The arrival of the masters transformed the fief. With the experts in place, construction quickly followed. The smithy, mill, jewelry shop, and other crafting facilities all rose to level 5.
It was a crucial level, and it changed everything.
The smithy became a forge and could finally produce Standard Gold Equipment.
The mill became a pastry shop. Beyond its rye-based foods, it could now make refined pastries, cookies, delicious cakes, and other fine fare.
A master brewer from the Imperial Capital also opened a brewery that could brew ale to restore stamina. Unfortunately, it had only just opened. Even with a master brewer running it, the facility was only level 3 and could produce little beyond ale and dark beer.
The master brewer kept pressing the lord's manor to hurry construction of the buildings the brewery needed. He had many carefully perfected family recipes for wines with special effects, but he could not brew them until the brewery reached level 5 and became a distillery.
Upgrading the crafting facilities also strengthened the fief's military.
With compound bows, Standard Light Steel Armor, and other equipment now available, Cecilia could finally train the unit she knew best at the barracks—the Winged Cavalry!
The Winged Cavalry was versatile, equally suited to ranged combat and close quarters. Its riders could lay down suppressive fire with flintlocks and compound bows, then charge in when the moment came to break the enemy's formation. They had the harassment capabilities of light cavalry and the shock power of heavy cavalry, making them one of the finest units on the Kane Plane.
Their drawback was the cost. White Stone Fief could barely keep its finances afloat as it was, even with funds from the Empire's central government.
Northland was simply too barren. Vast mineral deposits lay undeveloped, and stretches