Forbidden Desires: Conquering Kingdoms And Women In a Fantasy World! Chapter 18: New House But With Troubles

After lifting Rosaluna’s spirit, I finally suggested we venture outside.

"Co on," I said, extending my hands to both Isabella and Rosaluna. "I have sothing to show you both."

Isabella fell confused. "Outside? But Harold, we just—"

"Trust ," I interrupted gently, then turned toward the door. "Oh, and Lisa should see this too."

I called out for Lisa, who had been quietly tending to so chores in the back room, giving our family space to process everything that had happened.

"What’s this about?" Lisa asked, untying her apron and hanging it on the wooden peg by the door.

"You’ll see. Just... co with us."

The four of us stepped out into the golden afternoon light, our footsteps crunching softly on the dirt path that wound through the village.

"I wonder what kind of surprise it is?" Isabella asked clearly not expecting anything great.

Lisa quickened her pace to walk alongside us, her brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe he managed to save so things from the fire? Is that why you erected these walls of Earth? Are you hiding things sowhere so no one would steal them?"

I shook my head. "Not really. There wasn’t much left to save from the old place, honestly."

The words seed to hit Rosaluna harder than I’d intended.

"Not that any of those old things really mattered, right, Mom?" I said quickly, catching myself and looking toward our mother with aningful eyes.

Isabella seed to understand imdiately."Yes, exactly. We can replace everything, and honestly, it was probably ti to get new things anyway after all these years." She reached out and gently patted Rosaluna’s hair. "Sotis starting fresh is exactly what we need."

Rosaluna looked up at both of us. "I’ll give everything I have to help us rebuild. I saved so coins—"

"No need for that," I interrupted.

"But we need a new house," Rosaluna muttered. "And houses cost so much money, and we don’t have jobs that pay enough, and—"

"You can all stay at my place for as long as you need. I’m all alone in that big house anyway, so there’s plenty of room. At least until you figure out how to get a new place built or find sowhere else," Lisa offered.

"Don’t worry about any of that, Lisa," I said, finally stopping in front of what appeared to be nothing more than a massive wall of packed earth, rising nearly ten feet high and stretching wide enough to block the view of whatever lay behind it.

The others stopped beside , confusion evident on their faces. Isabella tilted her head, studying the earthen barrier with narrowed eyes.

"Harold, what is this?" She asked.

I couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across my face.

"This," I said, raising my hand and snapping my fingers, "is why you don’t need to worry about having a house."

The wall of earth responded to my command instantly, crumbling away like sand in an hourglass. Dust billowed up in great clouds, and I heard gasps and small coughs from my companions as we waited for the air to clear.

When the dust finally settled, revealing what I’d been hiding behind that barrier, the silence that followed was so complete I could hear the distant sound of children playing in another part of the village.

There, where just monts before had been nothing but empty land, stood a house unlike anything our modest village had ever seen. A beautiful stonework rose from a foundation of smooth river rocks, with large windows that caught and reflected the afternoon sunlight like jewels. The roof was made of slate tiles that I’d crafted myself, dark blue-grey and perfectly fitted.

The house seed to glow in the golden light, its clean lines and quality materials making it stand out like a precious gem among the simpler dwellings that made up the rest of our village.

Isabella was the first to break the silence. "This is... what is this? How is this here?"

"Our new house," I said simply.

Lisa’s mouth opened and closed several tis before she managed to stutter out, "H-how? Harold, how is this possible?"

I reached out my hand, palm up, and allowed four small elentals to swirl above it—water shimring blue, earth glowing brown, fire dancing red, and wind moving like captured starlight. I let them dance for just a mont before quickly dismissing them, not wanting to draw attention from other villagers who might be watching.

Even to my family, I had only ever revealed my abilities with water, earth, and so fire magic. The wind elent was new to them, and I watched their faces carefully for their reactions.

Rosaluna’s eyes went wide, but instead of fear, I saw wonder there. "Harold... this is incredible! You made this entire house with magic?"

Isabella and Lisa were still frozen in shock, their gazes moving between and the magnificent structure that had appeared as if from a dream.

"You built all of this? With your own magic?" Lisa asked, her voice filled with awe as she took a step toward the house.

I nodded. "It took the entire day yesterday, and I had to use every single magic essence vial I’d been saving, but...it was absolutely worth it."

I walked toward the front door.

"Co on in. This is our ho now."

They crossed the threshold hesitantly, Isabella reaching out to touch the doorfra as if to confirm it was real. The interior was just as impressive as the exterior—polished white floors and sturdy walls.

I began the tour with, starting with the heart of any ho. "This is the kitchen, Mom," I said, leading them into a spacious room with more counter space than our old house had contained in its entirety. A large window over the sink looked out onto what would beco our garden, and I’d made sure the surfaces were at the perfect height so she wouldn’t have to strain her back. "Take all the ti you want to explore it, and don’t worry about anything—I made sure everything is sturdy and comfortable."

Lisa ran her fingers along the smooth walls, her expression one of disbelief. "Harold, this is beautiful. This must have cost..."

"Magic doesn’t work quite the sa as money," I said with a smirk. "Though it did cost plenty in terms of energy."

Next, I led them into the living room. "I also got us a proper dining table and chairs from Oren," I said, gesturing to the solid oak set positioned near the kitchen. "We can eat more comfortably now."

"Finally, I have a room of my own," I said, opening the door to my room. "And I made both of your rooms bigger than before, with plenty of space for all your things."

Isabella peeked into what had clearly been designed as her room, complete with a window seat overlooking the village and built-in storage for her few treasured possessions. Rosaluna gasped with delight when she saw her room as well.

"I have new beds for everyone too," I continued, "and I have already silk fabric that can be sewn into bedding. We just need to get cotton for the mattresses and pillows, and we’ll be completely set up."

The bathroom was next, with a proper bathtub large enough for comfortable bathing.

Finally, we returned to the living room, where I settled into one of the comfortable chairs I’d arranged near the fireplace I made this morning with another chimney.

"So, what do you think?" I asked them.

I wondered if I’d gone too far. Maybe creating such an elaborate house wasn’t the most practical choice—after all, I hadn’t planned to stay in this village indefinitely.

But the truth was, I’d wanted to test the limits of my magical abilities. I’d wanted to see just how far I could push myself, how much I could accomplish when I truly committed every ounce of power I possessed to a single goal. And the result? I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest by the level I’d reached.

There was sothing deeply satisfying about this mont—a sense of accomplishnt that I realized I’d rarely experienced in my previous life. Back then, success had often felt hollow, temporary, tainted by the knowledge that it could be taken away as easily as it had been gained. But this? This was different. This was creation.

"This is beyond just talent," Lisa finally whispered, her voice filled with awe as her gaze continued to sweep around the room. "It’s like you were blessed by the Gods themselves."

Her words made pause. Really? Was what I’d accomplished truly that extraordinary?

The magic had been exhausting, certainly—I’d pushed myself to the very edge of my capabilities and beyond. But I’d assud that anyone with access to all four elents could potentially achieve sothing similar, given enough ti and preparation. Perhaps I was wrong about that assumption.

As I studied their expression more carefully, I noticed sothing that gave pause.

Isabella, my mom.

Beneath her obvious happiness and amazent, there was sothing else—a flicker of concern, maybe even worry. It was subtle, quickly masked, but it was there.

Before I could analyze her expression further, Rosaluna’s delighted giggle broke through my thoughts. "He is my brother after all," she said with such pure pride that my heart swelled. "Of course he can do amazing things!"

I smiled but our mont of peaceful celebration was abruptly shattered by a commotion erupting outside. Voices raised in confusion and alarm, the sound of many footsteps gathering right in front of our new ho.

Isabella imdiately moved toward the front door, her protective instincts kicking in. The rest of us followed close behind, and as we stepped out onto the front, I saw that a considerable crowd had gathered. Villagers who had been going about their evening routines had stopped to stare at our house, their faces displaying a mixture of wonder, suspicion, and barely concealed envy.

At the center of the crowd stood Aldan, the village chief, his weathered face set in stern lines. Behind him, I could see several other village leaders and a handful of his supporters, all wearing expressions that suggested this wasn’t going to be a friendly welco.

"What is the aning of this, Isabella?" Aldan asked.

Isabella straightened beside , but before she could respond, I stepped forward.

"What aning are you looking for?" I replied. "It’s a new house. Nothing more, nothing less."

Aldan’s gaze imdiately shifted to , and I saw the familiar flash of distaste that always appeared in his eyes when he looked at .

"A new house?" He repeated, laughing. "Just yesterday, this plot of land contained nothing but ruins and ashes. And now..." He gestured dramatically at the beautiful structure behind us. "Now there stands a house that would make even a baron envious."

I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes upon , agreeing.

"A baron like yourself?" I asked.

Aldan’s gaze turned cold while Lisa stifled a light giggle.

"I built it with magic," I added simply, seeing no point in elaborate deception.

The reaction was imdiate and explosive. The crowd burst into loud laughter. Several people pointed at , shaking their heads as if they’d just heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable.

Alric, Aldan’s son, was among the loudest. His laughter carried a particularly cruel edge, born from years of mutual antagonism between us. He’d always resented what he saw as my refusal to "know my place" in the village hierarchy.

Aldan waited for the laughter to die down before responding, a cold smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "There is no magic with such power, Harold. Not in the hands of soone like you." His voice dropped to a more dangerous register. "Unless, of course, you’ve been practicing with demons or witches..."

He let the accusation hang in the air, his eyes narrowing as he watched for my reaction. The crowd’s laughter died instantly, replaced by gasps of shock and fear. Several villagers actually took steps backward, as if re proximity to might be dangerous.

The old bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing.

I felt my own eyes narrow dangerously as the full implications of his words sank in. Everyone in the village knew what happened to those suspected of dealing with dark forces. The trials, the exile, the burning—it was a death sentence wrapped in legal procedure. Either Aldan genuinely believed I’d sohow made a pact with dark entities, or he was deliberately trying to fra , using the crowd’s superstitions as a weapon.

Either way, he was playing with not just my life, but the lives of my entire family.

"What are you saying, Lord Aldan?" Isabella spoke up at that ti. I turned to see her stepping forward, her face flushed with a rare display of anger. My mother was usually the picture of respectful deference to authority, but when it ca to protecting her children, she could beco a lioness. "My son would never do such things! How dare you even suggest—"

"Then explain this house appearing within a single night," Aldan interrupted her. "Explain how a boy with barely enough magical talent to summon water suddenly creates a structure that master craftsn couldn’t build in months!"

"I did it."

The words were spoken calmly, but they carried across the gathered crowd with startling clarity. Everyone turned toward the source, and I watched as the sea of people slowly parted aside.

Through the gap walked a figure that imdiately took attention. A woman wearing an elegant gown of deep midnight blue, her face hidden behind an ornate mask that caught the last rays of sunlight. Her bearing was regal, confident, and definitely powerful.

"Master Isadora," I heard Rosaluna whisper beside .

The crowd’s reaction was imdiate and dramatic. Those who had been pressing forward now stepped back respectfully, many bowing their heads or offering small gestures of deference. Even Aldan’s expression shifted, his aggressive posture becoming more guarded and formal.

"Lady Isadora," he said, inclining his head in a respectful nod, though I could see the frustration in his eyes at this unexpected developnt.

The masked woman stopped a few paces from where Aldan stood, her attention focused entirely on the village chief.

"I helped the boy build this house, or should I say I this alone and he helped a bit," she repeated. "Or do you think I am incapable of such things?"

"N-No, I wouldn’t dare accuse you, Lady Isadora," Aldan chuckled, though the tension in his voice was obvious. "Though I suppose a simple farm boy couldn’t have managed this alone."

The crowd relaxed, nodding along—except for the three won beside . Isabella, Rosaluna, and Lisa knew the truth. They’d seen my magic firsthand, and Isadora’s intervention only confird their suspicions.

"False accusations of witchcraft are no joke, Lord Aldan," Isadora said coolly.

Aldan dipped his head in a half-hearted apology. "My mistake. I trusted the boy—he was raised here, after all. Never expected him to be a liar."

This guy really hates .

Like father, like son.

Isabella bristled beside , ready to snap back, but I caught her arm. This was for the best. Maybe I had been too reckless, flaunting magic like this in a world I barely knew.

"He did assist with magic during construction," Isadora cut in. "So he wasn’t lying. And this house?" She swept a gaze over the crowd. "A gift for my disciple, protégée, and best student—Rosaluna. Does that offend any of you?"

Silence. Then, muttering, the crowd began to disperse. Aldan shot one last venomous look before stalking off, his son Alric glaring daggers at my back.

Yeah. This village is dood.