After he was done with the diplomacy, Jack commissioned the construction of another two mobile fortresses. He spent 18 ruling powers to directly complete the construction. He then asked Thaergood to transport the newly produced mana cannons and other siege weapons into these mobile fortresses.
Jack sent all the new recruits to train in barracks and academy. This required another expenditure. Jack didn't bother about the coins. They needed to go all out at this moment. He also used Mass Drill. All the training aided by the effect of the State of Emergency should push the recruits into the battle-ready state, which was level 50, in less than a month.
Jack used the Runestone of Luck when he used Call to Arms. This time, another eternal-grade recruit appeared. The recruit's name was Boro. Aside from Boro, this round of drafting also produced three mythical-grade recruits. Jack asked if the State of Emergency increased the quality of the recruit, considering Peniel said that it was unlikely for another eternal-grade recruit to appear.
Peniel said that she didn't know if the world enchantment had that kind of hidden effect. She said it could probably be Jack's insane luck stat that had again triggered the appearance of an eternal-grade recruit.
Whatever the reason, Jack didn't mind. He was happy enough that this happened. He sent Boro and the three mythical-grade recruits to train inside Brave Academy.
After they defeated Dritzuut, the war in Liguritudum ended. Jack received the merit points from the victory even when he was unconscious. When he woke up, he was already a level 18 sovereign, which gave him access to his twelfth and last royal agent. Yet, Jack didn't send Boro an invitation for that role. He had a different plan.
Aside from gaining merit points from war victory, he had also completed many affairs during the war. His merit points were close to getting him to level 19 sovereign. He just needed around 200,000 more merit points to get to that level. Peniel told him that the highest sovereign level was level 20. Jack thought that he should probably be able to get to that level before the final confrontation with the underworld forces.
Peniel also informed him that level 19 and level 20 gave him access to sovereign powers that catered more to war campaigns, but she warned him those powers required many ruling powers. Hence, he was saving his ruling powers.
He no longer used Imposed Blockade on World Maker, World Ruler, and State of Galhana. This saved him 60 ruling powers. Those guilds had now hidden themselves inside World Throne, behind the underworld forces. It was unlikely for them to come out and cause trouble.
After using his ruling powers for Mass Drill, Call to Arms, hastening the mobile fortresses, and some requests from John for hastening a few buildings and research, he had 80 ruling powers left. He saved these ruling powers for his future sovereign powers.
After finishing with the monarch system, Jack spent the rest of the day in a meeting with Thaergood, Grace, and his other advisors. They discussed the preparation for the incoming refugees from Liguritudum. A lot of infrastructure would be required for these refugees.
Alsvelg, the city where Hydrurond's refugees used to stay in, had become a ghost city after the draconians left. Thaergood sent settlers to that city so the infrastructures there weren't wasted. This city could be used again to house the ethereal refugees who were on their way to Themisphere.
But one city wouldn't be enough to house the population of a country. Jack told Thaergood to prepare to build additional settlements in several other different spots near the border, so the Liguritudum people wouldn't be too much at a loss when they arrived. If the preparation was not sufficient, having so many refugees inside their country would instead cause instability.
It's a good thing the nationwide evacuation turned one-tenth of Liguritudum's population into combatants, even if they were all low-levels. Once the refugees arrived, they could mobilize these combatants and add them to their battle force to deal with the underworld forces.
*
"Someone is requesting an audience with Your Majesty," Thaergood said as they closed the meeting.
It had been some time since Jack's last gathering with the nobles. He figured those nobles would be eager to meet him to express their concerns. Jack was sure these nobles would be edgy because the news regarding the underworld forces was already public knowledge. A world notification had sounded when the underworld forces hit Liguritudum's first settlement. That happened yesterday.
"Grace, can you take care of this for me? I'm not in the mood," Jack said. With all the troubles and the passing of Broidrireg, the last thing he wanted was to listen to the whining of some nobles, even if that was part of a king's job.
"Don't worry, I will deal with them," Grace said.
Thaergood chuckled. "Don't worry about the nobles, I've taken care of them. The guest I mentioned is not a noble. I think Your Majesty will want to meet this guest. I dare say he and his faction will be instrumental in facing the incoming underworld forces. I strongly suggest that Your Majesty meet this person."
"Oh?" Jack was intrigued after hearing Thaergood's words. "In that case, call him in."
Jack went to the throne room to wait for the guest.
Not long after, Thaergood came in with three people. All three were fully armored. From their armor, Jack identified which faction they were from and why Thaergood said they would be instrumental in their crusade against the underworld forces.
The armor the three wore was similar to the ones worn by his country's special unit, the ancient champions. Their armor was more intricate and elegant. Their armor had a constant shine even when no light was hitting the armor's surface.
They were the warriors from the Ancient Sect, a league faction that appeared with the Ancient Beacon Tower he had built in this capital. Although it was classified as a league faction, no player had joined this faction.
This was not out of disinterest. Many players had come to the Ancient Beacon Tower once it was built. When these players learned that it was a house to a league faction, they voiced their interest in applying. However, they were chased away. The caretaker told them the ancient sect didn't accept any members. Only natives who were official kingdom soldiers and fulfilled their requirements were allowed inside the tower to undertake the trial for becoming ancient champions.
As for the members of the ancient sect, they continued to seclude themselves from the society. They rarely set foot outside the ancient beacon tower. Only after the world notification of the arrival of the underworld forces that they start to get out more from their tower.
As for their sect leader, this was the first time he came out. He did so only after a kingdom's messenger sent him the confirmation that the king would meet with him.
