more warriors

The next morning, Drake looked carefully at the information given to him. After deducting the expenses with the family and the army, the territory had earned forty gold coins, leaving a balance of seventy coins.

"Sarah, send Roland with two knights to the capital to acquire another hundred elite sets. I also want to know how the villages' economies are."

"Yes, my lord! As for the villages, trade is flourishing thanks to greater security. The routes we built between the fort and the city really strengthened our economy."

"Excellent. Call Drystan, I need to discuss something with him."

Soon, Drystan entered the salon.

"My lord, how can I serve you?"

"I want an immediate recruitment. Adding our new territories, we have a population of more than ten thousand. Recruit five hundred men and form the recruitment point in the citadel."

"Understood, sir! In less than a week I'll have enough."

"Great. I need them to be minimally prepared in a month. Can you do that?"

"Surely, my lord!"

"What about the hundred elite units that Roland is training? How are you doing?"

"They showed an excellent performance, my lord. They managed to absorb the techniques of the family's lineage, increasing their strength by ten percent. Among the family warriors, they are one of the best. As for the knights, they had an extraordinary improvement, now comparable to the second knights of other noble families."

In the kingdom, elite warriors are selected to receive family techniques, which gives them a fraction of the magical heritage of the lineage. This makes them much more powerful than ordinary soldiers.

Second-class knights, on the other hand, are those who, although not direct heirs, enjoy a small part of the family inheritance, gaining exceptional skills, but still far from the power of the main heirs.

"However, there is a detail..."

"What detail?"

"The warriors and knights who used the technique began to have their hair with a reddish tone, although much darker than yours, sir."

Drake's family's hair is bright red, similar to burning flames. Changes like these are common when using family inheritances, but usually the effects are subtle. Changes in eye color or iris tone are common, but a change in hair is a rare sign that the line in question is powerful.

"This can be a problem..."

Drake thought, with a distant look.

The noble families of Dravenfell are not fools. If they perceive a weakness, they do not hesitate to bring down a rival. And with Drake's family still growing, any sign of exaggerated strength could attract unwanted attention.

"While we are considered a weak house, no one will bother. But after bringing down the Viscount, that can change."

Drystan, worried, asked: "Sir?"

"It's nothing. Continue with the recruitment. Tell the soldiers that what is happening is the result of my lineage. There's nothing to worry about."

"Yes, sir! Excuse me."

Drystan left the room, excited to complete the recruitment.

After Drystan left, Drake went to the training area to practice his fencing with his brothers and cousins. Meanwhile, the barony flourished and morale was high among the people.

A week later, Drake felt an intense heat around his body while training, the air around him vibrated. With a powerful movement, he smiled for the first time in a long time.

"Finally, an Intermediate Knight..."

He thought with an expression of satisfaction.

He knew that, with this force, defeating the Novaes would be a matter of time. His eyes turned to the map on his table, focusing on the next target: the Novaes.

The lineage of the Novaes family, although noble, is considered weak. Unlike other houses, which have inheritances linked to majestic and powerful creatures, the Novaes descend from the sea falcon, a creature known more for cunning and strategic vision than for strength.

This heritage gives them a unique capacity for observation, but lacks the physical power or supernatural resistance of large families.

Its coastal city, Porto Lúgubre, thrives through trade and smuggling, but is shrouded in a gloomy climate and full of clandestine disputes. Militarily, the city is fragile and depends on political alliances to maintain its relevance.

"They have three hundred warriors and eight junior knights... We can crush them in a single day. But after that, we'll have to deal with the Viscount. There is no way our family and his can coexist."

Drake called his commanders for a meeting. When he observed the room, he noticed that everyone had changed. His hair was darker and redder, and his postures firmer. They were stronger, united by the power of the lineage.

"Sirs, our family cannot be satisfied with what we have. We need more. We need to conquer more!"

The heat of the room increased, everyone felt more at ease in that environment, united by the strength of the lineage.

"I want to dominate the territory of Novaes. The control of the maritime border will open the doors to trade with other regions and strengthen us even more."

He paused before continuing.

"But this won't be our only attack. Do you think the viscount will leave us alone after we take the Novaes' territory? We need to attack him while he's unprepared. I know some of you think this is crazy..."

"Never, sir!"

Shouted a knight.

"We're with you, Drake!"

Added Cedric, his younger cousin.

Drystan, assuming his role as commander, declared

"Lord, I will leave the army ready by the end of the month. You can count on me."

Drake nodded with a smile, knowing that the conquest was only a matter of time.

My readers, I came here just to tell you that I will make the next chapters longer as you deserve. Have a good read.