The settlement was small.
Very small.
Only twelve residents lived there.
Yet Noel stood in the middle of the settlement with his arms crossed, staring at a massive stone block.
One of the residents looked at him nervously.
“Lord Noel?”
Noel turned.
“Yes?”
“Why are you staring at that rock?”
Noel pointed at it.
“We’re making a statue.”
The man blinked.
“A statue?”
“Of me.”
Everyone became silent.
Noel immediately raised a hand.
“Not because I want people worshipping me.”
The residents exchanged glances.
“…Of course.”
Noel narrowed his eyes.
“Why did you say that like you don’t believe me?”
Nobody answered.
😂
The First Monument
Noel activated his Morax template.
A faint golden light surrounded his hands.
The enormous block of stone began moving.
Slowly, it rose from the ground.
Noel carefully shaped it.
First came the body.
Then the long coat.
Then the face.
Finally, the details of the hair.
When he finished, the twelve residents stared upward.
The statue looked almost exactly like Noel’s Zhongli form.
A faint golden glow surrounded the stone.
One of the children whispered:
“It’s beautiful…”
Noel smiled.
“Good.”
He looked at the statue.
“This isn’t supposed to be a symbol of worship.”
He pointed toward the settlement.
“It’s supposed to remind everyone why this place exists.”
The elderly woman who had first asked to stay stepped forward.
“Then let us write the story.”
Noel looked at her.
“The story?”
She nodded.
“Future generations should know who founded this place.”
Noel thought about it.
She was right.
If the settlement survived for hundreds of years, people would eventually forget how it began.
So Noel nodded.
“Then write something.”
The Inscription
The residents gathered around the base of the statue.
The oldest among them held a stone tablet.
After some discussion, they finally agreed on the words.
The inscription was carved beneath the statue.
HERE STANDS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS LAND.
HE CAME TO A BARREN EARTH WHERE NO KINGDOM STOOD.
HE RAISED STONE FROM THE EARTH, BROUGHT WATER TO THE DESERT, AND OPENED HIS LAND TO THOSE WHO HAD NOWHERE TO GO.
HE ASKED FOR NO CROWN.
HE GAVE SHELTER BEFORE ASKING FOR LOYALTY.
HE BUILT NOT FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD COME AFTER.
MAY OUR HOMES STAND.
MAY OUR CONTRACTS ENDURE.
MAY THIS LAND PROSPER FOR GENERATIONS.
— THE FIRST CITIZENS
Noel read the inscription several times.
“…That’s actually pretty good.”
The elderly woman smiled.
“We should add your name.”
Noel nodded.
She carved another line.
NOEL
FIRST GUARDIAN OF THE OASIS
Noel stared at it.
Then the system appeared.
[Historical Monument Established.]
[Nation’s cultural foundation increased.]
[Morax Template Synchronization: 0.3%]
Noel’s eyes widened.
“Wait.”
He looked at the statue.
“So building monuments and protecting people actually increases synchronization?”
[Correct.]
Noel smiled.
“Interesting.”
The First Rule
That evening, Noel gathered the twelve residents.
They stood beneath the statue.
Noel looked at them.
“We need rules.”
Everyone listened.
“Our settlement is going to grow.”
He looked toward the desert.
“People will eventually come here.”
“Some will be good.”
“Some won’t.”
“So we need laws before that happens.”
The residents nodded.
Noel raised one finger.
“First rule.”
Everyone waited.
“No stealing from another citizen.”
A second finger.
“No harming another citizen without cause.”
A third.
“Contracts must be honored.”
The elderly woman smiled.
Noel continued.
“And one more.”
He looked at the statue.
“Anyone who lives here and contributes to this community will be protected.”
The twelve residents looked at one another.
That simple statement would eventually become one of the foundations of Noel’s nation.
A Visitor
Several days later, something unexpected happened.
A traveler appeared at the edge of the oasis.
He was exhausted.
His clothes were torn.
He carried a small bag.
When he saw the water, he nearly collapsed from relief.
Noel watched from the settlement.
The traveler slowly approached.
“Please…”
He looked toward Noel.
“May I have some water?”
Noel nodded.
“Of course.”
The traveler drank.
Afterward, he looked around.
“You built this?”
Noel nodded.
“Yes.”
“Are you the ruler?”
Noel hesitated.
“…I’m the founder.”
The traveler looked at the statue.
Then back at Noel.
“Why does that statue look exactly like you?”
Noel coughed.
“Coincidence.”
The traveler stared.
“…Right.”
😂
The traveler eventually asked:
“Can I stay?”
Noel smiled.
“That’s your choice.”
The traveler looked at the oasis.
Then at the small group of residents.
Then at the statue.
“I think…”
He smiled.
“I’d like to stay.”
The system appeared.
[Population: 14]
Noel stared at the number.
“One more.”
He smiled.
“Slowly…”
He looked over his tiny settlement.
“…we’re becoming a nation.”
Above them, the stone statue continued glowing faintly beneath the night sky.
And for the first time, Noel wondered:
How many people would eventually stand beneath it?
He had no idea.
But he had seven centuries.
And he intended to use every year.
To be continued…