The road to Velmira was long, winding, and largely abandoned.
Gone were the polished streets of the capital as it's now replaced with overgrown paths, broken bridges, and collapsed watch posts. The land itself seemed to sigh under the weight of neglect. It was as though the world had tried to forget Velmira ever existed.
Kenzo sat at the front of the carriage, Akina beside him, her crimson hair catching the early morning sun. Rina rode just behind, inside the transport cabin, reading a tattered old book the princess had gifted her on nobility and governance.
"…It's quiet," Akina murmured, glancing out toward the tree line. "Too quiet."
Kenzo nodded. "That's never a good sign in games. Usually means a side boss is about to jump out and kill you."
Akina laughed softly, but her eyes didn't leave the shadows in the trees.
By mid-afternoon, the broken wooden gates of Velmira came into view as if they could even be called gates anymore. One half had collapsed completely, the other hung on by a single rusted hinge.
The moment they entered the village, the stench hit them.
Rot. Stagnation. Drought.
Kenzo's eyes scanned the streets to what remained of them. Half the buildings were just shells, little more than support beams and broken stone. The few villagers left were skeletal, hollow-eyed, and eyeing them with both hope and distrust.
A child peeked from behind a cracked pillar. His lips were parched, and his skin clung tightly to his bones.
Rina's hand clutched her chest. "Gods…"
Akina stepped closer to Kenzo. "How could they let it get this bad?"
A raspy voice answered.
"Because they took our water."
An older woman emerged from a nearby shack, bent with age but eyes sharp.
"The river was rerouted by the old lord to feed his private estate. He even hired a mage to set barriers so it wouldn't flow back."
Kenzo's mind raced. "You don't have access to any water?"
"Just a few muddy wells. Contaminated and full of rot. You're the new lord, then?"
Kenzo nodded slowly. "Yes and I promise that's this is going to change."
He turned away from them and opened his status screen with a flick of his thoughts.
[Recreate – Lv. 6]
Ability: Can recreate any object or structure the user remembers clearly. Limited by mana and memory fidelity.
Current Mana: 100/100
Kenzo took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and focused as its not on games this time, but on memories. His father… always ranting at the table about water pressure, pipe angles, and filtration systems. His mother once yelling about groundwater being redirected. Blueprints in their house he used to ignore.
He remembered them now.
He used them now.
Recreate: Water Purification System – Tier 2
Blueprint: Based on old world underground piping and natural aquifer filters
Mana Cost: 82
Confirm?
He confirmed.
In an instant, a low rumble shook the village. Cracked soil shifted. Stones glowed faint blue as long-forgotten channels beneath the earth opened, clearing, repairing, and flowing. Then it was a rush.
Water burst from a shattered wellhead. Clean, clear, and abundant.
Gasps echoed across the village.
Kenzo turned around just in time to see a child run toward the flow, cupping water into her hands. "It's clean! Mama, it's clean!"
Tears filled the mother's eyes. "Bless the spirits…"
Akina stared at him. "You just"
"Recreated," Kenzo said with a small grin. "Dad would've been proud of me for once."
Quest Progress: Rebuild Velmira – Water Access Restored (1/5)
Village Morale: +25
Villager Count: 12 → 19 (New Arrivals Expected)
Rina stood in awe beside him. "You didn't just fix the water… you gave them hope again."
Kenzo watched the villagers gather around the well, laughing and crying. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something powerful welling in his chest.
Purpose.
"This is just the beginning," he said quietly.