Chapter 86: Does the Earl Also Know Magic?

Following this was a series of pleasant notification sounds.

[Mission Reward: '150' Glory Points]

[Citadel of Namur construction completed, hidden gift package obtained]

Another 150 points!

The thought of his Glory Points once again surpassing three digits made Bruno feel a sense of wealth and grandeur!

Back when he had only in single digit of Glory Points, he could only drool over the dazzling array of items in the system shop there was nothing he could do, he was simply too poor!

But now, with these 150 Glory Points in hand… While he still couldn't afford expensive conceptual sets and similar high-end items, he could finally buy something he urgently needed, like blueprints for ocean-going ships.

Bruno: [](￣▽￣)*

The Citadel of Namur did not possess the wonder traits of the Hanging Garden, but the system did grant him a hidden gift package.

Although Bruno had no idea what this hidden package contained, it was still better than nothing.

He just wondered what exactly this hidden package would be...

Since browsing and purchasing items from the system shop had to wait until he returned to the lord's castle, Bruno, filled with joy, followed White Barrel on a tour of the newly built Citadel of Namur.

Earlier, Bruno had only taken a cursory glance at the exterior of the citadel, and while he had found it particularly imposing, it wasn't until he stepped inside that he realized just how formidable it was.

Within and around the Citadel of Namur, there were no trees, flowers, or plants, and barely any wood was used in its construction. This eliminated the risk of fire attacks.

The citadel's walls were extraordinarily high. Walking between the two thick layers of stone walls, one couldn't help but feel incredibly small.

Not only were the walls imposing, but even the ground inside the citadel was covered in a layer of cement, making it smooth, hard, and extremely durable.

On the advice of Sam Layton, White Barrel had also added several dozen deep wells at different locations within the citadel, ensuring a water supply in case war prevented access to the Soren River.

The outermost walls of the Citadel of Namur were so wide that eight people could walk side by side along the top!

In addition, the fortress included all necessary defensive structures, such as lookout points, arrow slits, and more.

Inside the citadel, there were independent stables, kitchens, granaries, and towers for soldiers to reside in all constructed from the sturdiest stone materials.

The Citadel of Namur covered an immense area, capable of housing nearly ten thousand troops during wartime. It was arguably the largest fortress in the eastern part of the empire.

If a noble in the empire's inland territories had built such a massive fortress, the emperor would never have turned a blind eye.

But... as luck would have it, Idar was located on the empire's eastern frontier!

The lands in the east had been mostly barren territory seized from the Basel Kingdom centuries ago, far from the empire's core. As a result, the nobles of the empire's inland regions had long ignored the eastern territories.

After all, even though the Basel Kingdom had nominally submitted to the Norman Empire, there was always the possibility that they would rebel again. Developing the eastern lands seemed unnecessary.

Even the military funds and provisions for Mann Fortress were frequently delayed…

Besides, for any message from the empire's eastern frontier to reach the imperial capital, St. Lawrence, it would take at least a month…

Then, the message would be placed on the desk of some noble senator, only to be casually tossed into the wastebasket…

Thus, Bruno had nearly no restrictions on his actions within Idar.

Building a fortress? What's the big deal!At this rate, I might as well construct a Great Wall next!

Since the Citadel of Namur was built to his satisfaction, it was now time to distribute rewards.

The promised rewards had to be fulfilled those who were to be freed from serfdom were set free, those who were to be rewarded with money received their payments, and everyone's work was reflected in their labor points. No one had any objections.

Ultimately, everyone gained something, and the atmosphere was cheerful and harmonious.

With the citadel completed, Bruno had no plans to immediately start constructing another wonder.

As for the now temporarily idle workforce, Bruno already had a plan shipbuilding!

There was plenty of time to build wonders this wasn't Civilization, where others could steal your wonders.

However, the offshore Franz Archipelago was a unique opportunity. If Bruno didn't seize control of it soon, he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

This was just like when Bruno played Europa Universalis in his previous life—if anyone dared to station troops on an island near his territory, he would declare war first and worry about diplomacy later!

That's how you assert dominance!

After touring the Citadel of Namur, Bruno hurried back to the lord's castle.

It was finally time to open the gift package!

Since the citadel lacked any dazzling wonder traits, surely the gift package would contain something worthwhile!

Bruno was filled with anticipation for this so-called hidden gift.

If it's from the system, it has to be good!

After activating the system and skipping past the familiar boot-up animation, Bruno finally saw the package icon in his field of vision.

[Path of Radiance: The establishment of the Citadel of Namur showcases the host's determination and will to defend his territory, marking the host's firm foothold in this new world. As the host embarks on a grand journey of wonder-driven nation-building, this hidden gift package will grant the host powerful magical abilities to enhance self-defense.]

[Would you like to open the hidden gift package now? (Yes/No)]

Upon reading the package description, Bruno was instantly thrilled.

Powerful magical abilities!

This was a world where magic existed!

It was impossible for Bruno not to want to become a mage capable of wielding magical power!

The reason he had placed such great emphasis on Idar's standing army was because he feared that when others set their sights on Idar, he would be left defenseless.

But if he could become a mage, the benefits would be immense.

For instance, the study of enchanted weapons had been left entirely in the hands of Arnel and the others. But if Bruno himself became a mage, he would finally have the confidence to guide the research of magic formations!