Several days later, Laina and Arcer finally returned to Noaterra.
The moment the village gates opened, the sound of rushing wind cut through the air.
Whoosh!
The Dragonus shot into the settlement at incredible speed. Despite its pace, the creature moved with remarkable agility, weaving effortlessly between villagers and buildings before coming to a perfect stop in front of the village hall, Noah's residence.
At the time, Noah was sitting in the small square outside the hall, enjoying the quiet afternoon.
As soon as he saw them return, he stood and walked over.
"You're back much sooner than I expected."
"The last time we made that trip, it took us weeks."
Laina smiled faintly.
"You've forgotten how many obstacles we faced back then, Master."
Noah scratched the back of his head with a chuckle.
"Haha... you're right."
"So?"
"How did everything go?"
Laina handed him several documents.
Noah read through them carefully.
A satisfied smile slowly spread across his face.
"Excellent..."
"Everything went exactly as planned."
"From this point on..."
"...Noaterra can truly begin to grow."
Meanwhile, Arcer began reporting on the rest of their journey.
The Goblins had learned how to cultivate farmland, maintain fertile soil, and grow a variety of crops.
Using his magic, Arcer had even divided the land into organized farming plots to make cultivation easier.
Before leaving, he had provided them with seeds, along with several pairs of Hensia—which Noah considered the equivalent of chickens—and Piggi, creatures resembling small pigs, allowing the Goblins to begin raising livestock of their own.
Noah nodded approvingly.
"That's more than enough."
"You've both worked hard."
"Get some rest."
Laina bowed before returning to her office.
Arcer, however, headed straight for the fields.
Despite returning from a long journey, he still wanted to make sure every crop in Noaterra was growing properly.
Watching him leave, Noah smiled.
"Arcer really doesn't know how to sit still."
Not long after things settled down, Leon arrived with several people who had become members of his team.
Each of them had been personally selected through Laina's evaluations.
Leon bowed respectfully.
"Master."
"I'd like to ask for permission to join the Adventurers' Guild in Omniterra."
Noah looked at him with interest.
"And why is that?"
Leon answered without hesitation.
"If we become official guild members, we'll receive much better prices when selling gemstones."
"And..."
"...I'd like to establish a clan made up of several adventuring teams."
The idea was entirely new to Noah.
After giving it some thought, he nodded.
"Very well."
"You have my permission."
Leon stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"There's one more thing, Master."
Noah leaned in as well.
"People outside are beginning to grow suspicious of me."
A hint of surprise crossed Noah's face.
"Why?"
Leon chuckled.
"Because I've become the top gemstone collector."
"But I told them I grew up deep in the forest."
"They believed me immediately."
Leon burst into laughter.
Noah could only shake his head with a laugh of his own.
"You almost gave me a heart attack."
"No one can know about this place yet."
"Not until the time is right."
Leon nodded firmly.
"I understand, Master."
With that, he resumed his duties, hauling several sacks filled with coins earned from selling gemstones.
That afternoon, Noah decided to take a walk through Noaterra.
He found Lee teaching Amira how to control her magic.
Nearby, Arcer was once again tending the fields.
The rhythmic ringing of hammers echoed from Pablo's workshop, where work continued without pause.
Not far away, Tomas was repairing buildings damaged by the recent rains.
Elsewhere, the villagers busied themselves with their respective trades.
Watching everyone at work, Noah smiled with quiet satisfaction.
"Laina really has placed everyone where they belong."
As sunset approached, Noah returned to his study.
It was finally time to put Lee and Laina's suggestion into action.
He called both of them inside, along with Amira, who—as always—was present whenever Noah created a new member of Noaterra.
The three of them stood quietly inside the room.
Noah took a slow breath.
"Astra."
"Generate ten guardians with abilities equal to Leon's."
"Confirm."
This time, Noah didn't bother giving a lengthy list of specifications.
He had already learned that as long as the request was clear, Astra would handle the rest.
Crimson light filled the room.
Moments later...
Ten figures stood before them.
Three women.
Seven men.
All of them knelt simultaneously.
"We await your command, Master."
Noah studied them for a moment.
Then he glanced at Lee and Amira.
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"I think..."
"...I'm running out of ideas for names."
Lee smiled in amusement.
Amira had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing.
Turning back to the ten newcomers, Noah spoke.
"All right."
"The three women..."
"Your names are Gardina One, Gardina Two, and Gardina Three."
He then pointed toward the seven men.
"And you..."
"Gardinos One."
"Gardinos Two."
"Gardinos Three."
"Gardinos Four."
"Gardinos Five."
"Gardinos Six."
"And Gardinos Seven."
After a brief pause, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Pablo will make name badges for all of you."
"So no one gets confused."
Lee could no longer hold back her laughter.
Amira giggled as well.
"Kak..."
"Those are such simple names."
Noah merely shrugged.
"They're easy to remember."
The room filled with lighthearted laughter.
When it finally subsided, Noah's expression turned serious once more.
He explained the duties of Noaterra's ten new guardians.
They were not hunters.
Nor were they soldiers meant for conquest.
Their purpose was simple.
To protect Noaterra.
To escort every important expedition.
To guard every corner of the settlement.
And to ensure that every resident could live in peace.
In the corner of the room, Lucia remained in her Rabiba form.
Having had little to do lately, she had spent most of her days sleeping comfortably atop Noah's desk.
Noah smiled softly.
He reached out and gently stroked Rabiba's head as she slept.
"You've had quite the easy life lately."
Rabiba merely twitched one ear before curling up even more comfortably and drifting back into deeper sleep.
Noah couldn't help but chuckle.
For the first time since arriving in Magnora...
He truly felt that Noaterra was beginning to stand on its own.