Estate Completed

After returning to Wild Boar Cave and resting for a night, everyone's mental exhaustion and inner anxiety vanished completely. When they woke up in the morning, they felt refreshed and energized.

They came to the open ground outside the cave and began their daily training. After more than a month of tempering, Nord had initially adapted to the rhythm of cold-weapon combat. He was calm and composed, never striking blindly. Every attack held something in reserve unless he caught an opponent's weakness and could finish them with a single blow.

Reed was no longer a match for Nord. At first, he could still spar with Nord for a while, but after a few days, Nord would knock him down within just a few exchanges. From then on, Reed never sparred with Nord again. Because of this, Ryman drilled Reed harshly for a time.

Nord's current sparring partner was Marco. Naturally, Nord would not seek out Ryman just to be beaten senseless, and among the rest, Marco was the most suitable choice. Marco had not accompanied them into the mountains before; instead, he had remained at Wild Boar Cave with the remaining hunters to handle any unexpected situations.

Likewise, Reed had not followed Nord into the mountains. Nord had assigned him a rather important task: planting yams. Although they needed to enter the mountains to search for Distant Mountain Stronghold, they could not neglect the yam planting. After much consideration, Nord handed the task to his little messenger, Reed. For that reason, Reed had worn a face as bitter as a bitter melon these past few days.

Holding a wooden sword in both hands, Nord exerted force through his right forearm and brought the blade down in a slash before Marco. Marco raised his sword to block, and the tremendous force made both men retreat a step.

"Lord Nord, I'm afraid that in a few more days, I won't be a match for you. Your swordsmanship has improved so quickly."

Nord let out a long breath and shook his slightly sore right hand. Seeing Marco blush after offering a few flattering words, he could not help but find it amusing.

"You can't fight properly against me because you're holding back. Next time, you must give it your all, or there'll be no point in sparring. And Marco, we haven't seen each other for a few days, yet you've learned how to sweet-talk people. That doesn't sound like you."

"I learned it all from Village Chief Colin. Actually, even if I gave it my all, I still wouldn't be able to defeat you, Lord Nord."

Since the Daily Quest had not refreshed lately, Nord's experience had remained stagnant. However, his weapon proficiency had increased considerably. Since he happened to have time today, he checked his Personal Panel.

Name: Nord Isaac

Class: Lord LV3 (460/2000)

Attributes: Strength 10 Agility 9 Intelligence 10 Charisma 9

Abilities: Iron Bones LV3 Power Strike LV1 Riding LV2 Weapon Mastery LV2 Shield Defense LV1 Running LV2 Tactics LV2 Item Management LV1 Persuasion LV1 Leadership LV2

Weapon Proficiency: One-Handed Weapons 120 Two-Handed Weapons 80 Polearms 57 Archery 34

After training, Nord exchanged a few casual words with Marco. Old Mor, who had been waiting nearby for some time, stepped forward. Marco had also heard the others briefly mention Old Mor's situation last night, so he tactfully left, giving the two of them space to speak alone.

"Lord Nord, earlier... my emotions were out of control, and I nearly caused a disaster. If there had been casualties, I wouldn't have known how to face them."

"Have you thought it through?"

"I have. The moment I returned here, my heart suddenly calmed down. Everything around me still feels so familiar. Distant Mountain Stronghold is my home, and Tami Village is also my home. I shouldn't neglect one for the other. I lost control of my emotions in the forest before. I've lived to this age and escaped death so many times, yet I still ended up worrying over gains and losses."

"It's good that you've thought it through. Don't let down those who trust you. Besides, I won't give up searching for Distant Mountain Stronghold."

"Thank you for trusting me, Lord Nord. I won't disappoint you again, and I won't give up on the search for Distant Mountain Stronghold."

"Get yourself together. We'll set out again tomorrow."

Just then, having received the news, Steward Abel and Reed arrived at the Wild Boar Cave outpost.

"Young Master Nord, you returned at just the right time. The estate was completed yesterday. It only needs some interior decoration now, and you'll be able to move in within a few days."

"Really? Take me to see it."

A delighted expression appeared on Nord's face. He returned the wooden sword to its rack and, without even having time to greet Ryman, headed toward the estate with Abel and the others.

Across both his lives, this was the first time Nord had truly owned a home of his own. The estate in Beron City had certainly been more luxurious, but Nord had sold it soon afterward and never felt much attachment to it. This estate was different. It was the first home Nord had possessed in this world—not merely an asset.

The estate in Tami Village covered roughly five mu. In his previous life, only the sort of successful person living in America and earning millions each month could afford a place like this. Nord could barely wait to see what the estate looked like.

When they arrived at the northern part of Tami Village, the first thing he saw was a two-story Stone Building, seven or eight meters tall. Its overall style somewhat resembled Gothic architecture. Though it only had two floors, it looked lofty and sharply pointed. Most of its stones were enormous and heavy as well.

Naturally, Tami Village lacked the ability to design a Stone Building like this. The design had come from Abel. As a steward, he had to be skilled in many areas. Limited by the villagers' construction experience, the Stone Building was somewhat rough, but compared to the other buildings in Tami Village, it stood head and shoulders above them.

As they approached the estate, Nord saw several transplanted trees beside the fence, preventing it from looking too abrupt. The construction materials inside had also been cleared away. There was a plaza, a training ground, and a garden—everything was in place.

It was worlds apart from the filthy, chaotic construction site Nord had seen before. Abel had clearly put considerable thought into the overall style of the front yard. Rather than clearing away every large boulder on the hillside, he had left some behind as garden decorations, giving the estate a more natural feel.

Set against the endless mountains of the north, it truly had the air of a grand villa. Nord walked along the gravel path toward the Stone Building.

The towering Stone Building was constructed from pale blue-gray boulders. Though it had just been completed, it already carried a sense of weight and solidity. Inside, it was still empty. Directly before him was an enormous living room, with the second floor above it open to the space below. Even without furniture, it already felt imposing.

Nord briefly examined the Stone Building's interior layout before leaving. Going around the building, he found a row of simple wooden huts built on the open ground behind it. According to Abel, they were intended to serve as warehouses.

After touring the entire estate, Nord was very satisfied overall. To build an estate like this in such a short time and under such conditions, Abel had done an outstanding job. Nord looked forward to seeing how it would feel to move into the estate after the Stone Building had been decorated.