A few days later, the once-grand manor lay dismantled, its bones scattered in piles of rock, wood, and reclaimed material. I stood in the clearing where it had once towered, now flattened and cleared by my command. I looked around and found no one was watching me; after all, it was already past midnight. The Guardian Screen shimmered in front of me as I browsed construction items. One by one, I purchased crates of cement, asphalt concrete, rebar, steel sheets, and a lot of construction material.
With a flash of golden light, the materials appeared in front of me, a well-deserved new upgraded system, version three. I smiled as the materials stacked neatly and buzzed faintly with mana. Even the pebbles looked like they contained traces of Earth's energy. I was so thankful after yet another series of quests; the rewards were not disappointing at all.
After yet another busy breakfast, I sat on the nearby empty chair with a pair of dark hoodies, rubber shoes and pants as I watched everyone begin their work. "Lord Robinson, forgive my interruption, but... are these mana-infused?" asked the engineer sent by the king, his eyes wide as saucers.
"They are," I said, folding my arms. "From the Robinson Territory. Reinforced by mana. Stronger, lighter, and more durable than anything you've ever worked with."
"I bet it will take powerful magic to even destroy this sort of construction."
I smirked. "I hope so."
The man crouched beside a bag of concrete, muttering, "This... this changes everything. I can't believe I'm witnessing such grandeur. Your territory will be better than the mainland, my lord."
"The more I like it." I smirked and gathered the village men and began teaching.
"The most common mix we'll use is one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts aggregate. But remember," I said, holding up a finger, "this isn't just any material. It responds to mana. If you channel even the smallest bit while mixing, the result will be walls that can outlast the kingdom's strongest storms."
One of the elders grumbled, "With your magical hotdogs and mamon, it won't be a problem for the construction, my lord."
Agree.
Whispers rippled among the men. One even clapped.
"Let's build something our children will be proud of," I added, and they cheered.
Later, inside my tent, blueprints and Earth books on modern engineering were scattered across the table. My fingers traced a diagram—a water irrigation plan. Another reward from the system after so many minor quests I've completed since arrival.
I stepped outside and found one of the elders, Old Thom, smoking a pipe near the fire.
"Thom, I need your ears."
He grunted, curious. I laid out the blueprint, watching his eyes widen.
"This... this is from your homeland, my lord?" he whispered, pointing at the labelled components.
"Yes, this is a lake village irrigation," I explained. "We'll install a mana-infused pump system by the lake, use underground pipelines, and route water to each home. No more waiting for rain. No more hauling buckets."
"Impossible," he said, shaking his head. "We've never seen such..."
"But you will," I cut in. "Every home will have running water. We'll use elevation, natural flow, and a little mana to assist the system."
"That is really amazing, my lord."
Again, I agree; the kingdom never heard of such complicated things, according to Miss Agnes. I smirked at the idea of making my territory among the best. Soon. They'll know my name. I will be acknowledged as a lord and not just a merchant.
That evening, I called a meeting outside the manor camp. The villagers gathered—some sitting on rocks, others on crates. Ella and Elvie stood beside me, arms crossed, intrigued. I've given them a lollipop and some cotton candy I've purchased earlier; of course, it was a massive hit. Even the elders were among the folks that were overstimulated with overloaded sugars. I told them about my plan for water irrigation and to remodel their houses and add more building shops.
The sun was dipping low over the mountains by the time we finished setting up camp. The air smelt of pine and distant rain, the lake shimmering silver in the west. I stood in front of the manor, now surrounded by large, newly purchased tents glowing with soft light from enchanted lanterns. My team was gathered, and beyond them, a small crowd of villagers had formed, watching curiously.
I cleared my throat and stepped onto the hastily built platform—just a few wooden crates stacked and covered with a cloak, but it would do for a speech. "Everyone," I began, loud enough for the gathered townsfolk and my companions to hear using my megaphone that I'd purchased earlier from the system, the people gasped in unison, and some murmured that my voice had mana infused. "I want to begin by solving our biggest issue first: water."
They looked puzzled. Even Felix tilted his head, and Elvie's brow rose in question. Ella and Elvie looked at each other while Igor wasn't surprised; after all, it was he who mentioned the problem to me some few days ago. "There's a lake to the west," I continued, pointing toward the still waters just past the edge of the forest. "I plan to build a full water irrigation system—pipes, pumps, filtration, and storage. Water from the lake will be transported throughout the village. Every house, every farm plot, every field—will have access to clean water. No more walking miles with buckets. No more rationing. You'll have water flowing through your homes.
A stunned silence spread. Even the wind held its breath.
"A... system?" one man asked. A farmer by the looks of his worn hands. "Like... from the lake to our houses? How?"
I smiled at the farmers; of course the guardian system could provide me with modern earth materials for that, but of course I couldn't tell them that. "With magical pumps to draw water, underground pipelines to transport it, and distribution valves installed at each household," I explained, keeping it simple. "The system will be shielded and reinforced to last through winters and possible magical interference."
Ella whispered to Elvie, "Is this even possible? We've never seen anything like it outside the inner ring of Aurareth."
Elvie didn't answer immediately, still processing. Then she looked up at me and said softly, "He's not joking. He's going to change everything."
"Yes," I smiled at them, then turned back to the villagers. "But I won't do this alone. If you work with me—if you're willing to help lay pipes, clear routes, and support one another—I'll do more than just bring water."
I held up my hand, summoning my Guardian Screen. The floating interface appeared in front of me in glowing runes only I could read. With a quick transaction, crates appeared beside me—materials I had prepared in advance: reinforced timber, modular bricks, enchanted concrete mix, roofing tiles, and more. We will also purchase magical stones to lighten this territory. I will make sure that every corner is lit."
Another gasped from my people.
"I will rebuild your homes—solid, insulated, and weather-resistant. Shops, bakeries, workshops, schools—this village won't just survive; it will thrive. We'll build a real town. A modern, beautiful one."
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Some villagers even stepped closer to the crates, wide-eyed at the materials they'd never seen before. A few touched the reinforced brick, whispering about how light and durable it felt.
"But—why?" an elderly woman asked. "Why do this for us? What do you gain?"
"Because I'm not just a noble given land," I said honestly. "I'm building my home here too. If I'm going to live here—so will my people, my friends, and my future family. I want this land to be something we can all be proud of."
Igor stepped forward beside me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You heard the Baron. We've got work to do. And I promise you—it'll be worth it."
Miss Agnes nodded beside him. "We'll track every coin, every trade. This isn't charity—it's a partnership. We will provide a livelihood, farmland will be extended and our lord will provide magical stones to help us grow crops easily."
Yes, after surveying the poor farmland earlier, I've planned to purchase fertiliser, seedlings and other crops from the system. It's time that I introduce earth crops.
And slowly, the atmosphere shifted. The murmurs of doubt gave way to hopeful chatter. A few villagers began nodding. Some even smiled. By the time I stepped down, Elvie met me with a small grin. "You're serious about all this?"
"Hell yeah. I'm dead serious," I said. "This isn't just a project. It's home."
"Then let's make it a place worth living in," Ella added, offering her hand.
"I know it's hard to believe," I addressed the crowd again, "but I promise you—this land will be unlike any in the kingdom. Concrete homes, proper shops, clean roads, and even running water.
"You mean... like in the capital?" a woman asked.
"No," I said with a smile. "Better. Built by us. For us."
The people cheered. Even Ella leaned toward Elvie and whispered as the two winked at me.
Later, around the council table beneath my main tent, Felix leaned forward, brows furrowed in thought.
"My lord, we'll need more workers," he said. "Slaves, perhaps. From the Dwarfin land or from the nearby villages. Humans too."
I paused, thinking it over. "Not slaves," I said firmly. "But workers, yes. We'll purchase them, give them a choice—and purpose. If they choose to stay, they'll earn their freedom. We can erect more family tents as their temporary shelter."
Felix nodded slowly. "Then I'll need gold."
I passed him a satchel of heavy coins. "Take three beastkin with you. I want honest deals, no trickery."
"Consider it done, boss."
"They'll come back impressed by what we're building," Ella whispered as they left.
"I'm counting on it," I replied, my gaze already drifting back to the village.
There was so much to do. But piece by piece, brick by brick, the Robinson Territory was rising. And soon, it would be a beacon.