The Lord's Hall was quieter than it had been all week.
Section heads and their aides had been coming and going, finalizing their proposed structures and prepping for the end-of-week meeting. It had been a busy seven days — made even busier by the arrival of another 180 people through the recruitment portal.
210 new arrivals a week. And it would only grow as the village advanced.
It was exactly why Harold had insisted they plan everything — and all at once.
Harold had spent most of the week out in the domain. Talking to people. Walking fields. Touring construction sites. Learning what was working and what wasn't.
Not just as a leader, but as someone trying to understand what kind of lives his people wanted to live — and what was getting in the way.
Every morning, he still drilled with the Army. Hale swore the new training perk was making a visible difference. Harold couldn't see it yet — but he trusted Hale more than his own eyes when it came to the troops.
Evenings were for the potion students. Mana control was still the limiting factor, but slowly, his apprentices were getting better. And the ingredients coming in now gave them new options, too. He realized he would need to add a new section just for potion production. It would be a pillar of the territory
Now, though — the real test.
The final meeting of the week.
Harold sighed, rolling his shoulder as he stepped into the main council room. These meetings drained him — politics always had — but they were vital.
The section heads were already seated around the long table, slates and notes arrayed in front of them. Aides stood or sat nearby, ready to take notes. Mugs clinked quietly on wood.
The room still smelled of timber and stone and something herbal — likely from Harold's half-finished potion brewing in the next room.
Harold took his seat at the head of the table. A clean slate and his notebook open in front of him. He looked more rested than he had on the march, but only slightly.
"All right," he said. "You've had a week. Let's see what you've come up with."
His eyes swept the room. Then he nodded to the left.
"Beth. Let's start with Planning."
Urban Planning & Expansion
Beth stood, flipping open a bound packet of maps and diagrams as aides quietly handed smaller copies down the table.
"We're formalizing three subsections for now," she began, her tone crisp but confident. "Each one focuses on a different scale of planning."
She tapped the first page.
"Survey & Mapping"
"Led by Mako — she's an ex-ocean floor cartographer. Bit of a recluse, but sharp and quick to adapt. She's already trained two junior surveyors and has them out collecting data around the Landing perimeter."
She flipped to the next diagram.
"Zoning & Design"
"I'll keep this one under me for now. It's focused on land use — where we build, how we connect it. Ensuring our roads, districts, and utility systems don't choke each other out as we grow. Right now, we're still functioning like a large village. That has to change."
She turned to the final diagram and looked directly at Harold.
"Future Planning"
"This will be headed by Yu-Jin. Urban designer from Seoul. She's modeling layouts based on projected growth after our town promotion — assuming village expansion, trade routes, and defensive planning. Her current project includes proposed locations for our first five villages."
Beth passed a larger map down the table to Harold. He studied it for a moment before looking up.
"You're thinking ahead," he said, "but these are not approved."
Beth inclined her head, accepting the correction.
"Right now," Harold continued, standing as he reached for a carved wooden box beside his chair, "you're planning as if these will be villages.That's shortsighted. These aren't just outposts."
He opened the box and pulled out five carved stone markers — each shaped like a miniature obelisk. He placed the first two high on the map, near the western edge of the mountain range.
"These two," he said, "are our lifeline to the mountains. Future cities — not villages. They'll fuel our economy with raw materials, metals, and rare resources. More than that, they'll serve as defensive bulwarks against whatever comes through the passes. We'll need fortifications here — serious ones."
He placed a third marker further south, near a river delta that bled into the sea.
"This one… near Dalen's Hold. A natural trade port. Deep river, three tributaries, easy access to ocean lanes. This site will become our primary trade city. It'll house our shipyards, navy, and merchant fleet one day. It's also close enough to that jungle-forest mix near the relic site — perfect for early adventurer missions and harvesting exotic ingredients."
The fourth marker went down near the lower hills to the east — close to where the legion had descended from the highlands.
"This is our breadbasket. Fertile plains, gentle hills, and long sunlight hours. We'll base our food production here — not just for Landing, but for the whole domain. The plateau pass makes it strategic too. We'll need to defend it."
The final marker was placed directly between the others, on the river upstream from Landing itself.
"This one connects them all," he said. "A logistical hub — warehouse districts, transportation networks, and staging grounds. Once the roads and canals go through here, we'll be able to support everything else efficiently."
He stepped back and looked at Beth.
"I know some of these areas are beyond our reach right now. But that's why we start planningnow. It's ambitious. I know that. But we won't get another opportunity like this."
He let the words hang for a moment.
"We have a few short years of peace — just like before. We need to use them, or we will fail."
Beth studied the map again, expression tight with focus.
"Understood, My Lord."
Harold gave a small nod and continued:
"Your priorities are as follows:
— Begin initial surveys of each proposed village site.
— Develop scalable infrastructure plans to support future trade and supply lines.
— Refine the internal layout of Landing assuming a tenfold increase in population.
I'll meet with you next week to review your revisions."
Beth made a note, then sat.
The next section head prepared to stand as Harold turned toward them.
Construction & InfrastructureJosh leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, fingers laced.
"Okay. We've formalized the structure under Construction and Infrastructure. Three main sections — each with a designated lead reporting to me directly, and each of them managing foremen and crews beneath them. Finally feels like a proper build team."
He slid a folded parchment of organizational charts and project updates down the table to Harold.
General Construction
"Led by Manny — a contractor I knew back on Earth that came with our group. He's responsible for residential structures, utility builds, and anything considered general purpose. Has three foremen under him now and rotating crews for each job. Housing, storage sheds, kitchens, all that runs through him."
Industrial Build Team
"Ayo's in charge here. She's an engineer by trade and sharp as hell. She also came with our group. Her focus is everything production-based — sawmills, kilns, forges, smithing stations, the warehouse, and anything we build to increase output. Her crews work longer hours than anyone and still ask for more."
Public Works & Engineering
"That's under me directly for now. Drainage, road prep, water routing, latrines, canal planning — all the connective tissue. I've got two senior foremen under me keeping things running and six rotating crews, but we're starting to hit manpower limits."
Josh pointed to the parchment again as Harold reviewed it.
"We've completed two new long halls. Sawmill's halfway up — we're shaping the blades and mounting the chute. Warehouse has walls and frame done, interiors are next. Bathhouse is ready to break ground as soon as I can free up one more crew."
He tapped the table once.
"We've started quarrying and shaping stone for permanent construction, but we haven't used it yet — just storing for now. Tools are holding up better thanks to Lira, but material flow still limits our pace."
Harold nodded as he read, then glanced up. "What about preparation for the expansion?"
Josh exhaled slowly.
"If you want to start building outposts or villages, we need to train people now who can run independent projects. Every section head under me is identifying three foreman candidates each who have the temperament and skill to manage new construction sites — not just building, but managing material, labor, and local needs. That'll give us nine. I'll want twelve total, one for each future village and some redundancy."
Harold nodded. "Good. Start prepping them. Make sure they understand modular layout and can scale. What works here needs to be copied until it stops working."
"Understood," Josh said, making a note.
"Your immediate build priorities," Harold continued, "are: finish the sawmill, finish the warehouse, and break ground on the bathhouse. Once those are stable, I want two permanent stone structures started here in the Landing — one of them will be a potion workshop."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "Stone already? You sure?"
"I want the perk bonuses," Harold replied. "We'll start small. We trigger one or two early, and by the time we're scaling up, we'll have reduced costs, better yields, faster build times."
Josh grinned faintly. "Smart. All right."
"Also—" Harold added, "we need to figure out concrete. Real concrete. Long-term construction, bridges, aqueducts — we'll need it. I want your team to start experimenting with lime mixes and aggregates. Talk to Lira about material availability."
Josh let out a low whistle. "Concrete, huh? That's gonna be a rabbit hole."
"Better we go down it now," Harold said, "than be buried under it later."
Josh scratched his chin, already thinking. "All right. You'll have your answers."
Harold gave a small nod, flipping to a new page in his notebook.
"Next section."
Logistics & Resource ManagementCaldwell stood with his usual precision, posture straight, slate in hand, glasses catching the light as he adjusted them with a crisp flick.
"My section is now split into three functional arms," he began, his voice calm and clipped.
Hauling & Transport
"Overseen by Serah. She ran a logistics fleet back on Earth — trucking and dispatch. She's been coordinating Tatanka loads, crew rotations, and overseeing our current wagon supply. Going forward, she'll also be responsible for vehicle construction, maintenance, and ensuring we always have enough handlers and pack animals for any operation."
Storage & Inventory
"That's still under me, for now. We're using ledgers — ink, stone, and some rough charcoal rubs. Not perfect, but it works. Once we can manufacture paper reliably, I want to shift to full-scale inventory tracking by site and section, ideally including some kind of identification of key assets down the line. I was hoping you had an idea for a magical way to do that."
Coin, Trade & Markets
"Managed by Tomas. Former banker — came in on that second wave from the portal. He's… smug. But competent. He's been helping minting coins, issuing chits, and registering vendors. I don't like that he's getting back into what he did on Earth so quickly — but for now, we need him. Eventually, I'd like to rotate in others and break up his monopoly on trade oversight. He feels ... .slimey…"
He flipped open his slate with a practiced motion.
"Food's stable. We're beginning to see modest surplus, mostly dried fish, wild grain, and root vegetables. Coinage system goes live today — we've started buying back the chits we issued, which will stabilize value. We've formalized market days — twice a week, with registered vendors operating out of the central square."
Caldwell looked at Harold.
"You want expansion? We need standardized logistics. Packing manifests. Route planning. Field depots. We're moving out of a single-settlement economy. That means complexity."
Harold nodded, tapping the notebook in front of him.
"You'll get what you need. Start with these priorities:"
"One, build our first formal supply depot at the edge of the Landing — near the forge district."
"Two, design a modular, mobile depot system that can be deployed alongside new village efforts. I want them to be able to request resupplies by token, or courier."
"Three, I want a bank built. We need a centralized, secure location for coin, records, and eventually, credit."Four, I want a courier and relay system planned between what will be our future cities. Communication between them all will be vital. Five, I want a pay structure for government employees for me to approve.
Caldwell's lips twitched into a rare, satisfied smile.
"Finally. A real logistics challenge."
Mining & Resource Extraction — LiraLira stood, her arms crossed but voice steady.
"Three teams in my section now."
Core Mining – Lead by Garth. He said he was an ex-miner from Montana? I don't know where that is in your world. Runs the iron, stone, clay sites and forestry sites. He has people that run each of those areas for now and he's looking at people to run those sections in each of the future villages if needed.
Survey & Prospection – Led by Kemi. Quiet, but sharp. She's been mapping mineral signatures north of the creek bend. But she is training a few others how to do it in preparation for the new sites.
Heavy Haul – Tied into Caldwell's section, but I've kept ten Tatanka teams for mine use only. We'll coordinate as needed. We will handle initially hauling them to a depot where Caldwell will take possession of the material. We are getting low on tanaka and we will be very low when they start being built. I propose we start a husbandry program for all domesticated animals for government use and we then can sell the excess as a way for us to make money."
The Farms - Lead by a farmer named Thomas. He's been taking the lead on them till now this is just making it more formal. We plan to expand our current fields at least 5 times. We need to plan for the food we will need in the future with the population we will have not what we have right now.She leaned on the table with one hand.
"We're stable for now. But we'll be bleeding dry in a year if we don't find more iron. I want to start sending prospectors to the foothills next week."
"Do it," Harold said. "And keep Carter in the loop — we'll want that area secured."
"Priorities — confirm long-term viability of current mine. Begin prospecting three long-range zones and draft a mining expansion plan for village two — we'll likely site that one near a natural resource hub. Build your husbandry program, you're right that it's needed."
Lira gave a curt nod. "Understood."
Military & Defense – HaleHale remained standing — posture sharp, expression unreadable. His voice, when it came, was steady and no-nonsense.
"The military division is now organized into five arms."
Line Infantry
"We currently have three centuries in rotation, each led by provisional Centurions. I've got candidate recommendations here—" he held up a sealed folder and passed it to Harold. "Pending your approval."
Knights
"Two current qualifiers. Mana capacity and control are the core metrics. I've initiated combat rotations focused on magical weapon integration, endurance, and battlefield leadership. They're training others in parallel. Our goal is for every Knight to serve as both a force multiplier and a field instructor."
Scouts
"Garrick has taken command of this section. It's what he did on Earth, and there's no one I trust more to shape it. He's coordinating closely with Evan's adventurer scouts to build a hybrid reconnaissance doctrine. We'll need it. Especially as we extend our operational footprint."
Training Corps
"We've started internalizing recruitment. Raul — one of our summoned — is running it. He has taken a liking to Roman combat doctrine. He's efficient. Brutal. Gets results."
"I'm recommending all new soldier recruits pass through his training before they're assigned anywhere — especially once we start spawning up to sixty per day across the villages."
He tapped the table once. "We'll need proper camp infrastructure near the Landing, with overflow capacity when new settlements are launched."
Engineering & Fortifications
"Currently building watchtowers. Josh's people have been a help there, especially when we need stone setting or anchoring. There are combat perks tied to fortification efforts — soldiers can earn bonuses for construction during battlefield deployments. They're not a replacement for proper construction teams, but they'll work for marching camps and temporary field holds."
He passed Harold two more slates: one outlining a standardized Village Militia Structure, and another detailing a Civil Legion proposal for law enforcement inside settlements.
"We're going to need internal stability as we expand. The Civil Legion won't be frontliners — but they'll keep order, enforce curfews, mediate disputes, and act as reserve security if any of the villages are attacked from within or without."
He met Harold's eyes.
"If you're planning to push outward — we need to be staging garrisons now. Takes at least six weeks to turn a fresh recruit into someone I'd trust to hold a gate."
Harold nodded slowly, flipping through the militia structure first.
"Understood. Here are your priorities:
One — Finalize and implement militia training protocols. Every new village leaves with a properly trained guard unit and quartermaster.
Two — Identify and begin testing candidates for Knights. We'll need decentralized leadership.
Three — Start selecting officers and support staff for the Training Corps. When the portals accelerate, we're going to drown in new recruits if we don't prepare."
Hale gave a single sharp nod in return. "On it, my Lord."
Adventurer Affairs — Mark & EvanMark cleared his throat and stood, giving a nod to Evan before beginning.
"Our section's breaking down into three main arms."
Quest & Board Management
"Handled by Jules. She was a project manager on Earth. Real sharp. She's been coordinating job postings, assigning field teams, keeping the mission board updated with requests from Margaret's office and citizen submissions."
Bestiary & Research
"That's Evan's domain. He's been managing monster ecology logs, tracking perks, and trying to match patterns in monster behaviors or seasonal migration. Also collecting reports from returning adventurers on what kinds of mutations or evolutions they're seeing."
Evan spoke up, voice more casual but confident.
"Mana zone mapping is nearly done. The second dungeon's probably northeast. We've charted a mana dip there — it's buried, but it's big. We'll confirm it soon."
Mark took back over.
Dungeon & Ruin Affairs
"Currently empty. But if we're serious about long-term growth, we need this staffed and running. Controlled dungeon runs are the best source of perks, relics, and rare resources. You want combat-ready adventurers? This is how we train them."
Harold leaned forward, nodding slightly.
"Understood. Here's what I want."
He raised a hand as he spoke, ticking off each priority with measured tone.
"One — Build a standardized adventurer deployment package. When we establish a new village, I want a dedicated adventurer team assigned. Scouting, early protection, monster culling — they're the first boots on the ground."
"Two — Start developing a 'Problem Solver' unit. If something goes wrong — a monster terrorizing a village, something the local teams can't handle — these are the ones we send. Elite, flexible, and fast."
He paused just long enough to meet both their eyes.
"Your job is to guide and grow these people. They're risk-takers, yes — but they are not expendable. Do not spend their lives lightly. We need every adventurer we have."
Mark nodded firmly. "We can do that."
Evan crossed his arms and added, "They're getting better. Some of them are starting to really buy in. They just need the structure. And the incentives."
"You'll have both," Harold said. "But they'll need purpose. You'll give it to them."
Civil Administration — MargaretMargaret placed a thick binder in front of Harold.
"My proposed structure:"
Records & Citizenship – Run by Ismail. Tracks population, births, deaths, oath-taking.
Labor & Rotation – Overseen by Lia. Handles token assignment, crew disputes.
Justice – Judge Menendez has taken the lead on our legal framework.
Culture & Morale – Managed by Kora. Former HR, surprisingly good with events and people management."
She didn't sit back down.
"Priorities?"
Harold leaned forward.
"One — I want the first village oath and citizenship framework drafted by next week."
"Two — establish mobile admin teams. When we found new settlements, I want a miniature version of your section deployed with them."
Margaret raised an eyebrow. "A traveling bureaucracy."
"An expandable government," Harold corrected. "We don't send settlers into the wild without giving them a voice. We will be rapidly growing here and we need able administrators to make it work."
Harold stood, stretching his back with a faint crack of his spine.
"You've all done good work," he said, voice carrying the weight of both exhaustion and pride.
He looked around the table — not just at advisors, but at leaders. Men and women who had taken raw survival and begun to shape it into civilization. Each had stepped up. Each had proven themselves.
"Start grooming replacements," he continued. "When we found those first villages, I want each of you able to walk away from your section without it falling apart. No bottlenecks. No single points of failure. We're not building a tent camp anymore — we're building something that lasts."
He picked up his mug, now only warm, and took a sip.
"From here on, it only gets bigger."
He let the words settle before setting the mug down and continuing, tone shifting back to directive.
"Now, some priorities for everyone moving forward."
He looked at each of them in turn as he spoke.
"First — start logging every crafter, laborer, or specialist who can manipulate their focus. If they can shape stone, command flame, manipulate water — I want their names. If they're willing to take the Oath, grant them immediate citizenship. We need as many of those types as possible. They'll speed up everything — construction, roads, defenses, farming. Every effort in the territory."
"Second — if you come across someone with common sense, someone sharp, practical, and a problem-solver — refer them to Margaret. She's got a special project I want to start soon. We need minds as much as we need hands."
Then his gaze turned to Hale.
"Hale — your boys have had their week off. Time to earn their keep."
The room quieted slightly. Everyone knew what was coming.
"Prepare the centuries for deployment. I want them securing the proposed village sites. Full sweeps. All monster dens cleared out to 15 kilometers before we break ground. This week, I want the area around Landing cleared to 20k. We'll hold this basin tight."
Harold didn't soften the order.
"I know most of them haven't been fully trained. I know this isn't ideal. But they'll learn. Trial by fire. It has to happen — we don't have time to wait for perfect."
He looked to Mark and Evan next.
"You'll support him. Treat it like a hybrid op — clear the map, log mana zones, assist where needed. Get your adventurers earning their keep."
There was a beat of silence. The table held steady. Then Hale nodded once.
"It'll be done."
Harold exhaled slowly. The hard part was beginning.
"Then we're dismissed. Get to work."
MAP