Chapter 4: The First Villagers
MC POV:
I stared at the population indicator blinking on the glowing table:
Villagers: 0/40
Builders: 2/2
Zero? Seriously? I just built twenty huts, and not a single villager in sight.
I tapped the table again, waving my hand over the miniature village projected in midair. Nothing happened.
"System! I built all these huts. Where are my villagers? Did they get lost on the way here or something?"
[Host, villagers don't just pop out of nowhere. This isn't a gacha game. You have to attract them. Or summon them. But summoning requires special items or conditions.]
Great. Summoning. Just what I needed.
"Alright, then. How do I attract villagers? Do I need to bake cookies? Throw a party? Bribe them with gems?"
[Attractiveness depends on your village's prosperity, safety, and available resources. Also, rumor has it that a well-stocked tavern helps. But since you're new, I'll be generous and give you a starter pack. Check your inventory.]
A new icon blinked on the edge of the table. I tapped it, and a menu popped up:
Starter Village Pack: Contains 5 Random Villagers. Use now?
"Finally, something useful!" I pressed the 'Use' button.
A swirl of golden light appeared in the center of the Town Hall. One by one, five figures materialized, blinking in confusion as they looked around. Three men and two women, all dressed in simple tunics and carrying small satchels.
They stared at me. I stared at them. Awkward silence.
"Uh… welcome to the village?" I said, trying to sound confident.
One of the men, a burly fellow with a thick beard, stepped forward. "Are you the chief?"
I nodded. "That's me. Name's Max. And you are…?"
He thumped his chest. "Name's Bram. I'm good with an axe and not afraid of hard work. These are my friends."
He gestured to the others, who introduced themselves in turn:
Lina, a sharp-eyed woman with a quick smile. "I can cook, sew, and run faster than most men."
Tomas, a wiry young man who looked like he'd blow away in a strong wind. "Used to work in the mines."
Elsa, an older woman with a stern face. "I'll keep your books and your secrets, if you have any."
Joren, a quiet man who nodded politely. "I can fix just about anything."
Before I could say more, the system chimed in:
[Host, you can now assign villagers to tasks. Try putting them to work!]
I glanced at the glowing table. New options appeared: Assign, Train, Gather, Build.
"Alright, team," I said, trying to sound like I knew what I was doing. "Bram, you're on woodcutting. Lina, help in the kitchen and keep everyone fed. Tomas, check out the gold mine. Elsa, organize the storeroom and keep track of our resources. Joren, help the builder with repairs."
They nodded and set off, each heading to their assigned post. For the first time, the village felt alive-footsteps echoed, voices carried, and the scent of baking bread drifted from the kitchen.
I watched them go, a strange warmth blooming in my chest. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
[Don't get too comfortable, Host. Now that you have villagers, you'll attract attention. And not all of it will be friendly.]
I sighed. "Can't I have one peaceful day?"
[Where's the fun in that?]
As if on cue, a distant horn sounded from the edge of the forest. The villagers froze. I rushed to the table, zooming the map out. Red markers blinked on the outskirts-unknown figures approaching.
I squinted at the display. Six small, hunched shapes were creeping toward the village, weaving between the trees. As they drew closer, I could make out their features: sickly green skin, oversized pointy ears, bulbous yellow eyes, and crooked, needle-like teeth. Each wore ragged scraps of leather and wielded rusty daggers or battered clubs. They looked like they'd lost a fight with a salad spinner.
"System, what are those? Goblins?"
[Correct, Host! Six level 1 goblins. Weak, but persistent. Good luck!]
I watched as the goblins broke from the trees, shrieking and waving their weapons, charging straight for the village gate. My heart thudded for a moment-my first real battle, just twenty minutes after arriving in this world.
The cannon I'd built earlier swiveled on its base, gears whirring. With a thunderous BOOM, it fired. The lead goblin exploded in a shower of green goo and tattered leather. The rest skidded to a halt, eyes wide with terror.
Another BOOM. Two more goblins went flying, landing in a heap by the treeline. The remaining three looked at each other, then at the cannon, then back at each other. One dropped his club and bolted. The other two tried to run, but the cannon's next shot sent them tumbling like bowling pins.
I couldn't help myself-I burst out laughing. "That's it? That's my first battle? I thought this was supposed to be a challenge! You guys are basically walking loot boxes!"
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully defended your village. Loot dropped: 50 Gold, 20 Wood, 10 Elixir, and one very confused goblin sock.]
I wiped tears from my eyes, still chuckling. "If every fight is this easy, I'll be king of Eldgonet by next week."
[Don't get cocky, Host. Stronger enemies will come. But for now, enjoy your victory-and your new resources.]
I watched the villagers emerge from hiding, staring at the cannon with newfound respect. My first battle in this world, and it was over before it began. Maybe, just maybe, I was starting to like this place.
As Bram and Joren dragged the goblin corpses to the edge of the village for disposal, a thought struck me. I had five villagers but twenty huts. Forty potential slots. I needed more people.
"Hey, System," I said, keeping my voice casual. "About those summoning conditions for villagers... any chance you could share those details now?"
[Information costs, Host. Nothing is free in Eldgonet.]
I groaned. "Come on! I just defended the village. Doesn't that earn me something?"
[You earned loot. Isn't that enough?]
"No, it's not! Look at all these empty huts. What's the point of building them if I can't fill them?" I gestured wildly at the village. "Just give me a hint. Please?"
The system was silent for a moment. Then:
[Very well. One hint: Life from death.]
I blinked. "What? That's not a hint, that's a fortune cookie!"
[Take it or leave it, Host.]
"Fine! Life from death. What does that even mean? Do I need to plant flowers on graves or something?"
[...]
"System? Hello? Don't you dare go silent on me now!"
[I'm still here, Host. Just enjoying your confusion.]
I paced around the Town Hall, muttering to myself. "Life from death. Life from death. What could that possibly-" I stopped, staring out the window at Bram and Joren, who were now piling the goblin corpses together.
"Wait. You don't mean..."
[Yes?]
"The corpses? I need to use enemy corpses to summon villagers?"
[Not exactly, but you're getting warmer.]
I rushed outside, approaching the pile of goblin remains. "What do I do with them? Bury them? Burn them? Make a stew?"
[One of those might work. Or not. Experimentation is part of the fun!]
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
[Immensely, Host.]
I stared at the goblin corpses, then at my empty huts, then back at the corpses. "Bram! Joren! Don't dispose of these yet. I have... an experiment to try."
Bram raised an eyebrow. "What kind of experiment involves dead goblins, Chief?"
"The kind that might get us more neighbors," I said, hoping I wasn't about to make a terrible mistake. "Now, who's got a shovel?"
[This should be entertaining.]
"Shut up, System."
[Zap penalty activated: Insulting the System.]
As electricity crackled down my spine, I realized I still had a lot to learn about this world-and its irritating system.