Magic Kingdom at War Volume 2

=Chapter 1=

For Matt Fang, former fired accountant of Earth, life had taken a strange turn. Seventeen days ago, he had just been let go from another job for refusing to bow to a petty middle manager. Now, he was a champion of Earth, having agreed to become the frontline in an interdimensional war that he had neither understanding, knowledge, nor even grasp of.
Joining had been on a whim, a burning desire to matter as more than just another cog in the machine. Spending days logging into work and being time- and video-tracked, having his work questioned, and the number of times he went to the washroom counted.
Now, he ruled a kingdom, a magical kingdom with elemental woodlings, and had a pair of trusty advisors. An irritable Alchemist and an orc Warlord that he had nearly killed during their most recent skirmish. It was this very skirmish and the end results that he looked into now, taking full stock of the situation the very next day.
“Do you think it’s wise for us to keep him so far forwards?” Irvine muttered, lips thin as he eyed the tactical map floating right before them. The tactical room was on the top floor of their small keep, a room where the hexagon map that portrayed the land around them floated.
“We’ve got a woodling unit moving up to him. We have another already in the village and he’s got the damaged unit with him. That puts him with three units, compared to the single one we have here right now,” Matt said. “I’d be more worried about us than him.”
“Eh. Aren’t we already dead, what with the brain bleed and all that,” Irvine said.
“Don’t remind me.” Matt touched his forehead, remembering the massive pain that he had faced, the stroke he likely had just before he was transferred over. Who knew? Maybe this entire thing was just another hallucination before he died.
“And I do worry about us. And want to know what you plan,” Irvine said.
“As do I, my lord.” Braskar’s voice, the hoarse rumbling tones of the orc, came floating through space. Just another part of the magic, allowing the Hero to connect to them in this room. And only this room, which led to a whole bunch of rather frustrating situations.
Still, a routine meeting every morning was perfect. As was a check-in during the day when Matt or Irvine were free to swing by. And one more at night. Before, they’d only done one once a day, but recent events had seen them decide on something a little more regular.
Recent events being finally locating their opponent, the hyena-humanoid hybrid creatures he called the saakal and the Level 2 werewolf Hero that they’d managed to kill. Thankfully, the enemy Hero had not had much beyond a terrifying roar and a sped-up healing factor it seemed, for it had fallen to Braskar eventually. With a little help from Matt.
“I don’t know, alright.” Matt sighed. “I spent most of last night celebrating and I’ve still got a pounding headache. Whatever magical world we’re in, you’d think they’d have found a cure for a hangover.”
“Orcs have a traditional cure for hangovers.”
“What’s that?” Matt said, perking up.
“A five-mile run.”
“Pass.”
Irvine laughed softly. “I told you to stop drinking, did I not?”
“Oh, and you’re any better? I remember you red-faced and drunker than a skunk.” Matt paused, then frowned. “Hey! How come you don’t have a hangover. Are you holding out on me?”
“Nothing of the sort. Side effect of being an Alchemist,” Irvine said, smirking a little. “Poison resistance is a minor perk.”
“Oh.” Matt sighed after a moment, rubbing at his temples. “I got nothing, guys. We could keep to our plan and build out for ranged upgrades, or we could put ourselves back a few days and start a woodling unit. Even if we get a ranged upgrade, we still need to save up enough to build a ranged unit.”
“You sound doubtful, my lord,” Braskar rumbled.
“I do. I mean, our opponent has upgraded melee units already. Shouldn’t we try to at least match them?” Matt said.
“Fighting strength to strength seems like a bad idea.” Irvine twitched his hand and pulled up the ranged upgrade and the barracks upgrade, showcasing them both to Matt. “Perhaps reviewing the information again would be a good idea.”

Upgrade Available: Grove (II)
Building Type: Barracks
Tier: Lesser Tier II
Units Available to Produce: Woodlings (II) (25/5)
Cost: 125
Production Time: 8 days

Structure Available: Ranged Copse
Building Type: Barracks
Tier: Lesser Tier I
Units Available to Produce: Squirting cucumber, sandbox trees, or firecracker flowers
Cost: 200
Production time: 5 days

“Huh,” Matt said, staring at the information. “I’d forgotten that it took eight days to build the new Grove upgrade.” Then he hesitated. “Wait. If the saakal were already upgraded, and they weren’t an evolution – which they might be, mind you – does that mean our opponent has a headstart on us?”
“That would make sense,” Braskar rumbled. “We were – humanity that is – the defeated group as per the announcement you relayed to us. If so, we would be fighting at a disadvantage.”
“Arse. I should have thought of that…” The ‘Lord’ rubbed his face. “If I’d known, perhaps a mass production method was the wrong way to go.”
“Perhaps. Though, if not for that, we might have been overwhelmed already, my lord,” Braskar said.
“Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Enough watching the potion boil. We have decisions to make,” Irvine snapped. “What are you going to do? Add more woodlings, keep to your original plan? Do something else stupid?”
“Like what?” Matt said.
“I don’t know, build the Tavern?” Irvine replied.
“More Heroes might help…” Matt said quietly. “We certainly have seen the advantage of having Braskar on the field. Without him, I don’t think the woodlings would have survived as long.”
“No, my lord. My Command Aura Skill provides a sizeable bonus to their unit cohesion and strength,” the orc confirmed.
“But what would it cost to hire a Hero?” Irvine said. “Also, we’ve seen what happens when you drink. Adding another location for you to be even more useless is a bad idea.”
“That’s really hurtful,” Matt said, sniffing. “Learning to relax when appropriate is important for the long-term happiness of an individual and reduces burnout. Management 101.”
“I’m sure that’s the reason entirely for your drinking.”
“Well, I’m not a saint.”
“All the better. We do not have enough personnel to sacrifice,” Braskar rumbled.
“Wait. Sacrifice?” Matt said, confused.
“Of course. Once a month, a sacrifice must be made to the Old Gods for their favour, so that they do not rise against the New Gods and wage war. In return, the Saint may continue to utilize their favour.” Braskar paused, a considering tone entering his voice. “I know humans did not have the same religion, but I remember there being many such sacrifices in village squares. Though burning their sacrifices alive always seemed barbaric.”
“Uhhh….” Matt said slowly.
“We do not do that!” Irvine was nowhere as hesitant at rebuking the orc. “At most, we might offer them a cup of poison if they are that heretical. But we make no sacrifices to our gods beyond a bushel of wheat and a cup of poured wine.”
“No. I’m sure there were human burnings. On one memorable raid, they were so focused on the process they did not hear us coming till we were nearly on them. The slaughter was mighty and wonderful,” Braskar rumbled, happiness in his voice.
“Maybe in your barbaric world. Not mine,” Irvine snapped.
“Perhaps. And yours, my lord?”
“Uhh…”
“You were that barbaric too?” Irvine said, shrinking away from Matt.
“Not me. Or my people. And certainly not my culture. But, across the world and in the past?” Matt made a face. “Let’s just say we’ve progressed.”
“Oh, the past!” Irvine relaxed. “Those were barbarous times. Why, they refused to even use leeches back then.”
Matt snapped his jaw shut, making a side note not to avail himself of the physicking services Irvine might offer in the future. He definitely wasn’t going to let anyone punch holes in his head to ‘cure’ him. Even if he was already hearing voices in his head.
“Well, my lord. Do we have a plan?” Braskar said after a moment. “Or do you want quiet to nurse your headache further?”
“Not so much a plan, but a decision.”

***

Status Report
Day 17 (Beginning of Day)
Gold: 136 (+16.25 Gold per day)
Units: 4 Woodlings
In Production: (None)
Structures Completed: Grove, Road, Stall (II)
Structures Available: Grove (II), Ranged Copse, Basic Greenhouse, Watch Tower, Tavern, Marketplace, Blacksmith, Harbour

Cooldown: 6 days to spell casting, 6 days to Burst Production

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Release Date: June 26, 2024

Pages: 75

Genre: LitRPG Fantasy

eBook ISBN: 9781778552014

Language: English