Sorcery Monarch

Chapter 32: Motivation Comes from Comparison

Chapter 32: Motivation Comes from Comparison

"Why do they get to sit at a separate table and even have fresh grilled meat?"

"They won!"

"Why do they have brand new training uniforms?"

"They won!"

"Why do they get Old John's guidance? We need to improve our skills too!"

"They won!"

"..."

One response silenced the complaints of over eighty soldiers. Though they were dissatisfied, a loss was still a loss.

Every soldier redoubled their efforts during training, determined to improve.

Angela's team, having received privileges, also felt the pressure to keep their newly won status.

They trained just as hard, not wanting to lose their newly elevated "privileges" and pride.

"By ensuring a certain level of fairness, using simple comparisons can motivate most soldiers and improve training results, thus enhancing combat effectiveness."

Matthew thoroughly discussed this with Angela, sharing all of his experience. Ralph, standing nearby, felt both pleased and resigned.

Angela, gradually understanding more, nodded with determination and confidence. She saluted Matthew and returned to the training grounds to drill the soldiers even harder.

"If we want to ensure effective training, we need plenty of meat. Also, some magical creature meat will be required to replenish their energy."

Ralph calculated the costs, seemingly discussing the current difficulties but subtly reminding Matthew:

"Raising these professional soldiers requires considerable resources. With the current conditions in Bay Village, supporting both Matthew and the soldiers' consumption isn't sustainable."

Did Matthew understand?

Of course, he did!

However, he wouldn't tell Ralph that training more capable subordinates would significantly reduce the time Matthew needed to grow stronger.

"No problem, we'll buy from the villagers. Everyone here is too poor, and once they have money, they'll be able to pay taxes."

Seeing that the lord understood the underlying meaning, Ralph nodded silently and then sought out Old Village Chief Field, who was supervising the villagers' construction work.

"Everyone should have had enough to eat this afternoon! Work harder and live up to the lord's rewards!"

"Carpenters, hurry up and process the delivered wood! The tools are ready, so work faster!"

"Don't just dump the excavated dirt! We'll need to fill it back into the wooden walls later..."

"And you lazy boy, don't slack off, or I'll come over there and give you a whipping..."

Ralph, walking along, was surprised to see how diligently the villagers of Bay Village were working. He could tell they were genuinely giving it their all.

Ralph's past experiences taught him that even though the Netheril Empire wasn't as exploitative of the commoners as other kingdoms, peasants rarely had good feelings toward nobles.

Even when nobles summoned peasants to work, paying more than this, they could never extract this level of effort.

Ralph still didn't quite understand the difference between working for themselves and working for the lord.