"Oh, don't worry, Haley. We all feel the sa way. Sleeping in groups is tough," Ella said with a chuckle, which made others laugh as well. Haley joined in, laughing in embarrassnt.
"Man, I enjoyed sleeping like that!" Jerry groaned.
"You… It's your snoring I'm trying to escape from," Mike said with a frown. Before their bickering could escalate, Lucas intervened.
"But that's not all," Lucas stated, drawing everyone's attention.
"I told you half of the news I brought back. After completing the teleportation deal with the Overseer, I proposed sothing else, and it seems the overseer accepted it."
"What is it?"
"Do you do this on purpose, making us ask?"
"Yeah, just get to the point already!"
"No suspense!"
The group's complaints made Lucas chuckle as he got to the point. "I asked her if we could receive flora from Earth as a reward for completing the dungeon stages."
A wave of confusion spread through the group, though a few faces lit up in realization.
"Wait," Sandra spoke up, her eyes widening in shock—the most expression Lucas had seen from her in ages. "Do you an what I think you an?"
"Oh, for fuck's sake, not you too!" Haley shouted in frustration but quickly clamped her hands over her mouth. She glanced nervously at John, expecting a scolding, but he looked too stunned to react. Instead, his attention was fixed on Lucas.
"Lucas, this could be an incredible opportunity. Can we get red chili?" John asked, his eyes flashing with excitent. Lucas chuckled at his quick request.
With John's remark, the rest of the group finally grasped the significance of Lucas's proposal.
"I want you all to make a list of vegetables, fruits, or anything that grows from seeds. Don't hold back—list everything you can think of," Lucas instructed.
"Potatoes!" Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire
"Blueberries!"
"No, you fools! We need spices!"
"What's spice without good ingredients?"
"Everything!"
The group erupted into lively chatter, debating and sharing their preferences with enthusiasm.
Lucas watched from the sidelines, a warm smile spreading across his face. This was exactly what he wanted—happiness and hope flourishing among his people. John caught his eye and gave him a nod of pride.
with the needs getting fulfilled properly now, the territory was going to the phase of getting their wants fulfilled too.
Soon, everyone was busy writing down nas of plants they wanted, prioritizing quality over quantity. Instead of asking for millions of seeds, they aid for a few hundred of the most impactful ones.
As the commotion settled, Lucas finished his al and thanked Haley for the food before heading to check on the mold. Using a stick, he shifted the ash and burning wood around, exposing the mold partially buried in the fuel. He tapped its side, assessing its progress.
"It needs a few more hours," he thought, standing up.
"What's next?" Sarah approached him after finishing her al, her enthusiasm evident. Lucas smiled, sensing her genuine interest.
"We need a crucible to slt the ore. Making the tools and equipnt is ti-consuming, especially since we can only use ways that are primitive," Lucas explained.
"A crucible is like a small rock mug, right? I've seen videos about it before," Sarah said, her tone nostalgic.
Lucas chuckled. "That's right. We'll use three parts clay and one part sand to make it, just like the mold."
"Three parts?" Sarah asked, puzzled.
"It's a way of asuring. I'll show you while we make it."
"Wow! I can't wait!" Sarah exclaid, her excitent catching Lucas off guard.
"You really like this? Back in the quest world, I had access to advanced equipnt, so I never had to start from scratch. In my eyes, so people might find it boring."
Sarah tilted her head in confusion. "But aren't we making sothing that will let us craft all kinds of things from ores? We could even offer ore-processing services to other territories," she mused aloud.
"Well, aren't you full of ideas," Lucas said with a smile. Stepping closer, he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, breaking her train of thought.
"I didn't know you liked this so much. You're becoming more interesting by the day, Sarah."
"O-Oh, stop it… It's not like that," Sarah said, giggling. "I'm not doing this just to spend more ti with you, you know."
"I know, and that's why it makes happier," Lucas replied, his smile filled with pride.
"I didn't realize I liked this either, but after working on projects all year, I've grown more curious and fascinated. You and Uncle John have been huge inspirations," she admitted, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
Lucas could feel her emotions, and they resonated deeply with him. Though he had long mastered the ability to shield himself from the influence of others' feelings, he allowed himself to be vulnerable for the sake of his people and his territory.
"Well, let's get started. I have so much to show you," Lucas said warmly.
From then on, Lucas patiently showed and explained each step of the process to Sarah. To his surprise, the more they worked together, the more her enthusiasm shone through. Lucas hadn't paid close attention to her emotions before, but now that he was focusing on her reactions and emotions, he was certain—Sarah had a natural interest for crafting.
'If I can find more people like Uncle John and Sarah...' Lucas thought, 'Then maybe it won't be long before this territory becos known for producing skilled crafters. We could beco a hub renowned for our craftsmanship...'
The vision of a flourishing crafting community filled his mind with hope and ambition. As the only person in the quest world—possibly the entire town—possessing the rare crafting class, Lucas had always wished for others to share his passion and knowledge. Yet, despite his efforts, most people he encountered had specific niches rather than a broad interest in crafting like his own.
While this specialization was beneficial in its own way—mastery often ca from focusing on a single trade for a long ti—Lucas couldn't help but yearn for more like-minded individuals. People who, like him, could take a holistic approach to crafting and innovating for the benefit of the entire territory.
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