The Second Matter: AgricultureThe townsfolk now fully believed Sean was the Church's Son, and his "divine revelation" about manure as fertilizer was gaining acceptance. That afternoon, Anduin led a town-wide manure collection drive, clearing streets of filth and piling waste southeast of town to dry. Meanwhile, teams were recruited to dig pond sludge—excellent fertilizer—for when the crops sprouted.The Third Matter: LawLaine's laws allowed minor autonomy, so Riverside currently operated under the duchy's code. Anduin had no time to draft new laws yet, but Sean had an idea: "Once the crops thrive, promote boiling water as a 'divine health ordinance.' Tell them the Light revealed it prevents illness."
Anduin nodded, scribbling in his notebook.The Daily GrindAfter praising Anduin's security work, Sean returned to the castle, bathed, and dined with Lucio and the others. He ordered Lodin to prepare alphabet sheets for the slum children, hoping to cultivate literate scribes.
That night, he meditated for two hours, then slept deeply.The Next MorningCain and Lilith, recovered enough to travel, bid farewell. Sean gifted them horses, and they left for Yorn, their wounds stabilized, their gratitude evident.
At the mill, progress was steady:
Paul built a second distiller, improving the condenser with copper tubing.Jamie neared completion on the first high-heeled shoe prototype, though intricate stitching delayed finish by a day.Henry had filled six small oak barrels with Holy Flame Spirit, ready for market.The Hunt ContinuesSean led the group to a new hunting ground in the Elven Forest. Though cautious of the Silver Moon Wolfpack, they pressed on. By 3 PM, Sean's EXP ticked to level17 3/800—just 150 EXP short of Level 17.The 17th Level AscensionAt long last, the final kill—a Black Iron stag—pushed him over:
Name: Sean Violet
Level: 17 （Black Iron Upper Rank）
Race: Human
Talent: [Transference], [Infiltrator's Guise], [Crowd Wisdom lv1]
Class:None
Spells:None
Weapons: None
EXP: 3/800
Arcane Dust:28
Modules Unlocked: 4/16
System Prompt:
"Congratulations on reaching Level 17! Reward: [Black Iron Sigil]x4"The Sigil DilemmaSean now held 5 Black Iron Sigils, which boosted companions by 5 levels each. But with his current companion —all Black Iron Lower Rank—the boost felt marginal. Better to save them, he decided, for when a key companion needs a sudden power spike.The Path ForwardThat evening, Sean reviewed the dragon egg's countdown: 2 days until hatch. With Windsor at Bronze Rank, Kyle mastering fire magic, and Anduin's governance smoothing out town issues, Riverside hummed with progress.
"Level 17 is just a step," Sean mused, fingering the sigils. "But every step brings me closer to controlling this chaos… and maybe, one day, turning the Count's own schemes against him."
The grind continued, each level a brick in the foundation of his domain. In the balance of governance and combat, Sean learned that power wasn't just about strength—it was about nurturing every aspect of his territory, from the dirt underfoot to the stars above.
And as the first shoots of his "divine" fertilizer began to emerge, even the most skeptical townsfolk began to believe: their lord wasn't just a ruler… he was a miracle.