Galen was somewhat dejected as he left the castle, muttering words like "stingy" and "miser" as he walked…
Back in his own courtyard, he found Omar and Varokal already waiting for him.
"Omar, Varokal, do you two know any quick ways to make money?"
Omar and Varokal were completely dumbfounded by the question.
Asking them to charge into battle was fine, arranging troops was also fine, but asking them how to make money was like asking a blind man for directions. This kind of thing should be asked of Harmon Carvin, the caravan leader.
As Galen's top confidants, they were noticed by Galen and promoted from the militia. Aside from the fact that they were named NPC characters in Galen's gaming life in his previous life, more importantly, they had talent, potential, and drive.
Both of them were from humble beginnings in Stromgarde. Because of their outstanding talents, they were advanced professionals in their twenties, which was rare in the human kingdoms.
Reaching the hero rank in the future might require a bit of luck, but reaching the master rank was a certainty.
Not only was Galen optimistic about them, but even Thoras himself expressed considerable recognition of the two.
Just like Thoras's right-hand men, General Olrest and General Amaren, they were also selected into Thoras's personal guard when they were young and achieved their current achievements through their own efforts.
This could be considered a royal tradition of Stromgarde, cultivating talents for the royal heirs in advance.
However, Galen's question also revealed the difference between the two.
Just as Galen realized he had asked the wrong people, Omar pondered for a moment and said to the prince, "Your Highness, does 'quick money' have to be limited to commercial means?"
Galen was a little interested when he heard that Omar actually had an idea, and replied, "Tell me, what are your thoughts?"
"Your Highness, my superficial view of business is to turn money from other people's pockets into our own, which naturally will be done by Harmon."
"But we need a lot of money, and trade isn't the only way. Your Highness, I heard that trolls have the custom of burial with gold, and they like to use gold to make all kinds of ornaments."
At this point, Omar stopped talking. Everyone who needed to understand would understand, and there was no need to be too detailed.
It must be said that Omar, who would become the first commander of the Scarlet Crusade in the future, had his own merits.
Varokal's eyes lit up when he heard this. Galen also felt enlightened. He was enlightened by Omar's thinking. Making money was not just about selling goods through caravans. He was also too rigid in his training.
What Omar said could be understood as war dividends, which required higher requirements. It required winning a war, which required strong strength, which Galen did not currently have.
Galen didn't have it, but he could crowdfund it. The domestic nobles had money, and the powerful nobles also had soldiers. He could find a way to get them to contribute money to achieve his goals. As long as he fed them in the end, then his current money problem would be solved.
A preliminary plan slowly took shape in Galen's mind.
He excitedly said to Omar and Varokal, "Use our intelligence network to spread a message that His Majesty the King intends to train the Prince and wants to form a team independent of the First and Second Legions and the Militia, under the Prince's command, stationed at the abandoned Southeast Mine of the former royal family."
"Yes, Your Highness." After receiving the order, the two walked out of Galen's courtyard together.
The conversation between the two faintly came from outside the courtyard wall.
"Omar, why does the Prince want us to spread this message?"
"Because the Prince wants more people to know that the King allows the Prince to lead an army alone."
"I don't understand."
"That's why I told you to read more. It's not enough to just know how to practice martial arts."
"I have already completed the basic courses set by the Prince. I still have to learn map making. I don't have time to read."
"Your future is not limited to being a general. You have to read more to become a marshal."
"You have to read more to be a marshal? I know, I know. Why do you always ask me to read, just like the Prince."
Varokal, who came from a humble background, was more like a rough man like Zhang Fei. He had high martial prowess, led troops by roaring, charged by rushing, and didn't like to read. His muscles grew into his brain. But it was precisely because of this kind of temperament, being single-minded and loyal, that Galen trusted him.
Omar was much more stable than Varokal. He was more flexible and was an all-rounder. Years of training had enabled him to stand alone. Galen had high expectations for him.
Listening to their voices fading away, Galen also prepared to return to his room to wash up and rest for a while.
After all, in order to come back to see Thoras earlier, they had been traveling non-stop. Now Galen's thighs were still cramping a bit, and he felt like he was walking on air.
Lying in the bathtub, the warm water soaked his whole body, and Galen's whole body was relaxed. He leaned his back against the edge of the bathtub, propped his elbows on the platform, closed his eyes, and turned his perspective towards the base.
When Galen was on the road, whenever he stopped to rest for a while, he would mentally enter the Town Hall and Barracks to fill up the training queue. At this stage, gold was a bit insufficient, so Galen did not build a second Barracks.
Because of the peaceful environment at this stage, and the base was located in a very hidden place, Galen was able to leisurely build the base without having to precisely calculate the use of each unit of gold.
After taking a look, the Archmage would be able to complete training in less than half an hour. Looking at the Peasant's construction list, there were still Watch Towers and Arcane Vault that could be built at this stage.
Watch Tower: Basic Watch Tower, no attack power, can be upgraded to Arrow Tower, Arcane Tower and Cannon Tower. Magic Sentry can be researched in the Arcane Sanctum.
Requirements: 30 units of gold, 20 units of wood
Arcane Vault: Build a shop to provide for buying and selling items. The items in the shop depend on the level of the Town Hall.
Requirements: 1300 units of gold, 300 units of wood
A shop, the location should be placed in the center of the entire base. Go to the city center to buy things, no problem.
He selected a Peasant and deployed the Arcane Vault on the open space in the center, and the Peasant began to knock on the open space.
At this moment, the combat units in the base had exceeded one hundred. When Galen left Threewater, there were already three squads of eighteen people in the base. Later, Galen spent five days returning to Stromgarde, and the Barracks trained more than eighty units.
Just as Galen was about to reorganize the Footmen and Riflemen, a golden light shone on the Altar of Kings, and a white-bearded old man riding a white horse slowly formed in the golden light.
The golden light slowly dissipated, and the old man riding the white horse had sharp eyes and a domineering gaze. He wore a gray-white mage robe, holding the reins of the white horse in his left hand, and holding a staff inlaid with a huge blue gemstone in his right hand.
The white horse led the grey-robed mage step by step down the Altar of Kings.
Seeing such a classy appearance, Galen witnessed it from 360 degrees without any dead angles in his perspective, and he muttered silently in his heart:
The one riding a white horse is not necessarily a prince, it may also be Gandalf…