The New Main Army Force

Sir Cord's words were clear, and could be condensed into a Celestial Dynasty saying: "He who has the Way has many helpers; he who has lost the Way has few."

Reiner nodded, looking thoughtful after hearing this.

Seeing him deep in thought, Sir Cord sighed and didn't say anything more. He rose from his chair and quietly left the room.

Indeed, Reiner had clearly become overconfident, having gained unprecedented power and status. He had lost himself in it.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary person, but now he was a Baron. He could unintentionally hurt others, just as his previous actions had led Sir Cord to accuse him of being a tyrant.

He had thought he was no longer the unremarkable person he once was, constantly wanting to prove himself to everyone. This eagerness for quick success had made him lose the basic integrity he had in his previous life.

He had to learn to control his temper. While maintaining benevolence, he also needed to ensure his subjects felt his authority. Being overly benevolent, as in his past life, or as irritable as he had been recently, wouldn't work. This was the epitome of "too much is as bad as too little."

A balance of firmness and gentleness was the best option. Realizing this, Reiner felt much better, no longer suffering from the anxiety of gains and losses.

The Main Quest given by the System was for him to become Emperor. Perhaps before that, he needed to learn how to be a superior, a Baron.

Feeling much lighter, Reiner picked up the knight novel he had been reading earlier, but quickly put it down. He brought up the System panel.

Character: Reiner Morland

Age: 16

Politics: 50 (Max 100)

Health: 95

Current Territory Buildings: Morland Castle (Tier 1 Military Castle)

Current Reputation: 200 (Minor Fame)

Current Subordinates: Sir Valas, Logan, Lord Reyland (Not yet materialized)

Current Title: None

Current Army: 32 Armed Soldiers, 20 Archers

Current Territory: Morland Castle, Goer Castle

Current Family: Moreland Family

Reiner wasn't entirely satisfied with his current situation, but it was acceptable. His reputation, which was once "None," had now become "Minor Fame," meaning his renown was gradually spreading.

He estimated that once winter passed and spring arrived, his reputation would increase further with the spread of rumors and the travels of bards.

Reputation wasn't something negligible. Although it didn't provide anything directly useful in the System, it accurately showed the level his current reputation had reached.

"System, materialize the hero Lord Reyland!" Reiner said to the System.

"Materialize on the spot?" the System's voice responded.

"Materialize on the spot."

Reiner saw a flash of light before him, and a middle-aged noble appeared. He had slightly graying hair, some wrinkles around his eyes, and was dressed in fine armor.

"Good day, esteemed Baron. I am your most loyal subject!" Lord Reyland said, removing his helmet and bowing to Reiner.

"Excellent, Reyland. I am very satisfied with your abilities. From today onwards, you will be my infantry commander. I hope you will lead my infantry to bravely fight and kill the enemy!"

From the perspective of Celestial Dynasty people, Reiner's casual appointment of a newcomer to command an army was incredibly reckless. It would not only provoke dissatisfaction from others but could also lead to the soldiers not fully trusting their commander.

However, Reiner wasn't worried about this. The regular army he currently commanded consisted entirely of the Moreland Family's private soldiers. The knights had no reason or right to question Lord Reyland.

Those who were dissatisfied would only be among Reiner's own army. The low-ranking officers were insignificant, and even if they opposed Reiner, their opinions didn't need to be highly regarded.

Furthermore, Lord Reyland was a seasoned veteran who had repeatedly led the Rhodok Kingdom's spearmen and crossbowmen to defeat Swadian armies, primarily composed of powerful Swadian Knights. His military prowess was among the top in the entire Calradia Continent.

"Yes, my lord. I will command your infantry and defeat all enemies who dare to challenge your authority!" Lord Reyland bowed.

"Excellent. Now, go find Sir Cord. He will arrange a room for you in the castle!"

After dispatching Lord Reyland, Reiner continued to examine the System. The three hundred acres of fertile land could wait for now; it was impossible to cultivate them in winter.

He browsed through the troop types, looking for suitable units for his army. There was a dazzling array of troops, from infantry to cavalry to archers, totaling two or three hundred types.

Prices varied. Expensive units like the Crimson Gryphon Knight could cost twenty merit points, with the unit price increasing by half for every fifty additional troops.

There were also cheap options, redeemable for just one merit point. However, such ragged and poorly equipped militiamen were not within Reiner's consideration.

After much thought and consideration, Reiner focused on one particular troop type.

"Rhodok Sergeants, the elite troops of the Rhodok Kingdom, played a significant role in the war against the Swadian Kingdom. Discipline: Extremely High, Physical Condition: Stronger than most infantry, Combat Skills: Medium."

"Unit Price: 10, unit price increases by half for every hundred additional troops."

Reiner looked at the basic attributes of the Rhodok Sergeants and was very satisfied with them. For infantry, they were extremely strong in both physical condition and discipline.

Moreover, with a unit price of only ten merit points, they were quite cost-effective. Although their combat skills weren't particularly strong, their strength lay in forming ranks and thrusting with spears, rather than charging chaotically as skirmishers.

It was worth noting that even the most elite troop type redeemable in the System, the powerful Crimson Gryphon Knight, had basic attributes of "Discipline: Extremely High," "Physical Condition: High x2," and "Combat Skills: Extremely High." The Rhodok Sergeants were almost catching up to the Crimson Gryphon Knight's basic attributes.

While still not quite as good, the restrictions and price were significantly lower, making them an excellent choice for redemption.

Although he also desired another powerful infantry unit called the Nordic Templar Guard, their exorbitant redemption price and restrictions, similar to the Crimson Gryphon Knight, deterred him. He knew he could only dream of them; the Rhodok Sergeants were more suitable for his current needs.

"Redeem fifty Rhodok Sergeants, materialize in three days!"

"Please select materialization location."

Reiner thought about it and realized he had no way to explain the sudden appearance of the army. He couldn't use the Crimson Gryphon Knight excuse again, so he decided to just play the part of a mystic.

"Manifest them in the open space in the center of the castle!" Reiner said.

"Deducting 500 merit points. Rhodok Sergeants will manifest in three days," the System's voice announced, and Reiner's savings instantly dropped by five hundred points.

Now he had just over two hundred points left. After exchanging for the Rhodok Sergeants, Reiner opened other exchange options and spent seventy-five merit points to exchange for five Junior Blacksmiths.

His territory wasn't short on iron. The iron mine produced iron daily. Although there was no blast furnace, small workshops could still refine one to two hundred kilograms of iron material every day, not to mention Goer Castle also had an iron mine.

Reiner knew the Rhodok Sergeants' equipment: just chainmail with a coat of arms. While quite good by Calradia Continent standards, it was still comparable to the equipment of Reiner's own soldiers.

He planned to have the blacksmiths forge more armor to equip these soldiers and increase their survivability. After all, it cost fifteen merit points to exchange for one—that was fifteen lives! Reiner had to cherish such a high-cost investment.