Speaking of rest and relaxation, the heroes will need a place to live.
[Wright] "What would you prefer for housing? I can build you something."
The heroes exchange glances, then Takeshi speaks up.
[Takeshi] "Could we have two cabins? One for the boys, one for the girls?"
[Yuki] "Can you make them with all the amenities from your cabin? The refrigerator, the stove, the toilet?"
I wince.
[Wright] "Sorry, I can't do that. Those were made with Creation Magic, which I can't use anymore. But you're welcome to come to my cabin whenever you want to use them."
[Aiko] "That's okay! We appreciate anything you can build for us."
That gets me thinking. I turn to Vesper.
[Wright] "Vesper, do you think you could make artifacts that replicate those appliances?"
She looks up from where she's been drying her hair with a towel.
[Vesper] "You mean the toilet?"
[Wright] "The toilet, the refrigerator, the stove. All of it. Eventually, I'd like to have those amenities in all the homes here, not just mine."
Vesper's eyes light up with excitement.
[Vesper] "The refrigerator is basically just the cooling crates on a larger scale. I can handle that. But the toilet... that's fascinating. The plumbing, the water flow, the waste disposal system—it's all so elegant!"
[Wright] "So you'll do it?"
[Vesper] "Absolutely! I'll start with the toilet first. Though I'll need to study your appliances more closely to really understand how they work."
[Wright] "I'll give you unrestricted access to the cabin."
I pause, looking at her seriously.
[Wright] "But you have to promise not to take anything apart."
[Vesper] "I promise! Probably."
[Wright] "Vesper."
[Vesper] "I promise!"
With that settled, I'm about to head out to start building the homes when I realize there are other things I need to handle first.
I should find out how the food distribution went with Eldrin. There's also the harvest coming up—we got back quicker than I expected, so we just made it in time to help. There's a lot going on.
Well, let's take it one at a time.
[Wright] "Eldrin, how did the food distribution go?"
Eldrin's expression brightens.
[Eldrin] "It went exceptionally well. The committee was shocked by the amount of food we delivered."
[Wright] "That's good."
[Eldrin] "But what shocked them even more was the quality. Everything was of exceedingly high quality."
[Liora] "The vegetables were packed with nutrients. The fruits were incredibly sweet and rare. The meats were from high-level monsters that are considered delicacies."
Eldrin nods.
[Eldrin] "Apparently, the Skytalon Griffin meat was so rare and sought after that even kings have trouble acquiring it. The refugees are going to eat like royalty."
I blink. I didn't realize the griffin was that valuable.
[Wright] "Well, they went through a lot. They deserve it."
[Eldrin] "The committee has made a plan for distribution. They'll distribute the vegetables and some of the fruits and meats directly to the refugees. The rest of the premium fruits and meats will be sold at market price."
[Liora] "The proceeds will be used to buy more common fruits and meats for the refugees. This way, they can feed many more people with the same resources."
[Wright] "Smart."
[Eldrin] "Now that they have a surplus, the committee only needs monthly deliveries to sustain the refugee population. You can ease up on the growth acceleration."
That's a relief. We can relax a bit more now.
[Eldrin] "Oh, and the cooling crates that Vesper and Kara invented were very well received."
Vesper perks up at the mention of her name.
[Eldrin] "It was decided that each refugee family will be given a mix of food inside a cooling crate to keep and store. They can reuse the crates for future deliveries, keeping the produce fresh for much longer than anticipated."
Vesper beams with pride.
[Wright] "Good work, Vesper."
[Vesper] "Thank you!"
I turn to Liora.
[Wright] "How are the fields doing?"
[Liora] "They're growing well. Everything should be ready for harvest tomorrow."
The heroes, who've been listening quietly, suddenly perk up.
[Yuki] "Can we see the fields? We can see them from here and they look massive!"
[Takeshi] "I'd love to take a closer look."
[Liora] "Of course! I'd be happy to guide you."
She stands, and the heroes follow her eagerly toward the fields.
I get up as well, ready to start building the cabins.
Jyne rises gracefully from the blanket.
[Jyne] "I'll take my leave. I need to prepare for sending the heroes back."
[Wright] "Don't forget about the new skills."
[Jyne] "Yeah, yeah."
She dissolves back into the wooden doll, which goes inert on the blanket. I pick it up and carry it back into the cabin.
Vesper heads straight inside as well, making a beeline for the toilet area.
I set the wooden doll on the table. Donny is sitting nearby, looking annoyed at all the noise Vesper is making.
[Wright] "Want to help me build the cabins?"
He chirps happily and follows me outside.
Sylphaeris floats over.
[Sylphaeris] "I'll help too. Can't let you have all the fun."
[Wright] "Appreciate it."
I decide to place the cabins a few feet away from my own, close enough that it's not a long walk for the heroes to use the bathroom in my cabin, but far enough to give everyone privacy.
I open my Storage and pull out wood and stone.
Using Crafting, I start building.
The process is quick. The materials shape themselves under my direction, fitting together seamlessly. Donny helps by carrying smaller pieces, and Sylphaeris uses wind magic to lift the heavier beams into place.
I make each cabin with four rooms total—a common area and three separate bedrooms. The girls won't need three bedrooms, but it wouldn't hurt to have the extra space.
I also build bed frames in each bedroom—simple but sturdy wooden frames. I'll have to ask the high elves if they have any spare bedding.
Within an hour, both cabins are complete. Sturdy wooden structures with shingled roofs, simple but well-made.
[Sylphaeris] "Not bad."
[Wright] "They'll do."
Donny inspects the cabins, sniffing around the foundations and chirping his approval.
[Wright] "Now for the roads."
Can't have everyone walking through dirt and grass all the time. I pull out more stone from Storage.
Using Crafting, I lay down a stone path connecting both new cabins to my own. The stones fit together neatly, creating a smooth, even surface.
Then I extend the road further, creating a path toward the high elf barracks.
As I'm laying down the stones, several high elves approach, curious about what I'm doing.
[High Elf] "Wright? You're back already? Are you building a road?"
[Wright] "Yeah. Connecting the settlement properly."
They watch with interest as the stones shape themselves under my direction.
[Wright] "Actually, do you have any spare mattresses or sleeping mats? I just built cabins for the heroes, but they need bedding."
[High Elf] "Of course! We have extras. Let me get them for you."
The high elf hurries off and returns with several other elves, all carrying rolled-up sleeping mats, a few mattresses, pillows, and blankets.
[High Elf] "Will this be enough?"
[Wright] "Perfect. Thank you."
I store them in my Storage, and the high elves bow before heading back to their duties.
I continue building the road, extending it all the way to the barracks entrance, then branch off another path leading toward the fields.
Sylphaeris floats alongside as I work.
[Sylphaeris] "You're really building up this place."
[Wright] "Might as well make it comfortable."
The road to the fields completes, and I can see Liora and the heroes in the distance, standing at the edge of one of the fields.
As we approach along the newly built road, I hear their excited voices.
The fields stretch out in neat rows, filled with vegetables and fruits. The crops are thriving, their colors vibrant against the dark soil.