As time passed, the sun's afterglow gradually faded, yet the city's brightness never diminished.
There were enough shell-covered torches positioned along the roadside to provide continuous illumination. That flickering firelight flowed steadily throughout the streets, sufficient to transform this place into a city that never slept.
Seeing that iconic black armor and distinctive long sword, people on the roadside bowed respectfully to Levi in greeting.
Not only Dale's residents, but also the dwarves demonstrated their respect, paying their respects to the lord of this prosperous realm.
At night, Levi followed the route in his memory toward the modest house where Bard lived, discovering that firelight still glowed warmly inside.
Bard had not yet retired for the evening either.
"What are you busy with?"
Pushing open the door without ceremony, Levi didn't announce himself beforehand but directly sat across from Bard at the desk and began casual conversation.
"Some financial matters within the city and town."
Bard had grown somewhat accustomed to Levi's unpredictable appearances. He temporarily set aside his work, fetched a pot of hot water, brewed Levi a cup of tea, and placed it before him with practiced hospitality.
"Do you need some pastries?"
"No need, I'm not hungry."
Levi took a sip of tea and gestured for Bard to continue his previous topic.
"The road between Dale and Lake-town has been completed for quite some time. This road is extremely popular. On the second day after its completion, people were already driving their own carriages and parking at the entrance, specifically taking on business for quick travel between the two places. Usually these entrepreneurs can make several profitable round trips in a day."
"The cooperation with Erebor is proceeding very smoothly. Some people with good aptitude have already learned to make new tools there. The number of smiths and various craftsmen has increased considerably."
Bard studied various reports scattered across the table, recalling recent developments. As he spoke, suddenly, as if sensing something unusual, he looked up.
He saw Levi nodding while holding a gold-rimmed glass lens before his eyes, observing him through it with obvious fascination.
"Human, thought, senses, soul, motion..."
New knowledge revealed itself.
"What exactly is that device?" Bard couldn't quite understand.
"Your elemental composition."
Levi set down the lens with satisfaction.
"Don't mind it; please continue."
"Alright."
"There are indeed some other matters worth mentioning regarding the space beside the main road. The terrain there is very favorable, and we could add some houses and buildings as extensions of the city and town outward."
"Just go ahead and implement it."
"I'll convey this idea to the appropriate people."
Administrative matters in Dale weren't particularly numerous or complex.
With two leaders whose reputations were as high as mountains, the residents' lives were quite self-regulated, and public security remained excellent.
Every person in this city had personally witnessed the transformation of their times.
Bard nodded and added:
"By the way, if you have time, you should definitely visit the central square of the city. There's something new there that might interest you."
"I will."
There were no major issues requiring immediate attention. After briefly chatting and finishing the tea, Levi left the small house, using the lens in his hand to examine this and that, studying everything around him with scholarly thoroughness.
Some residents curiously watched their lord observing everywhere with a mysterious mirror, scratching their heads, unable to figure out what this strange behavior was about.
But conversely, Levi had already figured out the residents.
Humans, although previously studied objects couldn't be studied repeatedly, there were always differences between people. Besides the basic elements, each person always possessed some additional elements to represent individual differences.
This kind of additional element was especially obvious in those with particular skills. They always gathered some elements that ordinary people didn't have, like smiths, who would have 'tool' elements emanating from them.
Elemental composition also differed slightly between different races.
Take dwarves, for example.
They frequently showed elements like 'earth,' 'metal,' and 'mineral.'
All stubborn as rocks.
After touring the city and gaining considerable knowledge points from various surrounding objects and residents, Levi suddenly looked up toward the palace at Dale's highest point, discovering that the building was obviously different from what he'd seen on his last visit.
It had been almost completely restored, though some parts looked somewhat square and unfinished.
It seemed those areas still needed proper polishing.
However, if even the palace was restored, it meant the city's basic buildings and various facilities were already quite complete. Otherwise, given Bard's practical nature, he probably wouldn't have arranged for people to repair that structure first.
After climbing up to the palace for a thorough look around and marveling at the wisdom of the working people, Levi looked down from above at this brightly lit city, suddenly focusing his gaze on the center of the square, the place Bard had just mentioned.
"Is that... a statue?"
A moment later, Levi stood in the center of the square, looking up at this exquisitely crafted stone sculpture with genuine amazement.
Identical.
Simply identical to himself.
This was a statue recording a great historical moment.
The statue's base was a fierce, massive dragon head with two people standing on it, one in front and one behind.
Standing in front was Levi, holding a sword and wearing black armor. Standing behind was Bard, holding a yew longbow in his hands with a spear-like Black Arrow strapped to his back.
This statue was remarkably lifelike and quite expressive. One could tell it was definitely built by a craftsman of considerable skill and artistic vision.
After standing before the statue for a long time and observing for quite a while, Levi left this place to continue examining other areas.
This examination lasted all night.
Knowledge increased substantially.
Knock, knock, knock.
Early the next morning, Bard's door was gently knocked.
Creak.
The door opened.
Bard still looked quite composed, and his spirits seemed perfectly fine, making Levi somewhat suspect whether he had also not slept.
Levi greeted him: "I went to see the square. Quite a magnificent work of art. Did you propose making it?"
"No, it was proposed by a craftsman and then decided by residents' vote to be built."
"Well, it's indeed very impressive."
In the time it took to exchange a few words, Levi had already quite skillfully entered the house and settled at the table by the window.
He looked through the window toward Lake-town and said:
"Speaking of which, since the residents have gotten used to the current main road, it's time to continue extending this road outward."
"Get ready, we're going to Lake-town."
"I'm going to get this project started."
"Get it started?"
Was he referring to that legendary 'sky road'?
Bard's expression became much more serious.
After settling domestic affairs, that morning Levi and Bard appeared west of Lake-town, at the terminus of the newly built road.
Not far ahead lay the dark forest. If they continued building roads on the ground, they'd have to consider how to clear obstacles from the path.
But the lord always had solutions.
"What's next?"
Bard asked, turning his head.
"Next, watch me."
Levi retrieved a stone from his inventory, jumped, placed it under his feet, and set down a block.
Soon, a stone pillar reaching straight toward the sky was completed.
Standing high up, Levi looked left to see Mirkwood's black mountains and right to see leaves glowing red in the sunlight and the location of the Elven-king's underground palace.
This height was about right, and the position was suitable. It wouldn't interfere with the elves' normal life.
Begin construction!
On this day, at the boundary between Mirkwood and Lake-town, a stone platform spread outward from the top of a stone pillar in all directions, blocking out large swaths of sunlight.
Just as Bard was staring wide-eyed upward, his neck growing stiff from looking up, Levi donned his elytra and glided down gracefully, then began continuing road construction from the end of the road the residents had previously built.
But unlike before, this road was somewhat curved and ascending at a relatively smooth gradient.
Yes, ascending.
"He just kept building like that until sunset."
In Lake-town, Bard was eating dinner at a bustling inn.
While rubbing his sore neck, he said to a road worker sitting across from him:
"I hope you won't get weak knees when construction begins."
"Weak knees?"
The person sitting across immediately became somewhat displeased.
"Speaking like that really makes one curious. What kind of road could make the people building it feel weak in the knees?"
I've been building roads for so long, what situation haven't I seen?
"Wait until dawn and go see for yourself."
Bard said: "I hope we can gather enough brave people to build it."
"I'll do it, sir."
Just as he finished speaking, Alfrid suddenly popped out from the side, causing the people eating around them to show obvious disgust.
This guy was really slippery. If you weren't careful, he'd emerge from somewhere unexpected.
But disgust aside, after such a long time of working together, Alfrid had been preliminarily reformed successfully. He hadn't caused any more trouble and worked fairly diligently without slacking off.
He had also gained some recognition from the townspeople.
"You? Courage?"
Bard's expression was strange as he shook his head.
The road worker beside them wasn't so restrained. He said directly: "Is your courage referring to putting on women's clothes and hiding in the back?"
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding atmosphere immediately became cheerful, with bursts of laughter.
Alfrid immediately turned red-faced, stretching his neck and loudly retorting:
"Not every man has the guts to wear women's clothing!"
"Pffft hahahaha!"
The people eating around laughed even louder.
"Excuse me."
A maid carrying dishes pushed past Alfrid, walked behind him, set down the plates, and then also secretly smiled.
One could only say that comedic characters also had a certain market.
"Sigh..."
Bard put down his knife and fork, sighed, his head aching from this guy's antics.
"Whatever you want. If you want to go, go. If you don't want to go, don't go. I don't have time for your nonsense. Our lord has assigned me quite a lot of work."
"Now I need to hurry and draft a high-altitude construction safety guide..."