Lord of Reclamation: I Can Unlock Abilities By Building Civilizations
Chapter 43: Not One Copper Coin

Chapter 43: Not One Copper Coin

Thane didn’t know any fancy soldier training techniques.

But he knew armies’ most important aspect was absolute obedience.

Thane taught Pamin all the basic marching, formation, physical and agility training facilities, discipline, rewards and punishments he knew from his previous life.

Thane felt somewhat uncertain while explaining.

But Pamin listened more and more seriously.

This training method was stricter than Earl Ividaya’s personal guards, with unique ideas about physical and agility training that really knocked Pamin’s socks off.

Though Pamin understood some parts, where in blazes did the lord learn all this?

How would this bastard who worked daily know these things?

Had he known he’d become a lord and secretly snuck into the earl’s study to learn ahead of time?

But those training methods Pamin had never heard of—where did they come from?

"I understand and strongly agree with your ideas, Baron. But I didn’t catch the obstacle training facilities part. Could you go over it again?"

Pamin humbly sought instruction like a devoted student.

Pamin felt that if he could use these training facilities, maybe his swordsmanship could improve even more?

"Of course."

Just as Thane was about to speak, he suddenly remembered a certain monster-hunting game from his previous life, about witcher training facilities.

Those witcher training included all kinds of wooden posts, straw dummies, obstacles, and ropes.

These facilities trained witchers’ agility, swordsmanship, and reaction speed.

Most famous was the rotating wooden post contraption—a huge horizontal beam suspended in air with spiked clubs around it, spinning at high speed when the mechanism kicked in. Trainees had to nimbly dodge, block, or counterattack.

Thane felt such things might better suit this world’s soldier training.

Yes, this facility was a must-have!

Though recreating it would take time, Thane first explained training methods he’d seen in his previous life to Pamin.

"Obstacle training, including rope climbing, obstacle jumping, wall crossing, and balance beams, training soldiers’ agility, coordination, endurance, and backbone."

Thane didn’t know if it was useful but explained everything.

"The whole process should preferably be timed training to create pressure... I’ll have carpenters make a simple hourglass."

Pamin took it all in seriously, then asked somewhat puzzled, "Do you know what those facilities look like?"

Thane smiled. "They’re all simple. I’ll draw some blueprints—anyone with building know-how can construct them."

Pamin immediately relaxed.

But he was also curious about these training facilities.

What kind of facilities were simple to build yet could train soldiers?

Pamin looked expectantly at Thane. "Please draw them as soon as you can."

Thane readily agreed, not expecting Pamin to be so fired up.

Worth mentioning, this time Thane not only raised training requirements but also improved grub.

During training, all soldiers got an extra pound of meat, including the fifteen picked from slaves.

To make horses run fast, not only whip them but feed them good fodder.

Thane was never tight-fisted in this regard.

Thane put great stock in soldier training. Without delay, he stayed up that night drawing all the facilities.

Thane personally led the team, spending a week building everything.

Of course, some facilities had improvements.

For example, the crossing wall became eleven-foot spiked fencing, better suited to wilderness town construction.

On top of that, Thane was mighty interested in the grappling hooks used by hunters Dolan and Mark, having Pamin invite them to share experience.

This specialized skill needed more talent. Thane didn’t expect soldiers to be as accurate as the two hunters.

But at least they could use them as basic climbing tools.

Thane’s hand-forged grappling hooks could bite into rock. If soldiers practiced well, night raids on castles might be doable.

After finishing this, Thane began specifically targeting his own traits.

The breeding trait would unlock the first trait [Crazy Reproduction] after the fish pond was built and stocked with 2,200 pounds of fry.

Thane still hadn’t unlocked any hunting lord related traits.

The first trait [Prey Tracking] required personally hunting fifteen prey types—five each land, flying, and aquatic—plus personally dissecting one of each category.

Thane felt this trait’s current usefulness was limited, so he hadn’t paid much mind.

Now wanting to unlock Natural Lord, forging, breeding, and hunting fields all needed completion.

Thane had long collected aquatic prey and personally dissected fish.

For land prey, Thane had hunted wild rabbits and elk. For flying prey, there was the wyvern.

With time on his hands, Thane decided to hunt the wilderness with Ryan.

Wilderness prey was more diverse than Thane imagined.

On the first hunting day, Thane captured sparrows, grouse, and crows, performing surgery on a sparrow.

Now flying prey only needed one more type.

Over the next two days, with Ryan and other hunters lending a hand, Thane easily killed wild cattle, squirrels, and roe deer.

This quick unlocking wasn’t because Thane’s archery greatly improved, but because he could work the angles.

Even if he couldn’t shoot them, Ryan and others could capture prey and bring them to Thane for personal finishing.

For the last flying prey, Thane wanted to hunt an eagle to cap off this trait in style.

But after searching most of the day without hide nor hair of one, he could only shoot a wild duck in a forest pond.

[Personal hunting of five each land, flying, aquatic creatures completed, plus dissecting one each. Unlocked: Prey Tracking]

[Prey Tracking (White): Your keen observation always discovers traces of prey (any creatures you mark), easily identifying their escape directions]

Oh?

Thane looked at Prey Tracking’s description with some surprise.

Obviously, this trait applied not just to hunting but also warfare!

Thane suddenly realized—warfare was another form of hunting!

It seemed he couldn’t always pigeonhole traits by name alone. What should be unlocked still needed unlocking.

Thane immediately checked the next trait.

[Territory harvests 4,400 pounds of game (must include 3+ species), harvest 100 hides (damage rate <20%), unlock trait: Flesh Harvester]

Hiss—

Thane gritted his teeth at the trait information.

If he’d unlocked the first trait earlier, the second would already be in the bag!

But fortunately, with the hunting party continuously hunting, if they were lucky enough to catch a black bear plus hunt some rabbits and elk, it would nearly do the trick.

If not, another round of fishing at the river bend.

Just as Thane sighed, Aleya came running back.

"My lord, we found a group ahead to the southeast—three wagons plus slaves. Should be a caravan!"

Thane snapped to attention, somewhat surprised.

How could there be a caravan passing through here?

Thane and the hunting party’s current position was northeast of Fontdmer Town. Further east were mountains, with the eastern coast beyond.

But the eastern mountains differed from the Blackstone Mountains—all steep peaks, uninhabited, with no passable roads.

Even Susan’s father living at the northeastern mountain base had never entered, only living on the outskirts.

Otherwise Thane would have opened maritime trade long ago.

"So they came from the south, lost?"

Thane speculated, pulling out his map.

The nearest southern city was the border city, with Earl Hawk’s territory farther south—a long journey with some rugged, difficult paths.

Going this way was completely double the distance.

Made no sense.

Thane was puzzled and stood up.

"Stop roasting the duck. Let’s go see the caravan."

Regardless where the caravan came from, not one copper coin of tax owed to Thane could slip by.