Symbiotic: Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Sara strolled around town as she admired the System acquired buildings being built out of thin air around the newly expanded Market Square and listened to Tas’s provided updates.

Sara leaned into the mental tether, her thoughts brushing against Tas. “Tas, what else can I do to strengthen Haven Valley beyond walls and workshops?”

The green spirit shimmered, bowing slightly. “Viscount Bloom, there are options for training facilities. A Basic Craft School to train artisans in chosen crafts, and a Service Academy to train soldiers. Advanced facilities exist for both paths, and costs rise with rank, but the basic schools are cost effective and highly worthwhile.”

Sara’s eyes lit up. “Then I should sponsor them. If I want this valley to thrive, the people need opportunities. Craftspeople should be guaranteed a Novice Skillbook of their chosen craft and access to a Workshop once they complete their schooling and select their Crafting Class. I authorize you to determine what crafts the Valley is most in need of and offer incentives for crafters skilled in those vocations.”

“Soldiers should be guaranteed training, room and board, which means I’ll need to add a Barracks at some point soon here, and a standard set of equipment based on their vocation. Melee, ranged, support… whatever they choose. And I expect that being part of the Valley Defense Force will allow soldiers a clear path for Experience and advancement.”

Tas bowed again, her glow intensifying. “Your proposal aligns with System protocols. Sponsorship will increase loyalty and accelerate skill growth. Rewards upon completion will ensure both crafters and soldiers are properly integrated into the Territory.”

The System chimed in Sara’s vision:

[System Notification: Sponsored Training Facility Recommendations]

Construction Options Chosen:

• 5 TAP - Basic Craft School (Outside Haven Valley town perimeter)

• 2500 SC - Service Academy (Outside Haven Valley town perimeter)

• 2000 SC - Barracks (Between town center and valley entrance)

Sponsorship Protocols:

• Craftspeople: Guaranteed Novice Skillbook of their chosen craft & guaranteed Workshop access upon graduation.

• Soldiers: Guaranteed a living wage, combat training, room and board, & a standard equipment set based on vocation (Melee / Ranged / Support / Other).

(Estimated cost per trained student 3000-5000 SC per student graduation. 100 SC per month per soldier wages per active duty soldier.)

Initial Projected Benefits: (Estimated to increase over time)

• +20% increase in skilled population growth

• +15% increase in defensive readiness

• +10% increase in trade value from crafted goods

Sara exhaled, a smile tugging at her lips. She could already picture the schools rising at the edge of town, apprentices filing in, eager to learn. The Barracks and Service Academy thundering to the shouts of combat training and tactical skills. Her soldiers would have a much safer, much better, start than her own. And would someday stand as a symbol of protection, a promise that Haven Valley was no longer defenseless.

Sara nodded. “Purchases and incentives Authorized, Tas. And set aside… Ouch… 30,000 SC as the beginnings of the Graduation Fund to be used to purchase the Skillbooks and equipment on Graduation. Hopefully we can acquire some of that equipment from our own crafters as we grow! Let’s make this valley something we, and the inhabitants, are proud of!”

Tas folded her hands, luminous eyes steady. “You have chosen expansion through empowerment of others. Your valley will grow not only in prosperity, but in skill and strength. This is how a Territory becomes a nation.”

“Purchases acquired. Remaining TAP 9. Remaining SC 99,000”

And outside the town, the ground shimmered as the foundations of the Craft School and Service Academy began to rise, while between the town and the valley entrance, the Barracks and training ground took shape. Stone and timber infused with System light, ready to house the defenders of her people.

“OK. What’s next, Tas? What is the valley missing? Do I buy all the rest of the walls and nodes? Improve resource values? What do you know that I don’t?”

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The green spirit shimmered into view, bowing slightly before answering.

“Viscount Sara Bloom, Haven Valley’s current highest value export is the Neutral Energy Crystals. Upgrading a mine is costly, but there are several cost effective improvements that will yield immediate benefit.”

System prompts unfolded in her vision:

[Resource Optimization Options]

• Crystal Sorting Facility (Uncommon) – 3 TAP / 1,500 SC

Improves purity of Neutral Energy Crystals, increasing trade value by 15%.

• Mine Safety Upgrade (Common) – 2 TAP / 1,000 SC

Reduces accidents, increases miner efficiency by 10%.

• Trade Depot (Uncommon) – 4 TAP / 2,500 SC

Streamlines crystal exports, adds +10% to trade profits.

Tas folded her glowing green hands, luminous eyes steady. “In addition, Haven Valley has several villagers with prospecting and hunting skills. If you sponsor them, they can scout for and map any Resource Nodes in the valley and seek out potential high value resources hidden in the valley. Such discoveries could rival or surpass the value of Neutral Energy Crystals.”

• Prospecting Initiative (Special) – 0 TAP / 500 SC

Assigns prospectors to scout for undiscovered resources in valley.

Sara leaned forward, interested. “So I don’t just focus on what we see in front of us, send people out to find what’s waiting.”

Tas nodded. “Correct. Expansion of walls and defensive nodes will secure your Territory. But resource scouting will expand its wealth. Both paths are vital for growth.”

Sara nodded, agreeing. She herself hated shopping. And spending her TAP and SC so quickly like this really felt like a kick to the stomach. But this was quite literally a ‘spend money to make money’ situation. And starting early was better than starting too late. She could feel in her bones that her Ownership of Haven Valley would not go untested forever.

She, and the people counting on her to protect them, needed to be ready.

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Sara’s decision carried through the mental tether with crisp certainty. “OK, Tas. Purchase the Crystal Sorting facility and Mine Safety upgrade. Twenty five percent increase in sale value isn’t something I can pass up. And yes, 500 SC to get the hunters and prospectors out to find us more resources. Sooner the better.”

The green spirit bowed, her glow intensifying as System prompts cascaded into Sara’s vision:

[System Notification: Resource Improvements – Haven Valley]

Crystal Sorting Facility (Uncommon) – Constructed

• Cost: 1500 SC

• Effect: +15% purity, +10% trade value

• Total Crystal Sale Value Increase: +25%

Mine Safety Upgrade (Common) – Implemented

• Cost: 1000 SC

• Effect: +10% miner efficiency, reduced accidents

Prospecting Initiative – Deployed

• Cost: 500 SC

• Effect: Hunters and prospectors dispatched to scout valley for undiscovered resources

• Estimated Return: Initial Report within 24-48 hours

Tas folded her hands, luminous eyes steady. “The Neutral Energy Crystals are now your most profitable export, Viscount. Their sale value has increased by one quarter, and mining efficiency is improved. Prospectors are already moving into the valley’s deeper region, searching for additional resources to help Haven Valley prosper.”

Sara exhaled, satisfaction warming her chest.

Tas tilted her head, a faint smile flickering across her glowing face. “You have chosen wisely. Expansion through wealth will empower your defenses and your people”

Outside, villagers watched as new structures shimmered into existence near the mines. Sorting halls glowing with crystal light, safety wards woven into the tunnels. And from out of the tavern where they had been spending their days, hunters and prospectors vanished into the hills, carrying Sara’s hopes for hidden riches.

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Haven Valley Prosperity Tracker

Estimated TAP gain: 9 per day while Sara remains in Haven Valley, or 6 per day base.

Estimated SC gain: 12,000 SC per day Sara remains in Haven Valley, or 8,000 SC if absent.

Additional Resource Prospecting has also begun.

All numbers are expected to grow as improvements are made.

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Tas’s voice shimmered through the tether, calm and precise. “Viscount Bloom, if you provide me access to a TAP and SC fund, I can administer routine changes directly. You will not need to be involved in every decision.”

Sara groaned aloud, rubbing her temples. “Tas… you wait until I’ve done the bulk of the work to tell me this? Again?”

The spirit bowed, unruffled. “IT simply Must be a coincidence, Viscount. How… Odd.”

Sara grumbled but relented, relief creeping into her tone. “Fine. You win. Thirty thousand SC for your fund, and five TAP, but only for emergencies. Don’t burn through them, but use them if it is critical.”

System prompts confirmed the transfer:

[System Notification: Assistant Fund Established]

Tas Fund Allocation:

• 30,000 SC

• 5 TAP (Emergency Use Only)

Remaining Resources:

• Sara Bloom: 67,000 SC / 4 TAP

Sara exhaled, feeling lighter. “Good. That should keep you busy. Now I can breathe.”

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Sara walked to the Crystal Cavern Mine entrance, where Thurge and his molefolk family awaited. They were decked out in mining gear, chittering excitedly as they scrambled over the new sorting halls and reinforced tunnels. The glow of Neutral Energy Crystals pulsed faintly from the walls, casting green light across their eager faces.

Sara raised her voice. “Thurge. From this day forward, you are the Mine Supervisor. You and your family are authorized to work the mine and harvest the Neutral Energy Crystals.”

The molefolk bowed deeply, tails flicking with pride.

Sara continued, her tone firm but thoughtful. “Store thirty percent of the harvest here in Haven Valley. Deliver the rest to the Market Square for Tas to sell in the System Shop. And if anything unusual happens. Any issues, concerns, surprises, you notify Tas immediately. I’m counting on you and your family to do good work, Thurge. But you are not alone. Help is a call away if you need it.”

Thurge’s whiskers twitched, his eyes gleaming. “A thousand thank you’s, Viscount Bloom. We will dig true. The crystals will flow. My boys will polish and care for them until they shine. The valley will prosper again, thanks to you.”

Tas shimmered beside her, glowing softly. “Delegation complete. The mine is secured, the workers empowered, and the trade pipeline established. Haven Valley’s wealth will grow steadily from this day forward.”

From the black mouth of the mines, Sara looked out over the valley, walls rising, schools building, workshops humming, and now the mine alive with activity. What had once been a tiny village alone in its corner was quickly becoming a thriving web of resources. Sara felt her chest warm with pride. She’d done good here. Now could she keep it?

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