After this whole ordeal was set and Aqua was left complaining about her life again, Svetislav went to Luna to ask a question: "Hey, Luna, you got a minute?"
"Yes, of course, what can i do for you?" - She replied with her usual kind tone.
"So, i want to get some land. Do you happen to know people, who are looking to sell land? All is fine, i can deal with farm land, i can deal with land that is meant for building."
"Well... The guild doesn't deal with selling land, but we do occasionally have people who just come to advertise it. Do you want to check the letters?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Alright, just a sec." - She said, standing up from the chair behind the desk and going in the back, before opening a drawer and pulling out a few letters. She placed them in front of Svetislav, who immediately reached to read some of them.
The first one was of a farmer who got fearful after the Devil king moved near, and wants to sell it for his safety; the second one was a woman, whose children had already married and moved out and she is uncapable of tending to the land alone; and lastly some old geezer who just wants to retire. All of them were near one another, so he decided to go check them all out.
"Luna, would you mind pin-pointing the locations on a map or something like that?"
"No problem, i have one in the back."
"You are the most versatile person i have ever met."
"Why, thank you." - She said, taking a rolled up map and showing him it, she began pointing where it's supposed to be, as written in the letter, but Svetislav has not even the slightest clue of this world geography.
"You head out of the south gate, there are a few cross roads, take the left at the second one, after a while you will see farm land and a house... Whose was that again?... uh, ah yes, the old farmer. From the Main gate you will continue on till you reach the first crossroad, there you take left and you will see another plot of land, the first one, that's the one that is scared. Between the two there is the lady. To reach her you just take the right exit at the crossroad, she's at the second. Alright?"
"Yes, thank you very much."
"No problem, see you later, and good luck. It's about a hour long for both, so you can't go wrong with either."
"Do you mind if i grab the letters? I will return the letters of those who i have not bought the land."
"Not at all. See you later."
"See you too."
With that Svetislav left to run his errands, one hundred and fifty million eris in his astral storage.
The road was long, very long, it was also cold, so he used his new Perfect Conversion to heat himself up and to block the cold winds. This power, straight up, made him feel very powerful, who can attack him if he just takes away every bit of energy they have?
With a confident stride he marched on towards his first potential ownership of land. Though if he would walk this long distances it would be great if he made himself a car, or a tank, he doesn't know how to make tires, perhaps a track with suspensions would be good for this rough roads.
But this could wait a little for sometime later, when he actually walks a very long distance, after all he has already walked a lot in town.
He passed the first crossroad, then came the trouble, a group of petty bandits.
"Empty your pockets and no one will get hurt." - One of them said, dagger out.
Svetislav did just that, nothing came out of his pockets.
"We will take the cane then."
Svetislav's eyes narrowed, before he said: "No."
"Is that so?" - One of them approached, before trying to stab him, but the attack didn't went through, the bandit was rendered unable to move. - "What the?!~"
"I will forgive you. But don't do that again." - Svetislav passed him by, after giving him a stern look, and once he made enough distance from the bandit, being 3 meters, the bandit was able to move again.
They scrambled away in fear as Svetislav continued slowly moving forward, using the cane for support.
Soon enough the second cross road came into view, Svetislav carried himself with a new presence.
He put on his hat and turned left. No trouble this time, but it didn't matter anyways. Another five minutes passed and soon he reached a clearing, the house of the man being in the middle of the field. What a view...
He walked on the designated path and reached the front porch of the man who was just sitting there, enjoying his time. Without even a 'hello', Svetislav approached and said: "I have come to buy your land."
The old man, raised his eyes, narrowing at the figure before him. Svetislav looked less of a buyer and more of a messenger, noble even.
"You said in your letter that this field is twenty acres." - Svetislav pulled the letter out, his gaze unwavering. - "I will give you fifteen million eris for it."
"Fifteen, eh? You don't waste time, do you?"
"Time is the only thing we can't buy more of."
The old man leaned back in his chair, appraising him. - "You've got the look of a man who'll work this land harder than i ever could. Fifteen million, you say?"
Svetislav nodded once.
"...Then I'd say we have a deal."
With that the old man stood up and headed inside, grabbing a deed.
Svetislav walked around the perimeter, inspecting the soil, perhaps Create Earth won't be needed here.
By the time the deal was sealed, Svetislav had already taken the document into his astral storage.
He knew he pitied the ones behind those letters, so he decided to buy them all out. To release them from this responsibility, just the way he helped this old man out. - "Old man~"
"Rewin."
"Rewin... You have as much time as you need to move out, preferably a week. Winter approaches and it would keep my consciousness guild free if you find yourself a good home."
"I appreciate the concern, but you don't have to worry about me."
"Are you sure?"
"Don't ask if i'm sure! I said what i said."
"Alright then. Farewell Rewin."
"Farewell!"
With that Svetislav left, continuing forward on the cross road. He approached the next place Luna said off.
The fence was covered in vines and overgrowth, a few trees dead, even the house had vines on. As he stepped on the front porch and in front of the door, he knocked.
Moments after that a woman in her 40s opened the door. - "Good evening, who might you be?"
"I have come to buy your land, i read your letter and i'm quite saddened. A woman who took care of her children, just to end up alone in a place like this. Though i hope for you and your children's fortune."
"It's true, i cared for three sons, who have gone to the capital. And two daughters, whom have been married. This land... Is the pride of my husband..."
"Then let's honor it... I offer you fifteen million eris for it. I will make sure to take care of it."
"F-fifteen million?"
"Yes, i believe this would suffice. You will have the resources to support yourself for a while, and also find a new job, a new home, and most importantly the rest you need. Worry not, i will start my project from here, to honor your husband."
"Thank you..." - She wept in her hands.
The deal was closed, Svetislav gained another 20 acers, and another person released from the responsibility.
With that he gave her the same time to move and headed towards the final plot of land. First a step, then the cane, then another step, and so the cycle continues as the glorious sun drooped over the horizon, behind trees that cast beautiful shadows. The wind howled through the field as farmers worked in the other fields, which were still being used.
Soon enough, he had reached the last house.
He went to them as they were having dinner outside on the porch.
"Good evening, can i help you?" - The man asked.
"Good evening, i have come in notice of your letter. And i am here to buy this plot of land. I will give you fifteen million for it, enough and even over the top to start out a new life somewhere safer."
"Seriously?"
"Fear isn't a life. Go live one worth something."
"Alright, just a second."
And so the man walked into the house, after which he returned with the documents that gave Svetislav ownership. Svetislav gave him fifteen mithril coins as agreed upon.
"You have as much time as you need to leave. I must go now. Farewell."
And with that Svetislav had bought another 15 acres of land.
With that he moved back towards the Axel, the sun finally went under the horizon, leaving Svetislav in complete darkness if it weren't for conversion, he lit up like an angel. But soon his energy began to drain, so he had to think of something, and then he did. He grabbed one of the cabbages he didn't sell and turned it into mana, instantly he got a significant chunk of his mana back...
His mind was still stuck to the energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but this world doesn't follow logic anyways. But he figured something out, by casting growth he only gave the cabbage nutrients, but when it is fully ripe it becomes alive, infused with magic. The cabbage in term is a smaller generator for energy, because to be alive it needs the essence - mana, and to have mana, it needs soul.
Svetislav didn't feel the same euphoria as before, but he did feel this subtle feeling of accomplishment. He could gauge that the cabbage recovers about ten percent of his maximum mana capacity, therefore one cabbage equals five more.
He continued moving forward ignoring everything that attempted to attack him, wild wolves, undead, and a toad which seemed to not want to sleep through the winter. None of the attacks reached him, because he converted all the energy behind them into his own fuel.
Soon enough he reached town, how lovely it looked, and how barren, no people, just the lamps, and the wind. - "What an atmosphere..."
"Right?"
He turned his head, and who would have guessed, the silver haired thief, Chris, was there.
"...You will catch a cold being out so late at night."
She giggled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. - "That's rich, coming from the guy limping home an hour after sunset. Shouldn't i be saying that to you?"
"I had... errands. Longer than i expected."
"Uh-huh." - She didn't even bother getting closer and looking at him more deeply under the dim light. - "You look tired. Did something happen?"
He thought of lying, but that would have just felt... ugly.
"I bought land. Tough crowd."
"Land? As in farmland?"
"Three lots. One from a man who was too old to keep working, the other a widow who had no one helping her with maintaining said land, and a man, whose family lives in fear... I don't know he got himself to this type of paranoia, but... I don't know... I just don't."
For a moment, Chris just stared. Then she smiled - small, warm, genuine. - "That's very you."
Svetislav raised an eyebrow.
"Me?"
"Yeah," - She said, clasping her hands behind her back. "You act all cold and broody, but deep down, you're soft. Softer than you'll ever admit."
"They needed money. I needed land. It was just an exchange. Nothing more."
"And yet you overpaid way more than you needed to. Fifteen million each, right?"
He froze when he heard he say the exact sum of money he gave. - "...How do you know that?"
She grinned mischievously at him before saying: "A thief's intuition."
He simply gave a sigh.
"Nothing to say?"
"Nah." - He took off his jacket, because he indeed didn't need it. Perfect Conversion was useful in every aspect of his life.
He handed the jacket to her. - "Cover up, i'll walk you back."
"See? Soft." - She chuckled taking the jacket, and putting it on her own back. It was quite big on her, and also heavy. He walked her to the inn she was sleeping at, before saying goodbye and taking his jacket back. He went to the public bathroom, which was now empty for sure, took a bath after which he went into the inn he was staying at, went inside his room and pondered as he cooked cabbage for himself.
"If i want to start automating i would need to make some system, something that allows me to cast spells automatically through an object. I will deal with this tomorrow... I need some rest."
After eating, he laid back and fell asleep.