It had been a month since I made the decision to leave the small dungeon stall in Ella and Elvie's capable hands. The business was running fine—water bottles, coffee, cup noodles, deodorant, and my country's mamon selling better than I could've imagined. Honestly, I missed it a little, especially how Ella would greet customers with a chirpy smile and Elvie would deadpan her sarcasm when someone tried to haggle over a sachet of coffee mix. But I needed to push forward.Felix and I had spent those weeks grinding inside the dungeon, floor after floor. Now we were just shy of clearing level 10. We had a decent haul of mana stones, a few near-death encounters, and an even deeper bond forged through shared injuries and insane goblin ambushes. I started to feel a little stronger—though the damn Guardian screen still wouldn't show my actual level.That morning though, as I sat down to tie my boots, a glowing blue screen popped up in front of my face without warning.New Quest: Find the Divine

The next morning, mist coiled around the gnarled trees like hungry spirits as we ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest. The path grew more tangled with every step, the air thicker, shadows darker. The map I held pulsed faintly in my backpack, as if guiding us toward something that didn't want to be found.Felix walked ahead with a quiet alertness, his blade drawn. Elvie flanked the left, scanning the underbrush with a sharp, predator-like focus, while Ella walked beside me, humming softly as if to keep the tension away. But even she wasn't immune to the unease—the closer we got, the quieter she became.Then, all at once, the forest exploded into chaos.A pack of massive wolves burst from the underbrush with snarls that shook the ground. Their fangs were like daggers, eyes glowing with unnatural light. Behind them, the trees groaned—and from the darkness, a massive figure lumbered forward.A giant orc. Ten feet tall, skin like mossy stone, with a crude axe the size of a door. It ro

Arrival at Aurareth CityThe capital was breathtaking.Everything glittered—windows enchanted to shift colors, streetlamps that flickered on without flame, pastries that floated behind bakery glass like sweet balloons. People moved with grace, especially the elves. Every one of them looked like they'd walked out of a fantasy calendar. Even the vendors selling fruit had tunics stitched with silver thread and shoes nicer than anything I'd ever owned.I tugged my hoodie tighter around my chest.They were definitely staring."Elven nobles," Elvie murmured under her breath. "Judging by the way they walk, they think the ground should kiss their feet.""I mean, the ground is sparkling," Ella said, wide-eyed."I feel underdressed," Felix added with a grunt."We all do," I replied, brushing off dust from my jeans.*****The Castle of AurarethThe castle gates alone were enough to make me stop breathing for a second—three stories high, with lion statues glowing faintly with protective magic. Si

After nearly a week of resting in the castle and finalizing the endless paperwork, my title was official. I was no longer just Dirk Robinson Jr., that weird merchant from another world. I was now Baron Dirk Robinson Jr., with a stretch of untamed land nestled between the Elven forests and the borderlands—mine to shape, defend, and build.When the king presented me with the deed, I didn't feel pride at first. I felt pressure. Expectations. This wasn't a game. This was people's lives, livelihoods, safety, and future. And I couldn't do it alone.So, over dinner in the castle's guest chamber, I asked the most important question."I'm heading out soon to claim the land," I said, setting down a bowl of chicken stew. "But I don't want to do it without you guys. Are you... willing to come with me? To live there?"The room was quiet for a moment, then Elvie scoffed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Seriously? I thought you'd never ask.""I figured you'd need someone to keep track o

A moment later, Elvie jogged up with a box in her hands."You called for me?""Yes," I said, gesturing toward the direction of the village. "I want you to bring these—" I pointed to the boxes stacked by the supply tent, "—coffee sachets, and some of the hotdog packs. Deliver them to the villagers. Show them how to cook it. Keep it friendly."She blinked. "Hotdogs, my lord?"I chuckled. "Yes, hotdogs. And coffee. Tell them it's my hometown food. It's good morale.""I'm not sure they'll understand the concept of instant coffee," she said with a nervous grin, but her eyes sparkled with determination. "But I'll make them love it.""That's the spirit.""Show them how to mix it. And tell the children they can have hotdogs on sticks and mamon if they help clean the village square."She saluted playfully. "On it!"As she left, I took a deep breath and looked around.Robinson Territory, I reminded myself.It still looked like a forgotten corner of the kingdom, with its cracked dirt roads and i