Chapter 01: The Wonder Construction System
"Lord Count, you can't go on like this! If you don't eat soon, you'll starve!"
"Bah! Look at this mess you've made—what kind of nonsense is this?"
"I wouldn't dare deceive you, my lord. This is all we could prepare..."
The Castle of Heaven had already gone through three or four different chefs, and none of the dishes had tasted particularly bad…
A young servant stood by the rectangular oak table, timidly defending himself in a low voice.
At the same time, Bruno cast a disdainful glance at the food on the table, feeling a wave of nausea rising in his stomach.
Bruno was a transmigrator.
In the increasingly popular trend of transmigration during the 21st century, he had followed closely behind and joined the ranks of those who crossed into different worlds. However, unlike others who often found themselves in a fairy tale fantasy, Bruno's soul had ended up inhabiting the body of a noble in another world.
The original owner of this body was named Bruno Stuart, a young count of the Norman Empire, who ruled over vast lands on the eastern coast of the continent.
Being a noble in a different world sounded like a good deal, but reality was harsh.
This world was in a period similar to Earth's Western Middle Ages. Although extraordinary powers like mages existed, poverty and backwardness were still the dominant themes of the era.
Even though Bruno was a noble, the quality of life was far from luxurious.
In fact, from Bruno's perspective as a transmigrator, the nobility in this world... lived rather miserably.
The food on the long oak table was considered a delicacy only the nobles could afford in this era, but Bruno still felt a faint sense of sadness.
Take, for example, the "black pudding" placed in the center of the table. It sounded like a decent dessert, but in reality, it was a black, paste-like substance that not only looked nauseating but also tasted indescribably awful.
As a history enthusiast, Bruno often found himself...
Bruno knew that this so-called "black pudding" was actually made by mixing a pig's heart, liver, lungs, stomach, and other internal organs with oatmeal and pig's blood, then boiling it. But looking at the black, gooey lump, he couldn't muster any appetite at all.
His gaze swept over the food on the table. The white bread was probably the only thing Bruno could manage to swallow. Though it was worlds apart from the bread of his original time, it was enough to fill his stomach.
Picking up a rough piece of the white bread, Bruno took a vicious bite. A sour and unpleasant taste immediately filled his mouth.
The reason Bruno nitpicked so much, without regard for the standards of this era, was that the original owner of this body had been a rather absurd person, constantly coming up with strange and eccentric ideas. To avoid drawing suspicion, Bruno had to rely on the original owner's memories, occasionally being difficult with the servants just to keep up appearances.
Seeing that their lord had finally eaten something, the young servant standing nearby was instantly overjoyed. It was a feeling of pure relief and happiness.
Eagerly, the servant ladled a steaming bowl of soup, offering it with a smile as warm as an aunt's, respectfully handing it to his dear Count.
"Lord Count, take your time, don't choke."
The soup was just a bland broth with a few floating celery leaves. Though it didn't taste like much, it was far better than the thick, greasy soup from earlier.
Much like people in the Western Middle Ages, the people of this world had strange habits, showing an unusual enthusiasm for steaming fruit and eating raw vegetables.
However, since Bruno was the master of the castle, during his first meal after transmigrating, he had immediately reversed these odd customs.
"Shabi, you can have that black pudding as a reward," Bruno said casually, taking the bowl of soup from the young servant's hands.
The young servant's name was Shabi, Bruno's personal attendant. He had a name as elegant and beautiful as a Tunisian poet from Earth.
"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Count."
Shabi was instantly overjoyed, his eyes welling up with tears of excitement. After all, that was a delicious piece of black pudding...
The white bread wasn't tasty, but it was enough to fill Bruno's stomach. Since there were no other options, he devoured it hungrily.
...
After hurriedly stuffing some food into his mouth, Bruno stood up abruptly.
The servants attending him quickly bowed their heads in respect, not straightening up until Bruno's figure completely disappeared from the hall. Only then did Shabi, like a starving wolf, lunge at the black pudding on the table. Under the envious gazes of the other servants, he carefully stuffed it into his mouth and began chewing.
Delicious...
He couldn't understand why the Count had no interest in such a tasty delicacy.
...
Bruno's room was located at the top of the castle, a large bedroom where the warm sunlight streamed through the windows, dispelling the cold and musty air that lingered in the castle.
The spacious bed lacked any luxurious silks or satin, and there was no soft velvet carpet on the floor. Although the ancient castle looked grand and imposing from the outside, living in it was far from comfortable.
Around the bed were heavy, pale yellow curtains embroidered with patterns that were neither symmetrical nor particularly attractive.
After locking the door, Bruno sprawled out on the large bed in the room, closing his eyes.
For a moment, a misty haze appeared in his vision, and a familiar set of words materialized before him...
[From the first budding of life underwater, to the giant beasts of the Stone Age, and humanity's first steps upright, you have witnessed much. Now, begin your greatest exploration: from the cradle of early life to the vastness of the cosmos...]
Bruno: "..."
That familiar script again...
Gradually, the words faded from his sight, and a status panel quietly appeared on the left side of his vision.
[Idar City]
Total Soldiers: 314
Reserve Forces: 1,205
Gold Surplus: 2,520
National Ideals: Not unlocked
National Policies: Not unlocked
Religious Belief: Church of Light (76% Religious Unity)
Development: Poor
[The host can earn rewards by constructing wonders. The system will assess the grandeur of the wonders to determine reward ratings.]
...
Since arriving in this world two days ago, this panel had been appearing in Bruno's vision.
There was nothing surprising about it. After all, Bruno had already been transported to this poor and backward world, and his mindset had long since collapsed. If he didn't receive some kind of cheat ability, he was absolutely certain he'd pin down that lousy author and give them a good beating.
Wait, what?
Why am I even having such weird thoughts?
Shaking off the random musings in his head, Bruno returned his focus to examining his "cheat."
The status panel systematically recorded key information about his fiefdom. Though not detailed, it gave him a decent understanding of his domain's current state.
After two days of studying the system, Bruno had pretty much figured out how it worked.
It wasn't some advanced AI, nor did it offer an immersive interactive experience, but it laid out his tasks clearly. Right at the top of the status panel, in the most prominent spot, was a line of faint gold text:
[Mission 1: Build the Hanging Gardens]