Erik wasn't exactly sure what to feel as he and Talia returned to their dilapidated hut with a row of villagers in tow. Most of them were men, but there were a few women as well, willing to help with the water system. It was clear that Talia's reputation as the Beggar Princess had preceded her, and her decision to show off a bikini had them all excited for more.

"Hey, bosses!" Alyssa waved to them as they arrived. "Some of my girlfriends are here for orientation! I got them all to read and sign the contracts as well!"

"Damn, she's incredibly competent," Erik lamented to himself. Alyssa had far exceeded his expectations. Talia, on the other hand...

"Right," Erik nodded to Alyssa. "Talia, you stay quiet- er, quietly help Alyssa show the new employees around the kitchen and pavilion. You two will be responsible for getting our girls up to speed with service and food handling. Also, if there are more people who apply for positions in the kitchen, Alyssa is in charge of showing them how to use the grills."

Talia grinned, clapping her hands together. "Sounds like fun!" She turned to Alyssa. "I'm sure we'll make a great team. If you need any advice or help with the menu or anything else, just let me know."

Erik wasn't sure whether he should laugh or sigh as it seemed like Talia was completely oblivious to the fact he was giving Alyssa most of the responsibility.

"Okay... the rest of you, follow me to the lake," Erik said, leading the way.

The group of villagers followed Erik towards the edge of the lake. With a deep breath, he procured his journal and pen.

"Okay, everyone," Erik began, addressing the group. "As you can see, I've drawn up a rough sketch of the water system. We'll be digging trenches along these lines, and laying down pipes to channel water from the lake to the village. This is a big job, but with everyone's help, I know we can get it done quickly."

He paused, glancing around the group, trying to gauge their understanding. There were a few nods and murmurs of agreement, but he couldn't help feeling that some of them were still a bit confused. He couldn't blame them. In a fantasy world like this, the modern plumbing system from his world would seem foreign and strange.

"Now, I know some of you might not be familiar with pipes and water systems like I have in my world," he began, "but I'm sure you've seen things like irrigation ditches in the fields or rivers that flow through the forest." He gestured to a nearby ditch that ran alongside the lake. "This is similar, but with smaller pipes buried underground to direct the water where we need it. In this case, I'll also be implementing an electrical generator to help move the water around."

He paused, looking around the group, and noticed one of the older men looking confused. "Ah, yes, I see you're still having some trouble with the concept. Let me explain it another way. Imagine that each of your homes has a big jug of water, and we connect them all together with tubes. Then, we dig a trench in the ground and put a wheel in it. As we turn the wheel, the water flows through the tubes and fills up everyone's jugs."

He gestured to the lake. "The lake is like a big jug, and the trenches we dig are like the tubes. The water will flow from the lake into the trenches, and as we turn the wheel, it will push the water through the trenches and into our village. Once it reaches each home, the water will flow out and into a smaller pipe that leads to a toilet or a sink. Does that help?"

There was a chorus of murmuring. Erik sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Whatever, it'll make sense once we actually start building it. Let's begin."

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Despite the heat of the sun, some of the villagers were mages, helping the group cool off using the same spell Talia had used before. As Erik occasionally kept watch over the work, he reviewed the blueprints for the water park.

"This will take a lot of energy and time..." he muttered to himself. He looked around at the hardworking villagers and smiled. "But it's going to be worth it. Not only will we have a reliable water supply for our village, but the water park will be a source of entertainment and revenue for years to come."

As the day passed, Erik made sure the villagers took breaks in shifts, eating and drinking to stay hydrated. Working alongside the Restia villagers, Erik began to learn more about them, even joking with them at some point. He was impressed by their dedication and work ethic, despite the physical labor involved. Granted, a large portion of the effort was completely mitigated by magic, but the progress was much faster than he anticipated.

Illyanth came to the lake's edge one final time, bringing a few boxes of food and refreshments for the exhausted villagers. Erik sat nearby, close enough to remain within earshot but not so close as to intrude on their conversation.

Gulping down cold water, Erik thought back to his life in his world. He had never had a chance to spearhead his own project, let alone be the sole designer of renovations for an entire village. It was a stark reminder of his crushed dreams, back when he first graduated with an industrial engineering degree. In his world, Erik thought he'd be designing futuristic amusement parks. However, instead of being hands-on with projects, he ended up getting a job as a glorified paper pusher at a big company. It was a soul-crushing experience that made him feel like he was wasting his potential.

Hell, even when he was working on and off at construction sites and carpentry jobs, the immense exhaustion from that work was better than the numbness he felt from the cubicle farm he endured. Now, here he was, not just designing and overseeing a project that would benefit an entire village, but possibly bring potential wealth for himself. The thought brought a wistful smile to his face as he watched the villagers toil away, sweat glistening on their brows.

Finally, as the sun began to set, Erik called the day's work to a close. The villagers, including himself, were exhausted but satisfied. They had made tremendous progress on the water system, and he knew that with their continued efforts, they would finish the project in no time. At the rate they were going, Erik expected the water system to be completed within the week.

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"I know you guys are all tired after working for so long," Erik said, addressing the group of weary villagers, "but I want to thank you all for your hard work today. You've made incredible progress, and I truly believe that with your continued efforts, we'll have the water system finished in no time. With that being said, how does going over to my burger shack for some food and drinks sound? On the house for you guys."

The exhausted but satisfied group of volunteers cheered at the thought of a free meal, and they eagerly followed Erik back to his hut. Erik felt a bit guilty for not bringing up the topic of monetary payment, but if any of the villagers brought it up, he'd address it. It wasn't that he didn't plan to pay them- he did, but he wanted to make sure his burger shack generated enough income to support both itself and the water project.

When the group returned to the burger shack near Talia's hut, they were greeted by the enticing aroma of grilled meat and the sound of sizzling onions. Erik's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he saw the crowd that had formed in front of the outdoor kitchen. In fact, the pavilion was packed with people, and Erik realized there were more outsiders this time.

"Holy shit..." Erik breathed as he surveyed the crowd. "I didn't think it'd get this big." He turned to see Talia jogging up to him. "Hey Talia, this is amazing-"

Erik did a double-take as he noticed the outfit she was wearing. With only a golden crop top and a black skirt, he couldn't help but stare. "Um... what the hell are you wearing?"

Talia stood proud, her hands on her hips. "Erik, this is the uniform we decided on. It helps us move around freely and doesn't get too hot." She gestured to the other girls in similar outfits. "Alyssa was also on board with it, seeing some of your other clothing designs."

"Yeah, boss!" the aforementioned Alyssa skipped up to the two. She was also dressed like Talia. "Do you like it?"

"Absolutely. I mean- yes, you all look great. Very... professional," Erik stammered, unable to control his gaze. "I'm just surprised, is all. It's just..."

"Erik, it's fine," Talia said with a reassuring smile. "You're just not used to it, that's all." She glanced at Alyssa, who grinned back at her. "Anyway, we need to get started on serving everyone. Why don't you go help with the burgers?"

"...Right." Erik swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "Yeah, of course. I'll... get started with the burgers. Just... give me a second."

"Oh, looks like you were right, Talia. Our uniform does have a stronger effect on guys," Alyssa teased, glancing at Erik with a sly grin. "I'm just glad we made the right choice."

"I told you," Talia replied with a triumphant grin. "That's why I'm the brains and Erik's the muscle of this partnership."

Erik's embarrassment was immediately replaced by irritation as he began to correct Talia, but held his tongue. As much as he wanted to argue that he was both, Erik was fairly certain Talia was stronger than him. Physically, he wasn't entirely sure, but in terms of magic, he was no match.

Scowling, Erik simply trudged over to the main grill, his hands already covered in flour as he prepared the burgers. He scanned his eyes across the crowd, realizing that indeed, there were more men than women at the burger shack, but there were still plenty of women and girls enjoying the food. Reluctantly, he had to admit that Talia had done something pretty useful, unprompted, for once.

At the front counter, what had then been a single line was now split into four lines of customers, each greeted by Alyssa's friends, who were also wearing the matching uniforms. It seemed that word had spread about the uniforms, and they'd drawn quite the crowd. Erik glanced at them from the corner of his eye, still feeling a bit uncomfortable about it, but not as much as he had before. It was raking in the coins while also being modest enough to not draw unwanted attention, and that was all that mattered.

"Hello sir, I'm here to relieve you of your position! I know enough about how to use the grill!" A young man approached Erik with a salute. He had a friendly smile on his face and seemed to be eager to help.

"Er, no it's fine, I got this..."

"Sir, I insist. Manager Alyssa told me to switch with you no matter what, since she knows you've been working all day and you deserve a break."

Erik glanced over at Alyssa, who smiled and nodded in agreement. He sighed, feeling a bit silly for arguing, and stepped aside to let the young man take his place. The man expertly handled the grill, flipping burgers and adjusting the flame with ease.

Truthfully, Erik needed to rest for a bit, but he didn't want to look like he was taking it easy while the others were working so hard. In his world, Erik was all too familiar with the importance of maintaining an air of authority and competence. So, instead of sitting down or going to take a break, he busied himself with cleaning up the grill and making sure that everything was in order.

"Boss... I thought I told Rutaminuar to tell you to take a break," Alyssa appeared next to Erik with a frown.

"That's his name? Ruta- I'm calling him Rut from now on," Erik avoided acknowledging Alyssa's comment. "But he seems to have things under control. I'll just keep an eye on him." He gave her a quick nod, then turned back to the grill, making sure to keep a casual posture as he continued to clean and maintain it.

"No, you need to rest. I heard it from Talia. You've been up since the crack of dawn, tirelessly working. I don't know how it is in your world, but here, we believe in rest and relaxation," Alyssa insisted, her tone firm but kind. "Besides, I'm the manager here, remember? You gave me this position so that you wouldn't have to take on the majority of the work."

Erik opened his mouth, then closed it. He sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Alright... I guess I could use a break. But just for a little while," he said, still not wanting to admit defeat.

"I'll ban you from your own place if I see you back here working again," Alyssa said with a playful grin, though Erik felt like she meant it. "Talia said you were fond of being lazy, but I don't think she was telling the truth."

Erik smiled back, feeling a mix of pride and relief wash over him. "Well, I suppose I can trust you with the burger shack. You've proven yourself capable."

Alyssa nodded. "You can count on me, boss. Now go, Talia's been off and was resting somewhere."

"Already? No, that sounds about right," Erik grumbled, reluctantly giving in. He trusted Alyssa , and he knew she could handle things just fine. With one last look around the burger shack, making sure everything was in order, he nodded and headed off to find a quiet spot where he could rest for a bit.

Or at least, that's what he wanted to do before a figure dragged him back.

"Erik Park!" Talia slurred, her eyes half-closed. "Let us celebrate our success tonight!" She laughed, her voice thick with exhaustion.

"Dude- how much did you drink to be this drunk already?!" Erik scowled, though he couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at his friend.

"That is unimportant. What is important is the celebration!" Talia insisted, practically falling onto Erik's shoulder. He grunted in surprise and then caught her, steadying her. "Come on, join us!"

Erik sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine. I guess I can indulge tonight."

As Talia drunkenly introduced Erik to a group of villagers underneath the crowded pavilion, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. They'd done it. They'd turned the burger shack into a bustling success. The night air was alive with laughter and music, and the food they'd been eating was delicious. And soon, the water system and subsequent water park would be complete. Erik was one step closer to achieving his dreams of wealth and comfort.

If only he knew of the consequences that would follow.