Chapter 21

The snow covering Visas and Komoy Fort had completely melted.

The cities were slowly returning to their former liveliness. Many artisans now wandered about every day to inspect and survey the area, carrying blueprints and tools in their hands and stopping from time to time to make notes.

A little white still remained on Par Mountain, scattered amid the vast greenery, but it vanished as the weather gradually warmed.

While the artisans threw themselves into preparing for the Artisans' Guild president competition, Walker and Ferdinand began separately leading soldiers into the small valley on the northwestern side of Par Mountain to mine ore.

The mineral vein was unexpectedly long.

There was an abundance of Black Ore, spread throughout the entire small valley and extending deep into the mountain... It was estimated that they would not need to worry about Black Ore supplies or consumption for the next several decades.

For the time being, Ferdinand and Walker had people dig out a suitable passageway, nearly over ten meters wide and more than sixty meters long.

The Black Ore excavated alone was already exceedingly abundant, too numerous to count.

They then stored the mined ore in newly built warehouses and assigned people to guard it strictly. Once everything was ready, it could be used in the reconstruction of Visas and Komoy Fort.

Recently, Xia Zuoyi had mainly been reading books on "urban planning and management."

The library produced by the Zen System was indeed remarkably comprehensive, covering an extremely broad range of subjects.

Some urban planning books even contained detailed illustrations of a city's spatial layout, street arrangements connecting in all directions, and the kinds of public or basic infrastructure a city ought to include.

Xia Zuoyi already had a rough idea in mind of how to rebuild Visas and Komoy Fort.

After all, some of the facilities and buildings he wanted to construct were things the current artisans might never even consider.

The reason Xia Zuoyi had organized a competition to select the Artisans' Guild president was not only because he wanted to choose someone quick-witted, capable, and talented to lead the construction efforts for the next five years.

More importantly, he wanted to see what level the blueprints they designed would reach.

Only through comparison could he make a better choice.

It would also make it easier for him to add in the public or basic facilities he needed.

Xia Zuoyi: After all, as the client, can't I do whatever I want? :)

There would be many more places where he needed the Artisans' Guild in the future.

Time passed quickly, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, spring arrived.

The sun shone brightly today, and clear weather like this was rare.

Xia Zuoyi brought Judith, Gibran, and the others to the northwestern side of Par Mountain once more, intending to find a suitable location beside Par Lake for the castle he planned to build.

He wanted a castle facing the lake.

When he opened the windows, he would be able to see the beautiful forests and lake. In the morning, he could wake beneath the warm sunlight to the pleasant chirping of birds, while small boats drifted across the lake alongside beautiful waterfowl...

There would also be a ranch beside the castle, enclosed by fences and stocked with horses, cows, sheep...

Ideally, it would include areas for planting and harvesting, raising livestock and grazing, be self-sufficient, and have every necessary function.

The forest environment was peaceful, the air fresh, and the scenery beautiful.

Snowball and Coalball could move freely through the woods.

The two little tiger cubs had grown quite a bit. From being only as large as two adult palms at first, they had now grown to more than half an arm in length.

Other than sleeping and eating every day, their favorite thing was to trot after Xia Zuoyi everywhere, letting out babyish little roars of "Awoo, awoo."

Xia Zuoyi adored them to no end.

Not only had he moved the two cubs' nests into his bedroom, but he also planned to carry them onto his bed to sleep with him.

After Judith tried several times without any obvious result, he could only helplessly allow the young count's willful behavior when Xia Zuoyi refused to listen.

This trip to Par Lake could also be considered a spring outing.

Toby and Kelly came along as well, while the two knight commanders led a group of soldiers to protect them.

They spread a long cloth over the grass beside the lake and sat directly on the ground.

"Awoo, awoo."

The two round, chubby tiger cubs clung to Xia Zuoyi's arm, stretching out their thick little paws with all their strength to reach for the strips of meat in his hand.

Xia Zuoyi leaned back strategically, avoiding them.

Yudi sat behind Xia Zuoyi protectively, worried that the two sturdy little tigers, neither of them light, might knock him over.

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"You can't eat any more. Look at how bloated your little bellies are. Even baby fat doesn't grow like this."

Xia Zuoyi coldly and mercilessly had Judith take away the meat strips. Stroking Snowball and Coalball's fluffy little bellies, he sighed inwardly, 098, they eat so much.

098: [Host, this is perfectly normal. Snowball and Coalball are different from ordinary tigers. They will grow very large in the future, so naturally their appetites will be astonishing.]

[098 suggests that once the castle is built and the host moves here, you can let them hunt freely in the forest.]

Xia Zuoyi gave a quiet hum.

This was also something he had considered. The forest was the most suitable place for Snowball and Coalball.

When the two cubs saw that they truly could not get any more meat, they let out little roars and stumbled away across the grass.

At some point, they ran over to Ferdinand and Walker. They stopped before them with their silly little heads tilted, their dark, round eyes staring curiously at the two men.

Walker could not help smiling. When he tried to reach out toward them, Snowball and Coalball bared their tiny sharp teeth and let out cries that still carried a hint of babyish sweetness.

"Awoo! Awoo, awoo!"

Walker's smile deepened in amusement. Persistently, he continued extending his hand toward Snowball's mouth, only to quickly pull it back whenever Snowball was about to bite.

He repeated this over and over, making him look rather deserving of a beating.

Coalball followed along and tried biting a few times, but apparently decided it was boring when he could not catch anything. He wagged his little tail and lay down nearby.

After lying there for a while, he rolled over and lazily sprawled on his back again. His fluffy little belly rose and fell rhythmically with every breath, all four paws curled up as though he were about to fall asleep.

Just then, a little wildflower that seemed to have only recently sprouted and was about to bloom was slowly held above his nose.

The flower swayed gently in the breeze.

Coalball's attention was irresistibly drawn to it. He rolled over and climbed up, staring fixedly at it. His chubby little tail stopped wagging, his rear gradually lifted, and his front paws dug into the grass as he assumed a stance ready to pounce.

The next moment, he suddenly leaped toward the flower.

"Awoo."

Coalball turned around in confusion on the spot. He had missed.

Ferdinand held the wildflower in one hand, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly as his gaze turned especially gentle.

This weather, these mountains, this water... Everything made people feel incomparably relaxed.

Xia Zuoyi supported himself with both hands behind him and leisurely swung his little feet.

After looking around, he pointed in one direction and said, "Judith, what do you think about building the castle over there?"

"It isn't too far from the lake, but it isn't too close either, so it can avoid the dampness. The surrounding area is not only open, but flat as well. A huge ranch can be built behind and to the right..."

They could then designate separate areas for planting, livestock raising, vegetables, fruit, herbs...

Yudi said, "Of course it would be excellent, my lord, but could you leave me an area around the castle?"

Xia Zuoyi nodded. "Sure, but what do you want to do, Judith?"

"I want to grow a vast field of vivid, beautiful roses for my lord, so that the roses representing Desinia may accompany you as you grow."

Gibran could not help saying, "Roses really do suit my lord."

"That's a good idea, Steward Judith. Can I help?"

Yudi smiled and nodded. Naturally, there was no problem.

Kelly and Toby also eagerly said that they wanted to join.

"..."

Xia Zuoyi was so embarrassed that he did not even want to swing his little feet anymore.

After that brief moment of leisure, returning to the castle meant returning to busy days.

Two months later.

Under the knights' guidance, the artisans gathered once again in the open space outside the castle to submit their blueprints.

Someone stood at the very front, recording something.

When it was Conrad's turn, the recorder asked, "Did you write your name on your own blueprints?"

Conrad hurriedly nodded. "I did, my lord."

Yudi said, "Then tell me your name, whether you formed a team with anyone else, and how many blueprints you drew in total."

Conrad gave his name, then hesitated over the second question. "My lord, does having my two sons help count as team cooperation?"

Yudi glanced at Darren and Dief, who were peeking around behind him, and answered, "Did they participate in the detailed urban planning designs? If they participated as well, it counts as team cooperation."

Conrad hurriedly said, "Yes, my lord, it was team cooperation. There are twenty-two blueprints in total."

Darren had participated in a small part of the design, sometimes handling calculations for peripheral data and the like.

As for Dief, he followed them around the streets and districts, offering suggestions on certain issues and often helping with the drawings.

Both sons were very talented, diligent, and sensible.

Conrad trusted them greatly.

Yudi recorded everything one by one, then said, "Come back with the knights in six days. The results will be announced then. For now, go home and wait patiently."

"Yes, my lord."

Conrad returned home with his two sons, their hearts filled with both excitement and unease.

Over the next six days.

Xia Zuoyi summoned Ferdinand, Walker, and the others to review and select the entries together.

First, they eliminated the blueprints that were obviously unqualified at a glance—drafts that were messy, unclear, or poorly designed.

Then they slowly examined the detailed and carefully designed blueprints, selecting them according to whether they matched sensible urban layouts and planning, whether their functions were complete, whether they contained innovative ideas, and other such criteria.

Xia Zuoyi pulled out one set of blueprints and asked, "What do you think of this planning design?"

Not only did these blueprints clearly divide the various areas within the two cities, but they also emphasized the necessity of drainage facilities in Visas, provided solutions, and took safety principles into consideration.

They also designed a short, convenient road between Visas and Komoy Fort for travel back and forth.

Compared to the other blueprints, this design was truly excellent.

Otherwise, it would not have stood out in Xia Zuoyi's hands.

After Judith and the others looked through it, they nodded in agreement.

Xia Zuoyi said, "Then it's him."

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