Necromancer: Kingdom Building with My Legion of Undead Knights

The carpenters had been busy. As busy as them who had gone hunting, even. Darion tried to compare which was even more harder.

Hunting was more dangerous, certainly, every moment in the forest carried the risk of death, of encountering something that could tear you apart before you even had time to react.

The Yuimons, the Horned Olfs, the gorilla-like creatures, they had all been threats that required every ounce of focus and strategy to overcome. One wrong move, one miscalculation, and it could have been over.

But the carpentry work required more consistent effort.

The carpenters had been working non-stop, their hands moving with efficiency that had mastered with practice, their bodies bent over their tasks for hours on end.

They didn’t have the thrill of danger to keep them alert; they just had the steady, grinding labor of building something from nothing.

That took discipline. That took endurance. Look at Seren, getting all tired so quick from just walking through the forest.

Even Darion himself was exhausted, his legs aching, his mind foggy. If he was this tired from hunting, he couldn’t imagine how the carpenters felt after a full day of physical labor.

He respected that. He respected the quiet dedication of men who worked without complaint, who showed up every day and did what needed to be done.

They arrived at the farmland and dismounted. Darion and Seren packed the horses, tying them to a sturdy post near the edge of the site. He stood there for a moment, taking in the scene.

The progress was small but noticeable. The pens were beginning to take shape, their wooden frames rising from the ground like skeletons. Stacks of timber were neatly arranged, waiting to be used. The fencing was partially complete, stretching across the marked sections like the outline of a drawing waiting to be filled in. It wasn’t finished, not by a long shot, but it was a start. A visible, tangible start.

Darion nodded slowly. This was decent progress. The carpenters had worked efficiently, making the most of the daylight hours.

The pens were aligned properly, the measurements accurate, the construction solid. It looked like something that would actually hold animals, something that would last.

He was about to say something when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Garren approaching, his face calm but his eyes curious. The older knight had been overseeing the work, and he looked like he had been waiting for Darion to return.

”You guys sure spent a lot of time in the forest,” Garren said, his tone neutral but carrying a hint of amusement. ”I was starting to think you’d been eaten.”

Darion laughed. ”Almost. But we made it back.”

”I can see that,” Garren said, glancing at Seren. ”And it was a good one?”

”Yes,” Darion confirmed.

”Nice,” Garren said, then gestured toward the construction site. ”The carpenters have been working steadily. They’ve completed the foundations for the main pens, and they’ve started on the fencing. The shelters are next.”

Darion nodded, walking closer to inspect the work.

The head carpenter noticed Darion’s approach and straightened from his work, a hammer still in his hand. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his forearm and offered a respectful nod.

”Evening, m’lord,” he said. The other carpenters nearby looked up from their work, pausing to acknowledge Darion’s presence.

Darion walked closer, his eyes scanning the half-built pens. ”Evening. How’s the work coming along?”

The head carpenter looked back at the site, a quiet pride in his eyes. ”Good, m’lord. Real good. We’ve got the main pens framed up, fencing on the east and north sides. Shelters are next, should have those started by tomorrow afternoon.”

Darion nodded, walking over to one of the completed sections. He ran his hand along the wood, feeling its solidness. It was sturdy. Well-built. He turned back to the carpenter, a genuine smile on his face.

”You’ve done good work here,” Darion said. ”I know I haven’t been around to watch, but I can see the effort you’ve put in. The measurements are clean, the framing is solid.”

The head carpenter looked surprised for a moment, then a smile spread across his face. He wasn’t used to receiving praise from a Baron. Most nobles just gave orders and moved on. ”Thank you, m’lord,” he said. ”We’ve been pushing hard to get it done.”

”I can see that,” Darion said, glancing at the other carpenters. ”And I appreciate it. All of you. This work is going to be the foundation of something that will last for years. Percvale won’t forget it.”

The carpenters exchanged glances, their chests puffing up slightly. They had been working long hours, their bodies aching, their hands calloused, and hearing their Baron acknowledge their effort made it all feel worth it.

One of the younger carpenters, a boy barely out of his teens, spoke up: ”Thank you, m’lord. It means a lot.”

Darion nodded at him. ”Keep up the good work.”

The head carpenter wiped his hands on his trousers and gestured toward the site. ”We’ll have it done before you know it, m’lord. You’ll have your pens.”

”I believe you,” Darion said. ”And when the livestock arrives, you’ll be the first to see them settle in.”

The carpenters laughed, a warm sound that carried across the field. The tension that had been in their shoulders seemed to ease. They felt seen and appreciated.

Darion smiled and turned away, walking back toward Seren and Garren.

”Anything I should know about?” Darion asked.

Garren shook his head. ”Nothing major. They ran into a small issue with the timber supply, some of the wood was warped, but they sorted it out. They’ve been working efficiently.”

”Good,” Darion said. ”I want this finished as soon as possible. The sooner the pens are done, the sooner we can buy livestock.”

Garren nodded. ”I’ll make sure they stay on schedule.”

Darion looked at the structures, then at Garren. ”How much longer do you think they’ll be here?” he asked.

Garren considered the question, his eyes scanning the site. ”A little longer,” he said. ”The main pens are almost done. The fencing is about halfway. The shelters will take a few more days. But they should be finished soon. Maybe a week, maybe less.”

Darion nodded slowly. He thought about what that meant, Garren monitoring the livestock work day after day, overseeing the carpenters, making sure everything stayed on track. It felt exhausting just thinking about it.

The constant supervision, the attention to detail, the need to solve problems as they arose. Garren had been doing that for hours, and he would keep doing it until the work was finished.

”You’ll stay until they’re done?” Darion asked.

”Yes,” Garren replied. ”You must think I was here all day. I wasn’t. I took a break to nap and eat before.”

Darion blinked. He had actually thought Garren had stayed here all day, just like when they had left in the morning.

But that wasn’t the case. Garren had taken breaks, had rested, had made sure he wasn’t pushing himself too hard.

It was a reminder that even the most dedicated workers needed to pace themselves.

Darion looked at the structures, then at Seren, then back at Garren. ”We should head back to the castle. Get some proper rest.”

”That’s probably a good idea,” Garren said. ”You both look exhausted.”

They untied their horses, mounting them. Seren settled into her saddle, her hands finding the reins. Darion mounted his own horse, feeling the weight of the animal beneath him.

They rode toward the castle, the evening settling around them. The sounds of the construction faded behind them, replaced by the quiet rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets. The sky deepened into shades of purple and blue, the first stars beginning to appear overhead.