The two then walked out of the newly built shed in the windmill village and came outside, where the slowly turning windmills came into view again.
"Lord Will, what is that windmill for? And why is it so big?"
Alice had wanted to ask this when she arrived, but she had no one to ask then. Now that Will was beside her, she couldn't wait to ask.
"Alice, just call me Will. There's a mill under that windmill now. Look, someone's going in to grind rye."
Alice looked in the direction of the sound and saw that there were indeed people using a cart to move things into the windmill, but she couldn't make out what they were.
"Okay, Will, isn't there a horse-drawn mill here? Or a hand-operated mill?"
Alice found it a bit strange; building such a big windmill must be very troublesome!
The two walked and talked, quickly getting further and further away from the windmill. "Alice, there used to be one, but later all the livestock went to Peach Blossom Village, so the animal-powered mill is gone."
"Oh, so this whole place relies on this windmill? Isn't it very busy?"
Will smiled. "Alice, there's a watermill near Peach Blossom Village, so it won't be very busy here. Do you see that little river over there? The mill is over there."
"Ah! The houses over there are so beautiful! Yes, I can see the little river over there."
Alice was still amazed to see the beautiful house again. The mill by the river had faded into the background in her mind.
"Yes! It's a very nice house. My sister's family lives there too. If you'd like to see it, you can go next time you have the chance."
Will looked around Peach Blossom Village and saw that it had changed so much, and such a huge change had only taken a little over two years.
Not only outsiders, but even he himself found it somewhat unimaginable.
Hearing Will's words, Alice was delighted. "That's wonderful, Will! I'd love to see what's inside such a beautiful house!"
"Yes, Alice, you'll see when the time comes. Can you see the houses over there? Those are newly built by the lord, and they'll be even more beautiful inside. And look at this road, isn't it wide and smooth? It was just built."
Will became quite talkative after leaving Windmill Village, probably because he had met someone his age. They got quite happy and started talking a bit more.
This road connects Windmill Village and Peach Blossom Village. It was only recently completed and hasn't been named yet.
"Will, why is this territory so rich? It looks like a fairyland."
Alice walked on the flat road, which gave her an urge to run on it.
Will scanned the entire territory in the direction she was pointing, and it was indeed as she had said, like a paradise on earth.
"Alice, because here is a benevolent lord, a very young and powerful lord."
Will's gaze lingered on the castle. Alice also looked towards the castle. Could this be the young man from the lakeside earlier? He was incredibly powerful. It had seemed somewhat unbelievable back at the lake.
However, this castle is really not very good; it's far inferior to the houses in the village over there.
"Will, why isn't the lord's castle better built?"
"Alice, the lord is just short of materials to build the castle, which is why construction has been delayed. You know that white ore in the valley, right? That's why we went to that valley."
"Oh, I see." No wonder they dug up so much of that white ore before coming here.
However, we should also thank those white minerals, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to come to this fairyland-like place.
"Let's go, Alice! It's almost noon. Let's go to the Peace Hotel. Most people are there, so it'll be easier to ask around."