Testing out other ways to use my magic instead of opening gates which inadvertently introduce more members to the already overpopulated Harren through the last two weeks, I was able to discover couple different things. First, I was able to use minor healing magic like Gobo, though I was not much of an expert. Second, I was able to share information and knowledge through magic just like when I wished we could understand each other with dark elves and imprinted common monster language on them. However, this only worked for those who were standing in proximity: my magic did not reach those who were far away. For example, I could telepathically talk to those close to me, but I was unable to do that with the hunting and expedition groups that were in the forest at the time. Moreover, sustained telepathy consumed a lot of my magic and felt more foreign than opening a gate or even healing – as if I had to force my magic to take a certain shape. Third, since my magic only forced me to open gates when it filled its container, if I kept using these alternatives, I did not need to open gates.

Oh – and I tried making every goblin and orc learn the dark elf language, but apparently, I cannot. I think I can only make people learn languages with magic if I know the language myself.

One question I kept pondering was why I was initially able to call goblins but not orcs. If the reason I was able to call orcs later on was really that I killed an orc, did that mean goblins were a special case? Or was I wrong and killing was not a necessity but an enhancer of some sort?

In the last two weeks, dark elves started teaching orcs and goblins about basic mining and blacksmithing skills. Thanks to the efforts of the expedition forces, some caves were found around Harren and mining teams were formed to see if any of the caves had metal or coal. A blacksmith was also being built at the heart of Harren.

Since most everything was built poorly due to the urgency of the accommodation problem, now that everybody had a roof above their head, I decided to size the building team down by half, which meant 400 more orcs and goblins would join the workforce elsewhere. I tasked the remaining 400 with expanding Harren towards the East, building living spaces – using better resources with a better architecture. I want to eventually move the entire population to the new houses and rebuild the current Harren, perhaps making this a trade district. It is just… these houses look so bad. Also, strategically, the current Harren would not stand a chance against an attack by an enemy which outnumbers us.

Dark elves became more and more motivated as their bellies were filled and their signs of starvation and malnutrition started fading away. Although even the relatively older dark elves were full of vitality and strength and had sharp minds, about 20 of the dark elves were way above the age of active production. This was an opportunity for us, however – people of Harren did not know anything about the world outside, nor about basic knowledge on sciences and magic. So, I decided to build a school. Education of the Harren people was important, so I asked the eldest dark elves to teach monsters their professions. Teaching monsters not only the common language, but also reading and writing it, as well as subjects like politics, mathematics, and tailoring was definitely an innovative idea. Yet, probably because they had just accepted that Harren was a place of great surprises, they reacted normally. All of them accepted my request.

“Gobo, can you gather some men? I will try something new with my magic but I am not sure what would happen.”

“Sure, Chief. How many do you want?”

“Around a hundred.”

“A hundred? Sure, Chief.”

“And, get them ready their weapons too.”

“Sure, Chief, but if I may ask, what are you going to do exactly?”

“I hope I can show it to you.”

“…. Understood.”

I went outside when Gobo came back, maybe 10 minutes after our conversation.

“I readied the men, Chief. Everyone is waiting with their weapons ready.”

“Great, let’s head outside.”

As a hundred goblins, orcs, and even some dark elves were standing still with their weapons ready in their hands patiently yet curiously waiting for my next action, I took a couple steps towards the empty land in front of my house. I reached my hand out, concentrating on redirecting my magic to my fingertips. From there, my magic formed a string as it traveled from my body to the area before me to form a gate – a gate bigger than what I was used to opening.

Imagine… imagine… what else can come through that gate? There has to be others – other monsters like goblins and orcs, willing to join Harren. Other monster… Other monsters….

Damn! I do not know any such monsters. I have never seen any other race than goblins and orcs. What if my fears come to life and I bring a vicious creature through the gate? Just because every monster that came through it was loyal and friendly so far does not mean it will be the case when I am trying to call a monster I have never seen or heard of before.

I should not give up here. I did not know what a goblin was, yet I called many goblins. Hell, I still have not seen a single goblin that was born in this world. I can do this. I can do this.

There – many figures started emerging from the gate. Hundreds of creatures many of which I have never seen before. Some big, some small, some tall and some short, all the creatures now stood before me as orcs, goblins, and dark elves anxiously held tight to their weapons and took defensive stance. I wish I had asked for more men. Had I known-

Creatures started kneeling and bowing their heads, leaving me no time to feed my concerns. There – I was able to call monsters of different races, all of whom were loyal.