---
"My name is Luna."
Luna turned her gaze to the woman on her right—a black-haired, brown-eyed beauty with a voluptuous figure. "And this is my maid, Martha."
Then, shifting her focus to the other side, she gestured toward a blonde woman with blue eyes. Unlike Martha, her figure was not as explosive, but she radiated the warmth of a mother, her eyes always carrying a gentle concern. "And this is my maid, Lina."
Finally, she looked back at Suleiman and continued, "I am the daughter of the head of the Golden Moon Trade Chamber—the largest trade chamber in the city of Jungle Sentinel. I was leading the caravan returning from the Black City to Jungle Sentinel when..."
Suleiman's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he interrupted, "You led a caravan through this forest, yet you couldn't even protect yourselves from goblins? And you claim to be from the biggest trade chamber in Jungle Sentinel?"
Luna let out a deep breath before answering, "We were escorted by a guard at the peak of Tier 3 and two others at the early stage of Tier 3. However, we were ambushed by bandits. Sir Hans, our strongest, was injured, while the other two were killed instantly. We managed to defeat most of the bandits, but in the end, goblins swarmed us. They slaughtered everyone... leaving only the three of us. If you hadn't saved us, we would have been tortured to death. Thank you."
At the mere mention of goblins, Luna and her maids trembled violently.
Seeing their state, Suleiman refrained from asking further questions. He turned instead to Aristone. "Did you find any other captives?"
Aristone shook his head. "No, my lord. I found other rooms, but they were filled with corpses."
"What about the wounded?"
"Only three from the Spartan unit are injured."
"And you, Zahir?"
"No casualties among the archers, my lord."
Suleiman nodded. "Good. Gather the corpses of the larger goblins—we'll burn them before the villagers as a warning. The rest will be incinerated at the cave. Collect all loot and prepare to return to the village. Our mission is over."
With those orders, the soldiers sprang into action. They gathered the goblin corpses, burned the majority on the spot, and loaded the rest onto the caravan wagons to be displayed before the villagers. The loot was packed, and they began their journey back.
As Suleiman watched his men struggle to push the wagons along the rough terrain, a thought crossed his mind: We need to tame animals—especially horses. For war and daily life alike.
Walking alongside him were Athena, Luna, Martha, and Lina. Aristone led at the front, while Zahir covered the rear.
After a while, Luna asked, "How far is your village from here?"
"Five kilometers."
Curious, Suleiman then inquired, "Tell me about this region. I know little about it."
Luna looked at him with surprise. "Are you an Ashborn?"
Suleiman frowned. "Ashborn? Who are they?"
Luna's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Ashborn are people from other worlds and planets—those devoured by the realm of Nivhara. The first generation of Ashborn is especially gifted, as they are the inheritors of lost civilizations. They possess magical stones used for building cities. Among them, the descendants of renowned leaders and scholars own a special core stone, and they are known as... 'Ash Heirs.'"
Suleiman's expression remained unreadable. "Well, I am an Ash Heir."
Luna giggled. "I figured as much, hehe."
She then continued, "We are in the Twilight Forest. It stretches across three major cities: Jungle Sentinel, Black City, and Twilight City. We are about 3,000 kilometers from Jungle Sentinel and 4,000 kilometers from both Black City and Twilight City. As you go deeper into the forest, it grows darker and more perilous—hence its name."
"And the strength of these cities?" Suleiman probed.
"They are all at roughly the same level—most of their elites are at Tier 9, with a few at the peak of Tier 8. Each city also has two deputies at Tier 7."
Suleiman muttered to himself, "And who knows what hidden powers lurk within..."
Then, turning to Luna, he said, "You may stay in my village for as long as you like. After all, I've already taken my payment in advance."
Luna's face twisted in frustration. "You...!" She glared at him, but her voice lowered into a murmur. "Damn it... If you weren't so handsome and cold, I would've asked my father to punish you."
Returning to the Village
Before long, the group arrived at the village. The moment they entered, they were greeted by the sight of hardworking villagers, their faces beaming with joy.
Harris had already returned earlier, spreading the news of their victory—how they had eradicated the goblin threat without casualties and how their lord had personally slain the Goblin Commander. The villagers' admiration for Suleiman had soared. With Sam's growing influence in spreading faith, the entire village had essentially become a farm of devotion for Suleiman.
As Suleiman and his group entered, the villagers gathered. He raised his hand, signaling for silence.
"My dear citizens! We have eliminated the threat lurking beside us. This was our first battle—but it will not be our last. Prepare yourselves for the future! We shall burn these monsters' corpses as a warning to all!"
"Long live our lord! Long live our lord!"
The soldiers dumped the goblin corpses into a pile, setting them ablaze. Flames roared into the sky as the villagers watched in solemn silence.
With that done, Suleiman turned to Athena. "Find them a house. They will stay there."
He then locked eyes with Luna. "Do not leave without an escort. There are places in my village where you shouldn't wander."
Luna nodded reluctantly. "Understood, Your Grace."
Athena led Luna and her maids away while Suleiman headed to his study. With anticipation, he opened his City Panel.
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~ City Panel ~
Name: [None]
Lord: Suleiman Al-Nimri
Level: Village (Tier 1)
Population: 132
Upgrade Requirements:
Farm (Tier 2) (✔)
Lumber Mill (✔)
Population: 100 (✔)
1000 Wood (✔)
100 Stone (✔)
Upgrade conditions met. Would you like to advance to a Tier 2 Village? {Yes / No}
---
Suleiman's heart raced. Without hesitation, he selected "Yes."
"Ding! Please exit the Town Hall before proceeding."
"Damn it," he muttered, stepping outside. The moment he confirmed the upgrade—
A radiant white light engulfed the village.