The night resumed as peacefully as it began. Conversations long passed, and so had the night.
The next two days were quiet. Tobi resumed construction work, the roof had been fully laid out and windows set in. Even the chimney had been built! He wasn't quite sure how it had been put together so quickly. He had arrived late due to a brief detour to the outhouse. The building looked a lot more like a house.
Most of the transmigrators had settled into living here. It was an odd feeling for everyone. It had only been a week now since they were ripped from their daily lives and placed here. A world without modern technology, familiar routines, or even a personal room. The only benefit carried over was running water from a windmill water pump.
The system acclimated them to this new lifestyle. Somehow, it felt as if the changes had always been there.
Now that the sunlight peered into the library, it was Tobi's time to awaken. He passed a glance around as he stood, nodding to Kiki and Kian per usual. Everyone else was already gone, working.
The twins helped the librarian with something during the day. It felt like they just wanted an excuse to read.
Michael went out with the hunting group, often bringing fresh game for the butchers to prepare and preserve. He even had his own spear and cloak to shield him from the wind. His Life Sense ability made it easier to locate anything and be on guard. Kwame was part of another hunting group, and his reflexes led to similar results.
Marie and the old man helped with preparing food for storage.
Vita and Isla, using their recovery-themed abilities, helped out with the injured. Of course, Vita still made sure to attend the vessel training.
A few others trained with the children daily and helped out wherever anyone needed. And there was still one more transmigrator that refused to come to the village.
They were living, and according to the life force Michael sensed, thriving. It was surreal to think about. Could anyone else have survived alone in the Whisperwood for an entire week?
Tobi shook his head as the thought formed. 'Maybe a few days… but not a week.' He thought to himself, remembering what the villagers told him about the beasts in there and how fast they were.
The thoughts slowly became unimportant to him as he walked outside the library. Going left instead of right, changing his usual path to the construction site. Tobi walked around the village edge at a casual pace.
The wind passed faintly through the trees, it had slowly gotten quieter over the days. The silence felt out of place and expectant.
His footsteps slowed slightly as he looked out toward the distant tree line. The Whisperwood remained dense and stagnant beyond the village. Staring at it for too long made the forest feel less like a collection of trees and more like a creature. Breathing quietly in its own shade.
Tobi eventually removed his gaze and continued walking.
The construction site came into view shortly. The two builders were already inside the nearly completed house, one kneeling near the fireplace while the other dragged a heavy crate across the barely packed-in floor.
One of them spotted him first and raised a hand. "Welcome back."
Tobi smiled and nodded, "Thanks, it's nice to be back."
The other builder tossed him a pair of work gloves made from a rough hide. Tobi barely caught them before they bounced off his chest.
The other builder pointed toward several uneven sections of the floor. "Perfect timing. We're packing the floor before the couple moves in."
Tobi looked down at the packing tool leaning against the wall. "…Oh." He said slowly.
The man laughed loudly.
Compared to his first day in Windhollow, the work no longer felt unfamiliar. Repetitive, yes. Exhausting, obviously. But it was something he was used to.
Clay, timber, ash, and faint traces of smoke refused to disperse in the air from the newly tested chimney.
As the morning stretched forward into the afternoon, the sounds of scraping tools and quiet conversation filled the structure. Tobi pressed down another section of the packed floor with a wooden pole bearing a metal sheet at the end, then stepped back to take in the work he'd done.
The familiar warmth beneath his ribs flickered faintly again. Noticing its presence was becoming second nature. There was no need to make it flare or move. Just knowing it was present was enough.
Tobi lifted the tool again. His eyes narrowed slightly. For a brief moment, the weight felt slightly lighter in his hands.
The warmth faded almost immediately afterward, leaving behind only the omnipresent soreness in his arms and sweat clinging to his shirt.
Next to him, the builder who stood by the fireplace rubbed his hands together and flung dust into the air. "It feels different once the floor's done," the man muttered. "It feel real."
Tobi glanced around the structure in agreement. The walls no longer looked like an unfinished group project. He could imagine someone actually sleeping here... Or at least they could soon.
The work continued for a couple more hours until the sunlight beamed down from directly above. He only noticed because one of the builders said something about missing an afternoon meal if they kept going. Tobi paused and looked toward the doorway, where the light had changed from the soft morning glow to something sharper and attention grabbing.
At that moment, a memory resurfaced, something Kiki had asked of everyone. At three o'clock, every transmigrator was to meet at the library. It wasn't really a request though. It was more of a mandatory meeting everyone had to deal with. Whatever it was about, she made sure everyone was aware of the meeting.
Tobi lowered the packing tool and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead.
"Sorry, I've got to leave early today," he said, finishing up the last corner of the ground.
One of the builders looked up. "Something wrong?"
"No. Just got to meet up with the others."
The man gave a nod, then said in a joking tone. "Otherworldly mystical business?"
Tobi nodded. "Kind of."
"Go on, then." The builder waved him off. "Today's work is nearly done anyway. You helped plenty."
Tobi thanked them, kept the gloves, and stepped away.
The village was much brighter than it had been in the morning. Not only physically but emotionally. People moved between tasks with the same steadiness they always had, but something about the day felt different now that Tobi had somewhere to be. His steps carried more of that same drive.
He did not go straight to the library. Instead, he slowed near the village center.
Michael was already there, speaking quietly with two hunters near the fountain. His cloak was imbued with colors from the leaves, and stained with dark streaks from the wood, soil, and blood. His spear rested against one shoulder. Even standing still, he looked like a soldier enjoying the quiet between battles.
Kwame arrived not long after from a different path, laughing with a villager twice his size. There was a bandage on his forearm, and he kept tugging at it.
Marie carried a basket of dried herbs toward the storage building. Isla followed a few steps behind her, listening seriously while holding a bundle of folded cloth. Vita walked with them, her posture straighter than it had been days ago.
The smell of fresh bread reminded Tobi that he hadn't eaten since morning. He stopped briefly at the warehouse, grabbed some bread, and spread jam on it before quickly joining Carlos. Who had the same idea: grab a quick meal, then head to the library.
The whole way back to the library, the two talked about their experiences here. Carlos had been helping wherever anyone asked. Being back and forth between the many different tasks and the vessel training had truly drained him.
During this walk, the two also realized they could force the system to stop translating their words. So whilst journeying to the library, the two spoke exclusively Spanish.
As the two arrived, they could see the others drifting in from different parts of the village.
Kostas looked relieved to have an excuse to stop working, and Ohara Satoru kept glancing toward the trees, as if the forest might change its mind and come after him.
Of course, he did. Ohara Satoru was fearful of his own shadow. After all, they found him hiding in a bush.
Walking into the building, the two saw Kiki standing near one of the central tables with Kian beside her, though he looked far less pleased about the meeting. A few villagers remained scattered among the shelves, but they paid little attention to the gathering.
A few minutes later, Liam walked in and sat backward onto a chair, arms folded across his chest. "So are you finally gonna tell us why you had everyone dragged here?"
"Well, I don't see everyone here," Kiki said.
"It's close enough to everyone," Liam replied with a shrug.
She ignored him.
Tobi took place near the side away from the center. From there, he could see most of the room. Michael stood near the opposite end against a bookshelf, arms crossed and expression calm. His presence was overbearing, the Life Sense ability gave the impression he could see through you. People subconsciouslly left space between him and themself, though Tobi doubted anyone noticed.
As Yousef walked through the door, Kiki tapped the table twice to gather everyone's attention. The room quieted almost instantly.
"Some of you have already noticed the new system prompt," she said.
Everyone's heads turned with newfounded focus.
Kiki smiled faintly. "For those who didn't, congratulations. You're either really patient, easily distracted, or bad at this whole transmigrator thing."
Liam opened his mouth.
"Don't," Kian said swiftly.
And just as swiftly, Liam closed his mouth.
Kiki's eyes moved across the gathered transmigrators. "The system unlocked a new function today."
A pale blue screen appeared before Tobi, as if the desire to check it had pulled the system from its slumber.
[System Function Unlocked]
[Party Formation Available]
[Requirements:
Three to five members.
Party leader required.
Member acceptance required.]
[Function:
Text channels enabled.
Reduced damage inflicted on party members.
Removal from the party on death.]
Tobi read the panel twice.
Around him, the room shifted. People remained where they were. But their status had changed from half-strangers to potential system-backed allies.
Liam was the first to speak.
"So... how many parties are we making, and who's leading them?"
Kiki's smile widened greatly.