The scent of aged wine and greed hung thick in the air. Inside a grand hall, a long round table gleamed beneath the dim glow of enchanted lamps. A dozen nobles sat around it, their faces hidden behind silver and gold masks, their robes heavy with embroidery that whispered of excess. Behind them stood silent attendants—retainers each wrote a mana oath to serve and to never speak of what was seen and heard within these walls of the grand hall of secrets.
At the head of the table sat a man draped in crimson silk, his mask shaped like a serpent coiled upon itself. His voice, smooth and calculating, slithered through the silence. "Gentlemen… and ladies," he began, fingers tapping lightly on the polished wooden table, "It has been nearly two years since the death of Baron Sebastian Dawn. And still, no one suspects the truth."
A noble wearing a bronze mask shaped like a lion leaned forward, his tone low and mocking. "You make it sound as though his death was a grand victory. The fool was simply too honest for his own good."
A laugh rippled through the hall, dark and sharp.
The serpent-masked man's eyes glimmered behind the slits of his mask. "Honesty is a fatal flaw in our world, Lord . Sebastian Dawn's sin was not weakness—it was purity. He discovered the Mithril fields beyond the forest frontier, fields that could change the balance of trade across the western empire. And what did he do?" He let the question hang, savoring the tension. "He intended to submit the report to the Starborne Duchy."
That word—the Starborne Duchy—hung like a curse over the hall.
Another noble, her mask shaped like a swan, spoke with quiet venom. "And if he had, the Duchy would have seized the rights for the empire's benefit, and we would have lost the greatest discovery in the last half-century."
The serpent-masked leader nodded slowly. "Precisely. And that is why Baron Sebastian Dawn… was silenced for good."
A murmur of approval followed, the masked nobles exchanging knowing glances.
"His daughter was too naive to suspect. She believes her father's death was the result of plague," one of them said with amusement. "The irony of it all is almost laughable."
The serpent mask tilted slightly, gaze turning toward the end of the table. "The problem now," he said softly, "is not the past. It's the present. The empire's decision to send Elias Starborne as the new lord has… complicated matters."
A noble wearing a crow-shaped mask chuckled darkly. "An exile from the Starborne family, is he not? The Duke's useless son—cast out for not having a combat skill?"
The leader's tone was cold, analytical. "Even a discarded spark can burn if given air. He carries the Starborne name, and that alone commands fear "If he insists on investigating the Dawn family's end, he might end up uncovering things better left buried… for his sake and ours."
The lion-masked noble scoffed. "Then we silence him as we did the baron. A quiet carriage 'accident,' perhaps?"
The serpent leader smiled thinly. "Careful. The Starborne are not fools. Killing one of their bloodlines, even a discarded one, would draw unwanted attention. But yes… the final phase will proceed soon. When the snow begins to fall, so will the new lord."
They all stood as one, raising their wine goblets in a silent toast.
"To the coming winter," the leader said softly, the wine catching the faint glint of torchlight like spilled blood and the silence of Dawn "and also make sure the reports of today's meeting reach Master as always." "Yes" said the rest of them.
The sound of wine glasses clinking echoed through the grand hall, and the masked men seemed to smile in greed.
Far away, beneath the fading afternoon sun, Elias Starborne stood upon the cracked balcony of the Dawn manor, surveying the land that had been entrusted to him. The wind carried the scent of dust and decay. Below him stretched a city broken by years of neglect—parched fields, shattered wells, and rooftops barely holding their shape.
In the distance, the forest line glowed faintly beneath the orange hue of the dying sun, and Eli's sharp crimson eyes narrowed.
"So this is the state of Dawn," he murmured under his breath, his tone heavy but controlled.
Cryella stood quietly behind him, a parchment in her hands. "My lord," she said softly, "these are the reports from the last three months. The wells have run dry, the farms are barren, and the roads to the capital are infested with bandits. The merchants have stopped coming altogether."
Eli took the parchment, scanning it word by word. Numbers and notes filled the page—losses, shortages, complaints. But beneath them, he saw something else: despair structured neatly in ink.
"The livestock?" he asked without looking up.
"Gone," Cryella replied. "Either sold by the previous stewards to pay debts or taken by raiders but most were eaten by monsters like Boaroxes or goblins . The few that remain are too weak to breed."
"And the water?"
"The wells were contaminated last year when the river's flow diverted after the northern bridge collapse. Since then, the people have been relying on rainwater or what little can be drawn from the remaining southern springs."
Eli folded the parchment and handed it back to her. His expression was unreadable. "And the forest frontier?"
Cryella hesitated. "Dangerous, my lord. Monsters have been sighted there recently—some say it's the remnants of the old plague lands. No one dares venture too deep anymore."
For a long time, there was silence. Only the wind moved, carrying with it the dry scent of dust and rot.
Eli leaned on the railing, eyes unfocused, staring at the far horizon. So this is what I was sent to govern…
A faint bitter smile touched his lips.
Few soldiers, no walls worth defending, scarce food, no hope, Truly a barony only in name.
He closed his eyes, remembering his father's cold voice, the sneers of the council, the pity in his brother's gaze."Talentless." "A waste." "Unworthy of the Starborne name."
And now, he was here—sent to rule over nothing but ruin.
But the fire in his chest refused to die.
If this is exile, then I'll make it my foundation. If they cast me aside to rot, I'll turn the rot into gold.
"Cryella," he said, turning to her. "We start with water."
She blinked, surprised. "Water, my lord?"
"Without it, there is no life," he said. "You can't feed people without crops, you can't raise crops without water, and you can't rebuild faith without giving them hope. The wells must flow again before winter."
Cryella bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord. But… our resources—"
"I will handle that."
Eli raised his right hand slightly. The faint hum of energy filled the air, and a translucent blue screen flickered before his eyes—visible only to him.
[Infinite Shop Skill Activated][Available Balance: 8,600 SC][Available Gold: 1,000 Gold]
Categories:
> Food
> Weapon
> Blueprint
> Seeds & Farming
> Crafting
> Potions
> Herbs
> Spirit
> Beasts
> Tower
> Magic Artifacts
Eli's gaze sharpened as he navigated to the Blueprint category. Five new icons glowed faintly in pale blue light.
Blueprints Available:
- Water Wheel Blueprint — Cost: 200 SC
- Purifier Rune Blueprint — Cost: 150 SC
- Windmill Blueprint — Cost: 300 SC
- Watch Tower Manual — Cost: 500 SC
- Mana Filtration Well — Cost: 1,000 SC
He studied the list, expression calm but thoughtful.
We start small. No empire is built overnight. Water first, then grain, then trade.
His finger hovered, and with a quiet thought, he confirmed his purchase.
[Purchased: Water Wheel Blueprint – 200 SC][Purchased: Purifier Rune Blueprint – 150 SC][Remaining Balance: 8,250 SC]
Two scrolls of light materialized in his hand, solidifying into parchment glowing faintly with runic symbols. He lowered them carefully, turning to Cryella.
"Take these," he said. "Hire workers. I want the waterwheel constructed near the southern stream by the week's end. This should be detailed enough for them to follow."
Cryella hesitated, taking the scrolls as if they were relics. "My lord… these materials, I've never seen craftsmanship like this."
Eli's tone remained even. "They will function. The waterwheel will redirect flow into the central wells. The rune design is to be inscribed on the well's inner walls. You'll need a mana stone or monster core to power it. Once it's infused, the purification will begin immediately."
She looked at him in wonder, unable to hide her disbelief. "My lord, how did you—?"
He turned away, eyes distant. "Consider it a technique from a very advanced village."
Cryella bowed again, though confusion lingered on her face. "At once, my lord."
When she left, silence reclaimed the chamber.
Eli walked toward the window again, gazing at the cracked streets below.
Water, food, defense, trade. One by one.
His mind ticked like a strategist's clock. I'll stabilize Dawn within the year, then rebuild its name. Let them mock me now, when I'm done I'll make them choke on their own words.
The sun went behind the mountains, casting long shadows across the barony. In that dying light, Elias Starborne—the exiled son, the discarded noble stood as the last spark of defiance and survival began on the land .