Kyle returned to the village with both shoulders occupied—one with a tired, half-conscious knight, the other with a weakly fluttering hawk.
The villagers who caught sight of him looked surprised for a second, then amused, some of them even letting out soft chuckles.
It wasn't every day that a noble lord walked into town carrying his people like sacks of grain.
Bruce, who had been helping organize a small group of villagers for building, paused mid-step as he saw the sight.
A teasing remark rose to his lips at the sight of Melissa in such a vulnerable position, but it died the moment he noticed her pale face and bruised arms.
His usual grin slipped into a frown, and he hurried over.
"Young Master! What happened? Is she okay?"
He called out, alarmed.
Kyle stopped walking and gave a short nod.
"She's fine. Just exhausted. Same with Queen. They fought well. They just need rest."
Bruce let out a heavy sigh, clearly relieved.
"I see… I was just about to come find you. The message has been delivered—your summons to the other soldiers. They'll be arriving any moment now."
"Good work. Help me get them inside. The chief said we could use his bed."
Kyle shifted his grip on Melissa slightly as he glanced toward the largest house in the village.
As Kyle stepped forward, the village chief came hurrying toward him.
The elderly man's face was etched with worry, and his eyes went straight to Melissa and Queen.
"My Lord, I—please, allow them to use my bed. I'll sleep on the floor. It's the least I can do."
Kyle nodded but caught the look of guilt tugging at the chief's face.
After Bruce gently took Melissa from his shoulder and carried her inside, Kyle stayed behind to speak with the chief.
"There's no need to blame yourself. Injuries like these are just part of the learning process. They grow stronger with every scar."
Kyle said, adjusting Queen in his arms.
"But they fought for us. She got hurt… and your familiar—if anything worse had happened—"
The chief insisted, his fists clenched.
Kyle raised a hand to cut the man off, a calm but unreadable expression settling on his face.
"You say you want to repay me?"
The chief blinked, then nodded quickly.
Kyle gave a small, polite smile—one that never quite reached his eyes.
"Then you and your village can work harder to provide food. Better food. More abundant and nutritious than what we're producing now."
The chief was stunned into silence for a moment, unsure if he had heard correctly.
"My Lord, are you suggesting…"
"I'm asking for a commitment. You're sitting on something valuable, whether you know it or not. Mana-rich crops. Soil that boosts growth. What you've been doing out of habit and tradition? That's going to become a cornerstone of the territory I'll build."
The chief's jaw clenched, then slowly loosened.
"You truly believe our crops are worth that much?"
"More than you realize. But it's not enough to have something valuable—you need to grow it, refine it, multiply it. If you want to repay the favor, then do that. Help me build something here. I don't care about apologies. I care about results."
The old man stood straighter, inspired by the determination in Kyle's voice.
"Then I promise, Lord Kyle, we'll get to work right away. We'll push the farms harder. I'll have the elders meet tonight and begin outlining a plan."
Kyle gave a small hum of approval.
With that said, he turned and walked inside the house where Bruce had already laid Melissa on a makeshift cot, Queen curled up near her on a folded blanket.
Bruce looked up from where he was adjusting a wet cloth on Melissa's forehead.
"She's already asleep. Queen too."
Kyle walked over and placed a hand on Queen's side.
The hawk stirred but didn't wake, its breathing even and calm.
He glanced toward Melissa—her cheeks had regained a little color, and the deep crease of pain on her brow had relaxed slightly.
Kyle stood there in silence for a few moments, watching the two of them sleep.
His hand curled slightly at his side.
He hated that they'd gotten hurt. Hated even more that it had happened while under his command.
But at the same time, he knew this was the first step.
This land was barren in name only.
Beneath the surface, it was teeming with opportunity.
And he needed people—strong, capable people—to stand with him when the time came to turn this forgotten territory into something that could shake the foundations of the noble hierarchy.
He stepped back and turned to Bruce.
"When the villagers get here, start organizing them. We'll assign groups—some to build, some to train, and some to guard the outer rim of the farms. I want a tight perimeter around the valley."
He said, voice low but firm.
Bruce saluted, a slow grin forming.
"Understood, Young Master."
As Bruce left, Kyle sat down near the bed and began cleaning his broken sword. Its cracked edge caught the candlelight. He knew he'd need a new one—and soon.
But for now, he had a village to build and warriors to train.
Due to Queen and Melissa's injuries, Kyle and Bruce decided it was best to remain in the village for the night.
The atmosphere was calm, and the mana-rich food provided by the villagers proved to be more than just nourishing.
Queen, curled quietly in its hawk form, absorbed the mana from each bite with visible improvement. Its feathers looked smoother, its breathing more stable.
Melissa, though still sore, no longer swayed when she sat up. A hint of color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes, while tired, carried a steady focus.
Kyle kept a close eye on them both.
He rarely strayed far, watching as Queen rested near Melissa's cot and occasionally shifting the cloth on Melissa's forehead himself.
Bruce had offered to keep watch, but Kyle declined with a simple shake of his head.
"Get some rest. You'll need it tomorrow."
As night settled in and the village grew quiet, the only sound in the chief's home was the soft crackle of the small hearth fire and the faint rhythm of sleeping breaths.
Kyle remained awake the longest, eventually allowing himself to drift into a light slumber near Queen and Melissa's bedside.
But peace never lasted long.
At the crack of dawn, just as the sky began to shift from deep indigo to pale blue, the chief's door burst open with a bang.
A young man stumbled inside, eyes wild with panic.
"Chief! We're under attack! Someone's invading!"
The cry jolted everyone awake. The chief shot up from his bed in alarm, stammering.
"What? Who—what do you mean?"
Melissa groaned but pushed herself upright, wincing as she tried to stand. Queen stirred beside her, ruffling its wings in distress.
Bruce was already grabbing his weapon.
Kyle rose smoothly, eyes sharp. He felt annoyed and angry at what was happening. So he decided to go out and check what was happening.
Bruce and the Chieftain followed after him within seconds.