We spent the rest of the afternoon constructing the massive storage unit.
The enthusiasm in the air was contagious. Several villagers, emboldened by a full stomach, volunteered to haul the heavy river stones and mix the thick clay.
Under my strict supervision, the outer foundation was built flawlessly. We placed the wooden inner lining inside the stone shell.
Then, it was Hana's turn.
She stood before the open wooden box. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. A pale blue aura flickered around her fingertips. The air inside the warehouse immediately dropped by several degrees.
Frost crept along the wooden panels. In a matter of seconds, thick, solid blocks of enchanted ice formed seamlessly against the walls.
The villagers gasped, stepping back in pure awe as a cloud of freezing mist rolled out from the newly crafted icebox.
"Incredible," I murmured, genuinely impressed.
Hana wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and offered a proud smirk. She then pulled out a blank scroll, rapidly inscribing a complex magical formation with a specialized ink pen. She slapped the scroll onto the inner lid.
The automated cooling system was complete.
Just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the heavy footsteps of the returning fleet echoed through the village.
Team One arrived first. They carried heavy woven sacks over their shoulders. They had caught an abundance of fresh fish. I immediately directed them to the warehouse, instructing them to layer the catch inside the freezing icebox.
Shortly after, Team Two arrived. They hauled massive nets dripping with seawater, overflowing with the despised 'green snake weeds' and jagged oysters.
"Put those in a separate cold section," I ordered. "Do not mix them with the regular fish."
The grueling day had finally come to an end.
Night blanketed the village.
Back at the chief's house, a minor logistical issue arose. The house only had one proper bed. As a supposed gentleman and a brilliant strategist who knew how to win favor, I gave the bed to Hana.
I settled onto the hard, drafty wooden floor of the living room, using a bundled-up cloak as a pillow.
The house was completely silent.
I stared up at the dark ceiling. I cleared my throat softly.
"System."
The translucent blue screen materialized instantly in the dark room, casting a faint, ghostly glow over my face. I checked my current balance.
**[Your Points: 60P]**
I opened the digital catalog. I needed a new advantage.
**[SKILL | CATEGORY | PRICE | DESC]**
**[FIRE | ELEMENT | 50P | ...]**
**[ICE | ELEMENT | 50P | ...]**
**[WATER | ELEMENT | 50P | ...]**
**[DIMENSIONAL SLASH | WEAPON SKILL | 300P | ...]**
**[ENHANCE | PHYSIQUE | 120P | ...]**
**[GOD EYE'S | PHYSIQUE | 60P | ...]**
My eyes scanned past the elemental magic. I stopped at the very bottom of the affordable list.
"God Eye's?" I whispered, my curiosity piqued.
I focused on the icon, expanding its details.
**[Skill: God Eye's]**
**[Price: 60P]**
**[Description: Allows the user to perceive the hidden attributes of a target, including physical strength, intelligence, and innate talent. (Lv. 1 capacity: 2 uses per day)]**
I stroked my chin in the darkness.
Only two uses a day. It was highly restricted. But the tactical value was astronomical. In a world where anyone could be hiding a dagger or a deadly spell, knowing exactly who I was dealing with was far more valuable than shooting a fireball.
It was the perfect tool for a politician looking to recruit competent pawns.
I did not hesitate. I purchased the skill.
A sharp, searing pain flashed behind my retinas for a fraction of a second. Then, my vision adjusted, feeling incredibly crisp and clear despite the pitch-black room.
Two days passed.
News traveled fast across the river. The sudden surge of activity and the strange purchasing habits of our dying settlement had reached the prosperous side of the water. The merchant Viktor had a loose tongue.
The gossip spread like wildfire through the paved streets of Balan village.
"Did you hear the absolute joke of the week?" a burly man laughed over a mug of ale in the local tavern. "Those starving beggars across the river refused to buy our wheat."
"Are you serious?" his companion snorted. "What did they buy instead?"
"Raw coffee beans!"
The table erupted into mocking laughter.
"They must be planning to drink themselves to death," a third man chimed in. "I guess that old beggar Oderick finally lost his mind."
"Actually, that is the other thing," the first man lowered his voice. "I heard Oderick is not even the Chief anymore. They handed the position to some wandering foreigner."
"A foreigner? Without the Baron's permission?"
The laughter instantly died down. That was not a joke. That was treason.
The rumors inevitably climbed the hill, slipping past the iron gates and echoing straight into the grand dining hall of the Baron's mansion.
"My lord," a nervous servant bowed low. "It seems there are... irregular developments occurring in the settlement across the river."
Baron Leonard sat at the head of a massive, polished oak table.
He was a grotesque monument to gluttony. His body was incredibly fat, spilling over the edges of his lavish chair. Heavy gold rings adorned his sausage-like fingers. A thin, ridiculous mustache that looked exactly like a catfish's whiskers sat above his grease-stained lips.
He tore a chunk of meat from a roasted fowl, chewing loudly.
"Bastards," Leonard spat. Bits of food flew across the table. "How dare they breathe without my permission?"
He wiped his greasy mouth with a silk napkin.
"What about their taxes? Have you collected the seasonal tribute yet?"
The servant trembled, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. "Not yet, my lord."
Leonard slammed his massive fist onto the table. The silver plates rattled violently. Wine spilled onto the pristine white tablecloth.
"Summon him!" Leonard roared, his face turning a furious shade of purple. "Send the guards across the river right now! Drag that foreign rat out of the mud and bring him to me! How dare that village rat change the Chief without my royal decree!"
"B-but my lord," the servant stammered, taking a fearful step back. "Tomorrow is the grand festival. The capital's emissary will be here to officially elevate our territory's status to a City. Sending armed guards across the river tonight might cause an unseemly disturbance."
Leonard froze. He slowly lowered his fist.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue, annoyance flashing in his small, piggish eyes. "You are right. It is not fitting for a man of my new stature to publicly chase after a filthy sewer rat on the eve of my ascension."
He picked up a silver goblet, swirling the dark red wine inside.
His explosive anger slowly twisted into a dark, sinister grin. It was a look of pure, unadulterated malice.
"Zael," Leonard called out softly to the empty corners of the dining hall. "I have a task for you."
The shadows in the corner of the room suddenly warped. They stretched and twisted unnaturally until a figure clad entirely in black robes emerged from absolute nothingness.
"What is your command, my lord?" Zael hissed.
The shadow assassin bowed his head, waiting for his orders.
"I heard that miserable village is trying to play at being farmers," Leonard chuckled cruelly, taking a slow sip of his wine. "You know exactly what I want to happen to their little project. Make sure they wake up to a nightmare."
"Understood, my lord."
Zael stepped backward, melting flawlessly into the darkness using his Shadow Stealth skill.
Night fell over our village.
It was unusually quiet. I sat on a small wooden stool on the front porch of Oderick's house, enjoying the cool ocean breeze. The village was finally fed, and the atmosphere was peaceful.
I decided to take a solitary walk. I wanted to check on the newly expanded fields, specifically the plot where I had planted the raw coffee beans. I was curious to see if my Growth Acceleration would work on a cash crop.
I walked slowly, the soft grass crunching beneath my boots.
The fields were bathed in pale moonlight. Everything looked completely normal.
But then, my vision suddenly flashed red.
A sharp, piercing alarm rang in my head.
**[God Eye's has detected an entity.]**
I stopped dead in my tracks.
My newly purchased skill activated entirely on its own. My eyes glowed with a faint, golden light, piercing straight through the veil of reality.
Right there, standing in the middle of my precious coffee field, was a distortion in the air. A humanoid silhouette, completely invisible to the naked eye, was pouring a vial of dark, bubbling liquid over the soil.
A detailed blue status panel instantly materialized next to the invisible figure.
**[God Eye's Status Panel]**
**[Name: (Unlock Lv. 2 required)]**
**[Stats:]**
**[Strength: A]**
**[Agility: C]**
**[Defense: D]**
**[Intelligence: B]**
**[Potential: S?]**
**[Talent: Espionage / Assassination]**
**[(Upgrade skill to Lv. 5 to view additional categories)]**
I narrowed my eyes, a cold, predatory smile slowly creeping onto my face.
Someone had sent a rat into my garden.