A week later, Lucien returned to the preserved region.
Construction had not begun yet, but there was plenty to prepare before Lilith and the others arrived.
The boundaries needed to be confirmed.
Dangerous battlefield impressions needed to be separated from usable ones.
Safe districts had to be marked.
The areas intended for suppression fields, training zones, medical districts, teleportation hubs, and large-scale simulations all needed room.
Before doing any of that, Lucien went somewhere else first.
The land Marie, Kaia, Sylra, and Marina had asked from him.
He had been curious about it ever since they made the request.
Lucien crossed the boundary.
Then he stopped.
His expression slowly changed.
A waterfall descended from a restored cliff ahead.
Water struck the pool below with a familiar rhythm.
Trees had returned around the banks.
Flowers grew near the water.
Even the shape of the surrounding stone seemed familiar.
Lucien stared.
He had seen this place before.
