The next day, as the sun rose over Woodhaerst, Thaddeus woke up with renewed determination. He knew there were still many tasks to attend to in the village's expansion. He made his way to the Town Hall, where he met with the master builders, Quinn, Flynn, and Brynn.

Gathered around the wooden table, outside Brand’s office, Thaddeus, and the master builders discussed the future construction projects. Thaddeus reiterated that his local builders would build farmhouses, barns, and pens for the farmers outside South Gate. Everything inside the village walls was the responsibility of the master builders.

After discussing the expansion, the master builders decided to split into three teams of 52. Starting near North Gate, they’d work in three teams to complete the East District. They’d build from the north wall to the Central Plaza. Once they finished, they’d repeat the process, working from the South Gate back to the Central Plaza. To speed up construction, Thaddeus planned to build the exterior walls.

"Now all that’s left is to decide the housing designs. Do you want the East and New Town districts to have the same housing designs as Old Town, or do you want each district to have its own design," questioned Quinn, the eldest of the brothers.

“What is your recommendation?” Thaddeus asked.

"Every place is different. Pinewood and Pine Grove have uniform buildings, but Redwood has different houses for different districts. In the capital, the housing district and house signifies a person’s status,” Flynn, the middle brother, replied.

“That said, we believe the housing should be more upscale the closer it is to the Central Plaza. Imagine Woodhaerst a circle, composed of four concentric rings and the center of the circle is the Central Plaza. What we envision, is uniformity inside each ring. For example, all the houses and businesses nearest the wall look the same. As the houses moved further to the Central Plaza they become increasingly upscale. It lets residents and tourists know they are closer to the Central Plaza,” demonstrated Brynn, the youngest brother.

“The exception being Honey Barrow. All the noble houses will look upscale, like miniature versions of Redwood,” Quinn interjected.

“Has something like this been done before?” Thaddeus asked.

“Never, you’d be the first. And we promise to stay on time and budget,” promised Flynn

“This has always been our dream, to build a city like this, and your settlement is perfect for this housing scheme,” Brynn pleaded.

‘Alfred, what do you think?’ Thaddeus asked.

“I see no problems, sir,” Alfred answered.

“Very well, I’ll agree,” Thaddeus replied to the master builders.

“You won’t regret this, sire. We promise we’ll do our best. This is our design, after all, we want to make this perfect as possible,” reminded Quinn.

“Then, it’s settled. Let’s get to work!” Flynn said excitedly.

“We'll gather our teams and start working right away,” Brynn agreed.

The master builders left the Town Hall, eager to assemble their teams and set their plans in motion. Thaddeus, filled with optimism, knew that their collective efforts would shape Woodhaerst into a thriving community.

Meanwhile, word of the village's rapid growth and many shops traveled nearby. The first tourist from Springdale arrived to shop and gather supplies. It seemed the traders were attracting the attention of nearby settlements.

When the first tourist arrived in Woodhaerst, their presence added to the excitement and curiosity of the villagers. Cassian and Lidia warmly welcomed the new customers. Recognizing the opportunity, the other shop owners rushed to promote their wares.

Thaddeus was happy that Woodhaerst was on its way to becoming a burgeoning tourist destination. He hoped tourists and adventurers would come amenities and stay to work.

As the tourist settled in and explored the village, Thaddeus also found himself surprised by the arrival of petty lords seeking to establish diplomatic ties.

When the players arrived, they marveled at the guards stationed outside the walls and the nearby fort. They were even more amazed, by the villagers picnicking in the green, orderly homes, and busy shops. But what surprised them, was when Thaddeus walked up to him with knights.

“Welcome to Woodhaerst, had I known you were coming, I would have received you better. Would you prefer to eat or talk first?” Thaddeus asked.

“I want to eat,” said a small human girl.

Thaddeus wasn’t sure if she was lolli, but the girl wore a small schoolgirl outfit.

“Very well, follow me,” Thaddeus said leading them to the inn, and the private booth with the curtains.

“Welcome to the Sleepy Coyote, I’m Phoebe,” she said introducing herself.

“You have players working in your settlement? Lovely lady, please come work for me, I’ll treat you well,” said a surprised, glamorous-looking human man.

Thaddeus found the dapper man off-putting, he seemed narcissistic and self-obsessed.

Phoebe looked at the man like she could pick him up and break him, but she calmly responded, “I’m married.”

“You don’t have to tell your husband, we can run away together,” he said picking up her hand, to kiss it, but Phoebe moved her hand away in time.

“Excuse me, please do not hassle my villagers. If you continue, I’m afraid, I’ll have the knight escort you out of the village,” Thaddeus warned.

“Ha-ha, I’m a guild member of Unbound. You must be terrified. If you hand over your settlement, we won’t kill you,” he said striking a pose.

Not sure, whether he should be concerned or not, he sent Huey a message, asking if he’s heard of the guild Unbound.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Huey responded quickly, informing him, Unbound was a low-tier guild, that was recently in the news for comically wiping out in an easy dungeon.

Thaddeus felt embarrassed for evening asking about such a noob guild. He felt ashamed for believing any good guild would want such a flamboyant member.

“Captain Ulysses, please have your men throw him out of the city?” Thaddeus said angrily.

“Do you want to start a guild war?” he said antagonized.

“I should be asking you that, I’m affiliated with Mythical.”

When the narcissist heard that his eyes flicked with fear and apologized as he was led outside the village.

“We didn’t like him either,” said the young girl.

“Yeah, he bought MyCity. We’re pretty sure his guild banished him. He’s the only one of us, without builders. I offered to lend him some of mine, but he swears his guild is sending some to him,” said a skinny bearded man.

“Shall we start with introductions, first,” Thaddeus introduced himself first and the name of his settlement.

Once introductions were complete, they ordered food. Thaddeus learned his noble visitors were pleasantly surprised when his traders arrived in their settlements. Realizing the potential benefits of trade, they came today to forge trade agreements and a nonaggression treaty with Woodhaerst.

Until that meeting, it didn’t even occur to Thaddeus, that Woodhaerst was militarily, the strongest southern frontier settlement in the Akkadian Empire. Thaddeus received them graciously, paying for their meal, and agreeing to trade and a nonaggression treaty. He understood the importance of these connections for Woodhaerst’s continued growth and prosperity.

After the meeting ended, he agreed to let the players explore his settlement. He assigned a guard to each of the lords and left them to sightsee.

System Message: Bend the Knee

Congratulations, Woodhaerst is now a regional power, in the Akkadian Empire Southern Frontier Region. Reward: +5 to Tourism Rating.

"Congratulations, sir," Alfred complimented.

Thaddeus’ busy day continued when he met with Captain Joseph, the leader of the city guards, discussing the recruitment of new guards to ensure the safety and security of Woodhaerst's growing population. Thaddeus wanted the city guards to be a minimum of 2% of the population.

"Captain Joseph, I appreciate your efforts in recruiting new guards," Thaddeus expressed. "With the increase in population, we need to maintain a strong and capable guard force. Have you made progress in selecting suitable candidates?"

The captain nodded, his eyes reflecting a sense of determination. "Indeed, Baron Thaddeus. We have already identified promising individuals from recent arrivals. They are undergoing training and will soon be ready to join our ranks."

Thaddeus was pleased there were new recruits in the pipeline, “Here, have your guards practice with these crossbows. I only bought 10, I’ll purchase more when the recruits are done with their training.”

“Sire, I’ve never seen such incredible weapons. Thank you, Baron Brown, not even during my time in Redwood did we have something this nice. With these, we’ll certainly be able to secure the village,” Captain Joseph said excitedly.

“Captain, this is merely the start. I’ll make sure to purchase the guard’s better weapons down the road,” Thaddeus assured.

They discussed plans to fortify the village's defenses and a new rotation system for the expanded walls to ensure constant watch.

Later in the day, Thaddeus strolled through the budding commerce district, visiting the newly opened shops. He greeted the shopkeepers, acknowledging their hard work and dedication to establishing their businesses. Thaddeus took note of their needs and suggestions, assuring them of his support.

Among the shopkeepers, he came across Sebus, his roommate in real life and now in-game. Walking into his shop, Thaddeus was delighted to see new boots already for sale. Picking up the boots, Thaddeus analyzed them.

Common Leather Boots

Level 1

+0 Defense Bonus

Durability 10/10

“Congratulations,” Thaddeus said to proudly grinning Sebus.

“I know, right? I stayed up all night. Finally, on the 29 pair, I finally got the notification!”

"Sebus, I'm impressed. I’ll add your shoes to the trade list. My traders will come to purchase your shoes and sell them in other villages. Keep practicing and you’ll soon be making uncommon and rare boots.”

Sebus beamed with pride. "Thanks, man. I appreciate your support. As soon as I make some money, I’ll pay you back for everything. I promise."

“Don’t worry about it. Now let me give you some tips.”

Thaddeus offered guidance to Dustin, sharing his knowledge of tailoring leather and helping him understand the intricacies of hides. He also introduced him to other experienced craftsmen in Woodhaerst who could offer further mentorship.

As the day progressed, Thaddeus attended to various matters in the village. When he found a moment, he visited the recovering settler’s father to check on him. When he walked into the settler’s new home, the family was having a conversation with Priestess Thera. Seeing him, the family bowed respectfully.

“There’s no need, I merely came to check on our newest settlers. I hope the house is to your liking?”

“Baron Brown, we were just thanking Priestess Thera for healing my husband,” said a gray-haired elderly woman.

“Thank you, sir, for everything. We told Priestess Thera, we’d pay for services,” said the daughter.

“And, as I told you. The first one is free. Don’t worry about the cost,” Priestess Thera said caringly.

“Well, I’m happy the patient is recovering. If there is anything you need, please let—”

“Wait, lord. My name is Wyatt. I used to be a justiciar before a ruled against a traveler guild. They threatened my family, and we were forced to flee during the Civil War,” he explained sitting up from the floor.

‘Alfred, is he the only NPC with a class in this bunch?’ Thaddeus wondered.

“Yes, sir. Other than this settler, the rest are unskilled laborers.” Alfred replied.

“When you feel better, check in with Captain Joseph and he’ll assign you a job,” Thaddeus said to the injured man.

After leaving the house, Thaddeus checked on the progress of the sawmill and lumberjacks. He was pleased to see the lumberjacks added a worker, and Marcus was working overtime to ensure the expansion construction had amble wood.

However, amidst the bustling activities and the swift progress of construction, Thaddeus couldn't help but feel a sense of redundancy. The crafters in the village were excelling in their work, leaving him with fewer items to craft. He confided in Priestess Thera, sharing his concerns about his diminishing role.

“You’re a Baron, what do you expect? In the Akkadian Empire, nobles don’t work. They certainly are blacksmiths, tanners, and carpenters. It’s uncomfortable for the villagers to ask you to craft their furniture, rugs, or clothes. Nobles are supposed to govern, not to work like commoners,” Priestess Thera admonished.

“Eh, this is a headache,” Thaddeus agreed.

“This is a good thing, it shows the village is growing, becoming more independent. Perhaps this is the time to focus on your administrative duties. The Village Council and guards can take care of things, so why not leave for the capital? I’m sure there will be a gathering ahead of the coronation.”

“Fine,” Thaddeus agreed.

“Good, I know the villagers will be happy to hear their lord will meet the emperor.”

That evening Thaddeus told his villagers, he would be leaving for the capital. When the villagers heard, their lord was invited to the coronation, they celebrated. Being on the good side of the new emperor brought a greater sense of security.

Also at the meeting, the Village Council surprised him by requesting a budget. With the number of villagers increasing, the council wanted a budget to manage the villager’s problems.

While Thaddeus wanted to assure them that Alfred could continue to manage the budget in his absence, he decided to give them one, so he didn’t need to micromanage every nuance. Thinking what was best, he decided to give them half of the village's income, which would equate to 13 gold per month.

As Thaddeus concluded the village meeting, he realized this would be his first time leaving the settlement since he arrived. He couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—pride in the progress made thus far and a sense of longing to be part of the bustling activity in the village.

Moreover, when he comes back, Woodhaerst would very different. The settlement would be nearly complete.