"This is iron."
"This is a stick."
"This is a pickaxe."
Plop.
An iron pickaxe appeared instantly on the crafting table, conjured from nothingness. Bard stared in complete bewilderment, his jaw working soundlessly like a landed fish.
"How... how is this done?"
"You can understand it as some kind of magic unique to me," Levi replied with casual nonchalance, as if he'd just performed the most mundane task imaginable.
Bard stared at the pristine tool, running his weathered fingers along its perfectly forged surface. "Alright, fine, magic it is. Magic." He shook his head in wonderment. "If all tools can be created this way, then many of our restoration projects can accelerate dramatically."
The word "magic" served as a universal explanation in this world. If Levi had attempted to explain game mechanics or crafting systems, Bard would have been hopelessly lost. But mention magic, and suddenly everything made perfect sense within the framework of Middle-earth's reality.
"If all tools in the entire world can be made directly like this, wouldn't smiths lose their purpose?" Bard asked, his practical mind immediately jumping to economic implications. "What would be the point of learning traditional forging skills?"
"There's still tremendous value in conventional craftsmanship," Levi assured him. "For residents to directly craft something through this method, they must first genuinely learn how to make that item through traditional means. The magic simply streamlines the physical process."
"Of course, some basic wooden or stone tools don't require such extensive knowledge."
"I see, I think I understand the principle now."
Bard nodded thoughtfully, processing the implications. After a moment, he caught certain keywords that sparked new questions.
Residents?
"Wait, no, I think I still don't quite understand." His voice carried growing excitement mixed with disbelief. "This magic, residents can use it too?"
"Yes, absolutely."
Levi scattered some materials on the ground and gestured broadly. "That's precisely what I came here to accomplish."
Bard's sterling reputation and official role as Dale's deputy administrator had granted him enhanced access within the territory's administrative system. The crafting abilities were already at his disposal—he just didn't realize he possessed them.
After quickly renovating the area where the Nether portal had appeared, transforming the space into a more presentable gateway, Levi led Bard to the pumpkin fields and began demonstrating the fundamentals of their enhanced reality.
The first lesson focused on agriculture.
"These peculiar square pumpkins directly solve our community's food security concerns," Bard observed, studying the geometric produce with fascination. "They grow at incredible speeds."
He gestured toward the thriving vines that showed no signs of winter damage. "And even in weather cold enough to freeze a man's breath, these plants continue flourishing. This single field alone could completely ensure that everyone in Dale, plus the entire population of Lake-town, would never experience hunger again."
"That's correct, but our current production remains insufficient for truly ambitious plans."
Levi placed down his ender chest, an obsidian container that seemed to hold impossible quantities of materials. He withdrew various exotic seeds, planted them directly in the frozen soil, then applied bone meal that caused them to mature instantly before Bard's astonished eyes.
The transformation left Bard completely speechless.
"Not only can they thrive in weather cold enough to freeze water solid, but they can also reach full maturity in mere moments." His voice carried the awe of a man witnessing genuine miracles. "I've only heard of such crops in the most fantastical legends passed down from the Elder Days."
"Are those truly magic seeds?"
"You can consider them as such, yes."
Levi handed the precious seeds to Bard, who accepted them with the reverence one might show to dragon's gold. "These seeds mature once every three days on average, and they fear neither severe cold nor any seasonal limitations. They require only nearby water to flourish continuously."
The implications hit Bard like a physical blow. As someone who had truly experienced the gnawing desperation of hunger and understood his people's daily struggles intimately, he comprehended exactly what this gift represented.
A person could become dizzy and suffer stomach cramps from missing just one day's meals. Throughout history, food shortages inevitably led to unrest and violence because truly desperate people gradually lost their capacity for rational thought and moral behavior.
This sudden blessing overwhelmed his mind to the point where Bard found it difficult to accept such fortune.
"Can we really use this freely?"
"Of course you can."
"Not just you personally, but all residents can plant and harvest them. Oh, they'll need proper tools first."
Levi placed down a crafting table and began synthesizing implements one by one, patiently explaining the recipes for each item, optimal collection methods, and efficient block transportation techniques.
After completing the comprehensive tutorial and having Bard successfully attempt each function under supervision, Levi continued with obvious satisfaction:
"Excellent! Now you've mastered farming and block mining fundamentals. Gather the residents and begin the territory restoration work in earnest!"
"Huh?" Bard's mind went completely blank.
"Uh, I think I might need some time to fully absorb all this information."
"Sir, I can handle this matter efficiently!"
Just as Bard struggled to recall the intricacies of Levi's magical instruction manual, a familiar, obsequious voice emerged from behind a nearby building.
"Alfrid..." Bard's tone carried weary resignation.
"How are you here? Weren't you supposed to be working on the eastern district repairs?"
"Of course it's to remain ready to receive orders from you and our lord at any moment," Alfrid replied with practiced servility, approaching to stand respectfully before Levi with exaggerated deference.
Levi's brow furrowed slightly at the man's appearance, causing Alfrid to immediately bend nearly double, not daring to meet his gaze directly.
While not exactly harboring active dislike for this person, Levi felt no positive feelings toward him either. Rather than good or bad emotions, he simply didn't consider Alfrid worth much attention or concern.
Seeing Alfrid's cringing display, Bard felt familiar helplessness wash over him. He gestured for Alfrid to wait aside, then turned to offer Levi a careful explanation:
"Although this man committed numerous transgressions in the past, primarily assisting the Master with fraudulent accounting and embezzling town property for personal gain, I must acknowledge that as an administrative assistant, his ability to handle complex affairs is genuinely impressive. During recent months, he's also contributed considerably to our reconstruction efforts here."
Bard's voice took on a more serious tone as he continued: "Actually, a few months ago, many residents were loudly demanding that we hang him and make him face proper punishment for his crimes."
"But... whether it's that dragon that once terrorized us from the Lonely Mountain, or the devastating war that just ended, they serve as valuable warnings about the nature of justice and mercy."
"I'm acutely aware that our survival through that war relied almost entirely on your intervention and that death and widespread slaughter didn't descend upon our communities. I sincerely pray such horrors never visit us again, whether in great catastrophes or small personal tragedies."
"So I chose to give him a chance at redemption."
Bard gestured toward Alfrid, who remained standing rigidly with obvious discomfort.
"When he was ostracized by the community, pushed to the ground by angry citizens, and left lying in a corner for several days nearly starving to death, I made him an offer. If he was genuinely willing to spend the rest of his life making amends for his past actions, then he and any possible descendants could eventually live here as normal residents."
Bard met Levi's eyes directly, his voice carrying deep conviction: "We're fundamentally different from you, Levi."
"Essentially, whether it's me, Alfrid, or any of the residents in our community, we're all just small people struggling through life. Regardless of our methods and means, we're all simply fighting to survive and achieve what we desperately want."
"But you're different from us mortals."
"Whether it's you or those wise wizards like Gandalf, you're not ordinary people like us. You possess far more choices and much greater power to shape events."
Bard spoke with complete sincerity, laying bare his worldview with humble honesty.
Levi studied him for a long moment, then suddenly smiled with genuine warmth.
"Mercy is an excellent quality, provided this virtue isn't wasted on true enemies who would exploit such kindness."
"I trust your judgment completely. Arrange matters as you see fit."
"But there's one important thing I need to correct in your thinking:"
"Even so-called 'small people' can sometimes accomplish earth-shaking deeds that alter the entire course of history. Never underestimate the potential power of ordinary individuals."
Hearing this unexpected affirmation, Bard looked at Levi with renewed respect, then glanced at Alfrid, and finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief.
"You always manage to leave people speechless with your wisdom."
"You plural?"
"You, and Gandalf both."
"Well, he is indeed exceptionally skilled at persuasive conversation."
Gandalf's legendary ability to convince people was no mere reputation.
But regarding this particular individual, Alfrid...
"He cannot serve as a guide or instructor for others," Levi stated firmly, pointing to the tools arranged on the crafting table. "His reputation remains deeply negative within the community system. He won't be able to use any of these enhanced capabilities until he genuinely completes his atonement process."
"I understand completely," Bard nodded with obvious approval.
"I'll supervise his progress carefully and ensure he earns whatever redemption might be possible."