"I have nothing."

Erik sat down at the kitchen table the next day, defeated. Talia and Myrese were already eating breakfast when he had dragged himself in.

"I take it you have no ideas on what to do with the old shack?" Myrese asked as she sipped from her cup.

"How the fuck am I supposed to come up with a plan to remodel a shack that's literally falling apart?" Erik groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"I thought you bragged about being good at things like that?" Talia tilted her head curiously.

"Oh, and I suppose you thought of a way, genius?" Erik shot her a dirty look. Talia stuck her tongue out and blasted him with a jet of ice cold water. Erik roared in shock and began to bicker with Talia, causing Myrese to sigh with exasperation.

"Children, please..." the elf tried to calm down the two immature adults, shaking her head. "We can brainstorm this."

"Yeah, sorry," Erik said, slightly embarrassed, wiping the water off his face. "Guess I'm just a little frustrated coming up with nothing."

"Maybe it's because you've been planning and working so hard without a proper break," Myrese suggested, her tone gentle. "I'm sure you don't want to start expanding the burger shack right away, so you can just sit on the hut renovations for now. If I were you, I'd take today off."

"Can't," Erik shook his head, "While I've somewhat figured out the hunting party's issues, there's still the problem of overcrowding from the visitors."

"So, you're planning on building the treehouses now?" Talia's eyebrow arched as she resumed eating like their fight never happened.

"Yeah. It's nothing too hard, but I do need a team to help me assemble them. With most of Ricteronu and the villagers versed in construction helping out at the water park, there's not much leftover for other labor." Erik sighed as he twirled his pen through his fingers.

"I can assist," Talia offered, placing her hand on Erik's shoulder. "My magic can make the construction process much quicker."

Erik regarded her warily. Talia did have a point- magic could easily cut the work time in half. But both the fact that Erik preferred being hands-on for accuracy along with the hesitation of trusting Talia not to mess up was a concern.

"Alright, fine," Erik conceded, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you have to promise me that you won't turn it into a pumpkin or something."

Talia rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be so dramatic. I'll keep it simple, I promise."

Her word didn't exactly generate reassurance within him, but Erik had no other options. He'd just have to trust her.

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

Hands on his hips, Erik silently stared at the sizable area that had been flattened when he tried to direct Talia to piece the materials around a tree.

One moment, Erik thought everything was going smoothly with their first treehouse being completed, and the next, Talia accidentally blew a large chunk of the forest away.

"Well, I guess we know where not to put the next one," Myrese quipped, trying to lighten the mood as she saw the stoic expression on Erik's face. She didn't know if he heard her or not as he continued to stand there quietly.

Talia awkwardly shifted her stance next to them, looking slightly remorseful. "Sorry. It's been a while since I had to concentrate on precision and control."

"It's... fine," Erik finally said, sighing heavily. "Just... just give me a second. I need to figure out how to use this cleared space now that we can't build treehouses."

Myrese patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, Erik. We'll think of something."

"Erik... what if we turn this into a sort of communal space?" Talia suggested tentatively, breaking the tension. "A clearing like this could be great for festivals or gatherings. It's centrally located and now, well, it's got room for everyone."

Both Talia and Myrese thought they could hear gears turning in Erik's head. He looked around the clearing, considering her words. He'd been so focused on the practicalities of housing that he'd overlooked the potential for community spirit.

"Well... I was planning on eventually building apartment complexes like the ones in my world..." Erik mused out loud, his eyes scanning the area. "So maybe I can build a communal space here, and build treehouses surrounding it."

Myrese nodded thoughtfully. "That could work. It'll be unique and blend well with the natural environment. Plus, it'll give the villagers a place to socialize and celebrate other than the cramped village square."

"I guess we'll start then," Erik said, a renewed spark of determination in his eyes. "Let's get these tree apartments up and running for rent- er, for housing."

Eventually, Myrese had to go to her apprenticeship at the medical center, but when she returned, a handful of villagers had followed her, wanting to help Erik out. They were curious about his otherworldly knowledge and eager to learn new techniques. With the villagers' help, the construction of the treehouses began to take shape.

Some of the villagers knew levitation magic, easing both the load on Talia's magic and Erik's stress over Talia's magic. The project was a collaborative effort, with everyone from children to the elderly contributing their skills. The clearing buzzed with activity as the villagers worked alongside the two of them. Erik's instructions were precise, his mind racing with the engineering knowledge from his past life. He explained how the treehouses would be constructed, using a combination of natural materials and runic enhancements to ensure stability and safety.

Plumbing would cleverly use the trees themselves, having the minimum amount of space cleared within them so that the pipes could fit. Some water would circulate through the trees, keeping them healthy and alive supplemented by runes. The design was a blend of function and sustainability, something that the villagers hadn't seen before. Frankly speaking, it was something Erik never thought he'd be able to do either, but with the existence of magic in this world, nothing seemed impossible to him now.

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As they continued to work, Erik noticed the villagers' amazement at the ease with which the materials came together under Talia's guidance. The way she wove the runes into the wooden beams and supports was mesmerizing. They watched in awe as the treehouses began to rise from the forest floor, becoming more than just a shelter but a living, breathing part of the environment. The children squealed with excitement, pointing at the structures as they grew, imagining their future homes.

Erik sighed, letting go of his annoyance. For what it was worth, Talia was good at fixing the problems she caused, though he wished there weren't any problems in the first place.

The sun began to set, and Erik was more than surprised at the results. Nearly all of the treehouses had been completed, and the communal area was halfway done. Wanting to immediately begin housing the visitors, Erik declined the others' offers of heading to the burger shack to eat and drink, staying back to finish up himself.

Wiping the sweat away from his forehead, Erik felt a sense of satisfaction as he placed the final wooden beam into place. The last rays of the sun had fallen behind the trees, casting a warm orange glow over the clearing. Despite the exhaustion etched into his features, he couldn't help but admire the progress they had made. The treehouses looked stunning, their organic forms blending seamlessly into the surrounding forest.

The communal area, while still incomplete, looked like it could host a decent-sized gathering. The villagers had done a fantastic job following his instructions, and the runes Talia had inscribed on the wooden beams glowed faintly, imbuing the space with a warm, welcoming aura. It was a stark contrast to the desolate clearing that had been there earlier in the day.

Standing up, Erik took a deep breath, surveying the area with a critical eye. He had been so absorbed in his work that he hadn't noticed a certain other person still sticking around with him.

"What are you still doing here?" Erik asked, turning to face Talia, who was sitting on a pile of lumber, her eyes closed. "I thought you'd be with the others at the burger shack."

"H-huh? What?" Talia jerked awake, her eyes snapping open. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the time passing. "Oh, I guess I zoned out."

"Could've used your help then," Erik grumbled to himself. "But hey, I guess we're almost done here."

"I-I can still help," Talia said, jumping to her feet. "What's left?"

"Nothing that the two of us can do for now," Erik replied, walking over to her and extending a hand. "Come on, let's meet up with everyone else and eat."

Talia took his hand, and together they made their way back to the burger shack. The smell of sizzling meat and baking bread filled the air, making Erik's stomach growl. Despite the exhaustion, he couldn't help but feel a teasing pride at everything he had accomplished thus far.

"You know, I never thought I'd be so busy after dying," Erik said, breaking the silence as they approached the shack. "But I guess I'm making the most of it."

"When you put it like that, it makes it sound like you're in the afterlife," Talia replied with a faint smile.

"Truthfully? Sometimes it feels like it," Erik said with a chuckle. "But I'd much rather be here, building stuff, than... well, you know."

"Hey bosses!" Alyssa waved them over to where Ricteronu, Myrese, and Geritara were seated already. They joined up with the group and soon got to feasting.

The food was simple, but after a day's hard work, it tasted like a five-star meal to Erik. The villagers had brought their own dishes to contribute, and the variety was surprisingly delightful. There were roasted vegetables, spit-roasted meats, and even a few exotic dishes that Erik hadn't seen before. After getting used to the village's cuisine, Erik had all but learned by now not to question what went in them.

Soon, Kinnesthe and Grom also arrived, the latter dwarf apparently moving from the dwarven kingdom to stay in Restia Village. Erik tried to refuse the blacksmith's and dwarf's offer to drink, but was coerced into intoxication when Talia challenged him in a drinking contest.

The night grew merrier with each round of ale, and the conversations grew louder. Erik knew he would regret drinking so heavily tonight, but Myrese drunkenly assured the group that she would cure their hangovers in the morning. In the back of his mind, Erik was half-surprised to learn the elf was terrible at holding her liquor.

As the drinks flowed, so did the laughter. Kinnesthe regaled them with tales of his past adventures, which grew more and more outlandish with each sip. Alyssa blushed at Ricteronu's cheeky comments, while Grom took every opportunity to brag about his newfound place in the village forge. This led to a mock smith battle between Grom and Kinnesthe, which ended up with Erik catching on fire from stray embers caused by the hammering of the iron.

"God... dammit," Erik grumbled drunkenly as he stumbled out of the lake, his clothes singed. He was soaking wet and had just barely managed to put out the flames that had engulfed him. The villagers had laughed hysterically at the sight, while Talia was busy taking care of the small fire that had started. Myrese had dashed off to the village, claiming she had something that could help with burns.

Despite the incident, Erik felt relaxed. Happy, even. It had been a while since he had enjoyed the company of others like this. In fact, Erik couldn't remember the last time he had felt so alive back in his own world. Granted, Erik was nowhere near the same level of modern technology in this fantasy world, but somehow, this felt more... authentic. He looked around at the smiling faces of his new friends and felt a sense of belonging.

"I'm gonna go... change real quick. Be right back..." Erik slurred with a grin as he got up and headed back to his house to change. He could feel the heat of the flames on his skin even after they had been extinguished, and the smell of his burnt shirt was definitely not appealing.

Walking alone, Erik relished in the quiet serenity of the night, reflecting on his newfound happiness. The gentle whispers of the leaves and the occasional distant howl of a creature reminded him of his first night here, where everything had been foreign and strange. Now, he felt at home. As he approached his house, he noticed something peculiar - the door was slightly ajar.

He didn't think much of it, figuring Illyanth had left the door open when the baby dragon left the house. Erik began to think of plans for a doggy door- or rather, a dragon-sized doggy door as he walked into the house.

But the moment he stepped through the threshold, he knew something was off. The air felt... charged. It was electric with something unseen, something powerful.

Erik pulled out his pen and journal out of instinct, the silver light from the indestructible paper casting a soft glow in the darkened room. The charge in the air grew stronger, raising the hairs on his arms. He paused, listening for any sound that might indicate an intruder.

"Erik Park."

He whirled around, seeing a man garbed in black sitting on one of the couches. He had a sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and short-cropped blond hair that stood almost on end. Even with his lack of magical senses and intoxicated state, Erik could tell this man was incredibly dangerous.

"Who the hell are you?" Erik demanded, his hand tightening around the pen.

"Just someone who's disappointed," the man drawled, standing up from the couch. "I was led to believe that you were a strong Traveler. I mean, they said you were able to beat that 5th Circle elf and get her to serve you," he waved a hand dismissively. "But here you are, drunk in your own house."

"You're here to kill me?" Erik surmised, his brain working overtime to think of a way out of this. But his thoughts were whirling around, unable to form a coherent plan.

The man shrugged. "Eventually, yes. At first, I wanted to fight you, see just how strong you are. But all I've seen is you conjuring things. Is that the extent of your abilities?"

"No," Erik quickly lied, "It's not. If you give me more time, I can show you even more."

The blond man smirked. "I've seen enough, but I'll give you a chance to prove yourself." He drew a sword from his side, the blade gleaming in the moonlight filtering through the windows. "Let's see if you're worth the hype."