It had been seven days since Aaron arrived in Starfall City.

Aside from the first day, when he resolved Torvald's worries and recruited him, the rest had passed in quiet routine.

On the second day, he received the title and the badge that officially marked his identity.

Rest of the days were spent fishing under the sun, and nights helping complete the parachute design.

Now, it was afternoon.

The waves lapped gently at the shore, and the barrel beside them was brimming with fresh catch.

Edrin grinned, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Aaron, we've earned more than nine gold coins so far. It's been tiring, but I really enjoyed it."

Torvald chuckled,

"Indeed, Aaron. That fishing spot you found is incredible. I've never caught this many fish in my life, not even close."

Their bond had deepened over the past five days.

Torvald and Aaron were no longer just allies, they were friends.

Aaron nodded.

"Indeed."

Then his tone shifted, more serious.

"Tonight's the night, isn't it? The undead…"

Edrin's smile faded.

"Yes. I just hope our city isn't unlucky this time."

His voice carried a quiet dread.

Torvald's expression darkened.

"I hate to admit it, but those undead are strong, strong enough to fight knights. Last time, our soldiers held the line… but we still lost good men."

Aaron looked out at the horizon, the wind tugging at his shirt.

"Let's end our fishing trip here. I need to rest. If they attack tonight, I'll be there to fight."

Edrin and Torvald exchanged glances, admiration clear in their eyes.

Edrin grinned and said,

"Well, I'll go sell the fish. Wait for me here."

He hoisted the barrel and headed toward the market, his steps light with satisfaction.

Torvald turned to Aaron, curiosity in his voice.

"Aaron, when will we be leaving for Green Fort?"

Aaron looked out at the shimmering water, then replied,

"Within the next week. I've been invited to attend a formal gathering at the Castle, apparently, Duke Alaric is seeking a suitable son-in-law for Miss Alice."

He paused, then added with a faint smile,

"She personally asked me to be there. I couldn't refuse."

Torvald had a mischievous glint in his eyes, his voice laced with gossip.

"Aaron, is Miss Alice in love with you? Otherwise, why would she invite you to her marriage gathering?"

Aaron simply shrugged, his expression unreadable.

"I don't know. Honestly, I'd rather keep my distance from her. But you know how it is, I don't really have a choice. I have to attend."

He paused, then spoke with quiet confidence,

"If I can win Miss Alice's hand, then within three years, I'll make Green Fort so prosperous its name will echo across the entire Verdia Kingdom."

He didn't speak blindly.

His words were backed by something far more concrete.

On the second day, after receiving his badge and official territory papers, Aaron had unlocked access to the additional function of Map System.

Through it, he could view the loyalty levels of individuals within his domain.

On the second day, after receiving his badge and official territory papers, Aaron unlocked an additional function within the Map System.

At first glance, the feature seemed modest, it allowed him to view the loyalty levels of individuals within his territory.

But for Aaron, it was a goldmine.

With this, he could identify and recruit only those whose loyalty exceeded 90, ensuring his subordinates were not just capable, but trustworthy.

Once recruited, he could train them using the memories of his previous life, accelerating their growth far beyond the normal.

And the Map System offered more.

It could scan for ores and vital resources, allowing Aaron to locate materials that could be used to forge weapons, enhance armor, or even fuel new inventions.

One such invention lingered in his mind: the crossbow.

Though bows existed in this world, he hadn't seen a single crossbow.

Its potential for long-range precision and power made it a perfect tool for defending his territory, and giving his forces a tactical edge.

After speaking, Aaron opened his interface and glanced at the experience points he'd accumulated over the past few days.

- First day: 1900 points

- Next five days: 1200 × 5 = 6000 points

- Today: 600 points

That brought his total to 8500 experience points.

He hardly hesitated and spent 3,500 experience points to increase his level to 10.

Aaron Warwick (Lv. 10) (0/1000 EXP)

HP: 110/110

MP: 20/20

STR: 6+5- 11

DEX: 5+5- 10

CON: 6+5- 11

INT: 2+0- 2

Skills:

- Lion Breathing Mastery (Lv.5) (0/500)

- Basic Sword Mastery (lv.2) (3/200)

- Basic Archer Mastery (lv.5) (0/500)

- Cooking (50/100)

Experience Points: 5000

Aaron felt a rapid surge of strength.

It was as if his power had doubled compared to before.

Even the fatigue that had weighed on him seemed to vanish, he felt energized, as though every trace of exhaustion had been washed away.

Just then, Torvald suddenly called out,

"Aaron!"

Aaron snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Torvald with a puzzled expression.

Torvald frowned slightly, his voice uncertain.

"Aaron… it seems something has changed within you."

He paused, then added with a confused look,

"Or maybe it's just my imagination."

Aaron smiled, deciding silently that next time, he wouldn't level up in front of anyone.

"Of course it must be your imagination," he said with a chuckle.

"How can a person change just by standing still?"

Just then, Edrin returned with a coin pouch.

He handed over 13 silver and 50 copper coins, his expression tinged with melancholy.

"Good days end before we even realize," he said softly.

Aaron accepted the coins and nodded.

"Indeed. I still need to buy the supplies for the territory, not to mention the slaves."

He paused, then added,

"Edrin, I might need your help."

Edrin smiled.

"No problem. You'll find me at the Open Restaurant tomorrow morning."

Torvald chimed in,

"I'll come too. I've got nothing planned for tomorrow."

Aaron simply shrugged and replied with a faint smile,

"Do as you please."

After saying that, the trio left the shore and headed back toward the city.

Along the way, Edrin sighed and said,

"Aaron, in the past few days, two important figures have arrived in Starfall City. One is Gloden, the son of Duke Theodore. The other is Dominoz, the second prince of the empire."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.