The next day arrived with the soft light of dawn filtering into Akira's room. He awoke feeling refreshed and immediately started his usual workout routine. Each movement, every stretch and flex of his muscles, served as a reminder of the resilience he had built over time. After finishing his exercises, he sat down, contemplating his next actions. There was much to be done, and his mind buzzed with plans.
One task stood out: creating a spatial bag for Jarvis. Akira had noticed the butler's struggle to carry supplies from the town to their home, burdened by the weight of their needs. Determined to ease Jarvis's workload, Akira set to work. With careful precision, he wove enchantments into a sturdy leather bag, expanding its interior dimensions while keeping its external size manageable. By mid-morning, the spatial bag was complete.
"Jarvis, I made something for you," Akira announced, handing the bag to his butler.
Jarvis examined the bag, his eyes widening in astonishment. "A spatial bag, Master Akira? This will be incredibly helpful. Thank you."
"You're welcome. By the way, do you need to go to the city today?" Akira inquired.
"Yes, Master. We need some supplies," Jarvis replied.
"I'll come with you. I need to visit the guild anyway," Akira decided.
Together, they made their way to the city. As they walked through the bustling streets, an announcement from behind caught their attention: "Make way for the lord of the city!"
The citizens parted, forming a path for the convoy. Akira and Jarvis stepped back, blending into the crowd. The convoy, consisting of several foot soldiers and knights on horseback, escorted Lord Leonard. Beside him was another man whose presence caused Jarvis to clench his teeth in anger. Akira noticed but chose not to comment. After the convoy passed, they resumed their respective errands—Jarvis to the market, and Akira to the guild.
At the guild, Akira perused the available quests, selecting a few that required dealing with formidable monsters. One involved killing giant trolls near the riverbed, and another tasked him with eliminating a giant rodent in the eastern woods. Accepting these quests, Akira set out to complete them. His speed and stamina made locating and dispatching the monsters almost effortless. He avoided using his newly crafted revolver, as producing bullets was still a time-consuming process. Instead, he relied on his sword skills, dispatching the monsters with swift, precise strikes. The trolls required a bit more effort due to their regeneration abilities, which he countered with fire magic.
Upon completing the quests and claiming his rewards, Akira wandered the city, eventually stumbling upon the slave market. Finding nothing of interest, he decided to head back home. Standing outside his base, he contemplated purchasing the surrounding land to expand his operations. An automated system to produce bullets would be invaluable.
That evening, over dinner, Akira brought up the day's events. "Jarvis, about what happened in the city earlier—what's the story behind it?"
Jarvis sighed, gathering his thoughts. "I apologize for my behavior, Master Akira. The man with Lord Leonard was my previous lord, Henry. He's a relative of Leonard and a member of the Lannister family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Concordia. They controlled Concordia, the former capital, and the surrounding lands. Henry is here seeking his cousin's help to reclaim the lands lost to the wave."
Akira nodded thoughtfully. "There's no need to apologize, Jarvis. What happened in the past is behind us. Let's focus on the future."
Jarvis smiled, offering to refill Akira's plate and glass. Akira declined and excused himself, retiring to his room. The next morning, he noticed the goblins appeared stronger, their forms more robust and defined.
"Alfred, what's happening with the goblins?" Akira asked.
"Master Akira, the goblins are evolving. The continuous feeding of strong monster meat has accelerated their growth. They are close to ascending to a higher goblin species," Alfred explained.
Akira resolved to bring home more strong monster meat to aid their evolution. He then headed to the city, first stopping by the weapons dealer to inquire about the auction. The dealer, Alvin Smith, greeted him warmly, offering him a seat and some tea.
"How did the auction go?" Akira asked.
Alvin sighed. "I had high hopes for the ax, expecting it to fetch over 200 gold coins. The bidding was fierce, reaching 275 coins, but after the auction, the buyer disappeared, and no one else wanted the ax. A mysterious person eventually bought it for 175 gold coins."
"That's unfortunate," Akira replied.
"Because I failed, you don't owe me any commission," Alvin said, handing Akira a wooden box filled with gold coins.
Akira shook his head. "You did your best, Alvin. Here, take your commission. I'll be working with you in the future."
Alvin reluctantly accepted, grateful for Akira's generosity. Akira then made his way to the homeowner's office to purchase the surrounding land. The receptionist, after a brief discussion, quoted a price of 80 gold coins plus 5 for processing. Akira agreed, and after a short wait, the receptionist handed him the documents.
"Congratulations on your purchase," she said with a smile.
With the land now his, Akira returned home, contemplating the expansion of his base. There was much to do: fortifying the boundaries, establishing an automated bullet production system, and investigating the cave further. He also planned to create a herb garden, adding another layer of self-sufficiency to their stronghold.
Dinner that evening was filled with discussions about future plans. Akira shared his vision for the expanded base, and the steps they needed to take to secure their home. The goblins listened intently, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for the changes ahead.