Rolo ran through the village with his heart pounding.
His boots kicked up dirt as he rushed past the bakery, the well, and the carpenter's shed. People glanced at him as he passed, but he didn't stop to explain. He didn't even slow down.
His eyes were fixed ahead on the Village Hall.
After Old Hann had been injured and taken to Carna's house, things in the village had started to shift. And everyone knew where the shift was coming from.
Kent.
He had started spending more time at the Village Hall. Sitting in the Chief's seat. Giving orders. Speaking like someone who already held the title.
Some folks were fine with it. They said someone had to lead, and Kent was strong.
But others? They didn't like it. Not one bit.
The rules were clear. A Village Chief could only be replaced under two conditions.
One, if the chief had died, disappeared, or been missing for months. Two, if the chief could no longer lead—crippled, too weak, or too far gone.
Old Hann was badly hurt, yes. But he was still alive. Still breathing.
Which meant Kent had no right.
Rolo didn't care much for politics. But what he had seen that morning changed everything.
Five new buildings. All standing near the west fields, complete with fences, roofs, and—he swore—metal creatures moving around like workers.
And the walls… they had moved.
Riverwood's borders had grown. The village had gotten bigger. Just like that.
He needed to tell someone. And like it or not, Kent was still the one sitting in the hall.
Rolo reached the doors, flung them open, and stepped inside.
"Kent!" he called, breathless. "You need to come see this."
Kent looked up from the long table. He sat at the center seat, hands folded, two men flanking him—both from the group who always seemed to agree with him no matter what he said.
He raised an eyebrow, not annoyed, but calm.
"What is it now, Rolo?" he asked.
Rolo stepped forward, still catching his breath.
"There are new buildings. Five of them. Out west near the gate."
Kent frowned slightly. "What kind of buildings?"
"Animal pens. Crop fields. A whole set of them. And the walls—they moved. The entire west line shifted outward. It's like… the village just grew overnight."
The room went quiet for a second.
Then Kent stood up.
His eyes narrowed.
"Take me there," he said.
Rolo nodded, still a little breathless. "Right now?"
"Yes. Right now."
Kent turned to the two men beside him.
"Both of you, come with me."
They moved quickly, following Rolo out the door.
The morning sun was climbing higher, but to Kent, the light didn't matter. What mattered was what he was about to see.
And who was behind it.
Meanwhile, back near the West Gate, Finn and Xabi were moving from one new building to the next.
They stepped into the Crop Field first. Rows of green sprouts were already pushing through the rich soil. The air inside smelled fresh, clean, like early spring.
But what caught their attention wasn't the plants.
It was the being standing near the edge of the field.
A tall, metal figure with glowing blue eyes. Humanoid in shape, with smooth limbs and broad shoulders. Its hands looked like they could grip a sword—or carry a basket of produce.
It turned when they entered.
Then it gave a slight nod.
"Welcome, Finn. Operational status is stable. Crop cycle underway."
Finn blinked.
Xabi took a step back. "What is that thing?"
Another similar figure moved past them silently, holding a tray filled with seeds.
Finn stared at the one who had spoken.
"I think… It's a robot," he said.
Xabi narrowed his eyes. "A what?"
"A robot," Finn repeated, more confident this time even though it was his first time seeing one.
The robot turned away and continued tending the soil with smooth, precise movements.
They walked into the next building, the Chicken Coop. There, too, robots were working. One gently gathered eggs into a crate. Another checked the feeders.
Everywhere they went, the same kind of humanoid machines moved around silently, doing their tasks like they had been trained their whole lives.
But what truly surprised Finn wasn't just their appearance or actions.
It was the way they looked at him. Recognized him.
Every time Finn stepped into a room, the robots paused for a brief second—just enough to acknowledge him.
They did the same for Xabi, and when the two guards from earlier approached one of the buildings, the robots gave them polite nods as well.
But there was a difference.
The way they responded to Finn was… different.
Respectful. Alert. Almost deferential.
To the others, the robots remained neutral—silent, and still, but with a presence that felt sharp. Like they were watching. Ready to act if anything went wrong.
When one of the guards spoke too loudly, a robot simply turned and stared. No words. No threat. But the tension in the air said enough.
"They know who we are…" Finn muttered, voice low. "That's… something else."
Xabi slowly turned in place, taking it all in.
"Finn… what kind of magic is this?"
Finn forced a calm smile.
"A high-level one," he said simply, bluffing without blinking.
There were things he wasn't ready to explain.
Not yet.
He didn't know how it worked. But clearly, the system knew everyone in the village. It had built these machines to recognize names, faces, maybe even ranks.
It had built a world that functioned on its own.
Finn wasn't sure whether to be amazed… or scared.
But for now, he was impressed.
These weren't just buildings. They were a living part of something much bigger.
And somehow, all of it responded to him.
Soon, word spread.
The sight of the new buildings rising near the West Gate was enough to stir curiosity across the village. Villagers began to gather—first a few, then dozens—forming a line that stretched all the way down the path.
The robots stood by each station, guiding people with calm gestures and organized movements. No one was pushed aside. No one was left behind.
Each family received a fair share: bundles of fresh vegetables, warm eggs nestled in cloth, bottles of milk sealed with wax, and cuts of cleanly wrapped meat. All neatly prepared and handed out with precision.
The villagers looked stunned at first, like they couldn't believe it was real. Then the smiles came, small, then wide, then everywhere.
What was more impressive was that the robots took their own initiative in giving out warm bread to the children.
The children happily received and clutched warm bread in their hands. The elderly held their shares close to their chests, whispering thanks to the skies. Some even wiped away tears.
"Is this really ours?"
"No coin needed?"
"The gods are really being nice to us after years."
"They gave us walls to protect us and now food."
Laughter and chatter filled the air. It was the kind of joy Riverwood hadn't felt in years, perhaps ever.
Finn stood off to the side with Xabi, watching the scene unfold.
No one asked where it came from.
No one dared to question why.
They were too busy feeling full. Feeling safe. Feeling like, for once, their village wasn't on the edge of survival.
"Look at them," Xabi said quietly, arms crossed. "You did this."
Finn didn't reply.
He just smiled.