CHAPTER 56: CH 56: THE DAMNED DEMON - PART 5

Jamie ran as fast as she could, her breath sharp against the cold air. Snow crunched beneath her boots, and the distant glow of the fairies’ lights led her straight to the clearing.

Her heart thudded in her chest—Lucian had been there, fighting, and she had no idea what condition he was in.

When she finally arrived, the sight that greeted her stopped her in her tracks.

The clearing was empty.

No monster. No traces of the battle. Not even a fragment of its corrupted flesh remained. The snow was smooth and untouched, as though nothing had ever happened.

Her eyes widened, and she immediately rushed toward Lucian, who stood silently at the center. His small figure looked almost fragile, his pale skin glowing faintly in the dim light.

"Lucian! What happened? Where did it go?"

Jamie called out, kneeling beside him.

Lucian’s golden eyes flickered toward her, but there was no clear answer in them. His voice came out flat, but heavy.

"I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve fought something like that. The magic was... different. Divine, but twisted."

Jamie’s lips parted in shock. Lucian had lived through countless lives, had knowledge beyond anything she could ever hope to possess. For him to admit uncertainty—

She clenched her fists.

"So, what do we do now? If something like that shows up again—"

Lucian cut her off, his tone steady, even though he looked exhausted.

"Don’t worry about it. Right now, we don’t know if this was just a neutral phenomenon or something targeted. Whether it will happen again... that’s uncertain."

His words were calm, but his silence afterward carried weight. Even Lucian, with over a hundred lives of experience, had never seen such mana before.

It wasn’t just surprising. It was troubling.

But outwardly, he remained composed.

"For now, we focus on what we can control. Tighten the defenses. Strengthen the borders. We prepare for the possibility that this was not a one-time occurrence."

Lucian said.

Jamie bit her lip but nodded. His confidence steadied her nerves.

The two of them made their way back to the valley, where the fairies had already returned Jamie’s body earlier. Once back, Lucian immediately turned inward, his mind connecting with the system.

He searched.

And searched.

But there was nothing.

No records. No alerts. Not even a trace of information in the system’s vast database.

The silence was unusual. The system had always guided him, provided answers, or at the very least, offered hints. But this time...

Nothing.

Lucian’s brows furrowed.

"So you’re quiet about this, huh?"

[No data available.]

That was all the system replied with. Cold. Distant. Empty.

Lucian sighed, leaning back in his chair once he pulled himself from the interface.

If the system had nothing to say, then there truly wasn’t much he could do about the monster right now. His priority had to shift elsewhere.

The village.

That was what mattered now.

He had the resources, the land, the food production. His fairies worked tirelessly, and the valley’s natural environment supported life well. But there was one problem he couldn’t ignore.

Manpower.

They didn’t have enough people.

Lucian rubbed his temples. If they were going to survive long term—and especially if they were going to defend themselves against mysterious forces like the one he had just fought—they needed to expand.

He summoned Berry, his trusted aide, and got straight to the point.

"Are there any independent settlements nearby? Groups that we can bring under our fold. I don’t want betrayals later. I need people who can stay loyal."

Lucian asked.

Berry thought for a moment before replying, his tone hesitant.

"Yes... there are many. Hundreds, scattered all around. Small settlements. Families clinging to survival. Most of them are barely getting by. If we offered them food, safety, and shelter, they might join us. Some might even give us undying loyalty in return."

Jamie leaned in, curious.

"That sounds promising. So why the hesitation?"

Berry frowned.

"Because human nature is unpredictable. Desperation can buy loyalty, yes—but it can also breed betrayal. Some may take what you offer and still stab you in the back if they think they can profit from it later. I cannot guarantee their trust, Master Lucian."

Lucian’s lips curled into a faint smile.

"That doesn’t matter."

Berry blinked, confused.

Lucian continued, his golden eyes sharp with resolve.

"We don’t need guarantees. We need to act. The longer we hesitate, the more ground we lose. If betrayal comes, I’ll deal with it personally. But for now, we need people. Farmers. Builders. Defenders. We need numbers, not empty land."

Jamie tilted her head.

"So you’re planning to start making deals?"

"Yes. It’s finally time to bring outside forces under our control. We’ll offer them what they need most—food, supplies, safety. And in return, they’ll work for us, live for us, and fight for us. That’s how we expand."

Lucian’s tone was decisive.

Berry lowered his head respectfully.

"Understood. I’ll begin gathering information on nearby settlements. We’ll need a clear map of who’s worth approaching."

"Good. But remember—our foundation comes first. Expansion means nothing if our current home isn’t secure. Reinforce defenses. Increase patrols. And Jamie—"

Lucian said. His mind was already racing ahead, calculating.

She straightened when his gaze landed on her.

"You’ll take charge of training. We need every able body to know how to fight, even if only the basics. A village that can’t defend itself is already dead."

Jamie nodded firmly.

"Leave it to me."

The atmosphere in the room shifted. What had started as confusion and unease after the strange battle turned into purpose.

The monster was gone. The system was silent. The threat remained undefined.

But Lucian knew one thing for certain.

They couldn’t stay small forever.

If they wanted to survive the unknown future, they needed to grow, expand, and gather strength until no force—divine, demonic, or otherwise—could crush them.

It was time to step out of the valley and shape the world around them.

’It’s time to start building up the foundation of my power. I need to be ready when the hero arrives.’