Eternal Empire - Kingdom Building

Although Laura was skeptical about David's claim of a "better environment," her curiosity about the person he was taking her to see kept her from objecting.

Laura was clever and suspected that they were headed to meet Addis, the old hunter who had raised David and taught him the ways of the hunt.

As they walked through the outer city of Iron Tree Fort, they gradually saw scattered houses ahead. David explained that the threat of elves in the Iron Tree Forest to the northwest had prompted the fort to establish a stronghold in that direction. Consequently, as development progressed, people began avoiding settlement in the northwest.

Most civilians who settled around Iron Tree Fort chose the southern side. The houses and buildings there outnumbered those in the west by more than three to one, and the civilian population was even larger. A small number of people lived in the southwest, but for various reasons, the population was much smaller there. The fortifications primarily defended against threats from the Iron Tree Forest. While the northern pass secured the road leading north, the southwestern area was left relatively weak in defense and was closer to the forest, presenting certain risks for those living there.

“Generally, the residents in this area are mostly woodcutters and hunters,” David explained. “It’s easier for them to head into the nearby forest for firewood and game.”

“You used to live in this place?” Laura asked.

“Yeah.”

Because of the lower population density, the houses here weren’t crammed together like in the outer city, resulting in much less “domestic garbage” and a relatively “better” environment.

After walking for a while, David and Laura stopped outside a wooden house. Compared to the other structures they had seen, this one appeared much neater and cleaner. It surrounded a yard with a fence, where various flowers and plants bloomed. The fragrance from the flowers provided a welcome relief from the unpleasant odors wafting through the air.

“Is this it? The environment really is nice!” Laura exclaimed, surprised. She had expected Addis to be a rough man with a beard and a messy home filled with furs or fresh game. She never anticipated such a picturesque scene.

It wasn’t just Laura who was surprised; David felt a twinge of astonishment himself. What happened here? he wondered. He had been away for over two years—why had everything changed so much?

As he scanned the surroundings, he confirmed that aside from the flowers in the yard, everything else remained familiar.

“Could it be…” he mused. Has the old bachelor settled down?

Realizing it would be inappropriate to barge in unannounced, he stood outside the yard and called out, “Addis! I’m David! I’m back to see you!”

Normally, he would have offered some sarcastic greeting, but he’d restrained himself. However, he soon realized he might have jumped to conclusions.

The wooden door creaked open, revealing not a “mother” but a small, thin child who stood at the threshold and peered at David. “Addis went into the Iron Tree Forest this morning. He hasn’t come back yet.”

“I’m David. Did Addis mention me to you?” David asked, quickly piecing together the situation. It seemed Addis had taken in another child.

Upon closer inspection, David noticed the child was quite thin, with a handsome, fair face. His skin appeared delicate, not what one would expect from a child living in such conditions. A cloth strip was tied around the child’s head, leading David to think he might be injured and recovering at home. Typically, Addis would take a child with him hunting, teaching them the skills needed to become a qualified hunter.

“Yes, I’ve heard him mention you,” the child replied.

Just then, an old hunter with a graying beard approached, his voice carrying from a distance. “Alfie, didn’t I tell you to stay inside?”

“...” The child named Alfie froze and instinctively took a half-step back, as if fearing he had done something wrong. He stammered, “I only opened the door when I heard him say his name is David…”

“Did he just say he’s David? You’re such a fool! I can’t imagine how you’ll survive in the future!” the old hunter roared, his voice drowning out Alfie's defense, growing even louder in the process.

“Hey!” David exclaimed, sensing something off. While Addis had never been easygoing, he wasn’t this irritable. Beneath his harsh tone, the concern was clear. This child’s identity must be complicated. “Old man, your temper’s gotten worse, but your eyes are worse than ever! Don’t you recognize me?”

Addis approached David, casually tossing a hare and a pheasant into the yard. He looked David straight in the eyes. “You’ve changed a lot, but that familiar, punchable expression hasn’t changed a bit.”

He opened his arms and pulled David into a hug. “I heard about the Blazers and thought you’d never come back.”

“It’s not that easy for me to die,” David replied, embracing Addis and giving the old hunter a hearty pat on the back. “Don’t you still expect me to take care of you?”

As Addis released him, a smile spread across his face. “So, you plan to settle down and be a hunter in Iron Tree Fort this time?”

In Addis's mind, David should have chosen to abandon his dreams like the other pioneers had. He assumed David's choice to return was influenced by the woman beside him. Once a man feels responsible, unrealistic aspirations take a backseat.

“What’s the girl’s name?” he asked, glancing at Laura.

“Laura Crawford. You can just call me Laura.” Laura had been working hard to learn the common language of this world, and her ordinary talent made her fluent enough to communicate easily.

“Laura… Crawford?” Addis's surprise was evident as he scrutinized Laura, recognizing her uniqueness.

Without further comment, he warmly invited them into his home.

Addis’s house, a wooden structure, was much larger than the new log cabins David had seen in Cold Winter Village. The interior was more complex, with several separated rooms.

As they entered, they found a spacious living room furnished with a wooden table, chairs, and shelves for weapons and trophies.

David took a moment to look around. Everything was just as he remembered.

He set his backpack and hunting bow aside, and once Laura settled in, David noticed Alfie in the kitchen, processing the prey Addis had thrown into the yard. The boy shot curious glances at David from time to time.

David returned Alfie’s smile and turned back to Addis, explaining that he hadn’t given up on being a pioneer; he had returned to Iron Tree Fort with plans to be a hunter: “The pioneering team I was with faced many challenges, but we ultimately succeeded in establishing a village.”

“Oh? Success?” Addis's eyes widened. As a member of the Kingdom of Tilan, he understood the significance of successfully building a village. “But I heard from those who returned earlier that the environment up north is terrible. It’s impossible to establish a village there.”

“I got lucky. After becoming the village head, I discovered a wild crop. Now I’ve started reclaiming a large area of land to plant it.”

“Wait… You just said you became the village head?” Addis's shock stemmed not from David discovering new crops or planting them on a large scale, but from the fact that David had risen to such a position. Now it all makes sense—David returned to Iron Tree Fort for this reason. “So, you came back this time…”

“To make Winter Village an official territory of the kingdom.”

As David articulated his ambition, Addis straightened up in disbelief, leaning back in his chair. He instinctively reached for the small water bottle hanging at his waist, opened it, and took a few pauses to collect himself.

“This joke isn’t funny at all.”

“I’m not joking.” David’s gaze locked onto Addis, who stared back, wide-eyed, searching for any hint of deception on David’s face.

The two men held each other's gaze for more than a minute until Addis finally sighed, breaking the tension. “It’s actually true… I can’t believe it. You really did it.”

Addis shook his head, taking a deep breath. A hint of color rose to his face and neck. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks!”

Addis turned toward the kitchen and shouted, “Alfie! Cook the rabbit and pheasant for dinner to celebrate David becoming the village chief!”

“Okay!” came Alfie’s voice from the kitchen.

David watched the child work diligently, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. This child—my successor? Knowing Addis’s habit of adopting and training children to hunt, David had figured Addis would want someone to take care of him when he could no longer hunt.

But when David shifted the conversation to Alfie, Addis’s expression grew strange, as if he were holding back something.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, nothing!” Addis hesitated for a moment but ultimately said nothing.

Yet, David noticed Addis’s wary glance at Laura as he hesitated, suggesting there might be more beneath the surface.