The morning sun bathed Everwood in golden light. From the watchtower, Itsuki looked down at what had once been nothing but trees and dirt. Now, wide roads stretched across the village, lined with wooden and stone houses. Workshops clanged with the sound of metal, farmers tended neatly plowed fields, and smoke rose from bakeries and kitchens that filled the air with warmth.
This wasn't just a village anymore. It was becoming a city.
"Not bad, huh?" Selene's voice chimed beside him. She held a small ledger, her black hair swaying in the breeze. "We've doubled in population since last month. Refugees, adventurers, and wanderers all choosing to stay. They say Everwood feels… safer than anywhere else."
Itsuki smiled faintly. "That's good. But safety isn't enough. If the Empire keeps tightening their grip, we'll need strength too."
Down below, a group of villagers trained with rifles in one field, while another group sparred with swords and shields. Itsuki had insisted they master both modern and traditional combat. "Guns might end battles, but swords build warriors," he'd told them.
Lyra approached, bow slung across her back. "The scouts have been working on patrol routes. No one can get close without us knowing. But…" She looked toward the distant horizon. "Rumors still travel faster than arrows. We can't stop the Empire's whispers."
"We don't have to," Itsuki said calmly. "We just have to give the people proof that we're better than the lies."
That afternoon, Itsuki called a village assembly in the great hall he had built the hall of Everwood's heart. The villagers gathered, faces lit with anticipation.
"We are not just surviving anymore," Itsuki declared, his voice carrying through the chamber. "We are building. A future where no one is abandoned. A future where strength protects, not oppresses."
He raised a hand, and with a flicker of creation magic, a glowing blueprint appeared in the air. The crowd gasped as they saw it—massive waterwheels, aqueducts, and crystal-powered lamps illuminating the streets.
"Clean water, light for every home, and defenses that can withstand any siege. This is what we're building together. This is Everwood."
The hall erupted in cheers. For the first time, people weren't just surviving they believed.
Later that evening, Itsuki sat with his companions—Lyra, Selene, Lunaria, and the others in his home. They shared bread, wine, and laughter. For a fleeting moment, it felt like peace.
But Itsuki's eyes lingered on the horizon beyond the windows. He knew peace was only the calm before the storm.
Still, as he looked at the smiling faces around him, he made a silent vow:
"No matter what schemes the Empire spins, no matter what enemies come from the shadows… Everwood will endure. Because this time, I won't let my people suffer."
And so the foundations of Everwood were laid not just in stone and wood, but in hearts, loyalty, and hope.