For the following two weeks, the once lonely Village Manor now had company. With help from the energy berries, development speed had more than tripled. Imhotep's ability, which had previously been limited by its energy consumption, flourished. With his assistants supplied him materials, he continuously generated structure after structure.
The first structures to built were the homes. Due to time constraints, single homes weren't set as a priority. Instead, five siheyuans* were constructed to accommodate the current village's population of 102.
[Siheyuans: a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China. A courtyard surrounded by buildings on all four sides.]
Once the siheyuans were built, Arthur received a notification from the Legacy Crystal that the village had upgraded from grade zero to grade one. With the homes built, the population tab was now present. Interestingly, without proper dwellings built, the Legacy Crystal didn't count the current amount of people as part of the population. Regardless, with the siheyuans were made, there were now buildings apart from the Village Hall and warehouse.
Village Stats:
[Village Name: Avalon]
[Village Chief: Arthur]
[Village Grade: 1]
[Village Population: 102]
[Civil Index: 2]
- Based on (Village) Growth and Political Prowess
[Millitary Index: 0.01]
- Based on Internal Security and Strength of military
[Industrial Index: 0.03]
- Based on Production and Resource allocation
[Economic Index: 0]
- Based on Monetary circulation and Trade.
Village Properties:
'Five Pillars of Civilization': .....
Village Upgrade Requirements:
[Grade 1 -> 2]
Population: 200
[Congratulations on making your first step towards sovereignty.]
[You have been rewarded a Loyalty-Mark.]
[Also would you like to integrate Just A Rather Very Intelligent System into Legacy Crystal]
Not expecting to receive anything, Arthur looked at the information provided about his rewards. The Loyalty-Mark was a unique mark that all inhabitants of his territory that swear allegiance to him. Once the mark has appeared, it would never disappear unless said territory has been destroyed. As for Arthur's, it was a diamond-shaped star floating in the middle of a simple crown.
As for the matter regarding integrating Jarvis into the Legacy Crystal, it was then that Arthur learned of the actual value of a Legacy Crystal. For settlements created via Legacy Crystals, the crystals were the settlement's heart in all literal and figurative sense. For example, runes, runes can be drawn all over a settlement, but where exactly do the runes gain the energy to keep themselves powered? Precisely, the Legacy Crystal. As a settlement grows, the more energy a Legacy Crystal can draw from the realm to enrich and fuel various aspects of a settlement. As for the option of integrating Jarvis with it, it is actually an unexpected gift. By integrating Jarvis into the Crystal, it would now have intelligence. In a way, Jarvis would now be the mainframe of the settlement.
Thus seeing no problem with that, Arthur agreed. Thanks to Arthur being soul linked to the Legacy Crystal, Jarvis could now directly communicate any information about the territory to Arthur, no matter where Arthur was. Likewise, Arthur could also direct Jarvis to conduct various tasks.
Nevertheless, during this period, Arthur also finished the compendiums he promised.
Along with the compendium of runes and herbology, he also included architecture, carpentry, military, forging, and agriculture. Within each compendium included all of Arthur's knowledge and theories. From the use of oxygen furnaces to create a carbon-iron ingot dubbed steel by Arthur to plant genetics. Everything Arthur knew was now withing those books.
When the respective recipients received their books, withing an hour, they all rushed to Arthur with shocked and disbelieving eyes. Then again, why wouldn't they be? Most of the knowledge Arthur introduced had long since been lost to rivers of time. Some of the theories he suggested hadn't even crossed the minds of the realm's leading experts.
For example, Arthur's theory on steel production could ultimately overturn the ore industry in the realm if exposed. Why? Mythril. Mythril does everything steel does, just a bit better. However, Mythril is incredibly rare, and only a select few have a supply of it. If it is exposed that a common ore like iron can be strengthened to the level of Mythril….
Thus when Tubal received the Compendium of Smithing, he immediately rushed to Arthur with his eyes staring at Arthur as though he was some freak of nature. After an intense thirty-minute Q&A, Tubal headed back to the temporary forge with a spring in his step.
Likewise, when Norman received the Compendium of Agriculture, he rushed to Arthur and threw all sorts of questions about plant breeding at him. Though plant breeding wasn't uncommon in the realm, Arthur had taken it a step further by introducing a way to backtrace through plant's ancestry for a specific trait and implementing that trait into a completely different genus.
Imhotep's reaction to the Compendium of Architecture was by far the most entertaining. Once he received and read through it, he started to randomly burst into peals of excited giggles. As for why, it was because he couldn't wait to implement some of the techniques and building ideas contained within. As for now, he already had a particular white building in mind for the Village Center, and he just couldn't keep the excitement of creating something so majestic down.
As for Marie, when she got the Compendium of Runes with the accelerated time in Mount Prometheus and her ability [intellectus], she quickly comprehended all of the runes and started pursuing some of Arthur's theories such as compound runes.
Overall everyone was excited to receive the Compendiums. It completely changed how they viewed and processed things. This was what Arthur was pushing for; being able to innovate basic ideas into something more is a trait that he wanted to be ubiquitous in his lands. With how revolutionary these compendiums, it was wholeheartedly agreed by everyone that they should be secured not allowed to fall into other's hands. Thus, when everyone finished reading them, they promptly returned them to Arthur while they created a more basic version for future purposes.
While everyone's minds were broadening, the village's growth continued. As per the stipulated plan, Arthur began working on one of the most essential infrastructures – a water system.
With Lake Avalon as the primary water source, Arthur led a massive copper pipe inlaid with anti-corrosive and movement rune to the central tank of three massive underground tanks. Two were on the opposite sides of the valley while one sat slightly lower than them in the middle. The central tank acted as the water treatment center. Due to a certain person's germaphobia, a large evaporation rune was inlaid into the tank to keep the water cycling between a gas and liquid phase. With this method, the water would be thoroughly cleansed of any potential microbes. Along with the evaporation rune was a detoxification rune to cleanse the waster of any poisons or toxins – paranoia much, welp can never be too careful.
Following the central tank, a runic formation at the entrance of the two copper pipes leading to the side tanks. The rune's job was to pull water into the pipe and keep it moving. It is also the rune at the mouth of the pipe attached to the base of Lake Avalon. Without the elevation, the runes fulfilled the role of water pressure. Nevertheless, for the two side tanks, one tank was inlaid with a warmth rune to keep the water warm while the other was inlaid with a chill rune to keep it cold.
With the primary system completed, Arthur also created a fourth underground tank a bit larger than the other and lower. Its sole purpose was to utilize a cleanse rune to split used water from sewage and direct the water back to the central system. With that taken care of, a fifth tank was made; engraved with an incineration rune, its sole purpose was to incinerate sewage.
There was also an intricate tunnel system for the future maintenance of the system.
Due to how extensive the work was, Arthur received a nice boon. His Lunar seed had turned into a Lunar Core. Upon looking within his Aura World, he could make out a hazy outline projected a bit away from the core, as for its purpose, he could only guess that it was the marker for peak Lunar Core stage.
And just like that, with the help of Imhotep, indoor plumbing graced the village of Avalon. It was a beautiful system.
Though the village's housing and establishments had indoor plumbing, there was a great push for a public bathhouse. However, in reality, it would be better to call it a spa. As for why it was unanimously voted on? Socialization, to strengthen the bonds between everyone, a public place to relax and let loose was more than welcome.
As for the Nerve Centers for the auxiliary mountains, due to Ihmotep only wanting perfection, only basic outlines had been completed thus far. According to him, once he is satisfied with his design, he should have them completed in a week. Not that it bothered anyone because no one wanted to stifle passion.
During these two weeks, the trio of Aegon, Luna, and Excalibur continuously probed past the village and into the sporadic woods and grasslands of the valley. Though it seemed like they were just looking for things to do, Arthur actually encouraged their daily expeditions. With their expeditions, the village would have a better understanding of its surroundings. Nonetheless, it was actually from one of these expeditions that they brought in a guest.
Seated atop of a black panther. The guest was a lean, dark-skinned youth garbed in leather armor. From his exposed arms and neck, white tattoo-like Celtic lines moved from his wrist and into his armor. It seemed to cover his whole body and only stopping at his neck. Regardless, though the trio would like to say that they found him, it was more like he was looking for them, as for why….