Chapter 106 : Preparation

Chapter 106: Preparation

Seah was quick with her work.

The moment she thought, “We’ll probably need this and that task done, right?”—it was often already finished.

This time was no different.

The tributes discovered in the Temple of the Saint had been moved to the Lord’s Keep of Rundna before even a single day had passed, and by the time we sat down for lunch the next day, a detailed inventory and list of uses had already been prepared.

On top of that, every treasure was neatly arranged inside boxes enchanted with preservation magic, making them easy to transport.

I strolled pleasantly among the newly acquired treasures.

In truth, the items themselves weren’t particularly special.

Rather than powerful artifacts we could put to immediate use, they were mostly treasures of artistic value.

Expensive, yes, but of little immediate use.

If there were anything noteworthy among them, it would be the Fruit of Longevity, a key ingredient for an Elixir, and the Soul Herb, said to awaken the soul.

But even those couldn’t be used right away. Proper research would be needed to see their true effects.

Still, my mood was different this time.

Just yesterday, I had consumed Dracium.

The heightened senses and vitality coursing through my body now allowed me to view even falling leaves with a sense of wonder I had never felt before.

Seah, who must have been working since early morning, spoke to me with tired eyes.

“We should start laying the foundations of a nation. And for that, we need a treasure vault.”

A treasure vault.

The words stirred something nostalgic in me.

The Banroa Kingdom also had a royal treasure vault.

From relics of past generations to countless treasures gathered throughout the kingdom’s long history, it was a place brimming with splendor.

Whenever I visited, I would always feel an immense joy. There was both the dazzling awe of glittering treasures and the profound sense of history that came from such ancient artifacts.

Walking inside felt like traveling through time—or like standing face-to-face with the very soul of the royal family of Banroa.

My father, His Majesty, would sometimes open that treasure vault when a vassal had performed great merit for the kingdom, bestowing upon them a reward.

I still remembered the tears of awe in the eyes of those who received such royal treasures.

They had stood at the forefront of battles against the Empire’s invasion, and in the end, they had met their deaths.

Because of all those memories, I could easily accept Seah’s words.

“Yes. We do need a treasure vault.”

A treasure vault was both the authority and spirit of the royal family.

At the same time, it was an essential facility for guiding one’s vassals.

After all, the honor and loyalty of vassals always stemmed from the treasure vault.

The heart walked hand-in-hand with material things.

Everyone desired such things, yet not everyone could possess them. For the vassals, those treasures should not be spared.

They had to learn that standing with the royal family brought good fortune.

Only when they were given lives that others envied could honor and loyalty truly take root.

“So,” Seah said firmly, her gaze sweeping over the treasures filling the storage.

“Except for the Fruit of Longevity and Soul Herb that we’ll need for research, let’s send the rest to the treasure vault. Of course, compared to the royal vault of the Banroa Kingdom, it’ll look utterly shabby, but this is how we start. From now on, keep adding to it consistently.”

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

Seah narrowed her eyes at me.

“And don’t just toss every good item you find into your Subspace Necklace. Make sure the treasure vault is filled properly too. We must keep public and private matters separate.”

“Huh?”

“Answer.”

“Ah, got it.”

I felt oddly conflicted.

Was this how a husband felt when caught hiding a secret stash of money...?

Of course, I wasn’t truly reluctant. I knew well enough the importance of a treasure vault.

Besides, I already had more than enough ancient relics at my personal disposal.

After all, Lorraine had given me a mountain of them.

Satisfied with my reply, Seah faintly curled her lips into a smile and tugged at my sleeve.

“Then let’s go see the real treasures.”

“Oh, is it already that time?”

“Yeah. Everyone should be gathered.”

We stepped outside.

Leaving even the Outer City of Rundna, we headed toward the Lord’s Hunting Grounds.

The hunting grounds were enclosed by palisades, with small forts built nearby, giving the place considerable defenses despite being outside the Outer City.

The House of Esir had used this ground for personal indulgence, but I had no such intentions.

The land was vast, and the security thorough.

Where else could we find a better place to serve as a lord’s private farmland?

Heading to the spot within the hunting grounds I had chosen beforehand, I found all my siblings gathered there.

And before us lay our true treasures.

Four branches of the Tree of All Forms, which I had salvaged from the depths of the great Naelund Lake, stood in neat formation.

Large pots crafted with magic had been filled with a special solution, and the branches were bound upright with ropes.

Greener and fresher than when they were first pulled from the water, the branches caught my eyes immediately.

“Did everyone rest well?”

“Yeah! I feel like I could fly! I want to eat another Dracium!”

“No way. You greedy thing.”

The satisfied look on Katrina’s face said it all. After consuming Dracium and resting a full day, my siblings looked healthier and more energized than ever.

I gathered them all before me and spoke.

“These trees here will be the pillars that develop our economy and transform Norberju.”

Silflower for the textile industry.

Bright-petal Flower for the dyeing industry.

Blood Blossom for the pharmaceutical industry.

And Manna for an agricultural revolution.

Expectation flickered across my siblings’ faces as they listened to my explanation.

“That’s why this place is of immense importance. These trees must thrive in this land and spread countless seeds—only then will all of this become possible. That’s why I called you all here. To share in this historic moment together.”

Finishing my words, I cast my eyes toward the mages and workers gathered off to the side.

Receiving my signal, they moved swiftly.

The mages lifted the branches of the Tree of All Forms with magic, while workers steadied them with ropes.

The ground where they would be planted had already been dug deep.

At first, I had considered taking seeds from the branches and planting those in the soil.

But the base of the branches was uneven, sprouting slender shoots that resembled fine whiskers.

They looked unmistakably like roots.

Seeing that, Seah and I agreed to plant the entire branch directly into the earth like a proper tree.

Through the mages, we had already confirmed that the soil here was compatible. Still… the moment carried a heavy sense of anticipation.

“Planting now!”

The mage in charge of the task shouted loudly.

At last, the branches were lowered into the pit, and workers swiftly shoveled soil over them.

The branches were planted upright in the ground, and then they were generously doused with water brought from Naelund Lake.

Jia, as always adorned from head to toe with glittering ornaments, gazed at the sight with shining eyes.

“If these grow well, it’ll be incredible. We could earn a fortune!”

That was our Jia—always greedy for money.

But just as much, her economic sense was outstanding. When it came to finance, she was far better than Seah.

Once I rebuilt the Banroa Kingdom, I intended to entrust her with the position of Minister of Finance without hesitation.

“They’d better grow strong and healthy!”

Just as the excited Jia said—I truly hoped they would.

But who could say? Would they really take root and grow?

Even if they did, it would take years before we saw results.

After all, we needed them to spread across all of Norberju and yield plenty of seeds.

Pusssshhh—

Huh?

About thirty seconds after planting and watering the branches…

Suddenly, the branches of the Tree of All Forms began to tremble.

And then, a miraculous sight unfolded.

What had looked like sharp stakes suddenly began stretching out, sprouting smaller branches in every direction—just like a true tree.

From those fresh branches blossomed abundant leaves, flowers, and even fruit.

“W-wow…”

“Good heavens.”

A tree that grew before our very eyes in real time.

The workers gaped, mouths wide open, at the miracle before their eyes—something they had never witnessed in their lives.

My siblings, too, stared with round, astonished eyes.

I, on the other hand, remained relatively calm.

“As expected of a tree planted by the goddess Mivabar.”

These were branches that had survived submerged in a lake for over ten thousand years. Compared to that, this was hardly shocking.

But then—

Rrrrustle—

What was this?

The branches of the Tree of All Forms didn’t stop at sprouting smaller limbs.

The entire branch writhed, and the offshoots it had just produced began to fall away in a shower.

Yet even on the cross-sections of those fallen branches, whisker-like roots were sprouting.

After shedding all its smaller limbs, the main branch trembled once more, sprouting new ones. Leaves, flowers, and fruit appeared all over again.

“What is this?”

Seah and I looked at one another.

“This is insane!”

I shouted, and Seah nodded three times in quick succession.

Anyone could see it—the smaller branches shed by the Tree of All Forms were meant to be planted.

“I thought it would take years… maybe even decades.”

But with the branches reproducing like this, expansion could be achieved far more rapidly.

We could spread these ancient crops—the foundation of future industries—across the whole of Norberju.

“Woooaaahhh!”

My siblings, realizing the same, burst into cheers.

I could already see it in my mind’s eye: planting these countless branches, then planting the next generation once they grew, until the ancient crops filled the fields of Norberju.

Everything was falling neatly into place.

Time travel had been perilous and emotionally taxing at times, but moments like this made it impossible to stop.

Every trip brought our future closer, step by steady step. How could I resist that?

“You saw it, right? From here, we’ll start consolidating our foundation and stretching our wings. There’s plenty of work ahead. None of you can afford to be idle.”

I looked at my dependable siblings.

I had soothed(?) the lords of Norberju and promised them this—

That I would invest massively into their lands.

Now it was time to put that promise into action.

“Jia.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll travel through all of Norberju, purchase farmland, and gather skilled craftsmen to form guilds. We’ll spread the ancient crops and build industries upon them.”

“Leave it to me!”

Jia’s eyes sparkled. She wasn’t only interested in owning wealth—she enjoyed the very act of making money itself.

For matters of economy, Jia was a perfect fit.

“Luccrancer. You’ll assist Jia—guard her, handle the minor tasks.”

At my words, Jia instantly furrowed her brows.

“Ugh. But he’s boring.”

“Yes! I’ll stick right by Noona and make sure she doesn’t slack off!”

“Did you hear that? Surveillance?! You’re my subordinate!”

“Exactly why surveillance is best done by a subordinate.”

Luccrancer, the diligent, ascetic training fanatic. Jia, the fun-loving money-chaser.

They seemed like complete opposites, yet when placed together, they somehow got along in their own way.

No need to worry there.

“Varen, you’ll handle road maintenance across all of Norberju. It’s a crucial task, so don’t cut corners.”

Roads were the backbone of development. What traveled on them wasn’t just goods—culture and ideas flowed along as well.

Through the newly maintained roads, all of Norberju would share a sense of unity and be integrated into one cultural sphere.

As always, Varen yawned and looked bothered.

“Do I really have to…?”

“Do it.”

“Yes.”

Still, once ordered, he obeyed without complaint.

“There’ll also be plenty of Demonic Beast purges, so Catch, you’ll support Varen. Stick to him, learn as much as you can.”

Lately engrossed in training ancient swordsmanship, Catch gave a slight nod, silver sparks flashing in his eyes.

He’d do well. Varen was a little lazy, true, but that was why I’d entrusted him with the relatively simple duty of roadworks.

And with meticulous Catch assigned alongside him, there would be no issues.

“And we’ll be extending massive loans to each lord. They can use the money as they see fit, but a portion must always go to reinforcing defenses and maintaining troops. After all, there’s no point in roads and industries if Demonic Beasts overrun everything. And soon enough, the Wave will be upon us.”

This time, I looked toward Katrina, our eldest.

“Katrina, Zaltran—you two will work together to supervise fortifications and monitor things closely.”

“Okay!”

Katrina, as always, answered briskly and confidently.

The division of duties followed.

“Zaltran, I’ll handle watching the lords. You take charge of supervising the fortress construction. You’re better at that than I am, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Noona.”

Zaltran was the heir to the Count House of Juan.

That family specialized in shield techniques, heavy armor, and excelled in both siege defense and fortification engineering.

With Zaltran personally inspecting the defense systems, it would be a tremendous help against the coming Wave.

“Good. Then everyone, set out at once. Handle your tasks with pride, and do them right!”

I sent my siblings off and turned my gaze once more to the branches of the Tree of All Forms.

Truthfully, a sense of unease lingered in my heart.

The greatest concern, as always, was the Wave.

The Emperor had undoubtedly schemed something, and Seah and I both predicted it would be an artificial Wave.

If I could, I would have preferred to wait until the Wave had passed to begin all anew—but waiting would only make us too late. And we couldn’t even know exactly when it would strike.

So we had to build the future while preparing for the Wave.

That was my conclusion.

“Busy times ahead.”

If I kept myself occupied, winter would pass quickly.

And when the new year came…

Much would have changed.