Ch 56 - The Dire Wolf Kennels

Jester sat behind his desk, reviewing the progress Necroton had made over the past few days. He was wearing Caelan's Harvest Mask as Igrio and several other maids stood quietly inside the room, waiting for his instructions.

Igrio stepped forward before delivering his report.

“Your Highness, construction of the city walls has begun in accordance with your orders. However, we are currently facing a shortage of manpower, particularly workers with the necessary building expertise. While there are still skilled builders available for recruitment, the funds at our disposal are not sufficient to hire them on the scale required. Under the current circumstances, the pace of construction is unlikely to meet the target we have set.”

Jester gave a slight nod.

“As for the expedition into the caves you commanded, Your Highness, the teams have been fully assembled and all preparations have been completed. They are scheduled to depart later today.”

Without pausing, Igrio continued his report.

“Regarding the Players who previously launched an attack, the situation is unfolding exactly as you predicted. Many of them have begun staying in the city in an effort to recover the equipment they lost upon death.”

“As a result, more and more Players have begun setting their spawn point here in the city. Over the past several days, their numbers have increased nearly fivefold.”

A faint smile appeared on Jester's face.

“Double the workforce we require. Allocate every available coin from the treasury. We cannot afford to waste time. Accelerate the construction of the city walls, recruit more laborers, and enlist additional knights to strengthen Necroton's defenses.”

“The issue of funding will be resolved soon enough. I've already made the necessary preparations.”

“At the same time, begin constructing a marketplace, inns, workshops, and every other facility the city will need. Make sure the Players have access to everything they might require, from places to rest and trade to equipment repairs and essential supplies during their stay.”

“Our goal isn't simply to bring them here. We need to give them every reason to remain in Necroton. The longer they stay and spend their time within this city, the greater the benefits we will gain.”

Igrio bowed deeply once more.

“As you command, Your Highness. I have complete faith in your judgment and wisdom. Every order will be carried out without delay, and I shall ensure that each task is completed to the very best of our abilities.”

Jester continued studying the city's finances, thinking carefully about every detail. The biggest reason the treasury had fallen into such terrible condition wasn't because the city failed to generate wealth. It was because so much of its money had been embezzled by the previous administration. The funds weren't even in Necroton anymore. They had already been moved elsewhere.

That Opopo really was a piece of shit.

It was exactly why Jester intended to recover every bit of that stolen wealth. Whether it came back in the form of resources, valuable goods, hidden assets, or anything else with enough value, he would reclaim it one way or another.

At the same time, he was convinced that the lands surrounding the outer edges of the city were rich with untapped natural resources. The problem was deciding how to develop them without making costly mistakes. Every decision had to be carefully planned, and every resource had to be allocated wisely.

For now, he would have to wait a few more days until Igrio gathered more detailed intelligence. Up to this point, Jester felt he had already entrusted Igrio with far more responsibilities than anyone reasonably should have carried. The man was handling an overwhelming number of important tasks all at once.

As for the others, the only maids he considered truly capable of handling difficult assignments that demanded both intelligence and sound judgment were Sliora and Vanessa the Vampire. Karisse was dependable as well and could certainly be trusted with major responsibilities.

Michel was quite intelligent too, but her talents were better suited for espionage. She was far more valuable carrying out covert operations than managing large-scale affairs, so those duties had to remain separate. The same applied to Shade, who spent every night patrolling the city and keeping watch over its streets.

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The rest of the maids were simply too risky to be entrusted with such important missions.

As for Lucia, there was no question about her strength. However, Jester preferred to keep her close. Having Lucia by his side would be far more valuable if he ever needed to rely on her power without warning.

Some time later, Jester had already returned to his normal appearance. By then, only Lucia and Elora remained standing before him in the room.

He turned toward Elora, and for the first time since removing the mask, their eyes met directly.

The young woman froze for a moment before quickly lowering her head.

“Y-Your Highness...” she stammered nervously. “Please forgive me if I have done anything to offend you. If I have made even the slightest mistake, I sincerely beg for your forgiveness.”

Jester blinked in confusion.

Why is she apologizing all of a sudden?

The truth was, he had been thinking about something entirely different. He had been trying to figure out how he could grow closer to Elora. If possible, he even wanted to establish a Chaos Bound with her soon. After all, she was the very first person to learn his true identity, that he was not actually Prince Caelan.

“Elora, raise your head,” he said calmly.

She slowly lifted her gaze, her expression filled with uncertainty.

“I have a task that only you can handle. I want you to take charge of the city's Healing Hall. Your healing abilities will be invaluable to the Players. They'll need treatment after returning from battle, and they'll also need your blessings and support magic before setting out to hunt in the surrounding areas. I can't think of anyone better suited for the responsibility.”

Elora's eyes widened before she immediately bowed as deeply as she could.

“I-I understand, Your Highness!” she replied. “I will do whatever you ask of me. No matter the task, I will devote everything I have to carrying out your orders. I only hope I can meet your expectations.”

Jester gave a slight nod before rising from his chair. Without another word, he walked past the two women, silently signaling for them to follow as they left the room together.

Some time later, Jester arrived at the Dire Wolf Kennels, a massive enclosed structure where his Dire Wolves were raised and trained. Several keepers were already busy tending to the Dire Wolves, feeding them, cleaning their enclosures, and checking their condition.

Waiting for him was a man with long, messy black hair and a leather eyepatch covering his right eye. Although his appearance was rough, he wore a fitted outfit beneath a set of light armor, giving him the look of a seasoned warrior rather than a simple caretaker.

The man was one of Necroton's knights, a Beastmaster Knight whose duty was to oversee the breeding, training, and command of the Dire Wolves.

As soon as he noticed Jester's arrival, he immediately bowed.

“Your Highness.”

“Pine,” Jester said, “tell me about the current status of the Dire Wolves.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Pine lowered his head respectfully before beginning his report.

“When we first arrived, we had only five Dire Wolves that were fully trained and ready for combat. That number does not include your personal Dire Wolf. We also had another ten that were still in training and not yet fit for deployment.”

“However, after relocating to Necroton, their growth has exceeded our expectations. With better conditions and a more suitable environment, their training has progressed much faster than anticipated. At present, twelve Dire Wolves are fully combat-ready and can be deployed at any time.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“In addition, we've had several successful births. A total of fifteen Dire Wolf pups have been born, and all of them appear to be healthy.”

Jester nodded quietly as his gaze swept across the spacious kennel.

Several massive Dire Wolves lay sprawled across the ground, resting peacefully after their training.

Jester slowly walked forward as the Dire Wolves responded to his presence. One by one, they lifted their heads and turned their attention toward him. Several of them rose to their feet, lowering their heads slightly as they let out quiet growls.

“Lucia,” he called.

She immediately stepped up beside him.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Jester looked across the twelve Dire Wolves Pine had mentioned.

“Find the one that suits you.”

Lucia blinked in surprise before lowering her head.

“Yes, Your Highness. I will do my best.”

She cautiously walked toward the pack.

The Dire Wolves gradually stood as she approached. Their sharp eyes remained fixed on her every movement, and a few of them bared their fangs ever so slightly, their posture becoming noticeably more aggressive as they watched the unfamiliar woman enter their territory.

“Your Highness,” Pine said.

“Yes?”

“Ordinarily, we are the ones who determine which Dire Wolf is paired with its handler. The matching process is carried out very carefully to ensure compatibility. Allowing someone to choose directly from the pack is... highly unusual.”

Jester offered no response. Instead, he called another name.

“Elora.”

The young woman looked up in surprise before quickly stepping forward.

“Y-Yes, Your Highness?”

“You will choose one as well.”

“H-Huh?”

Her eyes widened, but despite her trembling, she obediently walked toward the Dire Wolves.

“Your Highness,” Pine spoke again as he lowered his head respectfully.

“If the pack does not acknowledge them, there is a possibility the Dire Wolves may attack together. Once they perceive someone as a threat, they will act as a coordinated pack. Even our handlers would struggle to stop them before someone is seriously injured.”

Jester turned his gaze toward him.

“Are you questioning my judgment, Pine?”

Pine's face immediately paled. He dropped to one knee without hesitation.

“Your Highness, please forgive my insolence. I would never dare question your judgment. My concern lies only with the unpredictable nature of the Dire Wolves. I fear they may react in ways beyond our control.”

Before Pine could finish speaking, his voice suddenly caught in his throat.

One of the massive Dire Wolves began walking toward Lucia. At the same time, the rest of the pack rose to their feet, letting out deep, threatening growls as they bared their fangs.

Lucia instinctively flinched and took a step back as the enormous beast stopped only inches from her face.