Chapter 128: The Rise of a Count’s Domain

Raymond stared at the translucent notification hovering above his desk, his earlier concerns about royal taxation temporarily forgotten.

The Infinite Clan Treasury System had remained relatively quiet throughout the recent developments in Althoff, apart from the occasional updates concerning territorial growth and accumulated Shop Points.

Now, barely an hour after receiving his official promotion, it had decided to present him with another major mission.

"Of course," Raymond muttered, leaning back in his chair. "Apparently, becoming a Count wasn’t enough excitement for one afternoon. Now you want something from me too."

He glanced toward the closed door before focusing on the notification again.

Alaric had departed to organize the royal documents, while Lily was downstairs assisting Marianne with preparations for the evening meal.

For once, Raymond had a few uninterrupted minutes to examine whatever demands the System intended to impose upon him.

With a thought, he opened the notification.

[Infinite Clan Treasury System ]

[Major Family Mission Activated!]

[Mission Title: The Rise of a Count’s Domain]

[Mission Grade: Major Family Development Mission]

[Description: House Althoff has risen from a declining Barony into a County recognized by the Crown. However, its infrastructure, military institutions, population, and territorial development remain insufficient for a truly powerful noble house.]

[Complete the development of Althoff City and establish the foundations of a prosperous, defensible, and self-sustaining County.]

Raymond read the description twice, his expression becoming increasingly thoughtful. Unlike previous objectives that rewarded specific achievements, this mission appeared to concern the development of his entire territory.

He suspected that whatever requirements followed would be considerably more troublesome than constructing another workshop or purchasing additional farmland.

The next section confirmed his suspicions.

[MISSION OBJECTIVES]

[1. Complete Althoff City: Achieve 100% completion of the approved City Master Development Blueprint.]

[2. Strengthen the Population: Reach 10,000 registered residents while maintaining adequate housing, sanitation, food supply, and employment.]

[3. Establish Educational Infrastructure: Construct and open Althoff Elementary Academy.]

[4. Strengthen the County Military: Complete planned military facilities, establish structured training, and improve territorial defenses.]

[5. Establish Magical Institutions: Create the foundational facilities and organization required for Knight cultivation and Mage training.]

[6. Expand Territorial Development: Establish at least one functioning satellite settlement connected to Althoff City.]

[7. Secure Royal Recognition: Fulfill the Crown’s initial administrative requirements and establish House Althoff’s legal standing as a County.]

For several moments, Raymond said nothing. His gaze moved slowly over the objectives before settling on the first requirement.

Completing the entire City Master Development Blueprint was something he had always intended to accomplish, but there was a considerable difference between planning to finish a city eventually and having the System formally demand its completion.

He opened the Lord’s Eye and examined the familiar representation of Althoff City.

The completed districts stood alongside roads still awaiting permanent surfaces, residential areas undergoing expansion, unfinished public facilities, and construction sites scattered throughout the planned urban boundaries.

The city had grown tremendously, but the blueprint made it painfully clear how much work remained.

"One hundred percent," Raymond murmured, rubbing his chin. "You really don’t believe in modest ambitions, do you?"

The population requirement was comparatively manageable. Althoff already possessed 6,912 registered residents, and newcomers continued arriving through merchant caravans, family recommendations, and reports of available employment.

Reaching ten thousand seemed possible, although housing and food production would have to keep pace. Raymond had learned enough from the earlier immigration surge to understand that attracting people was considerably easier than accommodating them properly.

The educational requirement caught his attention next. He already possessed an Elementary Academy Blueprint among the System rewards he had accumulated, but construction had repeatedly been postponed in favor of roads, housing, agricultural facilities, and other immediate necessities.

There were children throughout Althoff who had never received formal instruction, and even basic literacy remained beyond the reach of many ordinary families.

Raymond thought briefly of Lily. The girl was clever, observant, and remarkably capable of remembering details that escaped grown administrators.

Given proper schooling, there was no telling how much she might accomplish. Perhaps it was finally time to stop treating education as something that could wait until every other problem had been solved.

His attention then shifted toward the military requirements, and his expression grew more serious.

Althoff possessed thirty-five Bronze Rank Knights, eighteen Silver Rank Knights, and three Gold Rank Knights summoned through the System.

Alongside Boris’s conventional soldiers, they formed a military establishment that already exceeded what many neighboring nobles could comfortably ignore.

However, there was an important weakness hidden beneath those impressive numbers. Almost all of Althoff’s extraordinary military strength depended upon the Knights he had summoned.

His ordinary soldiers could improve their discipline, equipment, and battlefield experience, but without the ability to cultivate Mana, their potential remained fundamentally limited.

Then Raymond noticed the mission’s reward section.

[MAJOR MISSION COMPLETION REWARDS]

[Mana Awakening Elixir ×1,000]

[Mage Summoning Ticket ×10]

[Gold Rank Knight Summoning Ticket ×10]

[Silver Rank Knight Summoning Ticket ×20]

[Bronze Rank Knight Summoning Ticket ×40]

[Advanced Knight Training Grounds Blueprint ×1]

[Arcane Tower Blueprint ×1]

[Mana Gathering Formation Blueprint ×1]

[Shop Points ×250,000]

[Major Family Development Progression Reward ×1]

Raymond straightened in his chair. The additional Knights were already an extraordinary reward, and the Shop Points would provide substantial financial flexibility. Yet his attention had become fixed upon the first two entries.

He selected the Mana Awakening Elixir, immediately opening its detailed description.

[Mana Awakening Elixir]

[Grade: Rare]

[Effect: Awakens an eligible individual’s dormant ability to perceive and absorb atmospheric Mana, establishing the foundation required to begin Knight cultivation.]

[Limitations: Does not directly grant Knight Rank, combat mastery, or advanced Mana control. Advancement requires suitable training and cultivation techniques.]

Raymond read the description again, slowly this time.

If the information was accurate, the elixir could accomplish something far more valuable than simply strengthening his existing Knights. It could give ordinary soldiers an opportunity to begin walking the same path.

"One thousand potential Knight trainees," Raymond whispered, his fingers tightening around the armrest. "That’s not a small reward. That’s the foundation of an entirely different army."

He understood that awakening Mana would not immediately produce a thousand Bronze Rank Knights.

Some soldiers would possess greater aptitude than others, and proper training could take years.

Nevertheless, the difference was enormous. Instead of relying entirely upon summoned warriors, Althoff could begin developing its own Knights from among the people who already served the territory.

Boris immediately came to mind. The Captain-General had spent months improving the conventional army, organizing drills, maintaining discipline, and preparing soldiers to fight alongside warriors whose physical capabilities far exceeded their own.

What would happen if those same soldiers finally gained the opportunity to cultivate Mana?

Raymond imagined training grounds filled with recruits practicing basic circulation techniques under Jonathan’s supervision, while Cassian and the other elite Knights developed more advanced instruction for promising candidates.

The possibility was exciting, but he forced himself to consider the practical difficulties. Training facilities, instructors, suitable techniques, equipment, and reliable selection procedures would all be necessary.

His attention returned to the Mage Summoning Tickets. Althoff’s military had developed primarily around Knights and conventional soldiers, leaving it without an organized magical force.

Ten summoned Mages could change that situation dramatically, particularly if their specialties extended beyond battlefield destruction.

Magical defenses, healing, enchantment, and the construction of specialized facilities could eventually influence almost every aspect of territorial development.

Raymond could already imagine Roderic arguing enthusiastically with an enchantment specialist over improved equipment, or Mara demanding to know whether magic could make construction easier.

He smiled at the thought, then examined the mission’s remaining information.

[MILESTONE REWARDS AVAILABLE]

[Individual mission milestones may grant Shop Points, specialized summoning tickets, limited Mana Awakening Elixirs, and other development resources before final mission completion.]

[Mission Progress: 0/7 Objectives Completed]

That changed matters considerably. Raymond would not necessarily have to finish the entire city before beginning his military transformation.

If he could complete several smaller milestones first, the resulting rewards might help him establish the institutions required for later objectives.

Still, there was one problem the System could not solve for him.

Secrecy.

Raymond closed the reward descriptions and considered how he would explain the appearance of Mana Awakening Elixirs and summoned Mages.

His existing Knights had already attracted considerable attention, and the Crown was now requesting formal military records. Introducing hundreds of newly awakened soldiers without a plausible explanation would invite questions he had absolutely no desire to answer.

He would need to proceed carefully, presenting the elixirs as rare resources acquired through private channels while limiting knowledge of their origin. The Mages would require similarly convincing introductions, appropriate positions, and responsibilities that justified their presence in Althoff.

Most importantly, he could not allow enthusiasm for the rewards to distract him from the work necessary to obtain them.

The city still needed construction materials, workers, functioning institutions, and enormous financial investment. His System could provide extraordinary advantages, but the Administration would have to turn those advantages into something real.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Young Master, are you available?" Lily called from outside. "Chief Administrator Alaric has sent the revised schedule. He says several Department heads are waiting for instructions concerning the royal documents."

Raymond dismissed the translucent window before answering. "Come in, Lily. And tell Alaric that his schedule is about to become considerably more complicated."

Lily entered carrying a notebook, her expression immediately turning suspicious. "Young Master, whenever you say something like that, everyone ends up working longer hours."

Raymond laughed as he reached for a fresh sheet of parchment. "Then perhaps I should start giving warnings before announcing my brilliant ideas."

"That would be considerate, Young Master," Lily replied solemnly, although the amusement in her eyes betrayed her.

Raymond began writing the names of the officials he required. Alaric, Mara, Lucan, Edric, Talia, Corvin, Ysabel, Harlan, Boris, and several others would need to attend. The meeting would concern the largest coordinated development program House Althoff had ever undertaken.

"Take this to Alaric," Raymond instructed, handing Lily the completed list. "I want the senior administrators assembled tomorrow morning. Tell them we’re going to discuss the future of Althoff City."

Lily accepted the parchment and studied the unusually long list before looking back at him. "Young Master, should I tell Marianne that you’ll probably miss breakfast again?"

Raymond sighed. "No. Tell her I’ll be there. Apparently, building a powerful County is difficult enough without fighting the household staff."

Lily smiled and hurried away with his instructions. Raymond watched the door close before turning toward the window overlooking the growing city.

Tomorrow, he would begin turning the System’s extraordinary demands into an actual development plan.