Remodeling

Ange woke up quite early. To avoid disturbing his younger brother, Aida, Ange quietly got out of bed and went outside. The sky was still dimly lit, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of early morning. For convenience, Ange sat on a millstone in the yard and began his daily meditation.

He closed his eyes, relaxed his body, and focused his mind, feeling the elemental light points in the air converge into his body. The meditation brought him inner peace, and his mental power gradually delved deeper into his body, sensing the elemental light points merging with him. Unlike before in the Maple Sugar Plane, the elements here felt gentler and more abundant.

The meditation lasted for two hours, and the sky had gradually brightened. Ange felt his body filled with an unprecedented vitality. He stood up and began to circulate the Qi force within him. The surrounding elements were drawn into his body, circulating and flowing. He discovered that, just like in the Maple Sugar Plane, the elements here could be absorbed into his body by circulating his Qi force, strengthening himself.

By the time Ange completed his daily training goals, his family had already woken up. His mother was busy in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for everyone. The sounds of clattering pots and pans and the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, and the yard began to liven up. Aida and Aisha were running around in the yard. Upon seeing Ange, they both ran over to greet him.

Ange smiled, ruffled Aida and Aisha's heads, and felt the warmth of home and the power of family. He walked into the kitchen and saw his mother busy at work, so he offered to help. His mother looked at Ange with a smile and said, "You go wash up first. Breakfast will be ready soon."

The family soon gathered around the table, enjoying a simple yet warm breakfast. Black bread and thick soup were passed around, and everyone's face was filled with smiles of contentment and happiness.

Aida and Aisha complained, "We don't have breakfast when Brother Ange isn't here." Hearing this, their mother smiled and explained, "I know you're used to three meals a day in the army, so I only prepare breakfast when you're home." Their father, Baron, chimed in, "Ange, you've been away for so long. Let Aida and Aisha take you around Oak Village so you can get reacquainted."

Ange nodded in agreement. Baron glanced at the horse tethered at the entrance and asked, "Is this horse rented?" Ange replied with a smile, "No, I bought it in River Bay City, along with a cow and a draft horse. The cow can help with plowing the fields, and the draft horse can pull the mill. As for the horse, it's for convenient travel to and from River Bay City."

After breakfast, Aida took Ange on a tour of Oak Village. They visited the back mountain, the oak forest, and the riverbank, and even walked to their family's wheat field. Ange noticed that the wheat field had become much larger since he left and asked in surprise, "Why has the wheat field grown so much?"

Aida said proudly, "Parents reclaimed it while you were away." Ange looked at everything with emotion, his heart filled with respect and gratitude for his family's hard work.

This day of exploring Oak Village allowed Ange to reacquaint himself with everything in his hometown. Every scene evoked countless memories.

After wandering around all day, Ange returned home. Looking at their wooden house, he felt an urge to renovate it. He sat with his parents and said, "Our house hasn't been repaired in a long time. I want to renovate it."

His mother waved her hand and said, "It's fine, it doesn't affect living." His father, Baron, agreed, "Yes, the house is still livable."

Ange smiled and comforted them, "Having a good living environment is better. If we live comfortably, our lives will be better too." He patiently persuaded them, and his parents finally agreed.

Next, Ange shared the good news with Aida and Aisha. He said, "I remember you used to complain that the house was too small. Now we can renovate it properly and make it more comfortable for everyone."

Aida and Aisha were thrilled upon hearing this, eagerly anticipating the changes to their home. Seeing their happy faces, Ange felt a sense of fulfillment and relief. He knew this wasn't just about renovating the house, but about bringing a better life to his family.

After discussing with his parents, Ange informed them that he had acquired many spoils of war during his military service and had enough money, so they shouldn't worry. After the family's discussion, Ange decided to build the new house using a combination of stone and oak. His father, Baron, reminded him, "Oak isn't cheap. Think about it again. Other types of wood can also be used."

Ange nodded and said, "I'll consider it."

One day quickly passed. The next morning, Ange took Aida and Aisha to River Bay City to purchase building materials. He named his horse Swiftfoot, although its speed wasn't very fast. Ange rode Swiftfoot himself, while Aida and Aisha rode the draft horse. The three of them set off early in the morning, heading towards River Bay City.

This trip was not only to buy building materials but also to give Aida and Aisha a glimpse of the outside world and broaden their horizons. Ange secretly resolved to build a stronger and more comfortable home, allowing his family to live a better life.

Upon arriving in River Bay City, Aida and Aisha were exceptionally happy. They hadn't been to River Bay City in a long time, and this time they not only came but also rode horses into the city, which excited them immensely. Along the way, the two of them chatted and laughed incessantly, pointing excitedly at everything. Seeing their smiling faces, Ange also felt immense joy.

After stopping at the city gate, Ange led the two horses and said to Aida and Aisha, "Let's find an inn first, settle the horses, then have lunch, and then we can explore slowly."

Aida and Aisha nodded excitedly, agreeing to Ange's suggestion.

Ange found an inn and rented a large room with three beds, just enough for each of them to have one. He handed the two horses over to the inn's stableman and instructed him to take good care of them. Afterward, Ange took Aida and Aisha to a restaurant and ordered many delicious dishes they had never tried before. Aida and Aisha ate heartily, their faces beaming with satisfied smiles.

Ange smiled and said, "After the house is renovated, I'll bring Mom and Dad to River Bay City." Both of them nodded happily.

After lunch, Ange took his younger siblings to the Lord's Mansion. He had now returned from his military service and needed to submit his discharge papers to the Lord's Mansion. This way, when his younger brother Aida needed to serve, he would only have to serve for two years, instead of the five years Ange himself had to serve. With many planes now facing Foul Spirit invasions, if Aida were to join the army, he might never return. Ange secretly resolved to do his best to arrange for Aida to serve in the local defense force in River Bay City or Tanaster Province, which would be much safer.

After completing the procedures at the Lord's Mansion, Ange took Aida and Aisha on another tour of the city. Aida and Aisha were amazed by the bustling city, looking around and touching things, excited like two little birds. Seeing their smiling faces, Ange felt a warmth spread through his heart.

Ange took his siblings to the lumber and stone market. After comparing several shops, he finally ordered stone bricks and oak. He also asked the shop owner to recommend a construction team. As the owner had frequently visited Oak Village to purchase lumber in the past and was familiar with the area, he recommended a construction team he knew. After arranging and finalizing the details, Ange paid the bill promptly, totaling 12 gold varks. The owner promised to deliver all materials to his doorstep. The construction team's wages would be paid separately, but the foreman was not in River Bay City that day. Ange told the owner he was staying at the Oak Inn and asked him to notify him when the foreman returned.

After resolving the material issue, Ange took his siblings to find Ina to continue learning Rune Crafting. He wanted to learn everything he could during this time. When Ange found Ina, she was helping a friend make runes. Ina was pleasantly surprised to see Ange, as she thought he wouldn't come to find her for a few more days. Ange explained that he was in River Bay City to buy building materials to renovate his home and introduced his siblings to Ina.

Ange instructed Aida and Aisha not to wander off and to stay put. Ina told Ange that there were plenty of materials available now and he could experiment as much as he wanted, but he would have to cover the cost of the materials himself. Ange nodded in understanding and began preparing for a new round of learning and practice.

During the learning process, Ange was focused and engrossed, while Aida and Aisha watched quietly from the side, sometimes expressing admiration for their brother's concentration. Seeing the interaction between the three siblings, Ina felt a touch of warmth. After an afternoon of learning and practice, Ange had acquired a significant amount of new knowledge and skills, deepening his understanding of Rune Crafting.

As night fell, Ange took his siblings back to the inn. The day's busyness had left them tired, but their hearts were filled with satisfaction and anticipation. Ange thought about the renovation plan for their home, while Aida and Aisha were filled with dreams of their future new house.