Chapter 137: The First Milstone

The first signs that Althoff’s enormous construction program was beginning to bear fruit appeared shortly after sunrise, when Mara Kest arrived at the Administrative Hall carrying a collection of completed inspection reports.

For once, the civil engineer looked genuinely pleased.

"Your Excellency, I have some good news," Mara announced, placing the documents before Raymond. "Several major infrastructure projects have passed their final inspections. The eastern warehouse extension is operational, two principal road sections have been completed, and the drainage connections serving the southern residential blocks are functioning properly."

Raymond looked up from his correspondence, his expression brightening immediately. "Now that’s the kind of report I enjoy receiving. No collapsed walls, missing supplies, or arguments about whose Department should pay for another wagon?"

Mara smiled. "There were arguments, my Lord. Fortunately, they happened before the work was finished."

Alaric, who had accompanied her, opened another report. "The completed warehouse facilities have already been transferred to the Logistics Department. Corvin expects them to reduce congestion around the older storage yards, particularly now that merchant deliveries have increased."

Raymond examined the inspection records with satisfaction. Each completed project represented months of planning, enormous quantities of materials, and the combined efforts of hundreds of workers.

More importantly, these were not decorative improvements intended to impress visiting nobles. They were functioning facilities that would support the city’s continued expansion.

"How are the roads performing?" Raymond asked.

Mara pointed toward the relevant section of the report. "The completed routes are handling traffic considerably better than before. Edric has also confirmed that their drainage systems passed inspection. We still have plenty of unfinished streets, but the difference is becoming noticeable."

Alaric nodded in agreement. "Merchants have already reported shorter delivery times between the Warehouse District and several commercial areas. The Watch has also recorded fewer complaints concerning blocked intersections along the improved sections."

Raymond leaned back with a satisfied smile. "Excellent. Make sure the workers responsible receive proper recognition. They’ve been dealing with enough complaints from residents to deserve some appreciation."

Mara promised to convey his remarks to the construction supervisors before departing for another inspection.

Raymond spent the remainder of the morning reviewing the Administration’s latest development assessments. The County Development Program remained far from completion, but several important projects had finally moved beyond the construction stage and entered regular operation.

The progress was encouraging.

It also meant the enormous investment authorized weeks earlier was beginning to produce tangible results.

Shortly before noon, Raymond returned to his private study after dismissing the remaining officials. He had barely settled into his chair when a familiar notification sounded inside his head.

Ding!

A translucent blue window appeared before his eyes.

[INFINITE CLAN TREASURY SYSTEM]

[MAJOR FAMILY MISSION: THE RISE OF A COUNT’S DOMAIN]

[Milestone Achievement Detected!]

[Several essential infrastructure projects have reached operational status.]

[The development of Althoff City has advanced sufficiently to qualify for the First Construction Milestone.]

[MILESTONE REWARD UNLOCKED!]

- Shop Points ×25,000

- Specialized Civilian Summoning Ticket ×2

- Mana Awakening Elixir ×20

[Rewards have been deposited into the Family Treasury.]

Raymond stared at the notification for several seconds before breaking into a delighted grin.

"Finally! Now that’s what I call a productive morning."

The additional Shop Points were certainly welcome. With Althoff’s commercial activity continuing to expand, Financial Sync had already been generating a steady stream of points from the territory’s qualifying revenue.

Agricultural sales, merchant transactions, commercial leases, and the growing Beast processing industry were strengthening both the physical Treasury and Raymond’s private System resources.

The twenty-five thousand bonus points would provide additional flexibility for future purchases.

The two Specialized Civilian Summoning Tickets were equally valuable. Raymond had already witnessed how capable administrators, engineers, and craftsmen could transform a struggling territory when placed in positions suited to their expertise.

However, neither reward captured his attention quite like the final item.

Mana Awakening Elixir ×20.

Raymond immediately selected the entry.

[MANA AWAKENING ELIXIR]

[Grade: Rare]

[Type: Consumable]

[Effect: Allows an individual without awakened Mana sensitivity to begin perceiving and absorbing ambient Mana.]

[Note: Awakening Mana sensitivity does not immediately grant Knight rank, combat mastery, or developed Mana reserves. Continued training is required.]

[Individual aptitude, physical condition, and training discipline will influence subsequent development.]

Raymond read the description twice.

Then he slowly leaned back in his chair.

"This changes things."

Until now, the distinction between ordinary soldiers and Knights had remained one of Althoff’s greatest military limitations.

The territory possessed powerful summoned Knights, including Cassian Rourke, Bram Havel, Silas Vane, and the Bronze and Silver Knights serving beneath them. Their strength provided Althoff with an extraordinary military advantage compared to its former condition.

But Boris’s conventional soldiers remained ordinary men.

They trained with swords, spears, shields, and bows. They practiced formations, patrolled roads, guarded settlements, and maintained order throughout the territory.

Their contribution was indispensable, yet they lacked the ability to cultivate Mana that distinguished true Knights from conventional warriors.

For most ordinary people, awakening the ability to sense Mana was an opportunity they might never receive.

And now Raymond possessed twenty elixirs capable of opening that door.

"Twenty potential Knight trainees," he murmured thoughtfully. "Not twenty Knights. That’s an important distinction."

He examined the item description again, paying particular attention to the warning concerning training.

The elixirs would allow their recipients to begin sensing and absorbing Mana, but they would still need instruction, discipline, physical conditioning, and time before developing meaningful combat abilities.

Simply distributing the elixirs among twenty soldiers and expecting them to become powerful Knights would be foolish.

Worse, it could waste resources that might prove extraordinarily difficult to replace.

Raymond rose from his chair and approached the window overlooking the manor grounds.

Beyond the walls, Althoff City continued its daily activities. Construction workers moved between projects, merchants transported goods along the improved roads, and soldiers maintained their regular patrols.

Somewhere among those soldiers were men who had served House Althoff long before its recent prosperity.

Men who had endured shortages, difficult winters, and years of declining fortunes without abandoning their duties.

Raymond considered what the elixirs might mean to them.

A soldier who had never possessed the aptitude to sense Mana could finally begin training toward becoming a Knight.

For an ordinary man, that opportunity could transform his entire future.

Yet Raymond understood that selecting recipients would require considerable care.

He could not distribute such valuable resources merely because someone possessed seniority or had earned his personal favor.

Discipline, loyalty, determination, physical readiness, and willingness to undergo demanding training would all matter.

More importantly, Althoff needed an institution capable of supporting the process.

"Twenty elixirs are only the beginning," Raymond muttered. "If I want an actual Knight Corps, I need a proper training system."

His thoughts turned toward Boris and Jonathan.

Boris commanded the conventional territorial army and understood its soldiers better than anyone. He knew which men possessed leadership potential, which units maintained discipline, and which individuals could endure difficult training.

Jonathan, meanwhile, commanded the Household Knights and possessed the practical knowledge required to develop Mana cultivation among aspiring Knights.

Together, they could help Raymond establish a structured training program.

However, there was another complication.

The System remained his greatest secret.

He could not simply summon his commanders, place twenty miraculous elixirs upon the table, and explain that an invisible treasury had rewarded him for completing construction projects.

He needed a plausible explanation for acquiring the elixirs, along with a carefully managed distribution process.

Raymond rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"One problem at a time. First, establish the training structure. Then decide how to introduce the elixirs."

He dismissed the item description and examined the remaining rewards.

The Specialized Civilian Summoning Tickets could help address Althoff’s growing administrative and industrial needs. The city would soon require teachers for its planned Elementary Academy, while the expanding construction program continued placing pressure upon experienced supervisors.

Raymond decided to preserve the tickets until he could identify the positions where they would provide the greatest benefit.

As for the twenty Mana Awakening Elixirs, he left them securely stored within the System’s Treasury.

They were far too valuable to distribute impulsively.

By late afternoon, Raymond had returned to his desk and begun outlining several preliminary ideas for military development.

He considered training grounds, instructors, selection requirements, and the relationship between conventional soldiers and the Household Knights.

The more he wrote, the clearer the challenge became.

Althoff did not merely need stronger individual soldiers.

It needed an organized method of developing them.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," Raymond called, closing his notebook as Lily entered carrying the evening correspondence.

"Young Master, Chief Administrator Alaric has sent the revised construction schedule," Lily announced, placing the documents upon his desk. "He also asked whether you intend to hold another meeting tomorrow."

Raymond considered the question before smiling.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Lily, please send messages to Captain-General Boris and Commander Jonathan. Tell them I would like to meet privately tomorrow morning."

Lily opened her notebook immediately. "Both of them, Young Master? Should I inform the other military officers as well?"

"Not yet," Raymond replied, shaking his head. "This discussion concerns something I want to explore with the two of them first."

Lily recorded the instructions before looking up curiously. "Is it another big plan, Young Master?"

Raymond glanced toward the city beyond his window, remembering the twenty precious elixirs waiting inside his System Treasury.

"Yes, Lily," he answered with a quiet smile. "And if everything goes well, it might change the future of every soldier serving House Althoff."

The first construction milestone had been achieved.

Now Raymond was preparing to take the first steps toward building an army capable of cultivating Mana.