Rend is a polymath who just graduated college, but his lifelong dream of working as an engineer is cut short before it can even start when he finds himself reincarnated after a laughably absurd death.  The goddess responsible for his resurrection demands that he take on the position of “demon lord” in his new world but Rend refuses. He instead chooses to live a simple life in a quaint and cozy village full of unique and kind-hearted people. Rend’s new life might be ideal if there wasn’t an unhinged goddess hell bend on trying to make him conquer his new paradise. Rend will soon discover that the people of the scenic village get little to no help from their regent and work tirelessly to make sure the village and its people survive. To repay their kindness, Rend decides he will use his engineering knowledge to make the villagers' lives considerably easier and substantially more fun. These seemingly inconsequential construction projects and “new” inventions will send ripples throughout the kingdom and just might attract the ire of the Hero sent to hunt down the new dark lord. What to expect from The Demon Lord would Rather Build a Bridge than Conquer the World: A kind of slice of life story set in an evolving picturesque village. The use of accurate engineering/scientific concepts to turn the little struggling village into a thriving town (while still holding on to the charm and cozy feeling of a small-knit community). The story will explore/include elements such as (but not limited to):      Building (with Roman concrete taking center stage in one of the first few chapters).      Construction projects (for practical purposes and for building fun things as well).      Agriculture.      Trading networks      Production of new goods and luxuries (for example in an upcoming chapter, Rend will show the winemakers of the village how to make beer—his explanation will be, from start to finish, scientifically accurate) My intention is to make the interactions of the characters humorous. Especially between Rend, the goddess, and the Hero (when she comes into the story). There will be family vibes as Rend gets to know the village and its people. There might be a love story explored down the road, but it will not take center stage.