CHAPTER 164: PLANS FOR BUILDING

RAWR!

She squirmed in my arms eagerly as we approached the cold storage, clearly recognizing where we were heading. The moment I set her down, she waddled directly to one of the larger corpses and began tearing into it with noticeably improved jaw strength.

Crunch! Nom nom nom!

Her eating had become more efficient. Where before she’d taken delicate bites, now she consumed meat in larger chunks, her developing teeth and jaw muscles allowing her to process food faster. The cute eating sounds remained, but they carried more power behind them.

I watched her feast while mentally reviewing the mansion’s layout and identifying optimal spaces for training facility conversion. The large empty room on the third floor would work perfectly for a main combat area. Several basement chambers could serve as specialised stations. The expansive grounds behind the mansion offered outdoor training possibilities once I established proper security and privacy measures.

After Changing Star had eaten her fill - approximately ten kilograms of meat in one sitting, which was absurd given her size - I picked her up again despite her food-heavy weight.

"Come on. I want to show you the spaces where we’ll be training together soon."

Chirp?

She tilted her head curiously, not fully understanding but trusting my intent.

I carried her up to the third floor and entered the massive open room I’d identified during my initial mansion exploration. The space was easily fifty feet by thirty feet with twenty-foot ceilings - comparable to the academy’s mid-tier training facilities.

"This will be our main combat training area," I explained, setting Changing Star down so she could explore. "Once I install proper reinforcement enchantments, combat dummies, and measurement systems, we’ll both be able to practice here without me constantly travelling to the academy."

Waddle waddle!

She began investigating the empty room with renewed energy, her claws clicking against the hardwood flooring. The open space seemed to excite her, and she attempted an experimental run, her coordination had improved considerably with her size change. She no longer fell and tumbled over her own tail, which was really good to see.

I pulled out my smartphone and reviewed the photos I’d taken of the academy’s Transcendent-rank training rooms. The enchantment matrices were visible in the images - complex patterns etched into walls, floors, and ceilings that provided structural reinforcement, energy absorption, and safety failsafes.

"The workers should be able to replicate most of this," I muttered, analysing the designs with my combined blacksmithing and magical engineering knowledge. "The materials will be expensive, but the family resources can cover it."

I’d need specialized components: reinforced flooring that could withstand Transcendent-level impacts, wall enchantments that absorbed kinetic energy, ceiling arrays that prevented structural damage from upward force, and integrated measurement systems to track combat effectiveness.

The project would take significant time and gold, but having private facilities meant I could train without schedule restrictions, equipment competition, or curious observers documenting my techniques.

RAWR!

Changing Star’s call drew my attention. She’d discovered she could generate small bursts of frost breath - tiny puffs of cold mist that crystallized the air in front of her face. She seemed delighted by this new ability, repeatedly exhaling freezing breath and watching the effects with obvious fascination.

"Ice affinity," I noted with interest. "Makes sense given your colouring. I wonder who has a stronger bloodline, you or Kael. "

Her draconic abilities were beginning to manifest alongside her physical growth. Soon she’d develop genuine combat capabilities rather than just adorable party tricks.

I spent some more time exploring the mansion with Changing Star, identifying additional spaces for specialised training. A medium room would work for skill practice and technique refinement. A basement chamber had perfect conditions for meditation and mana control exercises. The outdoor grounds could accommodate large-scale movement training and eventually flight practice once Changing Star’s wings developed sufficiently.

"This is going to be perfect," I said, feeling genuine excitement about the project. "Our own private training complex where we can develop without limitations."

Chirp chirp!

Changing Star responded enthusiastically, her tail swishing as she continued exploring with boundless curiosity.

I made mental notes about material requirements, estimated costs, and construction timelines. Converting these spaces into functional training facilities would take at least a few days of focused work, possibly longer depending on component availability and enchantment complexity.

But the investment would be worth it. Having Changing Star nearby while training, avoiding academy schedule conflicts, and maintaining complete privacy for experimental techniques would accelerate both our developments significantly.

I settled onto the floor of what would become our combat training room, and Changing Star immediately curled up beside me, her purring resuming as she pressed against my side.

I pulled out my smartphone and contacted the same family subordinate who had handled the Thornback nest operation.

"Young Master Blackwood," his professional voice came through promptly.

"Marcus, I wanted to check on the status of the Thornback materials sale. How much have we generated so far?"

"Excellent timing, young master. The Elite-rank materials have been processed and sold through our merchant networks. Total revenue reached approximately 70,250 golden coins, and we still have additional materials in processing that should sell within the next few days. The final totals will likely exceed 80,000 once everything is liquidated."

I nodded with satisfaction. Nearly eighty thousand gold from a single night’s work - that was decent income even by ducal standards.

"Good. I have a new project that will require those funds and your organizational capabilities."

"Of course, young master. What do you need?"

"I want to convert several rooms in my mansion into advanced training facilities - combat areas, specialized practice chambers, equipment installations. I will tell you detailed specifications based on the academy’s Transcendent-rank facilities."

After listening to everything I told him about, and noting it down, he said. "These are... quite comprehensive, young master. You’re essentially requesting academy-quality construction in a private residence."

"Exactly. Can it be done?"

"Absolutely. We have craftsmen and enchanters capable of this work. However, the cost will be significant given the materials and expertise required."

"How much?"

"Approximately 150,000 golden coins for complete implementation of everything in these specifications. That includes reinforced flooring, wall enchantments, ceiling arrays, combat dummies at various rank levels, measurement systems, and safety failsafes."

I considered the number briefly. It was high but not unreasonable given what I was requesting. The Thornback sales would cover roughly half, and family resources could easily provide the remainder.

"That’s acceptable. Get started as soon as possible."

"I can have crews mobilised by tomorrow morning if you approve immediate commencement. The location is the mansion where we’ve been delivering meat supplies, correct?"

"Correct. You’re already familiar with the property."

"Indeed. With proper crew allocation and working in shifts, we can complete everything within two days. The enchantment work is the most time-intensive component, but our enchanters can handle it efficiently."

Two days. That was remarkably fast for such construction, but the Blackwood family employed the best craftsmen in the duchy specifically for rapid, quality work.

"Excellent. Begin tomorrow."

"Understood, young master. I’ll coordinate everything personally and provide progress updates. Is there anything else you require?"

"Just maintain discretion about this project. The fewer people who know about my private training facilities, the better."

"Of course. Only essential personnel will be informed, all under family confidentiality oaths."

"Good job, Marcus. Proceed with the work."

I terminated the connection and looked at Changing Star, who was still purring beside me.

Two days of construction, and then we’d have everything we needed. Private facilities where I could push my limits without observation, where Changing Star could develop her abilities freely, and where we could both grow strong enough to face the challenges ahead.

150,000 golden coins were in a way, expensive, but strength was priceless.

And with the training complex operational, I’d be able to accelerate both our developments far beyond what the academy’s shared facilities allowed.

I waited patiently until Changing Star had fallen asleep, her gentle purring gradually fading as she drifted into deep rest. Her body was curled protectively around herself, wings folded neatly against her sides, completely at peace in our new sanctuary.

Once certain she wouldn’t wake, I carefully slipped out of the mansion and made my way to where I’d arranged for a carriage to wait. The driver asked no questions as I gave directions toward the eastern hunting grounds - family servants understood that the young master’s business was not their concern.

Despite my steadily increasing strength and recent advancements, I couldn’t afford to stop accumulating soul power. Soul power was the fundamental currency of advancement in this world. Combat skills, bloodline traits, and equipment all mattered, but without sufficient soul essence absorption, true rank progression remained impossible.

More importantly, once I reached Transcendent rank, I would finally be able to unlock the second stance of the Overlord-rank secret art that Carmilla had given me. That technique represented power beyond anything I currently possessed, but it remained sealed until I met the prerequisite advancement requirement.

I hadn’t lost track of my ultimate goal: gaining enough strength to survive the ordeal that I knew the novel had warned me about. And once I did survive, I still had to fulfill my promise to Carmilla- a blood oath bound directly to my heart that would definitely kill me if broken. The progress was promising so far, but complacency would be fatal.

The carriage deposited me at the forest edge, and I proceeded on foot into the deeper territories where Transcendent-rank beasts typically roamed.

Silence... emptiness...

Two hours of hunting passed, and my growing frustration deepened with each passing minute.