Location: Western Atheria – Day 75 in Atheria
The wind felt different.
Gentler. New.
The group had returned from the void… changed. Nine system charms now shone on Jiwoo's wrist, softly pulsing in sync like a heartbeat. Their powers had evolved, their understanding deepened. But the world they came back to?
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
"This place..." said Yoori, gazing out at the open horizon of rolling plains, silent forests, and deep valleys. "It's untouched."
"No kingdoms," Baek said. "No borders. No flags."
"No war," Mirae added. "Just space."
Jiwoo stood at the top of a small hill and opened the map.
> [System Scan Complete – Area: 5,000 sq km]
[Name: Unclaimed Western Frontier]
[Resources: High | Threat Level: Low | Visibility: Zero]
[Suggested Action: Territory Claim Available]
The system wasn't commanding.
It was offering.
And for the first time since the beginning… Jiwoo chose.
"I think we've found home."
---
Marking the Heart
They walked for two more days.
The terrain grew richer with every mile—lush soil, underground springs, natural formations that sparkled with dormant magic.
Eventually, they reached a circular valley, surrounded by gentle hills and deep woods to the north.
Here, the wind paused.
The sun settled above them.
And the land felt like it was listening.
"This is it," Jiwoo said, smiling. "Right here. This is where we begin."
He pressed his hand to the ground.
> [System Sovereign: Territory Claim Initiated]
[New Region Registered: Heartvale]
[Kingdom Status: Foundational | Governance: Free]
[Would you like to name this land?]
He looked around.
Then at the eight who stood beside him—his family now.
He typed the name.
> [Kingdom Name: Liria]
("Liria" – meaning "place of peace that cannot be taken.")
---
First Shelter
They didn't summon castles from magic or craft towers from the sky.
They built.
With their hands.
With magic, yes—but slow, thoughtful, simple.
Solace used wind magic to gather wood.
Eunsol shaped stone into strong, smooth foundations.
Baek and Jihae started carving pathways between camp zones.
Sena and Yoori planted seeds, experimenting with enchanted soil.
Mirae sang as she purified the nearby stream.
And Jiwoo? He raised the first wall—not of defense, but of foundation.
A place to rest. A place to cook. A place to dream.
Their first true home.
---
System Changes
The system began to shift.
> [New Feature Unlocked: Kingdom Management Console]
[Population: 9]
[Influence Radius: 0.3 km]
[Security Level: N/A]
[Daily Income: 0 gold]
[Expenses: 0 gold]
[Peace Index: 100%]
Mirae laughed. "That's the best index I've ever seen."
Baek frowned. "Zero income though?"
Jiwoo grinned. "Good. Let's earn nothing for a while."
They didn't need to mine or harvest or expand yet. Not now.
Right now, it was about making a place.
Just theirs.
---
Night at the Campfire
That night, they sat around a fire under a sky untouched by city glow.
No monsters.
No battles.
Just the sound of wind, the chirping of forest birds, and the soft ripple of stream water nearby.
"I used to dream of skyscrapers," Jiwoo said softly, watching the flames. "Endless floors. Gold windows. Now... I just want a garden."
Sena smiled. "You can have both."
"But you built the garden first," Yoori said. "That says everything."
Eunsol leaned back. "Do we open it to others?"
"Eventually," Jiwoo replied. "When we're ready. When the peace we built can welcome others without breaking."
---
The Next Day
They split into groups.
Solace and Jiwoo mapped the outer edges of the valley.
Jihae and Baek tested the earth's reaction to advanced enchantments.
Mirae and Sena marked the best farming spots.
Yoori scouted for natural borders that could become future town zones.
Every step, every action, was noted in the system.
Not for power.
But for clarity.
This wasn't a kingdom to be ruled.
It was a place to be shared.
And slowly… a small circle of wooden fences began to rise. A proper well. A garden bed. Storage space. A quiet reading area. A tree where someone hung lanterns.
Jiwoo didn't know who did it.
But he smiled.
---
Ending Scene – The Message
That night, Jiwoo received a prompt he hadn't seen before:
> [World Broadcast Request Detected]
[System Sovereign: Jiwoo]
[Message Type: Peaceful Establishment]
Would you like to declare Liria to the world?
Jiwoo looked around at the calm valley.
And then to the friends now preparing beds and setting lanterns.
He typed a single message.
> "A place called Liria now exists.
No kings. No borders. No war.
If you seek peace, walk gently.
The door is not open yet. But it will be."
He didn't press send yet.
Instead, he saved the message.
And whispered:
"Let's live first… before we lead."
---