A peaceful morning gradually gave way to noon.
The simple house no longer stood alone.
Thanks to Tomas's tireless work, a modest kitchen and bathhouse had already been completed. With Amira happily volunteering to gather firewood, fetch water, and organize tools, Tomas's workload had become much lighter.
All that remained was building rooms for Tomas, Arcer, and Amira.
"...Mister."
Amira walked over with hesitant steps.
"I don't mind if my room is small."
Noah smiled.
"Leave that to Tomas."
"He knows far more than I do about building a comfortable home."
Amira simply nodded with a shy smile.
Work continued until late into the night.
The sounds of axes, hammers, and sawing wood echoed through the forest.
Having nothing else to do, Noah sat outside the house, quietly watching everyone work.
Yet his mind never truly rested.
His gaze shifted from his own clothes to the worn outfit Amira was wearing.
A question came to mind.
"Amira."
"If we want to buy something in a village or city, what do people use to pay?"
Amira looked at him.
"Coins."
"There are three kinds."
"Bronze Coins are worth the least."
"Silver Coins are worth more."
"And Gold Coins have the highest value."
She paused for a moment.
"But..."
"I've never even held a Silver Coin."
"Let alone a Gold Coin."
Noah nodded slowly.
He was finally beginning to understand how commerce worked in this world.
A moment later, however, Amira looked at him with innocent curiosity.
"But I'm confused."
Noah met her eyes.
"About what?"
"You have someone as powerful as Miss Lucia protecting you."
"You also have Tomas and Arcer."
"So..."
"How come you don't even know about coins?"
The question left Noah speechless.
He realized...
The longer he hid the truth, the harder it would become to explain.
Amira wasn't someone who wished him harm.
If anything, she had trusted him from the moment they met.
Noah took a slow breath.
"Amira."
"The truth is..."
"I'm not from this world."
He told her everything.
About the life he had lived in his own world.
The laboratory.
The explosion.
And how he had suddenly awakened in Magnora.
Amira listened quietly without interrupting once.
She didn't truly understand everything Noah was talking about.
But one thing she knew for certain—
The person sitting before her had saved her life.
"So that means..."
"You're really all alone in this world?"
Noah smiled faintly.
"Maybe I am."
Amira lowered her head.
Just imagining what it would feel like to live alone in a completely unfamiliar world made her chest tighten.
Slowly, she reached out and gently held the edge of Noah's sleeve.
"I'll stay with you."
Those simple words made Noah smile even more warmly.
"Thank you."
He gently patted her head.
"Don't worry."
"Lucia isn't just my protector."
"She'll protect all of us."
"As long as we're together..."
"...you'll be safe."
Amira's eyes became moist.
For the first time since being separated from her mother...
She felt a warmth she had almost forgotten.
Without saying another word, she quietly hugged Noah.
He simply smiled and gently patted her back.
Deep within the silent forest...
A small family was slowly beginning to take shape.
Night fell over Magnora for the second time.
The rooms for Tomas, Arcer, and Amira were still unfinished.
Even so, Noah couldn't bear watching them work without rest.
"That's enough for today."
"We'll continue tomorrow."
The three of them accepted the order without complaint.
Feeling uncomfortable about occupying Noah's room, they chose to sleep on the simple wooden porch instead.
Noah could only smile at their consideration.
To the left of the house, the farmland was already beginning to take shape.
Arcer had even built a simple irrigation channel that carried water from the river behind the house to the fields.
Everything was still far from perfect.
Yet Noah felt a satisfaction he couldn't quite put into words.
Back on Earth, he had spent his entire life surrounded by advanced technology.
Now...
A humble wooden house.
A small field.
And a handmade irrigation canal.
Those simple things gave him a feeling he had never experienced before.
That night, Noah didn't go to bed immediately.
Using a piece of charcoal, he began writing questions onto a wooden board.
At the moment, there was only one person who could teach him about this world.
Amira.
Morning arrived once again.
The forest echoed with the familiar sounds of Tomas's axe splitting logs and his hammer striking wood.
Meanwhile, Arcer had already been tending the fields long before sunrise.
Inside the house, Amira busied herself preparing a simple breakfast.
"Mister."
"Good morning."
"Breakfast is ready."
She placed a warm bowl of food before Noah.
Although it consisted of nothing more than game meat and wild plants, its aroma was incredibly inviting.
"Wow..."
"Thanks, Amira."
"The smell alone is making me hungry."
Amira smiled bashfully.
"Have Tomas and Arcer eaten already?"
"Yes."
"They had breakfast before dawn."
"Then they went right back to work."
Noah nodded.
While eating, he picked up the wooden board he had filled with questions the previous night.
"Amira."
"I'd like to ask you a few things."
"I'll answer as best I can."
Their conversation began.
Although Amira's knowledge was limited, what she shared helped Noah understand life in Magnora far better.
He learned that every transaction was conducted using coins.
Bronze Coins were the lowest denomination.
Above them were Silver Coins.
Gold Coins circulated mostly in large cities and regions close to the kingdom, where goods were considerably more valuable.
He also learned that coins could be earned by selling the products of one's labor.
Harvests.
Game animals.
Animal hides.
And monster gems.
The stronger and rarer the monster, the more valuable the gem it left behind.
Noah carefully wrote everything down.
"All right."
"Thank you, Amira."
"This information is incredibly important."
Amira beamed with delight.
She returned to helping Tomas carry lumber before occasionally assisting Arcer in preparing the fields.
"Amira."
Noah called out before she left.
She immediately turned around.
"When we've earned enough coins..."
"I'm going to buy you some new clothes."
"I should get some for myself too."
Amira froze.
Never in her life had anyone cared about something so simple.
A bright smile slowly spread across her face.
"Thank you..."
"...Mister."
With steps much lighter than before, she ran over to Tomas, carrying with her a newfound sense of happiness.
Noah watched her with a smile.
They still possessed very little.
But little by little...
Their new life was finally beginning to take shape.