the ceiling cast warm light across polished stone walls, while elegant candelabras spread throughout the hall conveyed a clear sense of wealth and authority. At the center rested a massive white marble table with a polished surface that reflected the light like a pristine mirror.
Even the main painting hanging behind the table had not escaped the changes. It had grown larger and more impressive, depicting him with an air of greater dignity, confidence, and elegance — as though the painter had attempted to capture the ideal image of himself in this world.
Unfortunately, Kaiden was in no mood to stand before it for long and admire himself. After a quick glance at the changes that had come to the ground floor, he headed directly for the staircase and climbed to the second floor.
As he had expected, his old apartment had vanished entirely. His private quarters had been moved to the third floor, while its place had been taken by six spacious meeting rooms — three on each side, separated by an elegant marble corridor. When his eyes landed on them, he felt for a moment as though he had returned to one of the modern government buildings from his previous world.
In any case, that was not a bad thing. With the territory's growing area, its expanding population, and the increasingly complex administrative affairs, it was only natural that he would need such facilities. Sooner or later, these rooms would be filled with administrative officials overseeing the territory's various sectors — from agriculture and construction to trade and security.
He continued climbing until he reached the third floor. Unlike the other floors, it was clear this one had been set aside entirely for the Lord alone — and the magnitude of the changes that had come to it was such that Kaiden barely recognized it.
The first thing that caught his eye was the new bedroom. It was no longer a simple multi-purpose room as it had been before — it had become a spacious, independent suite. A massive bed occupied the center of the room, surrounded by smooth silk covers and curtains hanging from all sides, with a luxurious chandelier overhead that illuminated the entire space — complete with a dedicated switch for turning it on and off — while a smaller lamp stood at the bedside.
The library had nearly doubled in size and was filled with additional shelves bearing dozens of new books. The wardrobe had also expanded considerably, now housing dozens of elegant outfits along with diverse undergarments and finely designed shoes.
Kaiden selected a light silk sleeping robe from the wardrobe, then made his way to the bathroom — which had grown to the size of an independent room on its own. There was also a separate living room distinct from the bedroom, but he had no desire to explore it now.
All he wanted in this moment was a bath.
---
After a long, refreshing bath, he felt the weight of the day lighten somewhat from his shoulders. A short while later, Chef Sidra brought his meal personally. And despite his less-than-ideal mood, the delicious food — rich with fresh vegetables — managed to lift it slightly.
The hour had grown late, so he decided to postpone everything until tomorrow. Everything that had happened today could wait a few more hours. In his current state, he didn't possess the mental energy to deal with any of it.
With that thought, he switched off the lights and lay down on his grand bed.
And only moments passed before he sank into deep sleep like a dead weight — testament to the sheer exhaustion he had endured throughout this long, long day.
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— End of Chapter Fifty-Five —