-----
Ding!
[You have exchanged 50 Soul Points and a large quantity of wood.]
[You have successfully built your first building, the [Large Community Wooden House (E Grade)]!]
-----
[Large Community Wooden House (E Grade)]
[Building Type]: [Dwelling Home]
[Building Capacity]: [Three Floors]
[Building Durability]: [500/500]
[Building Abilities]: [Magic Chimney] [Good Night Sleep] [Air Conditioner] [Max Coziness]
[Upgrade Requirements]: [50 Soul Points] [Wood] [Stone]
-----
"Oh, it even has abilities. Just like in the game," I said, a deep sense of satisfaction blooming in my chest. "Magic Chimney runs on mana instead of wood. Good Night Sleep boosts recovery and keeps everyone healthy while they rest. The Air Conditioner regulates temperature, and Max Coziness raises happiness levels."
"Hmm? What does all that mean?" my mother asked, puzzled. "Ah, never mind—we need to bring everyone here! Three floors, beds everywhere, a bathroom, and even a kitchen?!"
"Yeah, it has everything," I replied. "No fridge yet, but there's an underground storage room for food and supplies."
"T-This is amazing!" my mother exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. "It's truly a miracle! You're incredible, Brunhild!"
"Naaah…" I muttered, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Well… maybe I am pretty awesome. Anyway, let's bring everyone inside."
I stepped out with my mother and quickly gathered the tribe. There weren't enough beds for everyone, but the people brought their belongings and soon settled in comfortably.
"Oh wow, it's so warm in here!"
"So cozy…"
"Ah, my feet were freezing—this chimney is incredible!"
"I've never slept in such a comfortable bed before…"
"Three floors?! Can you really build something this big?!"
"Brunhild, how did you even build this?" my father asked, disbelief clear in his voice.
"This is incredible! Magnus can finally sleep comfortably in a big bed—thank you," my sister said gratefully.
"It still feels a little small for the entire tribe, but the fact that we can all fit inside is already amazing," said one of the Elders as she approached. It was the old woman with the scaled hand. "Brunhild, you have once again proven your remarkable abilities. I thank you on behalf of the entire tribe."
"It's nothing," I replied. "Tomorrow I plan to build more structures. That's why I hunted so much myself—when I finish something off personally, I can extract their energy and use it as a resource. I still need other materials, though."
"I see. What an incredible power… it truly feels divine," the Elder said, nodding thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin. "Very well. Tomorrow we'll organize groups to bring you living creatures you can finish yourself, so you can gather this energy. Any other conditions?"
"Nope—wait, really?!" I blinked in surprise at how readily she agreed.
"Of course. You're our pillar right now. It's only natural that we support you so you can support us," the Elder said warmly. "Now… I'm exhausted. There's much to do tomorrow. We were all so depressed, just enduring the cold however we could. You and your miracles have warmed our hearts once more. Thank you, dear."
She smiled gently, patted my head, and headed upstairs to claim a bed on the second floor.
"I feel like we're forgetting someone…" I said, glancing at Fenrir sleeping peacefully by the chimney, surrounded by children nestled against his fur. "Ah, Scaly!"
I hurried outside to the small intact tent. A faint magic barrier shimmered there, still protecting the wyvern.
When I stepped inside, Scaly lay on the floor, groaning in confusion. He must have woken during the fighting and screams but had been too injured to move.
"Scaly! Come on, let me take you to a warm home."
"Raaarr!" He snapped his jaws at me angrily.
I dodged easily, wrapped him snugly in my demon wolf coat like a giant burrito, and lifted him into my arms while he grumbled and thrashed, slapping me with his tail. "Hahaha, calm down. It's okay. I'll bring you somewhere warm."
Once inside, I carried him over to my brother's side. He gradually settled, though he remained wary with so many people nearby.
"Everyone, please don't provoke Scaly," I called out to those on the second floor. "He'll behave as long as you leave him alone." They nodded and gave the beast space to rest beside his master.
"Alright—wait, I'm forgetting something else too…" I dashed out through the window, leaped down, and ran back to where I had left them.
The bodies of the lizardman pack leader and his mate still lay embraced, already half-covered in fresh snow.
"Ah shoot, I wonder if the egg's fine?"
I gently shifted the female's carcass and checked the egg inside her. To my surprise, I felt a faint but steady heartbeat.
"Just how hardy are these people?"
I stood there with my arms crossed, warming both bodies with healing flames as I considered what to do.
"He asked me to take care of his child…"
I sighed, gazing at the night sky while the storm continued to blanket me with snow.
[You are a kindhearted person, Brunhild. Follow your heart.]
Freyja appeared beside me, whispering like a little devil—or perhaps my own small angel.
"You think so? But won't the villagers get angry?"
[Does it matter? You're their savior now. I'm sure they can accommodate one small lizardman you'll raise.]
"R-Raising it? Wow, this isn't like raising a pet. They're sapient, so… it'll be more like adopting a child. Am I really ready for this?" I wondered.
[Will you let the child die, Brunhild?]
"…No, I can't."
I stopped hesitating. Using a knife, I carefully opened the carcass and retrieved the large, watermelon-sized white egg. It felt warmer now, cradled in my healing magic.
"Haaa… come on, let's go."
After storing the carcasses in my inventory—intending to give the couple a proper burial later so their child could visit them one day—I walked back to the wooden house and shut the door firmly behind me.
"I'm back," I said. "This time I think I retrieved everything."
As I stepped inside, my family and the others still awake on the first floor turned to me with curiosity.
"An egg?" my sister asked, spoon halfway to her mouth of stew. "What's that? Are we going to eat it?"
"N-no! It's not for eating!" I said quickly. "It's… well…"
"…" My father seemed to understand right away. "I see. So the egg was still alive inside her. Incredible… it might be a miracle in itself."
"Huh? You know?" I asked.
"What's going on?" my mother asked.
"I don't understand either," my sister added.
"Hmm, well, before the lizardmen attacked, three fools brought in a female lizard they had hunted," my father explained. "She was much smaller than the ones we fought and completely defenseless while pregnant. The idiots even laughed about how she pleaded for her life… awful. What did their parents teach them? Couldn't they tell she was intelligent from the clothes she wore? Her partner must have tracked her scent, found her dead, and gone on a rampage."
"Yeah, I figured as much…" I said. "Did they live?"
"I saw them earlier," my dad sighed. "I wasn't going to say they deserved death. Stupid kids. I just hope they learn from this."
As I nodded at my father's words, my mother and sister clearly opposed the idea of me raising the egg.
"Brunhild, throw that egg away," my mother said.
"Wait, what? Why?!" I asked.
"Don't you understand?" my mother sighed. "That egg could bring a lot of trouble! What if they come back for it and attack us again? What if the child is important to them?"
"If it's important, then isn't it better if we keep it alive?" I countered. "If we throw it away and they find it dead, they'll resent us just the same."
"I guess so, but this is a human tribe. Lizardmen are another species entirely—we don't even know what language they speak," my sister said. "They're too different! Are you planning to raise it as your pet?"
"No, I'll raise it… as my little sibling," I said. "Children adapt to any language as they grow. The baby will learn ours just by hearing us every day."
"Still, the entire village may discriminate against the child," my father pointed out.
"I'm the hero and the savior here, Dad," I smiled. "I'll soon become chief. Do you think I'll let them speak badly about the baby when I'm the one raising it? No way."
My parents sighed, clearly unhappy with the idea. But I knew my brother would support me once he woke up.
"I'll do it not just for myself, but for my brother… and to take responsibility for the mistake our tribe made," I said. "I'm sure he would agree if he were awake. He's always taught us that every life is precious, right?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"And that lizardman, when he died… he didn't die like a beast," I continued, the memory still vivid. "He died crying, hugging his beloved. He pleaded with me. Even though I didn't understand his words, I understood their meaning. He asked me to take care of his child."
"He did?!" my father asked, surprised.
"I don't know why he would trust me—I literally killed him and so many of his men," I sighed. "But somehow… he didn't hate me. Maybe he recognized my strength, or maybe he saw I wasn't a bad person. I don't know. But he trusted me. I don't want to betray that trust, and I don't want his sacrifice to be meaningless if his child dies today."
"Brunhild… you're too nice sometimes," my sister said, walking toward me. "Give me the egg. This isn't your responsibility."
"No, I won't give it away," I said.
"Brunhild, give it!" she insisted angrily.
"No!" I replied firmly. She tried to take it but quickly realized she couldn't make me budge.
"Damn it, why are you so strong!" she complained.
"Heheh," I chuckled, stepping back. "I won't let anybody take this egg from me! Even if you hate me for it, I don't care! Deal with it! If nobody here can beat me, then there's nothing you can do about it!"
I ran upstairs without hesitation. I was strong now—if anyone had a problem with my decision, they could come to me and settle it with their fists.
I chose a bed on the third floor in a small private room and sealed the door with a magic key available to me as Lord of this Territory.
I placed the egg over a small bonfire near a warm torch to keep it heated, then covered it with Healing Flames to nurture the child inside.
"Goodnight, little one," I sighed, gently caressing the egg as I felt the baby's steady heartbeat. "Your mom must have been a really sweet girl if your dad was willing to die for her… Your dad was also incredibly strong; he beat the hell out of me. I don't even know how I'm still alive, haha. I wonder if you'll be as strong as him? As the future chief, I'll make you an honorary member of the Red Fang."
As I slowly drifted off, my eyes opened once more in my Soul Sanctuary.
Amid the black void, dozens of souls wandered about, sometimes chasing one another.
"Alright everyone, it's time," Freyja said. "Brunhild."
"Yeah," I nodded.
I walked to the altar, touched it, and turned all the souls into spheres, guiding them toward their next lives.
Until only one remained—a very large sphere overflowing with power. This was my strongest foe so far, a formidable warrior of the lizardman tribe.
"I don't even know your name," I said as the soul slowly manifested before me once more.
He looked back at me, eyes full of sorrow and meaning. He didn't speak; it seemed he couldn't. He looked upward and sighed.
"Your wife must have already gone ahead of you… whether you'll find her in your next life is up to luck," I said. "Go now."
"…" He glanced back for a moment, then his mouth opened.
He spoke a few words in Soul Language, which I could now understand.
"Krarlak."
"…?"
"That is my name."
"…!"
He looked up with a heavy sigh.
"Human."
Then he met my eyes again, filled with emotions I couldn't fully comprehend.
Without another word, he looked upward and slowly began to ascend.
In the last moment, as if the words were difficult for him to say…
"Thank you."
I chuckled softly and nodded while looking up at him.
"I'll take care of the child, so go with peace of mind."
"…"
He nodded and disappeared into particles of light. I remained in silence, wishing I could also give farewells to everyone who had died in this battle.
But their destinies remained unknown to me. Ironically, I could only offer "salvation" to those I had taken down with my own hands.
I wonder if this is my purpose—what I'm meant to do, what I'm meant to be. A reaper of sorts? Or…
No.
That's not it.
I was never meant to be anything at all. I was dismissed without even receiving a blessing or a destiny.
I wasn't even allowed to choose my own reincarnation, haha.
I am truly someone without destiny or fate—someone who wanders aimlessly through this fantastic world full of wonders and tragedies.
[You earned 265 Soul Points.]
"Hm… he must have been worth about a hundred," I sighed. "Alright, I'm done here. Let's get some sleep."
I yawned, slowly opening my eyes as I returned to the real world, already looking forward to sleeping through the rest of the night.
The bed was wonderfully comfortable and the house pleasantly warm, so sleep came easily.
♢♢♢♢
Knock, knock!
"Brunhild!"
KNOCK, KNOCK!
"BRUNHILD!!!"
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
"OPEN THE DOOR!"
I opened my eyes groggily, far earlier than I had planned for my long nap. Sitting up in bed, I glared at the door in annoyance.
"Who the hell is bothering me this early?! Let me sleep for at least another hour! I'm exhausted!"
"And I lost a damn leg. Do you see me slacking?!"
"B-Brother?!"
I rushed to the door, unlocked it with the magic key, and found my brother standing there on one leg. The other was still bandaged, but he supported himself with a staff.
"Brother? Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I couldn't rest. There's a child here—a child calling for my help!"
"Eh?"
"That egg! I knew it! Why is that egg in here?! Where did you find it? It's already hatching!"
"Wait, what?!"
I watched my brother hop toward the egg in small leaps. I followed and saw that the egg was indeed hatching.
A faint chirping sound came from inside when we pressed our ears to the shell. Tiny cracks were spreading across the top.
Something was slowly pushing its way out.
"Brunhild, what egg is this?"
"It's… well, it's complicated."
I explained to my brother that this was the egg of the female lizardman the young hunters had mistakenly killed. Her death had provoked her mate and his subordinates to attack us.
"S-So this is… their child? A lizardman's egg—how fascinating," he said, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Brunhild, this is amazing! Let's raise this child!"
"W-What?" I was taken aback by his eagerness. "I mean… I was planning to do that anyway. I'm surprised you're so excited!"
"Why wouldn't I be?! It's a beautiful new life entering the world, and from such a unique species of people," Magnus said.
"Um, but your leg… and the fight yesterday. You don't hate them?" I asked.
"Now that I know why they attacked, how could I hate them?" he sighed. "If anything, I hate the fools who started this whole mess. Anyway… Ooh! Look! Look!"
I smiled, relieved to see my brother recovering and acting like his usual childish self again. He really never changed.
"Hm?"
I looked down and saw the eggshell cracking open. A small green-scaled hand with four fingers pushed through, breaking the shell.
It had tiny black claws and looked incredibly small, soft, and glistening.
"Aeeh…"
A little voice emerged from inside the egg, instantly melting our hearts.
We didn't interfere, letting the baby break free on its own.
Eventually, it did. Slowly, a pair of small yellow eyes appeared, staring up at us.
"Buuh… Kraak!"
The child made the most adorable sounds—a mix of human baby coos and tiny crocodile chirps.
"Awwwww!"
Both my brother and I clutched our chests, completely captivated by the precious little creature that had suddenly entered our lives.
"What is this little thing? It's so cute!" I said.
"I-It's a precious child!" my brother exclaimed. "Ah, isn't it wonderful? Life is truly beautiful, isn't it?"
"I… I guess so," I nodded. "Hi!"
I slowly extended my hand. The baby gently grasped my finger.
"Aeee… Kriak…"
"Aw, baby, what's wrong? Come on, break the shell—or eat it?"
The baby began nibbling on the eggshell. It seemed this was its first meal.
"Nam, nam…"
My brother nodded and started jotting notes in his small notebook. "I see, I see. So lizardman newborns eat their own eggshells at birth. I've seen some reptiles do the same."
"Really?" I asked, watching the baby with fascination.
After ten minutes, it finished eating and began moving around, letting out more little lizard sounds.
"Kuaaaah! Kuaaauh!"
It looked at me with big, expectant eyes. Unlike most reptiles, lizardmen apparently raised their young much like humans did.
"Ah, it's hungry! What should we feed him… or her?" I wondered. "Meat is fine, right?"
"Hmm, wait," my brother said. "We don't know yet. They could be herbivores, insectivores, or omnivores. We should be careful."
"How are we supposed to make sure it won't upset its tummy then?!" I panicked.
"Kuaaaahh!"
The baby kept crying and squirmed its chubby little hands. It was so small and adorable, with a tiny tail already wiggling behind it.
"Alright, calm down."
I tried to pick it up, but it angrily bit my hand.
"Ouch! Hey!"
"Kuaaauh!"
I opened my inventory and took out cooked meat, raw meat, fish, berries, nuts, edible herbs, mushrooms—and we didn't have any bugs.
I placed everything on a plate and let the baby choose.
"…Alright, eat up! See what you like."
"Auuhh!"
The baby somehow managed a cute little smile. It sniffed the food, licked the raw meat, and began eating with clear enjoyment.
After swallowing, it tried the berries, then the nuts, herbs, mushroom, cooked meat, and finally an entire small fish.
"Phew…"
When it finished, the baby flopped onto the nest with a big, satisfied belly.
"Wow, it ate everything?!" I asked.
"So they're omnivores like us. Interesting," my brother nodded. "Now we need to figure out diapers… or maybe it already knows how to use the bathroom?"
"Perhaps?" I said. "If it goes on the nest, I'll just clean it." I shrugged.
"For now, it seems to have fallen asleep," my brother observed. "You still have a lot to do today, right? Go ahead. I'll watch the child. I'm still healing anyway." He sat on my bed. "It's a good excuse to watch this little one grow."
"Well, if you insist… fine. Did you have breakfast?" I asked.
"No, I'm starving…" he sighed.
"Haaa… okay, I'll bring you some." I hurried downstairs, greeting people as I went.
Once downstairs, I heard voices outside. The village had returned to normal. More tents had been raised, and bonfires burned everywhere as people cooked, talked, and ate.
My parents were right outside our house, cooking at the tent they had moved nearby. It seemed they weren't abandoning their original home anytime soon.
"Brunhild, you're awake!" my mother called. "Dear… I wanted to apologize for yesterday…"
She walked toward me, looking genuinely remorseful.
"We were rude last night. We didn't consider how you felt about everything," she sighed. "And technically, we're alive because of you… We shouldn't have tried to control you like that."
"Mom…" I was surprised. "I'm… really surprised. Thank you."
"Yeah, you can raise that lizardman child as long as you keep it in line, okay?" my sister added. "I hope it doesn't turn savage and start biting people."
"I'll try my best, but it already bit me," I chuckled. "It's really cute, though. Big bro is taking care of it right now. He said he wants to help raise it."
"Wait, your brother's awake?!" My father ran toward me, still chewing on a sandwich. "Ah, right—let's bring him breakfast. You too! Eat!" He tried to hand me his half-eaten sandwich.
"Uh, keep that for yourself, Dad," I said, gently pushing it back. "Mom, is there more food? Or are we running low on reserves?"
"We still have plenty of stew. I keep adding water, meat, and whatever mushrooms we find. I plan to make it a family stew that never runs out," she laughed.
"Sounds like a good idea," I nodded. "Here, I've got plenty of meat from yesterday. We should distribute it around the village. Is everyone managing with food?"
"Not everyone. Some people were asking for food, and others went hunting," my father said.
"Hm, alright," I nodded. "Can you call Grandpa? We need to share the big bounty we hunted yesterday with everyone."
After calling my grandfather, we gathered the villagers and divided the meat and fish from yesterday's hunt. Many people thanked us deeply as they carried away large portions. I kept the mushrooms, roots, and nuts we had gathered.
Later, we moved inside the wooden house for breakfast. I showed my family the little baby that had hatched. The tiny lizard child was already awake, curiously gnawing on a wooden toy my brother had given him—it resembled a horse.
"Aee… Arr…" He mostly just bit it.
"Ooh…" My father looked surprised. "So that's what their children look like, huh?"
"Aside from the scales, they look like human babies," my sister said. "Wow…"
"I imagined they would be much more… feral?" my mother wondered, rubbing her chin.
"Aaeh… Kuaaaaahhh!"
Under so many staring eyes, the little baby started crying, clearly stressed.
"Come on now, don't scare the child," my brother sighed. He fed it small berries until it calmed down. "Well, I'm sure Brun already told you. I won't let you take him away."
"It's fine," my father shrugged. "Do whatever you want with it."
My brother stared in shock. "Wait, really?! Hell yeah!"
My mother watched the child in silence. A flicker of motherly instinct crossed her face—something she clearly hated—and she quickly looked away. "So? Have you decided on a name?"
I rubbed my chin, thinking. "I discovered his father was Krarlak—we could go with that. But I have no idea if he's a boy or a girl."
"Why? Can't you check?" my father asked.
"Reptiles are a little different, Dad. Everything is tucked inside," my brother explained. "So it's impossible to tell until it grows older."
"Female lizardmen tend to be leaner and more snake-like, while males are built more like crocodiles," I added. "We'll find out eventually."
"Hm, can't you just use your… you know, fingers and see…?" my father asked.
"Dad! We have to respect this baby's privacy. We won't do anything that might hurt it," I said firmly.
"There's a thick fold of skin there. Pulling it carelessly could injure the child. It's better not to," my brother agreed.
My father groaned. "Ugh, okay, okay. Why are you so angry?! I was just making a suggestion! Why do I have a family full of sensitive people?"
I sighed. "Whatever. Anyway… it hasn't pooped or anything yet?"
My brother nodded with a wide grin. "It did! And I already cleaned it up, so don't worry. The bathroom even produces warm water and has towels."
"Aw, really? Did you like it, baby boy… or girl?" I asked. The baby looked up at me with an adorable smile and stretched its tiny hands toward me. "Awwww! You little cutie! I'm going to eat you, nom nom nom!" I scooped it up, hugged it close, and playfully nibbled its little head and neck.
The baby giggled and bit back. It didn't hurt—my skin was far too tough—so the little one could play rough the way it would with its own kind. "Raaarr! Wraarrr!"
As I played with it, tickling its tiny toes and tail, my family gradually warmed to the child and joined in.
"Ouch! Don't bite me—Hahaha!" My father laughed heartily. "This one's a fighter, eh? Right from birth! I guess the kid takes after his damned father! Gahahahaha!"
"Does it not drink milk or something?" my mother wondered.
"Reptiles can't digest that, Mother," my brother explained. "It could cause severe stomachaches. But aside from milk and dairy, he seems able to eat just about anything."
"Nice. Eat this then," my sister said, offering the child a large piece of jerky.
The baby grabbed it eagerly and began chewing happily, licking its lips with its long tongue—until it coughed from the dryness.
"Here's some water," I said, handing over a small wooden bowl.
"Aee…" The baby drank nearly half the bowl in thirsty gulps. "Burp…"
Its eyes slowly drifted shut. It fell asleep still clutching the half-eaten jerky.
Our hearts melted all over again. I remembered my family acting the same way when I was little. We really were a family of softies.
♢♢♢♢
"Alright then," I nodded. "I've got a lot to do today! I'll start by building a wall. Later I'll go hunting. I still need to meet the conditions for my class change…"
After checking on the baby one last time and leaving my brother to watch over it, we went downstairs with the rest of the family and discussed our plans.
The first priority was a sturdy wooden wall. One strong enough that the lizardmen could never surprise us again.
I spoke with the elders and lumberjacks. They agreed and let me use the remaining cut wood for the construction.
The process went smoothly. By spending 100 Soul Points, I assembled—to the astonishment of everyone watching—a thick, imposing wall that completely encircled our settlement.
Ding!
[You have exchanged 100 Soul Points and a large quantity of wood.]
[You have successfully built the [Reinforced Wooden Wall (E Grade)]]
The wall radiated a mysterious, protective spiritual aura and possessed an impressive set of abilities.
"Incredible!"
"So it's true—she really made an entire wall, just like that."
"Wow, this is ridiculous."
"Amazing… Brunhild is incredible…"
"Has anyone of her caliber and magic power ever been born before?"
"She's… truly our future chief!"
"Brunhild, thank you!"
"This is incredible. I finally feel safer…"
"I wonder if we could actually survive the winter? It doesn't seem impossible now…"
I accepted everyone's praise with a smile. Then I heard footsteps behind me. A group of about ten hunters arrived, dragging captured Magic Beasts from the forest.
"Brunhild, we heard you need to kill monsters for your class."
"Please take these. End their suffering quickly."
"We'll keep hunting daily to provide the energy you need!"
"Please, be our guest."
"Oh…!" I stared in amazement. There were rabbits, wolves, demon wolves, and even a large mountain lion. "Thank you. I'll take them."
And so our new life in this small settlement truly began. The future now depended on all of us building it together.
Yeah…
I also really needed to finish those class rank-up requirements. I wanted to keep leveling!
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Author's Note:
Hello and thank you for reading so far! I am the author PancakesWitch and wanted to say that this is a novel I'm writing with a lot of love. I will publish 5 chapters a week, or sometimes 4.
There will always be an additional chapter on Patreon though, and you can also join it right now to get +20 Advanced Chapters for only $10! The number will keep increasing every week as well!
https://www.patreon.com/pancakeswitch