A week has passed.

Hineni stands before the glowing forge, hammering away at a piece of metal, meant to make the final link of a chain for a flail. The forge itself is now fully enclosed once again, having taken up the shape of a room, as are all of the other rooms of the exterior house.

It’s finished.

It’s unfurnished, but finished.

Attached to the primary entrance is the area that is going to serve as a restaurant and guild, just as before, with their rooms for rent to the side, immediately downstairs. The bath is this way too, being a half indoors and half outdoors construction. Everything that an adventurer needs is right there, by the door, which will keep them nicely corralled.

— Not that there’s a dungeon in this region, which means adventurers are sparse. But with the abundance of wild-magic here in this area, it’s projected to be an insanely active wild monster spawning zone after the war. This will mean that by the time everything stops here, they’ll be situated at the right place with the right stuff to catch the first wave of people coming back down south. And not just adventurers; even the normal people of the city who have lost their old homes to the destruction will be able to stay here.

On the side is Seltsam’s library, whereas before, customers will be able to borrow books or simply have sections of a book transcribed. Again, after the destruction here, books are few and far between in the rubble of the burned houses. Books are valuable, but also cumbersome. It’s very likely that a lot of them were left behind to be destroyed by the people fleeing. It’s another edge in the new market to come.

Add in the repairs, the weaponsmithing, and the quest-board to come, and they’ll be swimming in money as the central-hub of the newly rebuilt city when the time comes. Sure, things are a little rough now. But once this has all blown over, they’ll be living in paradise.

Hineni hammers away.

They’ll hire a few workers to keep the workload reasonable and then just coast off of that for a while, while the owl-god continues to gain power so that they can… uh…

Hineni blinks, realizing that he doesn’t actually know why. He supposes for the same reasons as always, to dominate the frogs and to reclaim her ancestral home, so that’s all stayed the same.

He does wonder though, apart from the frogs, which other gods are a problem. He’s managed to stay away from them all so far, but from what he’s understood, the exclusion of the owl-god from the southern regions was caused by the frogs, but supported by other powers that be. Many others have simply crawled in to fill the void left behind and they’re very unlikely to want to just relinquish their new powers.

Hineni continues with his work.

Next to the restaurant is also a separate room, for those who prefer a quieter atmosphere. The biggest issue with the old restaurant was just how loud and chaotic it always was, which is fine and all for a lot of people. But many adventurers, especially casters, prefer a more secluded atmosphere. With a separate space with softer chairs and design, a tea-room of sorts, people will be able to order some drinks and relax in a quiet place.

There is, of course, a vault, as before. But this will still take a little while to make, as it isn’t being made by Sockel’s people but instead by a professional security engineering team in the military. It’s a real hush-hush project. Not even he’s allowed to look at it. Only the owl-god herself is able to inspect the process of construction, which is a little unusual as far as he can tell, but that’s how the military does things.

And as for Sockel, she has an office of her own now too. She’s not going to be working the front-desk for a while, because of the animosity towards elves that’s present down here. So she’ll sadly have to take a quieter role for a while. But she didn’t seem to mind, saying that she was burning out from the work at the front anyway.

The owl-god, of course, has an altar too, just behind the restaurant, which acts as a central hub of sorts for the whole exterior house. This is a little more dignified than having her sit in what amounted to a beer-hall all the time. Plus, it’s easier for her introverted personality, since it will be a quieter and more secluded space.

As for Eilig, her small fairy-nests are dotted all throughout the house. She doesn’t have any issues anymore and is growing back to a healthy weight, by the looks of things. But it’s still not a bad idea to give her places to hide and retreat.

Finally, Rhine has the room opposite of Sockel’s. It’s a fairly intricate training room of sorts, built to military standards for a training arena. There are strikeable dolls and targets and lots of various mats and ropes and things of that nature. Since there isn’t a dungeon here, and the forest is too dangerous to wander in at the moment, he had wanted this to be able to continue his physical training, which he really seems to have found an affinity for.

Hineni wipes his forehead, concluding his thoughts. That’s about everyone, right?

He looks around the room, feeling something nagging him. No… There’s something else, isn’t there?

“Oh. Right,” says Hineni to himself, shaking his head.

The doorman, Irit. He’s here too. The man hadn’t asked for anything at all. So Hineni made him a chair. It’s better than standing all day. He always just sort of exists on the side. He’s tried to understand the man, but he just can’t get his head around him. He never takes any breaks or joins for any meals or talks. He just sort of… guards the door, and then he goes to home.

Although his home is now here, he has a room of his own too. But damned if he’s ever seen him go in there.

Even now, with the new guild still closed, he’s just sort of… standing there, by the front door.

People are odd, he supposes.

Hineni whistles, hooting a little to himself as he finishes the flail by hammering the last link of the chain shut.

- [Rare-wood Adamant Flail]{Treasure of the Owl-God}{NATURE} -

- Quality -

High

- Composition -

[Rare-wood Hilt](High)

[Adamant Flail](High)

[Steel Chain](High)

[Steel Fastening](High)

[Leather Wrap](Normal)

[Black Cloth Wrap](Normal)

[Black Cord](Normal)

- Quality Effects -

High: +5% DEX

“Treasure of the Owl-God”

Adds additional attributes to the attached weapon - Title Effect - “Treasure of the Owl-God” +9 OBSCURANTISM +9 WIND DMG +9 LIGHTNING DMG 09 PHYSICAL DMG Effect: Flails negate all SHIELD-DEF

A heavy adamant flail with a sturdy, decorative and smoothly polished rare-wood handle.

‘Made by Weaponsmith Hineni - Chosen of the Owl-God’

Weight: 0.333kg Durability: 90/90 Value: 9000 Obols

“Does something smell like owl?” asks Sockel, sniffing the air as she looks around the room.

“Sockel,” begins Hineni. “Everything always smells like owl,” explains the man. “I don’t even notice anymore.”

Sockel waves him off, walking around the room. “Sure, sure,” says the elf. “But that was the old house. Those old bones really had time to let the smell of owl sink into them,” she says. “But this place is brand new, literally. We watched them make it.”

Hineni shrugs, looking around. “I mean… what can I say?” he asks. “You’re sharing a roof with the owl-god. Things are going to smell like owls. It’s just what it is.”

The elf narrows her eyes. “Oh gods. Do I smell like owls?” she asks, sniffing her shirt.

“Oh yeah,” says Rhine from the side. “You have it real bad, Sockel. But you’ve always smelled like a barn.” She turns her head, glaring at him. Rhine lifts a finger, spinning it. “You’re basically a farmer.”

“Owls don’t live in barns, twerp.”

Rhine smiles a smug, confident smile. “What about barn-owls, Sockel?”

He ducks out of the way as the pen she was holding flies past him and sticks into the wall.

“Welp. There’s the first structural damage,” sighs Hineni.

“What about ‘shut your yap’?!” asks Sockel.

“What about it?” asks Rhine, dusting himself off. A piece of owl-fluff falls off of his shoulder. Sockel walks towards him, pressing a finger against his forehead. “Why don’t you make me?” he asks bravely.

Sockel narrows her eyes, leaning in down towards him. “The pact is sealed.”

“…Huh?” asks Rhine.

Without a word, Sockel stands back upright and silently walks out of the room, leaving the two of them standing there.

Rhine watches her go and then turns back towards Hineni in confusion. “What was that?”

“— A warning,” replies Hineni. “Why do you two always fight, Rhine?”

Rhine shrugs. “Dunno. It’s fun. So… I guess we just kind of do it?” he guesses. “I don't think it's serious,” explains Rhine. He rubs the back of his head. “It’s just kind of what we do, you know?”

“Fair enough,” replies Hineni. The two of them really do seem to have some sort of sibling rivalry going on, in a way. He supposes that he appreciates it. This might be what Obscura was talking about Rhine needing more of in his life. “Just don’t get too roughed up. I need you in the forge later. We have another set of armor to repair.”

“Okay,” replies Rhine, turning to leave. “Oh, I’m cooking dinner tonight. It’s my turn.”

“Looking forward to it,” says Hineni, watching as Rhine walks out of the door.

The boy steps through the doorway, walking straight into a thin wire that was there, which wraps itself around his neck. Rhine lets out a choking noise, grabbing it.

Hineni sighs, walking over and looking past Rhine’s shoulder, up to Sockel, who is awkwardly splayed out to hold herself upright above the doorway with a garrote in her hands. “Sockel. Play fair. No weapons,” says Hineni. “If you’re going to choke an adolescent, then do it like a real man, or… elf… or whatever. You know what I mean.”

Sockel tsks, turning her head to the side. “- Fine.”

Hineni steps past them as Rhine pulls the wire off from around his neck and jumps up, grabbing the hem of Sockel’s vest, tearing her down from above. The man listens to them scuffling around in a fight, which is most definitely scratching the new hardwood floors.

But that’s life. You can’t sweat the small, excruciatingly expensive things.

He smells the air.

It really does smell like owl, though.