It had been a long time since Erik had drinks with people, let alone to this extent. The alcohol coursed through his veins, making him feel light-headed and carefree. He laughed along with the others, enjoying the company and the atmosphere.

But even as he reveled in the moment, a nagging voice in the back of his mind couldn't help but wonder about the future. What would happen when the novelty of the burger shack wore off? When the villagers found something else to obsess over? He knew that success was never guaranteed, even when it seemed so close.

Erik would have to continue to think of ideas to sell. Drunkenly, he didn't think it'd be too difficult. He had already thought of things to incorporate from his world to this fantasy world. There were so many possibilities.

The only problem was figuring out what was needed, what would sell, and what wouldn't get him killed. The latter was a particularly important concern. He had seen enough of this world to know that it was not all fun and games. There were powerful beings and deadly creatures lurking in the shadows, and he didn't want to attract the wrong kind of attention.

He would've given it more thought, but the fact that he was now drunk and surrounded by a group of natives in a foreign fantasy world made it difficult to focus on anything beyond the present. The music grew louder, the voices more boisterous, and the breeze of the summer cooling everyone down.

"So, what do you say, Erik?" A burly man with a hearty laugh slammed a hand on Erik's back, nearly knocking him over. "You're the hero of the hour! Tell us a story from your world!"

Erik wheezed for breath as he tried to stand upright. The burly man's hand remained firmly planted on his back, and the villagers' eyes were on him, waiting expectantly. He knew that stories and legends were a cornerstone of this world's culture, but he was wary of sharing his own world's tales. Mainly because he couldn't come up with a good one on the spot.

"Er... what was your name again?" Erik stuttered, trying to remember the man's name.

"Tauravolk!" The burly man boomed, slapping Erik on the back again. "I'm the blacksmith here. Tell us a tale that will make us laugh and cheer!"

"Well, Taur," Erik began, his speech slightly slurred from the drinks, "I've got a story that's a bit of a classic from my world. It's called 'The Three Little Pigs'."

As Erik told the story, Talia drunkenly stumbled over to him, leaning heavily on the makeshift bar. "You know," she whispered into his ear, "why bore them with a story when you can conjure something incredible from your world?"

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Talia giggled. "Like... fireworks!"

"You guys have that here, too?"

"No, no, no," Talia whispered back, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "But I can make it happen. Just watch."

Reluctant at first, Erik procured his journal and pen, sketching out what he could remember of the concept of fireworks. Tapping on the drawing with his pen, a silver flash emitted, and his sketches were conjured, floating in the air. The villagers gasped in amazement as the drawing grew in size and detail.

Erik glanced at Talia with a questioning look. "What now?"

Talia giggled again, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Now, you make them go boom!"

Her fingertips glowed with a golden fire as she stumbled over to the conjured floating fireworks. She brought her flaming fingers near the fuses, whispering a spell under her breath. Erik watched, half in awe and half in fear, as she touched the glowing lines. The fireworks shot into the night sky, exploding in a symphony of colors and sounds. The villagers erupted into cheers and amazement, their eyes reflecting the kaleidoscope of lights above.

"Now, that's a show!" Tauravolk roared, lifting his mug high in the air. "To the Burger King and the Beggar Queen!"

Erik felt a swell of pride as he heard the villagers cheer. He looked over at Talia, who was now lying on the ground, watching the display with a goofy smile on her face. He couldn't help but chuckle at her antics.

Then, Erik did a double-take.

"Hold on, who are you calling 'Burger King'?!"

His protests were drowned out by the thunderous applause and cheers of the villagers.

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

The next morning, Erik woke up in the hut with a throbbing headache. The room was spinning, and the smell of burnt gunpowder lingered in the air. He vaguely recalled the events of the night before and hoped he hadn't done anything too embarrassing.

It was then that he realized he was in the same bed as Talia, who was still fast asleep beside him. The memories of the previous night's festivities rushed back to him in a blur of laughter, food, and the incredible fireworks display. But the time after was lost to him.

For a moment, Erik sat there in disbelief, trying to make sense of the situation. Then, he noticed that the bed was larger than he had realized, with a divider down the middle that had been pushed aside during the night. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

His clothes were still on him, and it didn't seem like anything happened. Erik glanced down, seeing Illyanth sleeping quietly on the floor next to Talia. Okay, that was also a good thing, since the dragon infant hadn't torn him to shreds if Erik had done something last night.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

With a sigh, he carefully climbed out of bed, trying not to disturb the sleeping Talia. He looked around for his outdoor clothes, which were scattered around the room, remnants of last night's festivities. As he began to dress, his mind raced with thoughts of the water park and the rapid progress he hoped to achieve again today.

Perhaps he moved too quickly, as Erik felt a wave of nausea assault his senses. He paused, breathing deeply, and took a moment to let the room stop spinning. Talia stirred, her eyes fluttering open to meet his.

"Good morning-"

Erik nodded his head at her voice as he switched his shirts.

"-Burger King."

He immediately balled up his shirt and launched it at Talia's face, hitting her with an audible thud. Simultaneously, the rapid movement proved too much for his hangover as he doubled over, his dinner last night making a swift retreat from his stomach.

"I take it you're not a fan of that title," Talia said weakly from behind the fabric fortress, her voice muffled.

"Not really," Erik grumbled, holding his stomach. "But if it keeps the villagers happy, I'll deal with it." He took a deep breath and stood up, the room spinning slightly. "God, my head hurts."

"Here," Talia casted the same spell she did on herself, easing the hangover from Erik's head. "Now, let's get dressed and face the day."

"Oh, thanks," Erik mumbled, rubbing his head. He grabbed his journal and pen, stuffing them into his shorts and stretched. He noticed that Talia didn't seem that uncomfortable about sharing a bed with him. It only cemented the fact that nothing probably happened last night. "Alright, let's go. We've got a water park to plan and a village to save from culinary boredom."

"Don't you need to finish the plumbing system first?" Talia yawned, following Erik out of the hut.

"Yeah, yeah," Erik waved a hand dismissively. "But I'm expecting it to be done by late afternoon. I've already sketched up the mechanical side of the system in preparation for today."

They stepped out into the bright morning light, and Erik's eyes immediately searched for Alyssa. He found her speaking with a group of villagers, a clipboard in hand, her expression stern yet focused. She had transformed into a bustling beacon of efficiency overnight.

Impressed with how early she had shown up at the burger shack, Erik approached her, followed by a groggy Talia.

"Good morning, Alyssa," he called out. "Looks like you're already on top of things."

"Morning, bosses!" Alyssa saluted the two, "The pre-meeting is almost done. Just a few tweaks here and there, and we're good to go to start preparations."

Erik nodded, feeling a sense of pride at the sight of his employees. He turned to Talia. "Did you want to stay here today again or come help me with the water system down by the lake's edge?"

Talia looked up at the sky, her eyes squinting against the sun. "I think I'll stay here today, help Alyssa with the burger shack. Maybe come up with some new menu items, train the staff on customer service."

Despite Talia's success with her alcoholic creations and the burger shack's new uniforms, Erik still had a bit of nervousness and doubt about her words. Regardless, he couldn't deny that Talia had been a great help in integrating him into the village and making the burger shack a success. With her by his side, he had felt a strange sense of belonging that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Alright then," Erik said with a nod. "I'll head down to the lake and get the water system going."

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

The day was hot and sweaty, with the sun beating down on Erik's bare chest as he worked alongside the villagers. They had made significant progress on the water system, and the lake was now surrounded by a complex network of pipes and wooden structures that would soon bring fresh water to the village. Despite the heat, Erik felt alive and purposeful as he gave instructions and helped lift heavy materials.

As they worked, the villagers shared stories of their lives before the burger shack. Most had never left the village, and their curiosity about the outside world was palpable. Erik found himself enjoying their company more than he ever had before. They were simple, hardworking people who had accepted him without question, and he felt a growing kinship with them.

It reminded him of the days he'd spent working on construction sites and renovation projects back home, except here, the stakes were much higher. A successful water system could change the lives of these people, turning their village into a thriving hub of activity and prosperity. Aside from that, it was a project that Erik himself was implementing, making him feel more connected to the outcome than any blueprint he'd ever drawn up.

The villagers were much more competent than Erik expected, with the basis of the water pump system completed by midday. The giant wooden wheels were in place, and the magic crystals were installed, ready to harness the flow of water from the lake. Erik was impressed by their willingness to learn and adapt to new ideas.

During that time, Erik had conjured up machinery that would use electricity to run the pumps. He had to explain to the villagers that water pressure was the key to moving water without magic, and they had listened intently. They had constructed a simple but effective dam that would allow them to control the flow into the village, and Erik had designed a system of pipes that would distribute the water to various points around the village.

As the work on the water system progressed, Erik couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his creation. He had always loved engineering, but this was the first time he had built something so essential with his own two hands. The villagers, who had initially been skeptical of his ideas, now looked to him with a mix of awe and respect.

By late afternoon, Erik encouraged the villagers to rest, seeing Illyanth coming towards them with their usual boxes full of food and drink. Erik hesitantly patted the dragon, who allowed it before huffing his way back to the burger shack.

Relaxing near the lake's edge, Erik marveled at how quickly the system had been constructed within two days. Pretty much the only thing left to do was to install the pump machines around the key points, and the village would have a steady supply of fresh water. He felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Burger King!"

Erik ignored the voice and continued to eat his late lunch.

"Burger King?"

Erik continued to pretend not to hear.

"Erik, sir!"

He finally glanced up in the direction of the voice. A young villager, barely a teenager, was jogging over to him, breathless. "What is it?" Erik called out, his mouth full of food.

"Um, sorry to bother you, sir, but the villagers wanted me to tell you that they... well, they've decided to name the water system after you."

Erik choked on his food, coughing and spluttering before finally swallowing. "What? After me? Like my name?"

The village teen shook his head. "No, we just took your last name. We're calling it Park's Water."

Erik stared at the villager for a moment. The naming was strange and confusing. Not to mention he hadn't come up with a name for the actual water park yet, so why name the water system? But before he could ask why, the teenager had already dashed away.

Erik shrugged and took another bite of his food. It was weird, sure, but he figured it was the village's way of showing their appreciation. As he chewed, he couldn't help but feel a sense of conflicting pride swell within him. On one hand, it was nice to finally have something named after him, but on the other hand, it was just a water system. He chuckled to himself and turned back to his lunch.