To the south of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, West Lake lay tranquil, its black waters gently rippling under the region’s soft breezes.

White sand bordered the lake, which spanned about 200 meters in radius. It was a decent reservoir, but devoid of life. Unlike East Lake, connected to rivers that brought food and living creatures into the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, West Lake had no such connections. It was a dead lake, seldom visited by the people of the Eternal Village.

However, the water in West Lake was potable, suitable for human consumption if filtered. Consequently, groups traveling through the area often stopped to rest on its banks.

And just on this sunny mid-afternoon, a group of six men, accompanied by four horses and a carriage, halted by one of the lake’s banks.

The animals approached the water while the men removed their hats and went to cool off. The group leader announced, “Let’s rest for today. We’ll resume the search for Sayer tomorrow!”

The men, each armed with three different types of weapons, heeded their leader’s words and dispersed around the area to settle in for the evening.

They momentarily set aside their search, some washing in the lake while others sat to savor the day’s end, temporarily ignoring their mission. Sayer, they believed, had caused the death of their young mistress, Sely. Now aware of Sely’s tragic fate, they sought him to deliver justice and bring him to Yeoman Ferry.

The group was convinced that Sayer had fled somewhere north of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow.

Jack perched on a rock a few meters from the lake, his gaze fixed on the black waters, though his thoughts were elsewhere.

‘He can’t have gone to Arcanis. The kingdom is in turmoil with the beasts. Nearly the entire territory is besieged by magical creatures, and the local forces are engaged in constant battles to defend their lands. Sayer and his family wouldn’t be foolish enough to risk their lives there.

As for the Nation of Thalassia, it’s a possibility I’ll have to consider it if I don’t find them in the Barren Hills of Deepshadow. But it’s unlikely they went to Thalassia. It’s the most dangerous state after Lost Treasures.’

Beyond these states, only Sylvestria and the Lands of Etheria remained viable options for a mortal group. Beyond these territories, one would have to leave Valorian and brave the Barrdiac Ocean, the perilous sea encircling Valorian, the sole route to other continents.

‘The journey to other states would be long and dangerous. They would hardly go further than the Barren Hills of Deepshadow in the short time that had passed.’

Despite his thoughts, Jack couldn’t dismiss the possibility that their targets were indeed in the area. After all, the Barren Hills of Deepshadow offered no promising future.

Staying there would be like waiting to die!

“Sigh…”

He unfolded a map of the region and diverting his gaze from the lake, which grew darker as dusk approached.

‘Still, it’s possible they’ve temporarily stopped here. I’ve heard there was a village around.’ He studied his map, which didn’t mark the village. ‘I’ll search for it. They might be there, waiting for a chance to move on. Merchant groups travel the four Royal Roads of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow. It’s only a matter of time before they find someone willing to take them as servants.’

The thought that the man responsible for his young mistress’s death might escape weighed heavily on Jack. A sense of urgency welled up within him, prompting him to seek something to occupy his mind.

Picking up a long silver sword and a whetstone, Jack began sharpening his weapon with precision, each movement identical.

----------------------------------------

Back in the village, a month had passed since Jonn uncovered Sayer’s secret.

Petyr had left the village with two companions, traveling to the Royal Road southeast of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow a few days earlier, initiating the plan to find new trading partners. A new harvest was due within the next two months, and this time, the village would finally exceed its internal food demand and be able to export.

However, the surplus wouldn’t be significant. The village’s population, both human and animal, had grown considerably in recent months. For now, the upcoming harvest would still primarily serve to feed the village.

While Petyr and two guards sought opportunities for the village, a group was stationed permanently at East Lake, where the village had completed its outpost.

As punishment for concealing information, Sayer had been assigned as janitor and assistant in the area, which was managed by the village fishermen, Elise and Beri.

Jonn was unaware that his punishment had actually pleased Sayer... Nevertheless, he wasn’t concerned about that and was prepared to take his next step with the village today!

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

After a productive day spent tending to the plants in the village’s expansive greenhouse—created by merging two smaller ones into a single space—Jonn also dedicated time to working in the forge and mining. As evening approached, he made his way to Count Francus’ cave.

He moved cautiously, ensuring he didn’t trigger any of the traps set in the area, and soon found himself in the cave’s armory.

Without a bag capable of carrying the weight of the items he intended to retrieve, Jonn gathered them in his arms: two swords, a dagger, a quiver of arrows with three units, and a new spear.

Time to let the village guards train with magical weapons. They’ll train to build the physical strength needed to master them. While they won’t be able to activate those artifacts’ special features, they’ll be able to perform feats beyond what they could achieve with ordinary weapons, like that enemy leader of the wolves.

This initiative was not only a step toward further professionalizing the village guard but also a response to Jonn’s growing concerns about unsettling signs to the west. Ice had discovered multiple tracks west of the village’s territory over the past month, raising alarms about potential threats from Lost Treasures.

If these are the men who pursued Sarre’s group, we must be prepared to deal with them!

He left Count Francus’ cave and put the new weapons for the village in a wheelbarrow, starting his journey back to the village.

Meanwhile, he reviewed his progress on his missions.

[Save the Eternal Village]

[Progress: 6/20]

...

[Magic Farm]

[Progress: 3/37]

...

[Magic Cave]

[Progress: 9/11]

Over the past month, Jonn had made significant strides in his missions, advancing both [Magic Cave] and [Save the Eternal Village] simultaneously. In terms of [Magic Farm], Ice had become the first animal, following Annabelle and Mimosa, to transform into a beast.

Other animals that had consumed crystals after the last harvest also showed improvement, though the most advanced among them were still 10 mana units short of becoming a beast.

As the number of beasts in the village grew, so did the number of animals with mana cores. Jonn had formed over the past month, four blue Aether Tears, which he distributed to two horses, Phantom, and a hen.

With a new harvest on the horizon, he was prepared to increase the food consumption for the village’s animals, though he remained cautious about allowing them to reproduce.

Nevertheless, he planned to let Roulf mate with one cow and a village rooster with one hen.

He was particularly curious about the outcomes of animals born from beasts.

Jonn’s plans for the village were many, yet he maintained an unusual calm and patience for his age. At just 17, he refused to stress about the future or dwell on the past. As he returned to home at the end of the day, he greeted the villagers, his demeanor untroubled. He noticed Arnald working on the buildings outside the western wall and saw Sarre standing guard at the entrance to the walled area.

Sarre had proven to be a valuable addition to the village. After Jonn returned from his trip north, he discovered the effectiveness of his new medicinal pastes and potions through her. Beyond her contributions in medicine, Sarre had integrated well into the community, earning a place on the village guard due to her combat prowess.

Sarre was a skilled warrior, often sparring with Petyr or Wy to teach combat techniques to the villagers.

Despite being a newcomer, she had quickly become an integral part of the village.

Seeing her standing vigilantly with a spear in hand, Jonn approached her. “I have some new weapons for the village guard,” he said, showing the wheelbarrow before him. “They’re quite heavy, though I’m not sure why… Regardless, I want the guards to train with them for an hour each day. If they can wield them in the future, we’ll be better prepared for any enemy.”

Sarre stepped forward to pick up one of the weapons and was surprised by the heft of the spear she attempted to lift.

The spear weighed a hefty 7 kilograms!

“What are these weapons, Elder?” She struggled to manage the spear’s weight.

Though not weak, she was unaccustomed to wielding such a heavy weapon, as her usual spear weighed only 2 kilograms.

“I found them buried near one of the village mines,” Jonn said, fabricating the story effortlessly. Everyone in the village knew of his frequent explorations in search of ore and would believe in him.

“Oh? They must be weapons left behind by mages!” Sarre speculated, prompting Jonn to regard her silently.

Though a mere mortal, Sarre understood that such heavy weapons couldn’t be ordinary. Mortal humans could learn to wield magical items—typically heavy ones—but mages were the primary users of such artifacts.

“Probably,” Jonn said, not denying her assumption. “In any case, let’s keep their origin to ourselves. It’s better to think of them as just peculiarly heavy weapons. We don’t know when greedy people might approach the village.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She returned the spear to Jonn’s wheelbarrow, then examined a sword and the dagger. “It will be easier to let the men start training with the dagger. It can help build their strength. As for that arrow, I’m afraid it won’t be of any use, Elder. Without a compatible bow, no archer will be able to use it.”

Jonn acknowledged this and said, “I’ll see if I can find the bow for these arrows at my dig site later… Get back to your work. I’ll leave them in the warehouse for you to work with our guards later.”

She nodded affirmatively and returned to her post.

After storing the Enchanted Artifacts in the village warehouse, Jonn watched as night descended, taking a moment to contemplate the interior of the village’s walled area.

Torches illuminated the village, casting warm glows on the houses, while the scent of soup wafted through the air from wood-burning stoves.

The villagers no longer appeared as hungry as they had weeks ago. Even the older, hard-working members looked healthier, with less bone and more muscle showing.

Though none were overweight, some were gradually gaining strength and vitality.

This improvement extended to the animals. Ice, in particular, looked robust as he approached to greet Jonn at the start of the evening.

Jonn took a moment to stand beside his beast, simply observing what he had helped to build.

The village needs to grow. We need more houses and a new wall where Sarre and Arnald’s houses are. Our warehouse is getting small, and we need space for training, study, and meetings.

The Council room is feeling packed recently…

He smiled, contemplating the village’s development and envisioning a future where it would grow into a town.

As children played in the central street, accompanied by the sounds of crackling wood and the scent of dinner, Ice shifted from his relaxed state, ears perked and fur bristling as he looked south.

Before Jonn noticed Ice’s alertness, Phantom’s howl echoed through the village.

“Ow!”

Jonn turned southward, where Phantom’s call originated, and his optimistic thoughts for the future crumbled like a house of cards.

Seeing Ice’s tense demeanor, Jonn understood the seriousness of the situation.

Enemies?