The Throne Room fell silent once again, its grand expanse now empty except for Richard, the Fay Queen, and Zalis. Seated comfortably on his chair, Richard leaned back and opened Moirai's stats, his gaze fixed intently on the glowing interface before him.
Nest Name: Moirai
Nest Rank: Tier 1 Origin Nest [Stage 3 Emergent]
Nest Status: Village
Residents: 199/1,500 (Maximum Population Limit scales with the Fay Queen's Level)
Total Male Residents: 146
Total Female Residents: 50
Total Number of Children: 3
White Grade: 0
Green Grade: 115
Blue Grade: 64
Yellow Grade: 19
Orange Grade: 0
Red Grade: 1
Violet Grade: 0
Human: 1
Richard was elated to see that the Nest Ranking had reached Tier 1 Origin Nest, Stage 3 Emergent. A Tier 1 Origin Nest represented the earliest tier of development for the settlement, and Stage 3 Emergent marked the final stage within this tier. After completing all the requirements, Richard would be able to upgrade the Nest to Tier 2, unlocking new opportunities. The tier upgrade would allow him to summon new sets of occupations and increase the level limit for the Fays.
Curious about the upgrade process, Richard reviewed the requirements. It demanded a population of over 500 Fays and a Fay Queen at Level 5. His gaze instinctively turned to Vara, who was seated beside him. The Fay Queen blinked in mild confusion, sensing his attention, but quickly returned to her work as though nothing had happened.
Richard smiled faintly and opened Vara's stats.
Fay Queen: Lvl. 2 (8,453/12,000)
Grade Level: Red
Name: Aervara Norreathem (Sacred to the Dragons)
Age: 5 weeks, 3 days, 19 hours, and 34 minutes
Loyalty: 96/100
General Stats: (Scales with Level)
Fay Spawned per Day: 52-72
Special Fay Spawn Ratio: 1:500
Fay Total Population Spawn Limit: 1,500
Fay Grades Level: Green → Yellow
Chances of Spawning an Orange Grade Fay: 10.2%
Physical Stats: (Scales with Level)
Intelligence: 54
Strength: 33
Constitution: 47
Agility: 39
Fay Queen Mode:
Berserk Mode: On Cooldown! (78 days) [The Fay Queen will enter a Berserk Mode, spawning two times her normal capacity. This will also raise the Fay Queen's Physical Stats by ten points each. This Mode lasts for three hours.]
Invulnerable Mode: On Cooldown! (Cooldown: 165 days) [Upon activation, the Fay Queen is immune to all physical and ability attacks. However, if the opponent is three levels higher than her, the Queen will take 10% damage per level. This Mode lasts for four hours.]
Dragon Mode: On Cooldown! (Cooldown: 343 days) [The Fay Queen's bloodline will be activated, transforming her into a powerful dragon. Each of her Physical Stats will be multiplied by three, granting her immense strength to crush her enemies. After she returns to her normal physique, the Queen will suffer a 50% deduction in all her stats for three days. This Mode lasts for thirty minutes.]
Cooldown: -0.06% (Scales with Level)
Richard's head throbbed as he looked at Vara's current level and the vast amount of experience needed for her to advance. It would take an enormous amount of time to meet the requirements. Having a high-grade queen certainly came with its drawbacks, and this was one of them. Still, Richard resolved to find ways to gather experience points more efficiently.
Killing beasts remained the fastest method, and he saw no other viable option but to send Vara on missions. However, he knew that targeting high-grade and high-level beasts would be far more effective than wasting time and energy on a large number of weaker ones.
Not only would this strategy yield faster progress, but it would also result in superior loot and rewards. For Richard, it was a clear case of prioritizing quality over quantity.
Richard then proceeded to check the Nest's inventory of Fay Skill Gems. There were ten glowing gems, neatly arranged in the inventory. He scanned the seven additional gems recently added. Five of them were new: the Gem of Inferno's Wrath, Gem of Vital Bloom, Gem of Stone's Strength, Gem of Healing Touch, and Gem of Nature's Camouflage. The other two were familiar, already existing within the Nest: Roar of the Grimfel, Gem of Earthen Bulwark, and Gem of Nature's Camouflage.
Richard realized he could use these identical Skill Gems to upgrade an existing one or give them to another Fay to either change their skill, grant them an additional skill, or upgrade their current abilities. After a brief moment of thought, Richard decided to leave only five Skill Gems in the inventory and use the rest. However, he still needed to find a suitable candidate to receive the Skill Gems.
Next, Richard opened an A3-sized map parchment (29.7 cm x 42 cm). He examined Moirai, which was depicted at the center of the map, nestled against the foot of an imposing volcano. The volcano, as of yet unnamed, sparked an idea in Richard's min.
He decided to call it Mount Hiera, drawing from the Greek word for volcano. He carefully wrote the name on the map, planning to return it to Toren to have it redrawn with place names.
The map depicted the entire volcano encircled by a thick forest, stretching in all directions. Richard noticed three concentric circles drawn on the parchment. The innermost circle had a radius of 25 kilometers and was filled with intricate details, including landmarks and resource markings.
The second circle, spanning 75 kilometers, was less detailed, with only prominent features recorded. The outermost circle, covering 125 kilometers, showed nothing but thick forest with no markings or annotations, reflecting the unexplored wilderness.
Richard focused on the northern area within the 75-kilometer circle. The dense woods were dotted with markings indicating resources such as limestone and granite, all situated well within the partially explored zone. Turning his attention to the west, he noted markings that indicated deposits of gold and rare gemstones hidden deep beneath the earth, promising significant wealth for the Nest.
Further south, Richard observed the wide river flowing from the west and curving toward the farmland at Moirai's southern edge. If his memory served him, the farmland was located approximately 15 kilometers from the village—a comfortable distance. The map showed that the farmland was fortified with sturdy wooden walls, safeguarding the crops and the workers tending to them.
To the east, the map revealed abundant deposits of marble, limestone, and granite, suggesting great potential for construction and development. The scouts' reports corroborated the map, confirming that the 100-kilometer area surrounding Moirai was primarily flat and heavily forested, with the lone river acting as a lifeline flowing toward the south. Its broad waters seemed capable of supporting the village's growing needs.
Richard studied the map intently and turned to Vara, who sat quietly beside him. "Vara," he asked, "can you help me identify the best locations for the border outposts Toren suggested?"
Vara leaned closer, her light brown eyes scanning the map. After a moment, she pointed to three distinct spots. The first was to the west, near the resources of gold and rare gemstones. The second was to the south, close to the river and the farmland. The third was to the east, near the deposits of marble, limestone, and granite. Finally, she pointed to the north, first to an area opposite Moirai and then further north, near the limestone and granite resources.
Richard marked each spot with care as Vara directed him. "These places are great," he agreed with a nod, his tone filled with appreciation. "Thank you, Vara."
Vara gave him a small, approving smile before resuming her quiet stance.
Richard returned his focus to the map, examining it once more. After pondering for a moment, he decided to revise the position of the southern border outpost. Since the farmland already had protective wooden walls, it made more sense to convert that area into an outpost. He moved the planned location further downriver, about 30 kilometers south of the farmland. The other proposed locations remained in their ideal positions. Satisfied with his adjustments, Richard rolled the parchment and handed it to Zalis.
"Send this to Toren for evaluation," he instructed.
With that task completed, Richard decided to take a brief rest. His eyes shifted to Vara, and suddenly, a realization struck him. His eyes widened as he quickly reached out, pulling a glowing orb of light from his chest.
"I nearly forgot to return the Nest's Heart to you," he said with a sheepish laugh, feeling slightly awkward. Despite his usual confidence, he struggled to strike a casual conversation with her.
Vara's gaze softened slightly as she replied, "It's okay, Master." She accepted the Nest's Heart from his hand and absorbed it back into her body.
"Uhmm..." Richard began hesitantly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm planning for our Nest to be upgraded to Tier 2, Vara."
Her expression turned serious as she listened.
"One of the requirements," he continued, gaining confidence as he spoke, "is for you to reach Level 5. Since you need a significant amount of experience to level up, I've decided to send you on a mission to hunt and kill higher-level beasts in the surrounding area. I'm also hoping we can secure higher-quality loot and materials from them."
Vara's sharp golden eyes studied him as he explained. She had already anticipated what he wanted from the way he had looked at her earlier. Without waiting for his full explanation, she nodded in understanding, her face impassive but resolute.
Richard, seeing her unchanging demeanor, felt a sense of relief. Out of habit, he immediately opened her stats, confirming that her loyalty remained unwavering. Reassured, he then retrieved another parchment map. This map displayed marked territories where beasts had been spotted, alongside details of their grades and levels.
His eyes scanned the markings, noting that most high-level beasts resided within the third circle, the unexplored 125-kilometer area. Among these, there were over a hundred beasts of significant power. Most were classified as B Grade Beasts, ranging from Level 1 to Level 10, while others were A Grade Beasts, whose levels spanned from Level 1 to Level 5.
Turning to Vara, Richard asked with a teasing grin, "Can you one-punch kill these beasts?"
Vara blinked in mild surprise before replying, her voice steady, "Not at my current level and status. However, I can handle solo fights against B Grade Beasts Levels 1-5 without much difficulty. The stronger ones and those at higher levels will be more challenging, especially the A Grade Beasts Level 5. And it also depends on their subgrade. I would retreat if faced with an A+ Grade Beast, even if it's only at Level 1."
Richard nodded thoughtfully, appreciating her candor. "Study this map," he said, handing it to her. "Choose which targets you can confidently defeat."
Vara accepted the map and began to study it intently. Meanwhile, Richard leaned back and opened his own stats.
Name: Richard Madwen
Fay Master Level: 10 (1,350/5,000)
Age: 12 years old
Time Spent in the Permonium Sanctuary: 3 days, 9 hours, 30 minutes, 45 seconds
Nest Name: Moirai
Fay Queens Owned: 1/4
Stats:
Strength: 11
Constitution: 12
Agility: 15
Skills: None
Equipment: Ordinary Clothes, Ordinary Pants, Ordinary Shoes
Richard was a bit surprised as he glanced at his level as a Fay Master. However, if he remembered correctly, his stats hadn't changed at all—not even by a single point. He could only scratch his head in mild frustration. For now, there was nothing he could do about it, so he decided to let it be. With a sigh, he closed the system interface and let his gaze drift to the ceiling above.
The intricate carvings of dragons, eagles, and swirling clouds captured his attention, as they always did. The artistry never failed to amaze him. Eryndor had truly poured his heart into designing not only the Throne Room but the entire castle. Richard couldn't help but wonder what other Fay Masters' castles looked like, or how his parents' Nests compared.
In his mind, he envisioned grand structures, prosperous lands, and unmatched elegance. The thought filled him with anticipation, and he found himself yearning for the day when Moirai could match such prosperity and splendor.
So far, Richard felt blessed with capable and trustworthy Fays. Each one worked tirelessly, pouring their hearts into building Moirai into a thriving Nest. Their liveliness and dedication made the village flourish with life and promise. This was what Richard was most thankful for—having companions who shared his vision and gave their all.
A soft smile crossed his lips, and his eyes sparkled with renewed passion. He would not let them down.