It's been a month now since my master and his party strolled through here. The last exploit I heard of them was that they defeated a great dragon that was terrorizing a town just beyond the mountain range.
Amazing.
Meanwhile, I was enjoying the morning sunlight that streamed through the reinforced windows of my study, highlighting the detailed map of the city sprawled across my desk. The lines and markings for the aqueduct plan looked less like a blueprint and more like the frantic scribbles of a desperate man—and to be fair, they weren't far off.
The barrier Serena had restructured shimmered faintly outside, casting a comforting glow over the city. Its presence was a silent reminder that, for now, we had stability.
As usual, Serena continued to prove herself among Nivara's citizens. Among her recent accomplishment was the restructuring of the monster hunting system. She developed a system in which, hunters and adventurers must obtain a license before being permitted to hunt. Disregarding this new system meant being kicked out of the Nivara and fending for yourself in the wilderness.
A simple system with a simple threat that angered many.
However, the fatality rates plummeted immediately after it was implemented, shutting up the protesters. Gone were the days where inexperienced adventurers and hunters would lose their lives in pursuit of quick riches. In order to get the license, one must prove that they can survive the harsh conditions of the frontier. I put Garth in charge of making sure of that.
He was all smiles.
She also developed a school to prepare green adventurers who want to get a license. Those who failed the test either entered here or gave up on the idea altogether, effectively balancing out my workforce as the careful ones looked to other jobs to sustain themselves while they stayed here.
A domino effect of productivity from one decision. Serena Caelthorn was a capable and scary ruler indeed.
I was beyond grateful. Because of her, I managed to shift my focus entirely to the gigantic pressing issue of this land: water.
Summer was upon us and time is of the essence. But today, nothing's just clicking in my head so I headed down in the manor training grounds and worked through my usual training regimen. The sweat on my brow and the strain in my muscles were familiar companions. Strength was the one thing I could always rely on and training cleared my mind.
"You're a monster you know that," Serena's voice interrupted my focus. "You'll break everything you touch if you keep training like that."
I turned to find her leaning towards me, towel in hand and a curious glint in her green eyes.
"So mean," I replied, grabbing the towel to wipe my face. "I do this for the people you know."
She approached one of the weights I was training with and briefly tried to lift it. She quickly gave up and gave me a look as if I was a completely other being.
"So what brings you here?" I asked. "Not to admire my muscles I'm sure."
"You call those muscles?" she scoffed. "I've seen bigger."
"Ouch."
She gave me a sly smirk before continuing, "I was reviewing the plans last night. They're… ambitious, Lord Adrian, and borderline insane. But I'll admit, your solution is clever. And I believe the only solution for this city."
"Thank you, I think?" I chuckled. "I wish I can just snap my fingers and make it apparate out of nowhere, but unfortunately, there are a lot of moving parts for its consturction. Some, of which, I have no control over. All I can do is try different things and see what sticks."
"Then you're not so far from a mage then," she smiled, patting me on the back.
As if on cue, the gates creaked open, and Garth strode in, leading a horse-drawn carriage. On it rested a massive boulder of pristine white marble.
"Mission accomplished, Lord Adrian," Garth said, dismounting with a wide grin. "The master-less golem has been dealt with, and as you requested, we brought back its core material."
I nodded in approval. "Good work, Garth."
Serena stared at the boulder, puzzled. "And what exactly are you planning to do with this?"
"Pack your things," I said, smirking. "One of the moving parts I told you about is starting to click into place."
The journey to our destination took three days. The boulder, secured tightly on the carriage, made travel slow but steady.
On the second night, as the fire crackled and the stars lit up the sky, I turned to Serena, who was seated across from me.
"Hey, Serena, can I ask you a question?" I asked, treading carefully as I did.
"Depends. Will your question make me wanna smack you?" she replied as she tossed another log in the fire.
"I'm just curious about your lineage," I said quickly. "The Caelthorn family is famous for advancing military magic in the Dominion and yet, no one has heard of an Elf among their members."
She hesitated, her eyes reflecting the firelight. Then, she sighed. "That's because I'm not one. Not fully at least. My mother was an Elf, passing through human lands. My father… well, he was just a human. Their encounter was brief—fleeting, even. To her, it was probably nothing but a trifle and she left before I was old enough to remember her."
"And your father?"
"He did his best," she said quietly. "But raising a child with elven features in human society wasn't easy. The lifespan disparity was never an issue because I didn't inherit that part of her bloodline. But because I was different, both in nature and interest, I was scorned by my family members. At the end of the day, I'm just a girl… caught between two worlds."
I nodded, understanding the weight of her words, yet unable to find the language to respond. I searched for it for a while before settling with what my master told me many years before.
"It sounds lonely," I said.
"It was," she admitted, "but I learned to rely on myself. That's why I won't let anyone look down on me—not even you."
Her words carried a faint edge, but there was no malice in them, just resolve.
"Believe me, Lady Serena. I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing."
By the time we arrived at the village, the boulder's pristine surface gleamed under the midday sun.
The feline Beastfolk who inhabited the area greeted us warmly. Their tails flicked with excitement as they marveled at the boulder.
"It's perfect," the village chief said, running his paw over the marble's smooth surface. "You've done us a great service, Lord Adrian."
Serena tilted her head, clearly confused. "Why is this boulder so important to them?"
I gestured for the chief to explain.
"We honor our ancestors by carving statues of them," he said. "It's a tradition that dates back centuries. But the war with Zendaria has made materials like this impossible to procure. Lord Adrian struck a deal with us: provide the marble, and we will assist his people in return."
Serena looked at me, her eyebrows raised. "And what exactly did you ask for?"
The chief answered before I could. "Our best architects." He gestured behind him, where five young Beastfolk stepped forward, each carrying tools and scrolls. "They are the pride of our village. With their skills, they will help build your aqueduct."
I nodded in gratitude. "Thank you, Chief. This partnership will benefit us both."
"No, thank you, Lord Adrian," he replied. "With this, we can continue honoring those who have gone before us to the great beyond."
Serena watched the exchange, her expression unreadable. As we prepared to leave, she finally spoke.
"That was… impressive," she said, her voice tinged with genuine respect. "I didn't know you had it in you to turn religiosity into opportunity."
"Don't make it sound so crass," I replied with a small smile.