Castle Core 2: A Slice of Life LitRPG Harem, page 1
Castle Core 2
A Slice of Life LitRPG Harem
Milo Storm
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Created with Vellum
Contents
About the Book
The Story So Far
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Epilogue
Thank you for reading!
Appendix
About the Book
Level up. Expand my village. Conquer my neighbors.
And collect a few wives along the way.
Wyle and his adventuring band of beautiful ladies settle in to their new home. Their town has a new name, new residents, shops, allies, and more!
When a domineering Noble Ranger shows up to grade the Gloomy Forest’s dungeon, Wyle immediately starts searching for ways to keep her around.
Not all is well, however. An attack on one of his wives sends Wyle into full alert. He finds himself untrusting of the new arrivals that might help Emerald Valley become a true castle town.
Follow Wyle and his wives as they delve deeper into the ever-evolving dungeon and establish contact with a mysterious new friend. They’ll guide their new sister city, establish trading routes, and make a few additions to the dungeon party!
Life may be slow in Emerald valley, but at least it’s never boring!
***Castle Core is a fantasy LitRPG twist on the typical dungeon Core story, featuring harem, slice-of-life, and town-building elements.***
Note: This story is a LitRPG with relatively few stat screens. I will show the main character’s stats, as well as those of his town, only when there are important changes. That will pretty much be limited to leveling up, or when stats are specifically referenced in the story. I’ve added an appendix to the back of the book to explain parts of the game system in case there is any confusion. I try to avoid interrupting the story as much as I can. Let me know how I did in your reviews!
That being said, here is Wyle’s character sheet at the beginning of book 2:
Name: Wyle
Race: Ruler (Mayor)
Class (level): Champion (10)
Health: 590
Mana: 320
Stamina: 1160
Strength: 58
Constitution: 30
Dexterity: 28
Wisdom: 12
Intelligence: 26
Luck: 10
Charisma: 23
Town name: Emerald Valley
Level: 25
Population: 77
Size: 12
Appointments (Remaining/Total): 0/6
Happiness: 44%
Buff to XP and Recovery rates: 30%
The Story So Far
Wyle was a simple Farmer from the small town of Southcroft when he was caught in bed with the wrong man’s daughter.
This man happened to the Mayor of his town, and an Astral Wizard at that. He exiled Wyle to a remote forest on the opposite side of the continent, where the Farmer found a young woman in danger. Upon saving her life, and her saving his, Wyle became the Mayor of his very own town called Gloomvale.
The Gloomy Forest had fallen on hard times, however. Two towns used to call this region home, but one was overrun by goblins many years ago. The people of Gloomvale were defeated and depressed when Wyle found them, but as they grew to know their new leader, many began to respect him.
But there were still goblins to deal with. They attacked Gloomvale, and even killed a Farmer, whose soul Core Wyle held onto as a reminder of the man he failed to protect. After that, Wyle and his two new wives, Perl and Sasha, trained harder than ever as they prepared to assault the goblin town.
The trio spent most days in a dungeon north of their town, but they also worked hard to get the village back into working shape. They visited their closest neighbor, Sparkling Bay, to set up a few deals with the Merchant guild, and found an Apothecary while they were there.
On the way home, the group found a mysterious girl from another world who had a very unique way of thinking.
As the goblins grew more desperate, Wyle knew he had to end them once and for all. He joined forces with the Riverfolk, a wandering people who were outcasts wherever they went, and marched on the goblin town.
There, he found that it was ruled by an ogre Champion, but with the help of his wives, Wyle defeated his enemies and handed ownership of the Southern Vale to Adam, the Riverfolk leader.
Now, Wyle welcomes more than fifty new arrivals to his town. They are refugees, of a sort, who have grown tired of tyrannical lords. At the same time, a beautiful Ranger with green hair arrived to grade the dungeon, but Wyle hoped she would stay for much more than that…
Prologue
Deep in the Gloomy Forest on the southern end of the Swordsinger’s Centennial Kingdom, hid the quiet, rebellious town of Emerald Valley, formerly Gloomvale. What was once a struggling little village now attracted dozens of refugees from the most prominent nation on the continent.
Men and women of low status and hope flocked to what they hoped would be a new start.
Among them, a man of meager height walked down a beaten path. On either side were dark giants whose huge emerald-green leaves provided respite from the midsummer sun.
Among their voices were many things. Rumors. Fears. Stories of the places they fled, and fantasies of where they’ll go.
But they all carried one tune in particular. Hope.
And the man who had labeled himself Peasant Soldier Godfrey, level 19, was sick to his stomach from the fools’ cloying attitudes.
Did they really believe this Wyle was any different from other Rulers? That he wanted anything other than to grow his own power and wealth?
Oh, the Mayor claimed to cop to ideals like justice and equality, but the man who called himself Godfrey had seen the type before. They always showed up with grand ideas of kindness and comfort, preaching whatever they thought would attract the most followers.
And as time went on, they abandoned those so-called virtues.
It was only a matter of time until Mayor Wyle sprung the trap he was setting on these small folk. Then, equality would only be afforded to the right people. Justice would become a matter of wealth and position, rather than morals.
Just a matter of time. Or so Godfrey told himself.
In a way, he pitied the people walking beside him. They were fools, but it wasn’t their fault. The world was a cruel place. Who could fault them for hoping to find an oasis in a desert of unkindness?
It was just a shame that he would need to kill some of them.
It was for a good cause, of course, but they would die all the same. The lesson King Griffin asked him to send was for them as much as it was for Wyle. Here is what happens when you abandon the Ruler who has claimed you as his own.
He was doing them a favor, really. Sure, a few townsfolk would die, but if the King hadn’t sent Godfrey, he would have sent a small army, or a party of high-level nobles who wanted to get on his good side. In either case, not one citizen of Emerald Valley would have been left alive.
By killing a few, Godfrey was sparing the rest.
Just when he was starting to think that the forest would never end, Godfrey saw just the title he had been looking for.
Ruling Champion Wyle Level 10, Mayor of Emerald Valley.
He let out a derisive snort. All this fuss over a mere level 10? And a nearly grown man, at that. Godfrey hid a mocking smile with some difficulty. He had reached that level by the end of his thirteenth year, though that was back when he had his father’s resources. At first, the man had merely disapproved of his son’s choice of the Rogue Archetype class, but it quickly grew into revulsion.
Godfrey learned his first lesson about Rulers when his own father disinherited him in favor of his younger brother who had
But enough of that. Godfrey was involuntarily gritting his teeth as he banished the frustrating thoughts. He had a part to play, here, and it wasn’t that of the scowling stranger.
As he drew closer to Wyle, however, it became difficult to keep his eyes on his target. That was because the man was surrounded by some of the most beautiful women Godfrey had ever seen. They belonged in a throne room, or palanquin, not standing behind some idiot that was likely to get them killed.
Noble Warrior Perl Level 7.
Noble Mage Sasha Level 7.
Peasant Gatherer Kelsea Level 11.
Such were their titles. A busty blonde, a slender brunette with Yamanzen blood, and freckled, redheaded peasant who looked more like a northern princess. Perl’s name was the only one he recognized, as rumors of the Mayor’s wife were spreading quickly, but he hadn’t heard of the other two.
Nor was he familiar with the woman speaking to Wyle, whose mere presence threatened to ruin Godfrey’s plans.
Noble Ranger Vera Level 32.
This one had the coppery, light-brown skin and oddly colored hair of the Iggdranid people. They were jungle-dwellers of the southern continent. What could one of them be doing here?
Whatever the reason, it wasn’t her appearance that worried Godfrey, but her power. There were some classes that could see through an Assassin’s disguise and he was only mostly certain that Rangers were not one of them.
As he passed the group, Godfrey bowed his head and spoke a light greeting, but it was lost in an array of similar calls. It seemed like every single traveler wanted to thank Wyle for his generosity, or offer their services, but the Mayor just gave them all the same mild nod of acknowledgement.
Godfrey did, however, manage to catch some of Wyle’s conversation with the Ranger.
This woman was apparently as new to Emerald Valley as himself, which offered some comfort. She likely didn’t know Wyle well enough to trust him yet, which could be an opportunity for Godfrey to slip into her inner circle.
And those purple robes while he was at it.
While the crowd bustled into town and started setting up temporary camps, Godfrey sat at the base of a tree and pretended to nap. Instead, he watched.
Observation was one of Assassins’ greatest, and most crucial skills. He sought the outcasts. Those that walked alone, who might be easier to catch unaware and unsafe. He paid attention to who went into which building and, in some cases, how long they stayed. He watched Soldiers who offered help to the newcomers and tried to commit their features to memory.
They were all so… friendly. So… trusting.
When one of them walked over to him, Godfrey kept up his charade and didn’t react until the boy spoke.
“Can I offer you some help, sir?”
Godfrey put on a warm smile and read as much from the boy’s appearance as he could.
Appointed Soldier Finley Level 7.
Like the mayor, this boy’s level was low for his age. That meant he was either an unenthusiastic soldier, or a new one. Considering his current actions, the boy had to be new. Perfect.
Godfrey cleared his throat and affected a more friendly voice than his usual. “Ah, yes! Thank you, sir Finley. You are one of the Mayor’s Soldiers?”
“That I am,” he replied with pride.
“Then it is a worthy cause you’ve dedicated yourself to, or so I’ve heard.”
“The most worthy!” he cried out. “Mayor Wyle practically gave us all our lives back. Praud,” the boy spoke the name with venom, “saw us as no more than slaves, but Wyle was a Peasant himself not too long ago! He knows what it’s like for us and is going to make Emerald Valley different from the rest of the world.”
“That’s a nice thought, and I don’t doubt the man’s sincerity,” Godfrey lied, “but I can’t imagine the other Rulers will be as happy about it as you all are.”
The boy, who couldn’t have been any older than sixteen, reached down and gripped the hilt of his sword. His smile drooped and eyes narrowed. “That’s why we train,” he answered. “We know they’ll come for us eventually. We just need to be ready when they do.”
Godfrey grinned. “I like the sound of that. Do you think this town could use another guard? All these new people around are sure to cause some extra work for you all.”
The lad brightened. “Of course! You’re lucky you ran into me, Godfrey. I happen to be second-in-command of our forces. Sort of, anyway. Today will be a crazy one, but tomorrow I’ll introduce you to Shareese. We’ll take all the help we can get.”
The smile that came onto Godfrey’s face then was positively predatory. The word, “Perfect,” practically hissed its way out of his mouth.
1
The sun beat down on Emerald valley. Yellow rays peaked through a dark green canopy and bathed the growing town in light. My growing town.
As I led Vera back to the manor so that we could speak privately, I tried to keep my cool, but was panicking inside.
Fifty-four people.
Incorporating Adam and the Riverfolk into the town was difficult enough, and they had half as many. There wasn’t a third sister city in the Gloomy Forest that I could ship these new arrivals off to, either.
So, I spoke with Sora and tried to come up with a plan.
“On it!” her light voice chimed in my head. Her blue wisp was bustling around the newcomers, trying to help them get organized as they settled in. “I know we prefer to let the Carpenters build, but I think in this case, the sooner we get everyone sleeping indoors, the better!”
“I’m just glad they didn’t arrive during winter,” I replied. Some of them had tents, but others were setting up makeshift beds beneath their carts. “You’ve probably already thought of this, but we’ll need to start gathering resources. Fill the quest board with jobs focused on gathering and refining materials, then start constructing the homes as soon as you can. Let the Carpenters help as long as it doesn’t slow you down.”
“Where should I place the new homes? I suggest the southern side of town, which we should start expanding, by the way.”
I glanced in the direction Sora mentioned. We hadn’t built anything on the road leading south yet, and most of the homes were on our eastern side. “Why’s that? Last time we discussed it, we decided to expand west and north.”
“Right. Toward your homeland, and the dungeon. I remember. I’m sorry Wyle, but I think your home can wait. There are far more advantages to adding the dungeon to our domain and connecting with New Delta.” That was what the Riverfolk named their town.
The girls reached our manor first and Perl kissed Kelsea and Sasha on the cheeks before separating. She shot me a sweet smile and headed back to see whether she could offer anyone some help. In her silver and blue armor, and her sword Sylvie by her side, she looked as regal as a queen.
I couldn’t help but grin back at her. Perl was the sweetest person I’d ever known. She was my first wife, and the one I was most certain would stick by my side no matter what. We did save each other’s lives, after all.
When I regained focus, I thought back on Sora’s words and asked. “So that’s the name they’re going with?”
“Yup. I think it’s rather poetic. Anyway, once we’re connected, the residual experience I gain from them will double, and better yet, I’ll be able to speak to my sister!”
“Ah, and I’ll be able to speak with Adam through you. That is useful. Alright, then. Connect with New Delta first, then the dungeon.”
