The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

All people hidden in the wagons were silent as they crossed the fog that swirled and moved around in various sized clouds. Idna was sure she would never find her way around if she needed to cross it alone, but Lanka told her that once she received the magic guild seal, the fog outside of Avalon would disappear altogether. The fog was magical in its nature in order to obscure the view of Avalon and the road that led to the Village under Avalon.

The wagons crossed the long drawbridge and the people within them were terrified when they passed through the largest gatehouse they had ever seen. But what they saw on the other side was just like a dream. It was the most beautiful village they ever saw and in front of them was the large town square over which a giant guild hall stood. The air was clear and the soft, warm sun was shining.

"Welcome! Welcome to the Village under Avalon! My name is Uvar Knys and by the will of the King, I'm its first mayor. I'm also the Guild Master of this guild. We must decide on the name, but we are in business." The biggest orc Idna had ever seen in her life greeted them when they entered the building.

"Guild Master? Have you already returned?" Lanka asked in surprise as she wagged her tail. "I thought your trip would take more time!"

"Nah! Fuellar’s skills let us travel much faster now. Anything exciting on the way?" He dismissed her with a smile.

"Nothing in a positive sense, anyway. We were attacked by a large party of slavers. Ori and Aron took them to the guards. Neffli is with them to wake them up."

"Slavers? But you’re good, I hope?" His smile was tinged with concern.

"Fortunately. But we would be in big trouble if not for Avalon’s Thunder Eagle that watched over us. They summoned a lvl 40 Ifrit."

"Ifrit? That high level? Hmmm..." Knys scratched his chin.

"The Eagle captured the slaver leader here. Maybe the King will get something from him." Lanka shrugged.

She yawned as they were four days into their journey, only taking short stops needed for the horses to rest. Lanka saw families reuniting and talking, while women and children welcomed their parents that they had already mourned. Idna was in line, waiting for her magic stamp. Lanka sat at the broad desk similar to the ones she saw in taverns and stretched herself over it.

This place was quite empty except for a few decorations, of which the most incredible was the trophy they received for passing Avalon’s trials. It was shaped like a heater shield and embossed with a golden scale, its right side raised. She smiled as she stroked her staff that had an even more powerful effect than the one she cast away that day. However, there was one thing she didn't recognise.

When Idna's turn came as the last person to receive a stamp, she decided to have hers placed on her shoulder, as they were told it was better to have it in a mostly covered place. It was a small, discreet stamp that looked like a green shield, but it was supposed to change itself later when her sister guild decided on its new name and symbol. Idna was looking around, shocked at how fresh and wealthy everything looked.

"Aaah! Idna! Hello Lass." Ikki welcomed her with a big grin.

"Mister Ikki! It's so good to see a familiar face."

She knew him as he frequently was present in the previous guild hall in the capital, which was much smaller than this. She unfastened her shirt a bit to uncover her shoulder, on which Ikki gently pressed a magic stamp.

"Very soon you'll be familiar with everyone around. May I apprise ya' of happenings around here?" Ikki casually asked.

"Yes, sure. But why?" she asked, buttoning down her shirt. The magic stamp resonated in her soul with a pleasant feeling of being at home.

"We are looking for someone to work as a receptionist in the guild hall, but we have had no luck so far..." Ikki focused and used a skill. "Haha! Uvar!"

•••

I was standing at the small gate to the village. The Adventurers brought the horses and wagons back and wanted to give me something. I bet they captured a few more slavers. That was good, since the one brought up earlier had poisoned himself. That deep conviction, or perhaps even devotion, was deeply unsettling. Galahad and twenty other skeleton knights waited behind me.

"My King!" I saw a dwarf tank and human fencer coming my way and holding a few horses by their reins. The last wagon was led by a… Ummm... Catgirl? SysBro help. Ahh, the Nekomi. The same race as Lanka then. Thank God for my poker face skill.

"Welcome, Ori. I'm glad you made it back safely. You wanted to see me?" I asked with a smile.

"That's true, my King. After your Eagle flew away with its prey in talons, we dispatched the rest of these bandits with ease." I smiled hearing him speaking slowly since I knew he was having difficulty with more formal speech manners, but I must admit he was trying his best.. He continued with a happy grin. "We have brought them all here!"

"That's good information indeed." I smiled widely and turned my head toward my Skeleton Scion. "Galahad, take them to the prison."

"Should I dispel the sleep spell, my King?" Neffli asked with a polite bow.

"Hmmm. Maybe not for now. The one captured by the Eagle managed to poison himself before we could interrogate him. So before they wake up, we must check them to make sure they stay alive to answer our questions." I answered, hoping that this time I would have more luck. l watched as a wagon with bandits was taken away by my Skeletons. I looked at the trio and smiled. "So brave adventurers, what reward do you want for bringing me these hopefully talkative gifts?"

They looked at each other, smiling.

"If your Majesty would be so kind..."

•••

"You're joking, right?" Idna was gazing at her sister.

They were standing in front of the big two-story house. It was mostly painted in white, with its beams partially exposed and coated in a warm green colour. This entire place was so wonderful.

"I'm serious, sis! Come in!" Lanka opened the door with the key she had in her pocket and they entered inside.

Idna timidly entered right behind her sister into the short, but comfortable corridor. Lanka was already taking off her travel cape and shoes. Idna, who barely had anything with her, was looking around, awestruck, focusing on a wonderful painting hung near a small wooden wardrobe and a medium-sized mirror. Her sister laughed as she took Idna's luggage and tossed it in the corner. She was towed towards a nearby room by Lanka and was struck speechless. She was now in the grand bathroom.

•••

"And what should I do now, Amber?" I was lying on the ground in the gardens and Amber was holding my head on her lap.

"I don't know Theon. I never suspected there was something more to slavers. I mean... Nobles usually hold slaves for various purposes or just use them for hard labour, but I never had any idea that the slavers’ operations were this extensive." I felt her shiver. Even I felt discomfort when I read the report from Sebastian detailing how he had managed to break a few prisoners and forced them to talk.

"They capture hundreds of people across the kingdom, and that so-called queen does nothing to stop them. She even covers for them." I once again recounted what we both had heard. "One day, she will come here. I'm tempted to outright respond with violence."

"I don't blame you. I don't even want to hear about her," Amber smiled. "It's so strange... It's been just two weeks, Theon. Two weeks ago, I was no one. And now I'm saying I don't want to even see or hear about the Queen of this land."

"Nah... That Josla or whatever is not a Queen here. You are my Queen and the Queen of Avalon." I smiled, delighted with the soft sun and with Amber delicately patting my head. With a sigh, I concluded. "But except for that, they knew nothing. I asked Arani to send scouts to the slaver camps we learned about to try to find anything more, but even in the worst-case scenario, at least we can get rid of camps that are too close to Avalon."

I felt Amber's gorgeous long loose hair cover my face, and I noticed that her hair smelled like strawberries. She kissed me with a long kiss that was fantastic and very relaxing.

"What's that for?" I asked, surprised but very happy.

"Because I wanted to." She giggled.

We saw Verni and Ragnar approaching us. I was still laying with no intention of moving even a bit. I'm technically the King and what's more important, the Dungeon, so I don't have to conduct myself with decorum when I don't feel I like or want to.

"Welcome Master Craftsmen. What brings you here?" I asked with a warm smile while both of them bowed to us. Then I saw something was wrong with them.

"We heard today that Adventurers from the village were allowed to bring their families, your Highnesses. We wanted to ask if we could bring our families here as well."

I sprang up with cold sweat on my back. Oh fuck...

"But of course! I'm so sorry... I just assumed that..."

"That we, like everyone else, don't have anyone else?" Verni smiled. "We figured that out recently, Sire."

"That is not an excuse. Who do you want to bring here?" I asked, a bit embarrassed with my own overlooking.

"I have a younger sister that stayed at home. I'd like to bring her here. Our parents passed away a few years ago. Except for her, I have no one, my King," Ragnar answered with a bow.

"I have a brother who is a miner so his skills might be of use to you, my King. And when I left for the city, my parents were still alive. My younger sister found herself a husband, so I'm not sure if..." I raised my hand a bit and interrupted Verni.

"If she, with her husband, wish to come here, you can bring them to Avalon. Take some carts, wagons and horses. You can post a quest for the adventurers in town to accompany you. No. You have to. The roads are uncertain and I can't spare you any of my soldiers." I saw their happy faces as they bowed before leaving quickly to get supplies and start their travel. "Be safe," I called after them.

While they practically ran toward Middle Castle, or as I was calling it the City now, I looked at Amber. She was as shaken as I was.

"God damn it, Amber... I..." I stuttered. But she just pulled me and I found myself laying on the ground once again as she patted my cheek.

"Theon, they don't hold any grudges over that. They are probably just angry at themselves because they never asked you about that. You saved us all! You gave us Avalon!" She tried to cheer me up.

I just sighed and allowed her to pat my head. In some sense, she was right.

I was not obliged to save any of them. They might even be counted among the collaterals that Eriar mentioned back then. But all the people I allowed to live among these walls became important to me. They anchored my soul back to humanity and reminded me constantly about my purpose.

•••

Idna was standing behind the counter in the guild hall, wearing her brand-new uniform. She was wearing a lovely white-green skirt and wonderful matching shoes she got yesterday from the Guild Master, as well as some money. A little bell rang when someone entered. She smiled with her best bright smile at the two dwarves she had never seen before, who quickly approached her.

"Welcome to our Guild Hall! My name is Idna. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Miss Idna. We would like to post a Quest and we are in a bit of a hurry."

"Of course. What are the details?" Still smiling, she showed them to a nearby table where they all sat down. She picked up a clay tablet, ready to take notes.

"Miss Idna, my name is Verni. My friend and I would like to ask for ten Emerald Shields who would protect our travel route from Avalon to the fortress city of Qar to the north,” one dwarf started.

Idna paused taking notes and looked at them both, surprised. She discreetly tried to appraise them, but she was too low level. Or what's more probable they were too high for her. The Guild Master warned her that only people who would call them Emerald Shields would be the ones living in Avalon. She heard rumours about a little girl who was a Phantom Ranger.

"I'm sorry mister Verni to correct you, but our guild still has not yet decided on a name and the Emerald Shield guild was disbanded." She explained. "However, that is not a problem, Sirs. We will gladly accept your quest. What form of reward shall I post?"

"About that... My name is Ragnar and I'm a smith in the service of the King of Avalon. I'm a level 58 Master Blacksmith. I can offer forging weapons to anyone who aids us."

The scriber fell from Idna's grip. She looked at the dwarf with her jaw dropped. Her receptionist skills couldn't help her with her shock. A level 58?! She looked at Mr Verni, smiled.

"Miss Idna, I'm a level 55 Master Artificer. I also offer my services. I think you should consult with the Guild Master if our form of compensation will be sufficient."

•••

I laughed in my build mode as I saw the chaos that erupted in the Village upon hearing about the expected pay. All fifteen active adventurers prepared for the escort mission. They would be out for at least six days, plus who knows how long until they convinced their families to go to Avalon.

With them leaving, I ordered my two Skeleton Knights and ten archers to guard the gatehouse connecting Village with the outside world. With Verni and Ragnar still in the Village, but with all the other adventurers preparing for travel, I thought it would be a good idea to have it protected.

•••

I neglected my dungeon part for far too long, so it was time I started making some serious preparations for a large wave of adventurers. The time for refurbishing is now.

The village under Avalon is behind Section Eight and Section Nine. Section Eight is where my wheat and hops grew, while Section Nine was a normal dungeon. Well, normal in my book and not what people in this world were used to. Both sections were connected with the village by much smaller gates. The one connecting the village with Avalon City was more convenient for my residents in case they needed anything from adventurers. The gate connecting Village with Section Nine, however, was for the convenience of adventurers and their future expedition into my grounds.

I moved the cave entrance from Section Two to Section Ten. Surprisingly, I could do that immediately and that made me think about adding some labyrinths with moving walls. Section Two was almost on the other side of the dungeon grounds from the Village and any trip there might take a very long time for adventurers. Also, Section Ten was closer to Ragnar's workshop, so it would be easier for him to get materials for his work.

And here we found the problem. I could deepen my cave system with each level possibly as wide as my entire domain above the ground, but there was no point in doing so right now. With each level down, I got random nodes and maybe a spawner. Nodes, however, included food, resources and animal nodes. Resources nodes diverted additionally to nodes that require mining, foraging or gathering.

Yeh. I know. What is the fucking difference between foraging and gathering? Behold: foraging was just picking up resources like mushrooms, berries or even mana-infused stones in dungeons while Gathering would require additional actions like cutting trees or digging out potatoes. Did you know about such differences? I didn't.

My problem with this system was my high expectations or, more precisely, greed. I want mithril, adamantine, or any other top-grade magical metal I could get. But they are above rare- they were legendary materials. I couldn’t hope to be this lucky and get the resources I want from RNG, especially since I knew the first rule about RNG. She was a bitch.

So it was time to employ my plan B.

While I didn't have mithril, I had XXI-century advanced alloys, so I could work with them for now. When I got these alloys, I made their patterns, which are this world’s equivalent of a recipe, blueprint and processes needed to receive the end product. Patterns included everything in one simple form. To receive patterns, I usually needed a few pieces of the same item, but while I was creating patterns of alloys, metal nodes were unlocked at the beginning of the process. Just after dissolving one or two items to make a pattern, their metal nodes were ready to be placed.

I was still going to get anything possible made from mithril. Why? Because mithril is badass. I already questioned my dwarves about it and they confirmed everything I hoped mithril was, plus it was empowering magic when used as weapon material or weakening magic, intending to hurt the wearer.

My Pixies received the mission of obtaining any piece of mithril they could find, but it's not like I would hold my breath waiting until they return.

I left the cemetery in Section Three with the mausoleum. I planned to connect Section Ten (the cave entrance), Section Three (the mausoleum), and Section Nine, which was currently empty. They would be connected to each other by the underground tunnel system. My only problem was to not accidentally connect all of that to the middle castle’s underground system, which was a much more difficult dungeon I created for my residents to level up and hone their skills.

With that in mind, I can finally start shaping my Section Ten and Section Six to be more presentable for expected adventurers.

Section Ten seemed to be easier to finish, with the cave entrance already placed on the inside wall where I had the room to play. This would be my forest zone, so with that in mind, I started to plant trees and considered a small stream. And since I'm a Dungeon, the rules of nature don't apply to me, so I can safely ignore the consequences of having a spring and stream within my walls.

Ekhem... Like suicidal orcs blowing up my walls. Ekhem...

The spring would be placed near the entrance to the caves, forming a widening rivulet that would delicately meander its way toward a small lake or big pond near the gate to Section Nine.

Which was empty. Shut up! I told you earlier I'm a noob dungeon.

Anyway, Section Ten now had a stream, a lake, and a moderately dense forest. Now came the thing that fucking blew my mind. Not every tree was a wood node. What does that mean? You can chop any tree down and process it as you would on Earth to get usable timber. So how is the node different? Drumroll: It fucking respawned every twenty-four hours. That's it, ladies and gentlemen! With enough wood nodes, I could make a never-ending forest.

On a side note: It seems like everyone who is not a Dungeon has a skill that told them what was and was not a node, but as for me, I simply read the description.

So I had my Section Ten set. Was it lazy? Probably. Did I care? Hell no! It was a very nice looking solid forest-type zone populated with level 10 mobs like wolves, spiders and snakes. I had placed there a few tree nodes and some herbal nodes that generated low-grade healing herbs. I was still short on animal nodes, or maybe I had no clue how they worked at all. My best guess right now was that I needed to catch or otherwise domesticate a wild animal and use it as a base for a spawner or animal node.

So of the ten sections in my lower castle, two were used as farm grounds for my residents and my residents, who, in turn, sold food to adventurers from the Village. Interestingly, I received mana from these transactions. Looks like the money I collected as tax and other fees from inhabitants of the Village was deposited right into my mana pool.

I could only grin now...