Altura

Sadly, destroying the organization’s bases didn’t help. I just got a bunch of loot. But rage still filled me. I did not like being invaded. And I had decided that I did not like my mother. Boundaries were there for a reason, but she did not respect mine.

But I also couldn’t do anything to her, so I would do what I did best, I would plan. And I would grow the duchy. I nodded towards the Rotere guard and went back to the treehouse. Now, what was next on the agenda? Getting the duchy back on track.

Ok, first up was the notifications. System, show the notifications.

Threat analysis completed!

Diplomatic test: Failed.

Combat Test: Passed

Overall: Satisfactory.

1300 Qi gained.

Organizations founded!

Grant Assignment organization

1000 Qi gained.

Spy organization!

1400 Qi gained.

Total Qi gained: 3700

Level up requirements unmet

Mid-Treeling (680688/1228800) -> Mid Treeling(684388/1228800)

Spirit dysphoria cured.

Trait gained!

[Natural]: Naturals are the anomalies under the System, able to wield abilities that they should not have access to at their level. This quality has granted them the power to ignore an important hurdle in cultivation, allowing them a privileged place in society.

Bloodline awakened!

[Blood of Permafrost]: In the frozen north where the ice never melts, floats a glacier, and on that glacier was the first wielder of the Bloodline of Permafrost born. The family are firm believers in the rule of the strong, and rule with an iron fist.

Host has already received all the benefits of the bloodline.

And that was it. I realized that I hadn’t really done much huh. Right, what were the requirements for the organizations to level up again?

The requirements are as follows

Educational Council [level 0]

Requirements:

5000 students

100 graduates

3 weeks old

Reward: 7000 Qi

Department of Minors [level 1]

Requirements:

300 charges

3 weeks old

Reward: 300 Qi

Administrative Wing [level 0]

Requirements:

15000 citizens

3 weeks old

1 million gold capital

50 members

5 level 1 sub-organizations.

100% Employment

Reward: 15,000 Qi

Ducal guard [level 1]

Requirements:

5000 members

15 weeks old

Minimum cultivation level: Mid-Sapling stage

500 Late-Sapling stage members.

50 Plantling stage members

Reward: 75,000 Qi

Adventurers Guild [level 0]

Requirements:

3,000 members

3 weeks old

3,000 tasks completed

Reward: 15,000 Qi

Medical Association [level 0]

Requirements:

100 members

3000 successful treatments

500 lives saved

Reward: 10,000 Qi

Grant Assignment organization [level 0]

Requirements:

30 Successful grants that produce profit or items worth more than grant.

Reward: 5000 Qi

Spy Organization [level 0]

Requirements:

3 successful missions.

Establish basic spread across the Land of the Six Jewels.

Reward: 13,000 Qi

Unnamed Temporary Organization terminated without level up.

Well that was certainly something. I had been slacking. Perhaps it was because of the spirit dysphoria curing or whatever, but I could now see it clearly, the cost of war. The duchy was, still is, nebulous. A baby by all accounts. The poor thing wasn’t ready for war, to actually shake things up on an international stage.

And I needed to listen to it, it was time for things to slow down, for peace to reign. The Shadow Prince could live for now, I could wait. And that was the same thing I was going to do with my mother, she could do whatever she wanted, she had an organization to make. And I was going to ignore her. I couldn't really do anything to her now, but I would grow and when I did, then I would teach her what ‘the strong rule’ looked like from the other side. And she hadn’t even succeeded. I always knew that others could take what I had. Perhaps it was my principles, but after getting invaded I was more sure then ever that the duchy would be a place where the strong wouldn’t rule.

A sniffle escaped my mouth as an involuntary tear rolled down my cheek. But I didn’t have time to dry my eyes, I had things to do, things that wouldn't wait for me to cry.

The teachers of the education institution had canceled classes during the war because it felt appropriate. Granted, it might have been, but it was still the wrong decision. And the Department of Minors had received a large amount of orphans, I would have to increase funding and maybe set up adoption. The professionals from the Selren Duchy would be arriving soon- another sniffle escaped me as tears starting flowing more- I needed to set up jobs for them, prepare things for them to do.

And I needed to- the tears weren’t waiting anymore, my chest felt restricted, as if there was a cage in there. I needed to make a plan. I needed- and the tears flew out, and I let them. Right there, siting on my desk I cried out like the little girl I was.

The images of my mother and father from my old life flashed through my mind as I realized, and accepted that I would not see them again. I did not know how ‘the book’ had landed on Earth, but I was here. And I probably could never go back. I was stuck with this abusive mother and messed up world.

I had the power to summon a literal storm, but I was still helpless. The Xianxia MCs might feel like power was worth it, but I did not. Perhaps I was being selfish, but I would give all of my new power to just say goodbye to my mother. The real one. How was she? Surely devastated.

I still remembered her hugs, I did not know how I managed to not think about them till now, but I did. Actually I knew exactly why. The Spirit dysphoria. The disease probably saved my life. I couldn’t imagine what would happen to me if I faced these things when I had just gotten here. I was safe now, but not then.

Adreia might have given birth to me here, but my old mother would still be my real one. The one who taught me that I should respect everyone, who put me right when I terrorized that girl back in third grade. I had promised her that I would never let go of my morals ever again.

And wasn't that exactly what I had done? I had just killed a family, granted they had tried to kill me first, but the act was entirely out of my personality. And I knew exactly where it came from. Altura. The old one. I was already being influenced.

So, I did the only thing I could. I made a promise to myself. I was going to keep myself to that promise, even in this world. I would kill, but only those that deserved it, I would not become a Xianxia anything. I may be Altura Selrin, but I would be the Altura Selrin that saw people as more than machines that did things.

Adreia

Adreia sighed as she looked at her spy organization training. A few hours after her daughter had returned from her trip, and she had yet to speak a word to her. And now she had to leave. The Land of Frost had been without a ruler for over two decades and problems had started to crop up. The Rotere guards would remain to conduct training and Norvane would be teaching the Medical Association for the next few years, but she had to go.

And her daughter refused to even let her say goodbye. Had she really ruined their relationship? But all she had done was help her. Adreia sighed as she took to the air, looking at the duchy from the air. Just a few days ago, her daughter had named the duchy ‘Arevor’, apparently it meant ‘birth’ in some dead language the founders of the neighbouring Kingdom spoke centuries ago.

But even she had to acknowledge, the duchy had been growing at a very fast pace. The Capital city expanded everyday, and surprisingly so did the farming villages. The immigrants would trickle into the duchy from morning to night, the nearby King and Sect had legalized the immigration, and Altura had accepted them. Though she was apparently considering establishing conditions and embassies in other nations to enforce said conditions.

Trade convoys were scheduled to head out soon, with the adventurer's Guild guarding them. The duchy was, despite her predictions to the contrary, prospering. But she was not a part of it.

A portal appeared before her, and she walked through it, her surroundings changing to a freezing landscape, broken only the occasional city. Adreia, Elder of Frost was back.