I call out to the heroes and Liora, and they make their way over.
[Wright] "It's almost lunchtime. We should head to the barracks."
The heroes are still buzzing with excitement from seeing the fields.
[Takeshi] "Those fields are incredible! I've never seen crops so healthy and vibrant."
[Yuki] "The variety is amazing too. So many different vegetables and fruits all growing together."
[Aiko] "And the size! Some of those vegetables are huge!"
[Liora] "That's the benefit of soil enriched by the Voidleaf Wilderness. Everything grows faster and larger here."
As we walk, I mention the cabins.
[Wright] "I finished construction on your cabins. The bedding materials are in my Storage."
[Takeshi] "Already? That was fast!"
[Wright] "Crafting makes things easy."
[Yuki] "That skill really is convenient."
In the distance, I can see Kara working near the edge of the fields. She's up in one of the large trees, building what looks like a treehouse structure.
[Liora] "Kara's been working on permanent housing for the high elves."
[Wright] "That's great to hear you're all settling in."
Liora nods, a small smile on her face. She's happy to call this place home.
As we approach the barracks, Rhevan and his hunting team are returning. With them is Nym—seems like she's joined the hunting team during her downtime from farming.
Rhevan notices me, and his eyes widen slightly.
[Rhevan] "Wright. You're back already. I thought you'd be gone for at least two weeks."
Nym's expression remains analytical.
[Nym] "Efficient as always."
[Wright] "Things moved faster than expected. Thank you for continuing the hunts while I was away."
[Rhevan] "Of course. We brought back quite a bit today."
He gestures to his team, and they nod in acknowledgment.
The heroes approach, curious.
[Takeshi] "You hunt monsters?"
[Rhevan] "Every day. It's how we provide meat for the settlement."
He extends a hand.
[Rhevan] "Rhevan. Leader of the hunting team."
The heroes introduce themselves one by one.
[Aiko] "What kinds of monsters are out there?"
Rhevan's stern expression doesn't change, but there's a hint of approval in his amber eyes.
[Rhevan] "All sorts. Today we took down a Thornback Serpent. Massive creature, stone-like hide, spikes running down its back. Tough to kill, but the meat's tender once cooked."
[Yuki] "How big was it?"
[Rhevan] "Size of a small cart. Took three of us to bring it down."
He continues, his voice weathered and direct.
[Rhevan] "Also caught a few Emberfang Wolves. Fire-element wolves, fur glows red when they're angry. Fast, aggressive. Meat has a smoky flavor."
[Daichi] "Fire wolves? That sounds terrifying."
[Rhevan] "They are. If you're not prepared."
[Rhevan] "Got lucky too. Found a Crystalwing Deer. Rare creature, antlers shimmer like glass. Very skittish. Meat's considered a delicacy."
[Kenji] "You fight these every day?"
[Rhevan] "Part of life here. The Voidleaf Wilderness is dangerous, but it's also a valuable resource."
Before Rhevan can continue, I interrupt.
[Wright] "We should talk over lunch. Let's get everyone fed first."
The group agrees, and we head into the dining hall.
---
Lunch is laid out on the long tables—simple but hearty.
Thick bowls of stew made with root vegetables and forest herbs, the broth rich and earthy. Emberbread baked over hot stones, still warm and perfect for dipping. Chunks of roasted hare meat, seasoned with salt and pepper, tender and flavorful.
It's a simple meal, but after days of extravagant vampire cuisine, it's exactly what I need.
The heroes dig in eagerly.
[Takeshi] "This is really good!"
[Aiko] "The stew is so warm and comforting."
[Yuki] "The bread is perfect. It's so simple, but it tastes amazing."
[Daichi] "I was worried everything here would be weird fantasy food, but this is just... normal. In a good way."
[Kenji] "It's honest food."
They eat with genuine appreciation, and I'm glad they're enjoying it.
Rhevan and Nym sit with Takeshi, Aiko, and Kenji, continuing the conversation about monsters and hunting.
[Rhevan] "If you're interested, you should come on a hunt sometime. Get a feel for what's out there."
[Takeshi] "I'd love that."
[Aiko] "Is it safe?"
[Nym] "With us around? Absolutely."
Nearby, Yuki is deep in conversation with Vesper.
[Yuki] "So if we apply the same principles from the cooling crates but adjust the enchantment layout..."
[Vesper] "Exactly! And if we use a containment circle for the water flow, we can mimic the plumbing system."
Kara approaches, wiping sawdust from her hands. Her work clothes are stained with oil and wood shavings, but her broad-shouldered frame radiates confidence.
[Kara] "Plumbing system? You're building something?"
[Vesper] "Artifact appliances. We're trying to replicate Wright's toilet, stove, and refrigerator."
Kara's eyes light up with professional interest.
[Kara] "Now that's a project worth doing. I can help with the structural components. Make sure everything's built to last."
[Yuki] "Really? That would be amazing!"
[Vesper] "Perfect! With your craftsmanship and Yuki's theoretical knowledge, we can make real progress."
[Kara] "When do we start?"
[Vesper] "Right after lunch."
I smile. Everyone's getting along. This is nice.
Rhevan suddenly speaks up, his weathered voice carrying across the table.
[Rhevan] "Wright. Should we host another barbecue today? Welcome these kids properly."
[Wright] "That's a great idea."
Rhevan nods, satisfied.
[Rhevan] "Good. I'll hunt enough meat for a proper feast."
The heroes perk up at that.
[Takeshi] "A barbecue? That sounds amazing!"
[Aiko] "Can we come with you on the hunt?"
[Rhevan] "If you can keep up."
I hesitate.
[Wright] "It might be dangerous. You're not very strong yet."
Rhevan's stern expression doesn't waver.
[Rhevan] "My team and I can protect them. We know the forest."
Nym sets down her bowl, her analytical gaze shifting to the heroes.
[Nym] "I'll provide magical support. They'll be fine."
Donny, who's been sitting nearby, churrs loudly like he's saying to leave it to him.
[Wright] "Alright. Just be careful out there."
[Takeshi] "We will!"
[Wright] "I'd go with you, but if I did, all the monsters would just run away."
[Rhevan] "That's true."
---
After lunch, the group splits up.
Takeshi, Aiko, and Kenji head out with Rhevan, Nym, Donny, and the hunting team into the forest.
Yuki follows Vesper and Kara back toward my cabin to start working on the artifact appliances.
Daichi, who clearly has no interest in hunting monsters, stays behind.
[Daichi] "I think I'll pass on the monster hunting."
[Wright] "Want to check out the new cabins?"
[Daichi] "Sure."
We walk together along the newly built stone road.
[Daichi] "So... you really were a god?"
[Wright] "Used to be."
[Daichi] "That's insane. And you gave it all up to retire and farm?"
[Wright] "Pretty much."
Daichi shakes his head.
[Daichi] "I don't know if that's the smartest thing I've ever heard or the dumbest."
[Wright] "Probably a bit of both."
[Daichi] "What was it like? Being a god?"
[Wright] "It's what you make of it. Some are busy. Some laze around. I was the latter."
[Daichi] "And now?"
[Wright] "Now I grow vegetables and build cabins. Much better."
Daichi laughs.
[Daichi] "I get that. I mean, I want to go back home because I'm not cut out for fighting and danger. But I can see the appeal of just... living quietly."
[Wright] "It's underrated."
We reach the cabins. Daichi looks them over, impressed.
[Daichi] "You built these in, what, an hour?"
[Wright] "About that."
[Daichi] "Crafting is amazing."
[Wright] "It's very useful."
I head into one of the bedrooms and pull out the bedding from Storage—mattresses, pillows, and blankets.
I start setting up the beds, laying the mattresses on the wooden frames and arranging the pillows and blankets. While I'm at it, I use Crafting to make a few simple pieces of furniture—tables, chairs, and drawers to store the sleeping mats I have remaining in my Storage.
Daichi helps without being asked, moving to the other rooms to set up the remaining beds.
[Daichi] "This is kind of nice. Feels like moving into a new place."
[Wright] "It is a new place."
[Daichi] "Yeah, I guess it is."
We finish the first cabin and move to the second, repeating the process.
Once everything is set up, there's not much else to do.
We head back outside and find Sylphaeris floating near my cabin.
[Sylphaeris] "All done?"
[Wright] "Yeah. Just waiting for everyone else to get back."
We settle down on the grass, lazing around in the afternoon sun.
[Daichi] "This is boring. We should do something."
[Wright] "Like what?"
[Daichi] "Do you have any board games?"
I blink.
[Wright] "No. But I can make some."
Daichi perks up.
[Daichi] "Really? Do you know Othello? Or Shogi? Or Go?"
[Wright] "I've read about them in manga."
[Daichi] "That's perfect! We should make them!"
[Wright] "Alright."
I pull out wood and stone from Storage.
For Othello, I craft a wooden board with a grid of 64 squares, then create circular pieces from wood. I use fire magic carefully, heating my hand just enough to scorch one side of each piece black while leaving the other side its natural brown. The pieces come out smooth and uniform, perfectly reversible.
For Shogi, I craft a larger wooden board with a grid of 81 squares, then carve individual pieces from wood, etching the kanji characters onto each one. King, Rook, Bishop, Gold General, Silver General, Knight, Lance, Pawn—each piece carefully shaped and marked.
For Go, I craft a wooden board with a 19x19 grid of intersecting lines, then create smooth black and white stones from polished wood and stone. Each stone is small, round, and perfectly balanced.
Sylphaeris watches with fascination.
[Sylphaeris] "What are these?"
[Daichi] "Board games from our world. They're strategic games—you have to outthink your opponent."
[Sylphaeris] "Interesting."
Daichi picks up the Othello board.
[Daichi] "Let's start with this one. It's the simplest."
He explains the rules to Sylphaeris—how you place pieces to flip your opponent's pieces, trying to control the board.
Sylphaeris listens intently, nodding along.
[Sylphaeris] "I think I understand."
They play.
It's a landslide victory for Sylphaeris.
[Daichi] "What?! How?!"
[Sylphaeris] "You said to control the board. I controlled the board."
[Daichi] "But you've never played before!"
[Sylphaeris] "The patterns were obvious."
Daichi stares at the board in disbelief.
[Daichi] "Okay. Okay, fine. Let's try Shogi. It's more complicated, so I'll definitely win."
He explains the rules—how each piece moves, how pieces can be promoted, how captured pieces can be reused.
Sylphaeris listens carefully, asking a few clarifying questions.
They play.
Another defeat for Daichi.
[Daichi] "No way!"
[Sylphaeris] "You left your king exposed. I simply capitalized on it."
I chuckle.
[Wright] "You can't compete with the wisdom of someone who's been alive since ancient times."
[Daichi] "That's not fair!"
Daichi slumps dramatically.
[Daichi] "I thought I was good at strategy games..."
[Sylphaeris] "You are. For a mortal."
[Daichi] "That's not comforting!"
Sylphaeris smiles, clearly enjoying herself.
[Sylphaeris] "Shall we try the third game?"
Daichi groans.
[Daichi] "Why do I feel like I'm about to lose again?"
Despite his complaints, he sets up the Go board.
This is turning into an entertaining afternoon.