The next morning, Uther awoke to faint sounds beyond the ruins.
Still half-awake, he waved his hand lazily to bring up the Village Interface.
> [Current Status: 1 House Rebuilt | 4 Remaining.]
[Village Population: 0.]
No surprise there.
But the sounds grew louder — footsteps, murmurs, the sound of desperate people.
Frowning, Uther got up, moving silently to the edge of the ruins.
Peeking from behind a half-collapsed wall, he spotted them: a group of worn-down escapees, thin and cautious, slave collars broken but still clinging to their necks.
Among them, three figures stood out — a burly man with a hammer, a young woman carrying herbs, and an older man with the calm eyes of a veteran.
The System chimed in:
> [Potential Villagers detected.]
[Option to Recruit: Available.]
Uther stepped into the open, his voice calm but firm.
"Hold it," he said, tone steady, commanding attention without shouting.
"I'm not here to drag you back. If anything, I'm offering you something better."
The group froze, exchanging wary glances.
The older man stepped forward cautiously. "Who are you?"
Uther kept his stance relaxed but his eyes sharp.
"Name's Uther. I'm the Village Lord here — and if you're tired of running, I'm giving you a choice."
He gestured around the ruins.
"This place? It's nothing right now. But it will be something — if we work smart.
I'm rebuilding this village. I need people who can stand on their own feet, not servants.
You work with me, you earn your place, you live free. Simple terms."
The young woman hugged her basket tightly.
"You... you'll really let us stay?"
Uther nodded once.
"No chains, no lords above you, no hidden contracts. Just honest work and real rewards. You put in the effort, you grow with us."
The blacksmith stepped forward, tightening his grip on the hammer.
"I can forge. Always have. If you're serious, I'll craft whatever the village needs."
The young woman found her voice.
"I can farm. I know how to work the land."
And finally, the older man chuckled lightly.
"I used to run an inn before... before everything. I can manage supplies, cook, organize people if you need it."
Uther smiled — not the lazy grin from before, but a sharp, confident one.
"Good. You're exactly the type I'm looking for."
The System blinked rapidly in his vision:
> [Recruits Accepted.]
[Villagers Added: Blacksmith (Garrick), Farmer (Elena), Innkeeper (Borin).]
[Village Population: 3.]
Turning back to them, Uther gave clear, simple orders — direct but not harsh.
"Garrick, start gathering salvageable materials. Focus on setting up a basic forge.
Elena, scout out a clearing we can use for farming. Check the soil.
Borin, get the supply inventory sorted. We'll need to ration until we stabilize."
He paused, voice calm but serious.
"You'll have my protection and leadership. In return, I expect commitment.
We build this village together, or we fall separately. Make your choice."
There was no hesitation.
The three nodded, their eyes burning with new purpose.
Uther watched them set to work, then stretched lazily as the sun rose higher.
"Not bad for a day's work," he muttered under his breath, watching the first signs of life return to the ruins.
The next morning, Uther woke up to the faint sound of movement beyond the ruins.
Still a little drowsy, he waved his hand to bring up the Village Interface.
> [Current Status: 1 House Rebuilt | 4 Remaining.]
[Village Population: 0.]
No surprise there.
But then he heard it again — footsteps, whispers, and the faint rumbling of hungry stomachs.
Frowning, Uther stood up and moved quietly toward the edge of the ruins.
Hiding behind a collapsed wall, he spotted a small group of people hiding near the trees.
They looked exhausted, thin, and worn down by life. Slaves — recently escaped by the looks of it.
Among them, three stood out clearly:
A broad-shouldered man with a battered hammer.
A young woman carrying a basket filled with wild herbs.
An older man who seemed calmer, sharper than the rest.
The System's voice rang lightly in his head:
> [Potential Villagers detected.]
[Recruitment Option Available.]
Uther stepped out from cover, his voice calm and steady.
"Hey! It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you," he called out.
The group froze, clearly ready to bolt.
Uther raised both hands to show he wasn't armed.
"You're free now. I'm not a noble, not a slaver.
I'm rebuilding this place, and I could use some help."
The older man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you?"
"I'm Uther," he said, speaking simply. "I own this land now — or what's left of it.
It's not much, but it's better than running or starving out there."
The young woman hugged her basket closer. "You want us... to serve you?"
Uther shook his head.
"No. I'm offering you a place to live and work, fair and square.
No chains. No collars. Just people helping each other survive and build something better."
Silence stretched between them.
Then the blacksmith stepped forward, voice rough.
"I can forge tools and weapons... if you really mean what you say."
The young woman stepped forward too, hesitantly.
"I can work the fields. Grow food. Whatever the village needs."
Finally, the older man gave a tired laugh.
"I used to run an inn. Maybe that's still useful."
Uther smiled, feeling a little relief.
"Sounds good to me. I need all three of you."
The System flashed brightly:
> [Recruits Accepted.]
[Villagers Added: Blacksmith (Garrick), Farmer (Elena), Innkeeper (Borin).]
[Village Population: 3.]
[Special Functions Unlocked: Smithy Construction | Farmland Development | Inn Establishment.]
Uther pointed toward the repaired house.
"You can settle there for now. It's not much, but it's safe.
We'll build more soon. I'll need your help to make this village stand."
He paused and gave them a small, confident smile.
"I'm not a perfect leader, but if you give it your best, so will I."
The three exchanged looks — then followed him without hesitation.
The Mysterious Village had just gained its first real residents.
With the new villagers settled and the first house repaired, Uther knew it was time to get down to business.
The village had potential, but it needed structure — it needed resources.
The System gave him a quick rundown of the current status:
> [Current Status: 1 House Rebuilt | 4 Remaining.]
[Special Functions Unlocked: Smithy, Farm, Inn.]
[Mission: Build Smithy, Farm, and Inn.]
[Materials: 50 Stone, 30 Wood, 20 Mana.]
It was a start, but not enough.
Uther turned to the new villagers, who were already starting to help clear debris around the area.
"Garrick, I need you to make some farm tools. Hoes, sickles, maybe a few axes. The ground here is wild, and we need to start growing something useful soon.
Once you're done with that, you can start thinking about a proper blacksmithing station," Uther said, his tone direct.
Garrick nodded. "I'll need some time, but I can manage. We'll need iron, too."
Uther raised an eyebrow. "We'll figure that out later. For now, just focus on the tools we need for planting and building. The basics."
"Understood," Garrick replied, already looking for a place to set up a rudimentary forge.
Uther turned to Elena, the young farmer. "I need you to start clearing a small patch of land for planting. Don't go too far — stay close in case there are any monsters or wild beasts lurking around. We need food, and we need it now."
Elena smiled, the weight of her task sinking in. "I'll get right on it."
Uther's eyes then moved to Borin, the innkeeper. "We're going to need a place for people to rest. I'll start building the foundations for the inn, but I need you to figure out supplies. We're going to need a basic kitchen, some beds, and storage."
Borin gave a knowing nod. "I'll start organizing what we have. You just focus on the structure. I'll make sure we're ready for anyone who arrives."
With the tasks assigned, Uther turned his attention to the Smithy, Farm, and Inn.
The Smithy
Uther didn't waste time. He activated the Smithy Construction option on the System.
> [Initiating Smithy Construction: 20 Wood, 10 Stone, 10 Mana.]
[Estimated Time: 2 hours.]
The ground rumbled faintly as glowing lines of magic appeared in the air, creating a framework for the smithy.
Wood planks flew into place, stone foundations grew from the ground, and the structure began to take shape quickly.
In the meantime, Uther walked over to the empty land beside the ruins where Elena had started clearing. He paused, watching her work as she carefully cut through weeds and tall grass with a crude knife.
"Keep going, Elena. It'll be worth it," Uther said, giving her a brief nod before heading back toward the construction site.
The Inn and the New House
Uther had the Inn on his mind, but he didn't want to overcomplicate things. The first step was simple: build a second house, but larger and better suited to become an inn.
The System helped with the plans as usual:
> [Initiating House Construction: 15 Wood, 10 Stone, 5 Mana.]
[Estimated Time: 1 hour.]
Once the second house was up, Uther could make the necessary modifications to turn it into a comfortable inn. Beds, a hearth, and a simple kitchen — that was the bare minimum.
While the house was being built, Uther looked over to Garrick, who was already at work forging some simple farm tools.
He was using scrap metal from the dungeon, hammering it into workable shapes.
Uther nodded in approval. "That's good. We'll need more metal later for proper weapons and tools. For now, focus on the hoes and sickles."
The Work Continues
After a couple of hours, the smithy was mostly constructed, with Garrick already setting up the forge to heat the metal.
The second house — soon to be the inn — was nearing completion, with Borin already scoping out the best layout for beds and storage.
Elena, meanwhile, had cleared a sizable portion of land, ready to plant her first crops. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Uther walked back to the village core, his mind racing through the next steps.
The village was small, but it had momentum.
"Alright," Uther muttered to himself, "next steps. We need more wood, more stone, and more people... but I can manage that later."
With a glance at his growing village, Uther finally allowed himself a small smile.
For the first time since he found the ring, he felt like he was really building something.
---
Current Status:
Smithy: Under Construction
Inn: Under Construction (second house being modified)
Farm: 1/3 cleared, crops ready to be planted
Village Population: 3 (Garrick, Elena, Borin)
---