The morning began differently that day.
Even before leaving the room, I could already hear movement outside the mansion.
Quick footsteps.
Excited voices.
Carriages traveling along the hill road.
I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for a few seconds.
Scarlet was still sleeping beside me with her arms crossed even in her sleep, as always. Liriel remained wrapped in the blankets while Rai'kanna occupied far too much space on the bed without even realizing it.
Lyannis was already awake near the window, once again reading some magical book.
Elara was organizing a few small papers on the room's table.
And Vespera...
Wasn't there.
She had probably left before dawn.
"Am I the only one who finds it strange that she disappears every morning?" I asked while getting up.
"She came back twice during the night," Lyannis replied calmly without taking her eyes off the book.
"Apparently she eliminated monsters near the forest again."
I sighed.
That really did sound like something Vespera would normally do.
I walked over to the window and looked down at the village below the hill.
The activity was much greater than usual.
Several wagons were parked near the fields while workers carried enormous crates of harvested crops.
The smell of the plantations reached the mansion, carried by the cold morning wind.
It seemed that the day of the great harvest had finally arrived.
Liriel stretched slowly on the bed.
"They already started?"
"Apparently."
She smiled with satisfaction.
"I told you the purification would work."
"You've already said that about twenty times."
"And I'll keep saying it."
Scarlet let out a small laugh as she finally got up.
After breakfast, we headed down to the village together.
As soon as we arrived near the fields, I immediately noticed the difference.
The crops were enormous.
Much larger than they had been weeks ago.
The fields that had once looked dull now displayed a strong, healthy green that practically covered the entire region surrounding the village.
The villagers worked enthusiastically while organizing the harvest into large wooden wagons.
Some even waved when they saw us passing.
Dargan quickly appeared from the direction of the warehouses.
For the first time since I had met him, the minister looked genuinely excited.
"Lord Takumi."
"The results look good."
"Good?"
He almost laughed.
"This exceeded all expectations."
He immediately handed me several reports.
I quickly looked over the numbers.
Then remained silent for a few seconds.
It truly was impressive.
That month's production had practically surpassed every initial forecast.
Liriel glanced at the reports over my shoulder.
"All of this came from these lands alone?"
"Yes."
Dargan nodded quickly.
"The current harvest was the best in years."
Scarlet watched the workers unloading huge crates of food near the warehouses.
"The entire village feels different."
And it really did.
The villagers now walked through the streets with much more peace of mind.
The houses were beginning to receive renovations.
The warehouses were full.
Even the local guards seemed more motivated.
It was as if the entire region had finally started breathing again.
Rai'kanna crossed her arms while looking over the fields.
"So we really managed to save these lands."
Lyannis slowly approached one of the plantations.
She knelt near the soil while analyzing the mana in the environment.
"The contamination has practically disappeared."
Liriel immediately smiled.
"That means the purification worked completely."
I silently observed the fields.
When I first arrived there, the region seemed doomed.
The mana was heavy.
The plants barely grew.
The villagers looked exhausted.
Now everything was changing.
And quickly.
We continued walking through the plantations while numerous workers passed by carrying huge crates.
A group of children ran between the fields playing while several farmers talked excitedly near the wagons.
The scene felt strangely peaceful.
"Takumi."
I looked toward Scarlet.
She was pointing to the other side of the plantation.
Several local guards were training near the wooden fences.
"Monster attacks have decreased considerably."
"Because of the mana."
Lyannis slowly stood up.
"Contaminated regions normally attract aggressive creatures."
That explained a lot.
It wasn't only the crops that were improving.
The entire region was stabilizing.
Dargan walked beside me while reviewing another report.
"We've also managed to open new trade routes."
"Already?"
"Yes."
He pointed toward several larger wagons near the main road.
"Merchants have started coming from other regions."
That was important.
Very important.
If trade routes truly continued to grow, those lands could become one of the most important agricultural regions in the cyclops kingdom.
And honestly...
That seemed almost absurd considering the state the place had been in only weeks earlier.
We spent much of the morning overseeing the harvest.
I helped several workers by using mana to move heavier crates while Scarlet once again assisted the local guards.
Liriel continued helping with the plantations.
Elara analyzed trade contracts with Dargan.
Lyannis studied the magical balance of the region.
Rai'kanna simply carried the equivalent weight of three workers by herself.
And Vespera finally appeared around midday, completely silent as always.
"You disappeared again," Scarlet commented.
"I killed some creatures in the forest."
"Of course you did."
Vespera completely ignored the comment.
At the beginning of the afternoon, we heard a loud sound coming from the village's main road.
Several people immediately started moving.
Dargan quickly straightened his posture.
"The king has arrived."
I looked toward the village entrance.
A large carriage surrounded by cyclops guards slowly approached.
The Cyclops King calmly stepped down while observing all the activity in the fields.
His presence was still overwhelming.
Even without showing hostility, his size and aura naturally drew attention.
The villagers immediately became more respectful.
I approached alongside the girls as he slowly walked through the main plantation.
The king silently observed the fields for a few seconds.
Then he let out a deep chuckle.
"So you really did it."
"It was a group effort."
Liriel immediately raised her hand.
"My purification helped a lot."
The king looked at her before nodding.
"I can see that."
Dargan handed the reports directly to him.
The king calmly reviewed the numbers.
Then looked back at me.
"Seven thousand net coins."
I nodded.
"The results exceeded expectations."
"More than that."
He slowly closed the reports.
"These lands had been practically stagnant for years."
I looked once more at the fields.
The wind slowly passed through the crops while the workers continued organizing the harvest.
It was still strange to think that this region now depended on me as well.
The king crossed his arms while looking toward the village.
"The villagers are beginning to trust you."
That made me remain silent for a few seconds.
Perhaps because I still wasn't completely used to it.
Trust.
Responsibility.
Influence.
Everything seemed to have grown too quickly.
The Cyclops King continued walking through the fields while we discussed production, trade, and future expansion plans for the region.
For the first time since I had begun managing lands in that world...
I felt that I was truly achieving concrete results.
By late afternoon, the king returned to the capital.
Before leaving, he stopped beside me near the main road.
"Keep it up."
I looked at him.
"These lands are finally evolving again."
After that, the carriage slowly disappeared down the road.
I watched the dust kicked up by the wheels for a few seconds before returning to the village.
Night slowly arrived while the villagers continued celebrating the great harvest.
Small lights began appearing throughout the streets.
Several stalls sold food.
Children ran through the central square.
Workers talked excitedly near the warehouses.
It felt almost like a small improvised festival.
Scarlet quietly observed everything beside me.
"Did you notice?"
"What?"
"The people are genuinely happy."
I looked toward the village again.
And she was right.
It wasn't only wealth.
Nor only agricultural production.
The entire region was changing.
The villagers now had real hope.
That was something much greater.
After the celebrations, we returned to the mansion on the hill.
Dinner that night was lighter than usual.
Even Vespera seemed a little more relaxed while listening to Liriel talk endlessly about the plantations.
Rai'kanna was still impressed by the amount of food produced.
Scarlet discussed defensive strategies to protect future trade routes.
Elara was already talking about possible investments.
And Lyannis...
Lyannis seemed satisfied simply observing everything in silence.
After dinner, I went up to the balcony once again by myself.
The view of the village at night was beautiful.
The small lights scattered throughout the streets shone beneath the darkness while the cold wind crossed the freshly harvested fields.
I rested my arms on the wooden railing, silently watching it all.
When I arrived in that world, I never imagined I would end up living something like this.
It wasn't a battle.
It wasn't a war.
It wasn't a dangerous mission.
It was simply...
Building something.
I heard footsteps behind me.
Liriel slowly approached carrying two warm cups.
She handed one to me.
"You're thinking too much."
"Maybe."
She rested her arms on the balcony while looking at the village.
"But you know..."
I looked at her.
"I like seeing you like this more."
"Like this how?"
Liriel smiled lightly.
"More at peace."
I remained silent for a few seconds.
Maybe she was right.
Over the last few months, I had been changing without realizing it.
Before, everything revolved around becoming stronger.
Now...
I wanted to protect that peace.
I wanted to keep those people safe.
I wanted to continue seeing those lands prosper.
And maybe that was exactly what was helping me mature.
I looked once more at the fields below the hill while the wind slowly crossed the night.
The best harvest in the cyclops lands.
Who would have thought that that small forgotten village would become something so important so quickly.
And deep down...
For the first time in a very long time...
I truly felt proud of the path I was building.