"My lord, the entire treasury is yours."
Howard spoke devoutly. He had just used the Spirit Vision taught by Nareth to observe the world. Even this most basic technique made him realize how powerful Beyonder individuals were.
Spirit Vision allowed one to grasp the emotions of the person they were speaking with a very practical skill for nobles to gain maximum advantage in negotiations.
"No need. Just focus on your role as 'Arbiter' for now."
Nareth noticed Howard's desire for more power and gave the blond noble a reminder.
"Deliver the items I marked to the palace."
Without pause, Nareth pointed out twelve types and nineteen items of magical potion materials, including the Siren Stone he had seen earlier.
He also selected eleven non-potion materials, mixing them in with the others.
"At once, my lord. I'll have them sent to your palace immediately."
On the way back, Nareth sent a message to Roslov, summoning him to the palace for a briefing.
Upon returning, Nareth immediately began organizing the magical potion materials he had collected. He now had enough to make a "Sailor" potion and another dose of the "Warrior" potion.
Aside from those, the "Witch" potion was still missing a main ingredient, the Millipede Serpent, a mutated, highly venomous centipede species that could grow up to two meters long and typically dwelt in the lower hives.
Since there was no suitable candidate yet, Nareth wasn't in a rush to brew the potion.
Soon after, he met with Roslov.
This was Roslov's first formal briefing, and he was a bit nervous, taking a deep breath before beginning.
"My Lord, during the previous assault on the Spire Tower, the defense afterward, and the suppression of the rebels, we lost 214 brothers."
"Currently, 1,053 remain capable of fighting. Most are rebuilding the Spire Tower defenses. Among them, 370 are guarding your 58 factories."
"Additionally, we have 106 wounded who survived but have various physical impairments."
Roslov read from his data pad to complete the first portion of the casualty report.
When he compiled the report, he realized how great the victory truly was.
Only a little over 200 dead to take the entire Hive Capital, such glory could only be achieved under Nareth. It was a myth from the Old Night come alive.
"I'll pay Tech-Priest Rosicky to replace their limbs with prosthetics."
"Then, ask them whether they want to continue serving in the First Regiment of Vostroya or settle in the homes of those exterminated noble families in the Upper Hive."
"As you command, my king."
Roslov nodded, a trace of yearning in his eyes. Then he heard Nareth's next order:
"You will serve as the regiment commander."
Nareth recalled the organizational structure of future Astra Militarum: 10 soldiers per squad, led by a squad leader; 2–5 squads per platoon, led by a platoon commander; 2–6 platoons per company, led by a company commander; 5–10 companies per regiment, led by a regimental commander.
He adjusted this structure for current circumstances: "10 soldiers to a squad, 5 squads to a platoon, 5 platoons to a company, 10 companies to a regiment."
"Recruit the missing personnel in the Upper Hive. Once the regiment is complete, you will command it."
Roslov barely kept up with Nareth's fast-paced explanation, jotting notes down in his own shorthand, many of the words he couldn't spell, so he used symbols only he could recognize.
When he heard he'd be regimental commander, his hand slipped and flipped to the next page.
"In addition to forming the regiment, you'll also re-equip and train the soldiers to handle the new weapons. Pay close attention to firepower coordination."
Roslov refocused; this part was easy for a "Warrior" like him.
"For training content, consult the head guard of the Howard family and adjust as necessary."
Nareth, thinking about leaving Vostroya and launching a campaign on the Oceanus, remembered that the "Sailor" potion only worked optimally in a maritime environment. He added:
"Also, include swimming in the training. Work with the Aqua Guild and have them assist."
"Your regiment will fight in ocean worlds in the future. That's the purpose of this training."
"Pay close attention to the best performers in your regiment, I will assess them in future battles."
Drinking the "Sailor" potion granted the Beyonder ability of "Aquatic Attributes:", whether someone could swim didn't matter. What did matter were their potential and loyalty.
"As you command, my lord."
After writing all this down, Rolsliev continued with his report.
"The workers from the Hantmann West Dome have all reached the upper dome. They've entered the factories and are learning how to operate complex tools under the guidance of the original workers."
"Only the factory owners, distant relatives of Boleslaw, were executed. The foremen of each workgroup, upon learning you've gained the support of Magos Kaminsky, all pledged loyalty to you."
"Currently, all factories are operational and will be fully restored within three work cycles."
Nareth nodded slightly. "Among our people, are there any technicians capable of decoding standard construction templates?"
"My Lord, in the Lower Hive, someone who knows a hundred words is considered a scholar. We only manage those weapons through trial and error."
"People like Bukayo are Upper Hive fugitives. True technical talent is monopolized by nobles and never ends up down here."
"Add one more item to the training, literacy. Go find Howard."
Roslov replied weakly, "Understood…"
But seeing Nareth's expression darken, he quickly corrected himself with energy:
"As you command, my lord!"
"Go."
After Roslov left, Nareth fell into deep thought:
'Even if I had an STC fragment, I couldn't use it immediately.
'I need a technical expert. If I can't find one, I'll have to train one myself, I still need two ingredients for the 'Savant' potion.'
'I don't just need technical staff. I need administrators. Among the nobles, some could do the job, and they're probably scrambling to find a way to gain positions.'
After a short rest, Nareth met with Rosicky during the White-Night Shift.
The young tech-priest still retained some human features and, heeding advice, wisely suppressed his curiosity about Nareth's body.
"King Nareth, Rosicky greets you."
He held a data pad with his lower pair of mechanical prosthetic arms and asked:
"What type of weapon would you like?"
Nareth's current digestion of the potion was halfway complete. Since he still had to play the role of a "Barbarian" and break down doors in future assaults, he decided to go with a heavy weapon for now.
"A heavy halberd."
"I want the weapon and armor ready as soon as possible, preferably within eight work cycles."
As these were transitional weapons and armor, Nareth didn't ask for much, speed was the priority.
"I'll do my utmost, but I'll need your input on some technical specifications. What weapon-to-height ratio do you prefer?"
Rosicky, meticulous as always, continued asking.
By Curie Shift. Nareth sat at the metal desk and chair crafted by the Hantmann West Dome artisans, reviewing official documents.
[Plan for Rebuilding the Hive Capital Garrison Force]
During the conquest, fewer than one in ten members of the Hive Guard survived.
Nareth's own soldiers were already stretched thin guarding the Spire Tower and factories. Currently, the duties of the guard force are temporarily filled by the guards of the Fender family, but this is not a long-term solution.
The proposal in Nareth's hand was submitted by the Fender guard captain after consulting the surviving Hive guards. It was too conventional: recruit new members, have the few remaining veterans train them, but the process would take far too long.
Just then, the communicator buzzed.
"My king, Countess Yelena of the Kurnikova family seeks an audience."
"Send her in."