Chapter 50: Awakening of Redoak Vale
Early morning light filtered through the dense woodland beside the castle.
A lone figure moved fluidly between the trees.
Whoosh!
Shadows streaked from Xander’s hands.
Thud!
Most struck near the center of the marked circles carved into the ancient trunks, though a few landed on the edges.
Xander paused after emptying one full set of darts and carefully reviewed his combat logs.
Even though darts are the simplest hidden weapon to pick up, my accuracy is still lacking.
Accuracy has some ties to strength. My dexterity is solid, but I rarely trained with ranged options in the past. Hidden weapons always require dedicated practice.
Still, I should hit 30 points soon if I keep this up.
Xander glanced silently at the skill entry [Hidden Weapons – Dart (24)] and felt a trace of dissatisfaction.
The most valuable prize from the Scarlet Monastery had been the Draconic Might potion, but the Introduction to Hidden Weapons manual was also quite useful. He had learned three basic hidden weapon skills from it:
[Hidden Weapons – Dart (24)]
[Hidden Weapons – Throwing Knife (5)]
[Hidden Weapons – Flying Needle (5)]
The other two felt noticeably clumsier. This was the limit of his [Quick Study] noble talent. His natural affinity for hidden weapons was only average, so he focused on the easiest one.
Unwilling to waste precious skill points, Xander maintained a strict daily regimen—thirty sets of twenty darts each day. Twenty in the morning, ten at night.
Thanks to his solid dexterity foundation, the skill progressed quickly. Yet hidden weapons were primarily long-range tools, and his accuracy gains felt sluggish.
For someone who preferred "one strike, one kill," this left him unsatisfied.
Besides training, Xander’s strength had also grown from the massive battle experience earned during the reclamation of Redoak Vale.
He had gained 2194 battle experience from the gnoll campaign, including the earth spirits. This pushed him to Ranger Level 5, but advancing to Level 6 required 4800 total experience.
The gnolls alone could not meet his needs.
After careful consideration, he invested 1000 battle experience into [Shadow Steps].
Just like [Cutthroat], repeated usage in combat allowed him to crystallize it into a personal skill.
Shadow Steps and Cutthroat formed the core of the Phantom Assassin’s signature combo.
[Skill Crystallized: Shadow Steps (30)]
Thirty points was sufficient for practical use. Combined with [Stealth] or [Hide], it created a terrifying assassination sequence.
These abilities made his stealth killing power rival dedicated assassins, while his melee capabilities far exceeded ordinary rangers. With his accumulated battle experience, Xander was confident facing any 2nd Rank expert even without the Draconic Might potion.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The final set of darts flew true.
Xander collected them all and slipped back into the castle through a side entrance.
---
Four days had passed since the successful reclamation of Redoak Vale.
As Xander predicted, the Justiciars from Tanchapel did not return to cause trouble. Those harboring ill intentions seemed stunned by his bold stance and remained quiet for now.
He knew any future schemes would be conducted in the shadows. This was still the era of the Arcane Covenant’s supremacy. As long as he guarded against assassination, the territory was relatively safe.
With the gnolls fully expelled, Redoak Vale slowly regained its vitality.
Elyra led half the garrison on a tireless campaign, visiting every settlement—Greenhollow, Mistford, and the lakeside hamlets. They urged the frightened civilians who had fled into the mountains to return home.
The villages at the foot of the castle town began to bustle once more. Abandoned farmhouses were cleaned and repaired. Farmers returned to their fields. Craftsmen brought their families and apprentices back to the town proper.
Redoak Vale was once again like any other territory. At its heart stood the overlord and his direct servants.
Xander and Elyra resided in the deepest part of the castle, protected by the garrison. Artisans and townsfolk lived in the outer wards, training their children to inherit their trades. Farmers worked the lands beyond the walls, while peddlers moved among them—some honest, others less so.
From the high walls, the castle town appeared nestled against cliffs with a thick grove on one flank. A single stone bridge crossed to the south, with a deep man-made canal below fed by the Silverflow River. Sharp stakes lined the canal bed.
Farmhouses dotted the lower slopes, still sparse but showing signs of revival. The soil was poor, suitable mainly for hardy crops like wheat or okra.
The Silverflow River wound through the valley like a gleaming belt.
To the north, the old mine was visible from the battlements. An abandoned wharf sat along the western bend of the river.
This was Redoak Vale—an unfertile frontier territory.
Yet Xander was determined to protect it with his life.
As the sun rose higher, the people began their daily labor.
Fortunately, the gnolls had been driven out in time to avoid delaying the summer planting. Otherwise, the food shortage would have become catastrophic.
"It’s time to get to work."
Xander finished breakfast, changed attire, and returned to his study.
Elyra was already waiting.
After reclaiming Redoak Vale, the final remnant of the original soul had dissipated peacefully. Yet Xander’s vow to the youth remained unchanged.
He would safeguard this land. He was fully confident in his ability to do so.
[Quest Update: Soulbound Oath – Territory Reclamation Complete.]
[General Experience Received: 1000]
[Quest Log Cleared.]
---
"The food shortage... I can resolve it," Xander said calmly to the visibly worried Elyra.
He drafted decrees with practiced strokes of the quill while discussing territory affairs.
Rebuilding required countless documents, but Xander handled them efficiently. Though not an administrator in his previous life, his sharp mind proved more than capable for managing a small territory.
He issued five overlord decrees in rapid succession.
First Decree: Recruitment for the Redoak Vale garrison. All able-bodied men from the villages could enlist. Andre would oversee training. The current force of twenty was far too small for a population nearing two thousand. Xander aimed for at least fifty.
Second Decree: Encouragement of livestock raising. The southern pastures were ideal but previously too dangerous. With increased military strength, every household raising animals would receive support.
Third Decree: Recruitment of artisans, craftsmen, and merchants to revitalize the economy.
Fourth Decree: Targeted recruitment for experienced class holders and veterans. Generous rewards were offered, even attracting interest from Krael and others.
Fifth Decree: Repair of the abandoned wharf along the Silverflow River. A major engineering project that Elyra considered premature.
Under Xander’s insistence, all five decrees were promulgated.
Redoak Vale stirred with excitement. The overlord had not taken such decisive action in years.
---
The atmosphere shifted palpably.
The next day, standing on the walls and watching the flow of returning people, Xander felt a new energy spreading through the territory.
This sense of achievement differed greatly from the thrill of battle.
A flute melody drifted from the old bakery windmill in the distance. The tune felt deeply familiar.
— Redoak Vale Awakening —
The scent of fresh bread mixed with the crisp air from the silvery river.
Xander breathed deeply.
So beautiful.
---
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from behind.
Elyra’s anxious voice cut through the morning calm:
"Young Master Xander! Something terrible has happened!"
"Young Master Vaelor has been cursed at Blackthorn Academy! He is bedridden and unconscious!"
Xander spun around, his fists clenching tightly.
The peaceful awakening of Redoak Vale had been interrupted.