novelraw Chapter 117 - A Start
Chapter 117 - A Start
Verc emptied out his spatial pouch, and now on the floor of his room--golden coins, and a lot of random stuffs are scattered. A mountain of gold had formed, spreading across the room until it reached the edges of his new bed. Mixed in were several weapons, leather armor pieces, glass vials filled with colorful liquids, and hundreds of leather-bound books.
The sheer volume of the hoard made the room feel smaller.
Amidst the glimmering pile, a small black figure began to stir. Onyx, the little puppy, had been watching with wide eyes, and the sight of so many shiny things was too much for him to resist. He pounced on a stray gold coin, his tiny teeth clicking against the metal as he started to gnaw on it.
"Onyx, don’t chew on the coins."
Verc scolded the little puppy, seeing it playing with one of the gold coins in its mouth. He didn’t want the pup swallowing something that could hurt his stomach.
Onyx, who seemed to understand him, opened his mouth and let the coin drop back to the pile with a soft ’clink’. He tilted his head, letting out a small huff of disappointment before settling down on a pile of soft silk clothes that had also fallen from the pouch.
Anyway, with that done; Verc focused his mind. He closed his eyes and reached out toward the mental threads that connected him to his subordinates. He used his connection with those that drank his blood, feeling the faint, rhythmic pulses of their heartbeats through the link.
Then using his mind, he projected his voice directly into their consciousness—
’Ashley, Maya, Neit, Jai, and Moro... If you’re done giving the new group places to stay, come to my room as soon as you can.’
He instructed that.
The response was instantaneous. He felt five distinct flickers of energy acknowledge his call. Through his [Dungeon Genesis] ability, he could feel five individuals quickly running up to the fifth floor of the castle. They were moving at speeds no human could match.
... ... ...
Verc didn’t have to wait long, because just moments after he called for the kids—
TOK — TOK — TOK —
"We’re here, Lord Verc."
He heard a knock on his door, followed by Ashley’s familiar voice from the hallway.
From where he was standing, Verc didn’t move. He simply used [Dungeon Genesis] and opened the door using his mind. The heavy wooden door swung inward without a sound, as if an invisible hand had pushed it.
And as soon as it opened—Ashley, and the other four beastmen-vampires—saw the mess in Verc’s room.
Their eyes went wide as they took in the literal piles of gold and the sheer chaos of items scattered everywhere. It looked like the treasure room of a high-ranking noble.
Though, they couldn’t say anything negative about it, after all—all the things in his room were valuable items! To them, this wasn’t a mess; it was proof of their Lord’s incredible power and success.
"Take all the books here. I will be creating a new room later on the first floor, make that the library."
Verc said with a casual tone, as if he weren’t standing in a room overflowing with wealth. He pointed toward a specific corner where most of the books had landed. There were manuals on combat, history books, scrolls about magic, and even some books on agriculture and cooking.
"Announce to the others that, and tell them they’re free to read them whenever they want. It’s open to the public."
He added afterwards.
Verc knew that knowledge was power. If his territory was going to grow, his people needed to be more than just strong warriors; they needed to understand the world around them.
"Umm, I don’t think everyone can read. Even us, we can’t really read."
But then, Maya opened her mouth and stated that. She looked down at her feet, her voice trailing off. She was slightly embarrassed by the admission.
Verc stopped for a second. He honestly forgot that. He just assumed that everyone can read because he could. It slipped his mind that he was currently in a medieval-theme era and most of the people under him are monster races who don’t have access to proper education or knowledge.
In this world, literacy was a luxury usually reserved for the high-born or those with a lot of money.
"..."
Verc started thinking for a moment, searching for a solution.
He looked at the mountain of books. They were useless if nobody could understand the words inside them.
And then—
"Ah...!"
Something clicked in his head.
"Call for Bernia, the human woman with a sword."
He instructed to the kids.
"Take as many books as you can below, and before you come back here to get more; take her with you."
Verc said.
"Got it!"
Ashley answered with a smile on her face.
Without beating around the bush—the five of them grabbed a bunch of bundled books. The weight was nothing for them; their strength allowed them to lift heavy stacks with ease. But they can’t really hold much because of the growing size of them each time they get a bundle of 10 books. Their small arms could only reach around so much paper and leather.
Anyway, after taking some books—the five of them started descending back to the first floor. Their footsteps echoed down the hallway as they hurried to fulfill the order.
Meanwhile, Verc—
"Time to work."
He stood in the center of his room and closed his eyes again.
He reached out with his mind, extending the reach of [Dungeon Genesis] down through the floors of the castle to the ground level. He looked for a suitable space near the main hall.
SWOOOOOSH~!!!
And then he used [Dungeon Genesis] to create a new room on the first floor just as he said!
He felt the energy drain from his core. Creating structures always required a lot of his energy. Fortunately, he had enough energy to make a medium-size one.
Also, as they were traveling back to here, Groo and Mamon told him that they continued hunting some monsters and they continued saving some of them for him. The orcs had been busy, keeping the population of dangerous beasts in check while also providing Verc with the "fuel" he needed for his abilities.
And so, that’s why Verc was able to use this skill without worrying too much. He could feel the castle walls groaning slightly as the stone shifted and reformed on the first floor, carving out a new space that would soon hold the collective knowledge.
*****
... ... ...
Not long after the first trip, the kids came back to get more books. And just as Verc instructed—
"Umm, they said you called for me, Uhh, Lord Verc?"
Bernia was with them. She stood at the doorway, looking a bit uncertain. She looked at the piles of gold on the floor and quickly looked away, as if she were afraid she might be accused of wanting some.
"You can drop the honorifics. The others are calling me that on their own will, you don’t have to force yourself."
Verc said, glancing over his shoulder at her.
"I’m not just used to it at the moment, but I will continue to address you that... Lord Verc."
Bernia responded with a resolute look on her face. She stood straight, her hand resting habitually near the hilt of her sword.
"Suit yourself."
Verc simply told her. He doesn’t want to argue about something stupid like a title. If it made her feel better to use it, he wasn’t going to stop her.
"Anyway, you said before that you were an apprentice knight before being a slave, right?"
Then, he asked that, turning fully to face her.
"That’s right."
Bernia answered with confidence. Even though she had been a slave, she still held onto the pride of her training.
"Is reading included in your training?"
Verc followed without beating around the bush.
"It is. As a knight, it is a must that we are literate. We have to be able to read orders, maps, and treaties."
Then Bernia responded quickly, nodding her head. She seemed a bit surprised by the question.
Verc smiled hearing that. It was exactly what he needed.
"I have a favor to ask you; can you teach as many as you can here, those who want to learn, to read and write?"
He asked that of Bernia.
"Huh...?"
Bernia was confused. She blinked, her expression blank for a second. Hearing the request, she thought that it will be hard at first. She looked at the five beastmen kids, who were currently staring at her with wide, expectant eyes. Then she thought about the orcs she had seen outside—massive creatures with hands the size of her head.
But then—she noticed how Verc said it.
He didn’t bark it as an order. He didn’t threaten her. He was asking for a favor... a request.
’He could’ve just ordered me to do so. I’m still technically his slave even without the paper and the magical chain on my neck. And with his strength, he could just threaten me to do that.’
She thought to herself.
She had spent some time being told what to do by people who treated her like a tool. To have someone as powerful as Verc ask her for help was a strange, almost jarring experience.
It made her feel like a person again, rather than just a piece of property.
Then, at that moment—
"It’s fine if you decline, but if you accept; I will compensate you."
Verc spoke again and said that. He didn’t want her to feel like she was being forced back into another kind of servitude.
Bernia’s attention shifted back to him. She stared at him straight in the eyes, searching for any hint of a lie or hidden motive. After seeing the genuine look in them—a look that suggested he truly just wanted his people to learn—
"I don’t need the compensation... I’ll do it."
Bernia declared that with a small smile on her face. She felt a sudden spark of purpose.
*****
Verc thanked Bernia, but he said that he would still compensate her for her effort. He wasn’t the type to let someone work for free, especially someone who was providing such a vital service.
"I’ll think of something suitable later."
He said, ending the discussion on that topic.
Then before Bernia could even argue about it, Verc sent her away. He made sure she brought a lot of bundled books on her way down so she can help the kids. Bernia gathered a large stack in her arms, surprisingly strong for her frame.
And after that, Ashley and the others started grabbing books again. They were making good progress.
But before they go down again; Verc reached into a separate pile and handed them a bunch of rolled out paper. These weren’t like the other books; they were large, thick sheets with detailed drawings on them.
"What are these, Lord Verc?"
Maya asked, tilting her head as she looked at the complex lines and measurements.
"Those are blueprints for making furniture."
Verc told them.
"Give it to the Gnolls who are working on the second floor. Tell them to create bookshelves for the books."
He explained that the library would need more than just a room; it needed shelves, tables, and chairs. The Gnolls were excellent craftsmen when given proper directions, and these blueprints would ensure the library looked professional.
"Got it! We’ll give these to Kuma’s group right away!"
The kids said they will pass the message, and with that—they were gone. The room finally fell silent, save for the occasional ’clink’ of a coin as Onyx shifted in his sleep.
"..."
Verc was left alone in his room again. He felt a bit tired after using a pretty huge chunk of his energy into creating a new room in his castle. The mental strain of [Dungeon Genesis] always left him feeling a bit drained, like a battery that had been pushed to its limit.
He looked at the gold and the remaining items on the floor. He would have to organize the rest later. Right now, he needed to replenish his reserves.
And so, with his mind link again to those who drank his blood—
’Mamon, bring me some monsters and come to my room. You too, Kuma.’
He called the Elder of the Orcs and the leader of the Gnolls.
Verc sat back on his bed, waiting. He could feel them moving toward the castle already.
There was still so much to do—defenses to build, food to secure, and training to oversee. But as he looked out the window at the dark trees of the Cursed Forest, he felt a sense of calm. His base was growing, and for the first time, it was starting to feel like a real home.
He reached down and patted Onyx on the head. The puppy let out a soft whimper of content.
’It’s a start.’
Verc thought to himself.