Ironmarch is a small city located at the border. It is close to the Eastern Land of Primordia and also The Abyss. The reason as to why Luceran's father, the Emperor of Kyros Divine Empire, assigned him to the small city is because he wants Luceran to fortify and also develop the city. Currently, Ironmach has a population of 50,000 people. The city is divided into two parts, the inner ring and the outer ring. The inner ring consists of stores, bars, inns, and the city main hall, while the outer ring is the residence of citizens. Ironmarch only has two gates, the north and the west gates. As to why there are no south and east gates? It is because there is a lake on the east, while there is a mountainous region on the south.
"Trodo, hey! Trodo, fucking wake up!" A guard wearing standard medieval armor shouted at his friends who were sleeping during his guard duty. These two guys are tasked to patrol the city hall by the mayor of Ironmarch.
"Hey, Jack! Call all the maids to clean the master room of the city hall. Be quick!" Shouted a fat middle-aged man wearing a brown tunic. His mustache is wet, as his saliva wet his mouth because of his screaming.
"Yes, city lord!" Jack replied. "Wake up, you moron!" While slapping Trodo on the head before running to find the maids.
Far above the city, Luceran is looking down at the land, enjoying the view from above, seemingly relaxed despite the strong wind blowing on his handsome face. A few minutes later, a small city with its 10 meters-tall wall could be seen on the horizon.
"Finally! I have grown tired of sleeping in a tent and showering in the rivers." Luceran exclaimed happily, knowing that the torturous days living in the wild were over.
"I have contacted the mayor, Your Highness; he should have prepared everything for your arrival." Nelez said.
"Hm. Good to know." Luceran can't help but anticipate the warm and soft bed that he will sleep on tonight. The delicious meals, and also the maids that will help him daily. In a few minutes, the city on the horizon grows bigger as the trio draws closer with Draka's speed. When they arrived above the city, they could see people looking at them from below; some were scared because it was their first time seeing such a menacing and big creature, and some were amazed when they spotted a duo above the wyvern. They slowed down their flying speed, and the wyvern landed in a courtyard inside the city hall. The duo leaped down, and Nelez patted their clothes, while wind blew out of Luceran, as if cleaning him of all the dust and dirt during the journey. In front of them, they could see a group of people running towards them in a rush.
"Greetings, Your Highness! This humble servant is Daaz. I am the mayor of this city!" The fat mayor, who was sweating from running, greeted Luceran eagerly.
"Prepare the room." Luceran nods and proceeds to move into the huge building in the middle of the courtyard.
"Maids, prepare to follow and serve the prince well!" The mayor ordered the maids that are still bowing towards the prince.
"Yes, my lord!" The maids replied and followed Luceran.
"Nelez, we will start discussing tomorrow." Luceran ordered his butler.
"Of course, Your Highness! Have a nice rest." Nelez replied and bowed to the prince. "Mayor Daaz, please lead the way to the office." Nelez asked the mayor. Mayor then led the way and disappeared with Nelez.
"This way, Your Highness!" A maid walks further from the group and leads the way inside the building. A left and a turn, and then they arrived at the second floor of the city hall.
"The main room is at the left wing, Your Highness." The maid informed the prince. "Bela, please lead the prince to his room. Your Highness, please excuse us; we will prepare the dinner." The woman that is acting like the head maid bowed together with the other three maids and left. Bela, the tanned-skin, quite good-looking girl, led the prince to his room. A few turns, and then they arrive at the end of a corridor; in front, there is a wooden door the size of two people. Bela then opened the door and stand right beside the door, waiting for the prince to come in. Luceran step inside the room and scanned the entire room. The room is moderately lit, with a small hanging chandelier at the middle of the room and small candle chandelier for each corner of the room. The room is rectangle shape and there is a big leather carpet in the middle of the room. The bed is quite large to accommodate two people on it. There is also a small study table beside the bed. There is a door at the opposite end of the room from the bed that leads to the bathroom. In short, not too shabby for Luceran, not to mention that he has not felt a warm bed for half a month.
"Prepare the hot water. I need to shower." Luceran ordered the maid.
"Yes, Your Highness." Bela bowed and went to the bathroom.
"Your Highness, please wake up. Advisor Nelez and the mayor have been waiting at the office." The prince yawned and opened his eyes slowly. He looked to his left and spotted Bela, who was preparing his clothes. Above the study table, a set of meals has been prepared for him. 'Damn it was satisfying. I slept like a baby.' He thinks. He stood and then did some stretches before slowly taking off his clothes and going to the bathroom. Bela followed and helped the prince clean up.
"Is everything ready, mayor?" Nelez asked. The middle-aged man looked like a scholar with glasses and his office attire.
"Of course, lord Nelez! All the information regarding Ironmarch military, economy, and surroundings have been prepared!" The mayor answered the butler.
"Good morning, everyone!" Suddenly, the door opened and a handsome young man stepped in.
"Good morning, Your Highness! You look refreshed now." Nelez greeted the prince back and smiled at him.
"Haha, I had a good rest." He smiled and sat on the desk. "Now, remind me again of my purpose here, Nelez."
"His Majesty tasked Your Highness to strengthen the border city; other than that, His Majesty also encourages Your Highness to start to build your influence because Ironmarch city is close to the other regions." Nelez answered dutifully. As Luceran heard the question, he tapped his fingers on the table, seemingly thinking deeply about something.
"How is the military of Ironmarch?" Luceran asked the mayor.
"Reporting to Your Highness, Ironmarch has a garrison army of five thousand men. A fifth of them are veterans. Most of the soldiers are in the early stage of the flesh-strengthening realm, while the veterans are in the middle stage of flesh strengthening." The mayor replied to the prince.
"Are there any arcana path soldiers?" Luceran asked. "Unfortunately no, Your Highness. The cost to maintain arcana path soldiers is too high for Ironmarch economy." The mayor answered truthfully with an embarrassed face.
"Oh? How bad are our finances?" The prince interrogated the mayor. "So far, Ironmarch mainly relies on the vast lake and the mountainous regions for economy. There are farms too on the north of the city that offer little support. Other than that, the army also sometimes acts as a mercenary for trade organizations that need protection around the region." The more he answered, the more embarrassed he became. After listening to the report, Luceran understands the predicament of the city. When he heard that the military has to work as mercenaries to help fill the city pocket, he knew that the condition of the city was bad. He looked at the papers on the table about the military and economic condition of the city. He rubbed his head, looking troubled as if deeply thinking about something to fix the problem.
"Are there any merchants from the outside of the the city coming or even settling here to sell their wares? How about the local stores and inns? Is the tax not enough to maintain the military?" Nelez asked the mayor.
"There are rarely merchants who come to Ironmarch. Inns and stores also find it hard to develop because of the safety issue. Monsters and bandits roam around the region; that is why rarely any merchants come to trade, rarely any outside people come to visit the city, this lead to the stagnation of the economy. People have little income; less income means less buying power, less buying power means the inns and local stores are in bad condition, and it leads to less income tax for us." The mayor explained carefully.
"I see… so tha main issue is safety?" Luceran probed.
"Well… if it is that easy, the military could just clean the region of monsters and bandits, Your Highness, but…"
"But the monsters and bandits are on the same level, if not stronger that the military has to be passive in this issue that leads to this stalemate?" Luceran finished the sentence. The mayor looked down, he is too embarrassed to face the prince while presenting the problem.
"Sigh, just amazing." Luceran said. "Take me to the barrack." Luceran ordered.
With the mayor and Nelez in tow, he strode out of the city hall and turned toward the barracks. The walk took them through the outer ring, where modest homes lined the streets. The buildings were simple, built with local stone and wood, and the faces they passed were etched with the weariness of hard work. It was a stark contrast to the opulent life Luceran was accustomed to, and it deepened the troubled look in his eyes.
The barracks were a sprawling complex on the northern edge of the city. A ten-meter-tall wall of rough-hewn timber and earth enclosed a vast compound. As they approached the gates, the air filled with the clamor of training: the rhythmic shouts of soldiers, the clang of practice swords, and the heavy thud of feet hitting packed dirt. It was clear the soldiers were in the middle of their daily drill.
The compound itself was a testament to simple functionality. A large, open training field dominated the center, with various training dummies and weapon racks scattered across it. Around the perimeter stood long, single-story buildings made of stone and wood, serving as barracks for the five thousand-man garrison. A smaller, more fortified building stood at the back, likely the commander's office and armory. The entire setup, while crude, was capable of accommodating the city's entire military force.
As they stepped onto the training field, the mayor, Daaz, puffed out his chest and raised a hand to a passing soldier. "Halt the drills! Attention!" he bellowed.
The chaos of training instantly ceased. All eyes turned toward the new arrivals. The mayor beamed, gesturing to Luceran. "Soldiers of Ironmarch! I bring you His Royal Highness, Prince Luceran of the Kyros Divine Empire, and his advisor, Lord Nelez!"
A ripple of murmurs went through the ranks. The soldiers, still breathing heavily from their exercise, straightened their postures. From a group in the center of the field, five lieutenants and a commander emerged and marched to the front.
"Reporting to His Highness!" the commander said with a firm salute.
The commander was a large man with a weathered face, and a long, jagged scar ran from his temple to his jaw, a testament to countless battles. He had the calm, steady eyes of a seasoned veteran. This was Borrin. Behind him stood his lieutenants: Dred, a lean man with a scar over his left eye; Karl, a man with a sharp, eagle-like face; Bork, a tall, lanky man with a perpetually bored look; Pelz, a burly man with a powerful build; and Greg, a stocky man with a full beard and a no-nonsense expression.
Luceran and Nelez took a moment to assess them. Borrin, Karl, and Pelz were at the peak of the Flesh Strengthening Realm, while Dred, Bork, and Greg were a step behind in the late stage. The prince could feel the commander's subtle aura. Borrin was at the early stage of the Bone Tempering Realm, a formidable strength that put him far above his men.
"At ease," Luceran said. "I am here to inspect the quality of this garrison. I will be looking for combat readiness, discipline, and skill."
He and Nelez proceeded to walk through the ranks, their gazes missing nothing. Luceran's questions were direct, and his criticisms were pointed. He pointed out loose formations, poorly maintained weapons, and a lack of quick response. The soldiers stiffened under his scrutiny. Whispers of discontent began to spread. They were just simple soldiers; what did this pampered prince know of their struggles?
"He doesn't know what it's like to fight with limited resources," one soldier muttered under his breath.
Luceran heard it all. He saw the discontent in the soldiers' eyes, the quiet sneer on Greg's face, and the subtle shift in Bork's stance. Even Borrin's calm demeanor could not hide the hint of frustration in his posture.
Luceran stopped in the middle of the field and turned to face them all. "I know what you're thinking," he said, his voice carrying clearly over the field. "You're thinking, 'Who is this young noble? What does he know of our daily struggles? He's never faced a bandit raid or a pack of rogue beasts. 'You think I'm just a spoiled boy sent here on some royal errand."
The soldiers and their officers froze, their faces turning pale with shock. They hadn't expected him to be so perceptive.
"Your Highness, forgive our disrespect!" Borrin said, bowing his head in shame, his face flushed. The lieutenants followed suit.
Luceran held up a hand. "Apologies are unnecessary. Your thoughts are justified, given your circumstances. But your passive acceptance of this stalemate is what has led this city to stagnation. The safety issue is the root of your problems, and it's a problem that your current training cannot solve."
His voice grew colder. "Starting tomorrow, I will train this army myself. I will show you that even with limited resources, a force can become formidable enough to not only defend a city but to conquer the challenges outside its walls."