Gawain Cecil returned safely, bearing a royal decree signed by the king and the promise of support from the royal family. His arrival brought a new sense of purpose to those awaiting his leadership, as he sought to revitalize the fortunes of the once-powerful Cecil family.
For Viscount Andrew, who had been waiting nearly three months in Tanzan Town, Gawain's return confirmed the wisdom of his decision to support the founding hero. Gawain had proven to be more than just a warrior from the distant past—he was a man of strategy and cunning, a quality that had reassured Andrew. However, he had not anticipated that Gawain would choose the Dark Mountains as the site to rebuild his family's fortunes.
As a minor noble stationed on the southern frontier, Viscount Andrew was well acquainted with the Dark Mountains. The old Cecil and Leslie territories were located just north of this imposing range, which was visible from a great distance on clear days. Serving as a natural barrier, the mountains blocked the unhealthy air from the Gondor Wasteland to the south. Yet, despite this protective quality, the mountains were widely feared. Infamous for their magical creatures and eerie legends, the Dark Mountains were a place that even the most fearless hunters avoided, despite the southern lords' willingness to grant hunting rights there.
The old Cecil domain was situated to the northwest of the Dark Mountains, with Tanzan Town to its northeast. The new Cecil territory that Gawain had selected lay to the southeast of Tanzan Town, forming a rough triangle between the three. Notably, the new territory was the closest of the three to the mountains, with its southern edge even extending into the foothills.
A tributary of the Whitewater River flowed from Tanzan Town into this new territory, offering a strategic advantage in terms of transportation. Supplies could easily be sent from Tanzan Town, and if the territory were to prosper, trade costs would be significantly reduced. The site seemed ideal—at least on the surface. However, this plan depended on Gawain's ability to establish a stable foundation in what many saw as barren and dangerous land.
Within the walls of Viscount Andrew's modest castle, the lean and methodical noble was visibly concerned. "If I may speak freely, Your Grace, the location you've chosen for your settlement isn't… ideal. Though the land is vast, it's far too close to the Dark Mountains, isolated from the protections of civilized society. The wild beasts in the mountains alone pose a severe threat, and during the annual Fog Month, unclean winds blow over the mountains from the Gondor Wasteland. Strong soldiers may endure these conditions, but the weaker civilians and serfs will struggle to survive…"
Gawain remained unfazed by Andrew's cautionary tone. "You've seen the map, so you know that while I have a broad area to choose from, the conditions are nearly the same everywhere," he replied calmly. "Among the lands near the Dark Mountains, the area I've chosen is the best. The unclean winds can be resisted with medicinal herbs and magic. As for the issue of defense, I'll devise a plan. If we can survive the first year, we'll be able to extract minerals from the mountains, and the territory will stabilize."
Of course, he couldn't openly disclose his primary reason for choosing this specific location: the treasure trove buried in the mountains seven centuries ago, intended as a safeguard for the kingdom's fortunes. For now, this would remain a secret, at least until he had retrieved its contents. Once the resources were secured, he planned to reveal only limited information; he knew he couldn't keep the discovery hidden forever. As soon as the resources were used to initiate construction, any observant onlooker would begin to suspect the truth.
For now, he could only ensure that as few people as possible knew about the treasure until its full contents had been put to use.
Observing Gawain's unwavering determination, Viscount Andrew had little choice but to relent. "These decisions are, of course, yours to make, and I will support you to the best of my ability. However, please remember the agreement we initially reached."
Gawain smiled. "Rest assured, the Cecil family does not shirk its obligations. If you need extra reassurance, I can leave you with a few of my 'antique' belongings."
Sitting across the table, Rebecca, who was recounting her experiences in the capital to her aunt, Heidi, suddenly perked up, her eyes shining with excitement. *My ancestor thinks the same way I do! Could this mean I've inherited the family's instincts?*
Heidi noticed Rebecca's distraction and lightly tapped her on the forehead. "Stop daydreaming—continue with your story. Are you saying that you spent the entire banquet hosted by the king preoccupied with eating?"
"I also had a little wine. I'm an adult now; I can drink a bit…" Rebecca replied, her face a picture of innocence.
Watching her somewhat dimwitted relative, Heidi sighed, exasperated. "Good heavens…"
Meanwhile, Viscount Andrew quickly declined Gawain's "generous" offer. "That won't be necessary; I trust the Cecil family's honor and the word of a founding hero… When do you plan to depart?"
"The sooner, the better," Gawain replied with a nod. "Once we've gathered the necessary supplies, we'll set off. The royal support won't arrive for at least another month, so I need to get my people settled in their new home first."
For the survivors of the old Cecil territory, who had escaped the devastation there, their three-month respite had come to an end. Gawain's return from the capital signaled the beginning of their new lives, even if most of them had no idea what that new life would entail.
Sir Philip and Sir Byron were dispatched to Tanzan Town with instructions to purchase essential supplies and construction materials—food, tools, tents, medicines, and various other items they hadn't anticipated needing.
The list of required items seemed endless, even overwhelming. Heidi, who had long assisted in managing territorial affairs, and Byron, a devoted retainer of the Cecil family, found themselves uncertain of where to begin. Establishing a territory from scratch was an unfamiliar task, even for them. Fortunately, Gawain was able to provide guidance—he still remembered the early days of Anzu's great expansion. Seven hundred years ago, the ancestors of the kingdom had established settlements from nothing. Gawain's memories from that era offered invaluable insights.
Although seven centuries had passed, and Gawain's knowledge might not apply perfectly to the present day, the fundamental principles remained unchanged.
Regardless of how tools and methods evolved, the basic needs for pioneers in the wilderness were timeless: food, shelter, transportation, and medical care.
As for funding, Viscount Andrew had returned the Cecil family's gold and silver, and with the assets that Sir Philip managed to salvage, while their finances weren't abundant, they were sufficient to cover the initial expenses.
The refugees from the Cecil territory roamed Tanzan Town, purchasing supplies and hiring vehicles, naturally drawing the attention of the locals. The townspeople were well aware of the miraculous revival of the founding hero, and news had spread that the Cecil family's young lady had returned from the capital. They realized that these "outsiders," who had spent three months as temporary residents, were finally preparing to leave.
Most of Tanzan Town's lower-class citizens were indifferent to the arrival or departure of these "outsiders." However, the significant amount of goods they purchased provided a welcome boost for local merchants, which led to a decrease in complaints about the town's leadership. Previously, the local lord had requisitioned several shelters to house the refugees, and since these impoverished individuals had little money to spend, the merchants had regarded them with disdain.
While the two family knights were busy gathering supplies, Gawain tasked Heidi and Rebecca with cataloging all Cecil family citizens, creating a detailed register of the roughly eight hundred survivors.
"List each person's name, age, gender, health status, and skills, grouping them by family. Additionally, make a separate list for carpenters, stonemasons, and blacksmiths. If possible, assign each individual a number to facilitate reference."
To Gawain, this seemed like a straightforward task, but the assignment left his descendants utterly perplexed.
They had never heard of such a concept as "basic information registration" and had no idea how to create this so-called "form."
"No basic population census?" Seeing the blank expressions on Heidi and Rebecca's faces, Gawain was left more bewildered than they were. "How did you manage the population in the territory?"
Rebecca replied with simple innocence, "The land around the castle is managed by Aunt Heidi, and each knight manages their own fief. We generally know how many men, women, elderly, and children there are. As for who is a blacksmith or carpenter, the locals mostly know each other, so we just ask around."
Gawain: "…"
*Seriously? Just 'ask around'? Are you telling me you govern through sheer intuition and word of mouth?*
Heidi, noticing the shifting expression on Gawain's face, grew anxious. "Ancestor… Did you and the Founding King use these 'forms' you mentioned when you established the kingdom?"
Gawain sifted through his memories and then grimaced.
*Damn… things were even worse back then.*
When the ancient Gondor Empire had collapsed in a single night, its prosperous central regions were utterly annihilated. Those who survived the first wave of destruction were from the remote areas, and the Gondor Empire had been an extremely unbalanced society. The advanced technology and resources were
concentrated around the continent's central mana focal point, known as the "Deep Blue." In contrast, the peripheral areas, where mana was scarce, had remained underdeveloped.
Thus, when the magical cataclysm had erupted from the "Deep Blue," it effectively sacrificed all of the empire's advanced technology and skilled population. The survivors had been further culled by subsequent energy radiations, and by the time the pioneers had managed to escape, human civilization was on the brink of collapse.
To put it bluntly, the four great nations had been founded by a handful of educated survivors leading a mass of uneducated people.
However, in this world, where extraordinary powers existed, individuals with superhuman abilities could partially offset the decline in civilization. This had enabled the four nations to be established and sustained, holding their ground against the pressures of the founding era.
But still…
*Seven hundred years had passed! Seven centuries, and these descendants hadn't progressed at all?*
Gawain took a deep breath, setting aside his disappointment for now. He had to focus on the present challenge—preparing his people for the journey ahead.