Chapter 41: Poor!

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The days of calm didn't last long before Riveria came to Sol with a list of expectations from the newly summoned Yordles.

Corki required a dedicated workshop to build his aircraft; Ziggs, meanwhile, needed his own workspace to create bombs. Fizz wanted a large pool, and Kled demanded an arena where he could battle worthy opponents.

The family's residence expansion wasn't even complete, and now these extra demands had piled on, draining resources faster than Sol anticipated.

Corki's studio was manageable, but Ziggs's workshop posed a significant problem. Sol didn't need to guess what kind of explosive experiments Ziggs would want to conduct. To accommodate him, a spacious, safe environment was essential.

Then there was Fizz's request. As an amphibious Yordle, he needed more than a simple pool; his habitat would have to be large enough for him to feel at home both above and below water. Kled's arena, surprisingly, seemed like the simplest request—though Sol knew that constructing a proper fighting pit was no easy task.

'...Easy?' Sol mentally scoffed. The more he considered it, the more the reality sank in: he was starting to feel poor!

He realized he could no longer simply consume magic stones for his world progress; they'd need to be sold off in exchange for some income. Even Alfia's funds had limits, and they couldn't just keep depleting her resources.

"Let's go ahead with it anyway," Sol sighed, resolved. "Riveria, when you speak with the guild, request additional land for the expansion."

After all, this was only the beginning. With more heroes to come, planning for future expansion all at once would save headaches later.

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Time passed, and the city of Orario settled into a period of relative peace after the defeat of the dark faction. Although some remnants of the faction remained, their presence was minimal. Without strong leaders, the surviving dark mages and warriors posed little threat, reduced to minor nuisances at best. The Astrea and Ganesha families, tasked with maintaining Orario's security, quickly rooted out any lingering remnants of evil.

The return to stability revived Orario's prosperity, spurred on by substantial guild funding. Resources seized from the dark faction were reinvested into the city, and many families who participated in reconstruction earned considerable rewards—sometimes even more than those who had fought in the crusades. Sol's family, with its ongoing expansion, brought substantial business to the family of builders, who profited well from the arrangement. Alfia's private treasury had already been reduced by more than half, totaling over a billion Valis. While Alfia herself seemed indifferent to the depletion, Sol was fully aware of the weight of that sum.

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Tonight, several families, including the Loki and Freya families, were hosting a grand celebration. The invitation had arrived early that morning, and Sol, having spent too much time in solitude recently, decided it would be a good chance to bring Riveria out for a break.

As night fell, the banquet hall came alive, brightly lit and filled with a joyful, festive air. Sol and Riveria arrived in a carriage, and as Riveria stepped out in her elfen royal dress, the gathered gods couldn't help but take notice. Her noble elegance rivaled that of some goddesses, capturing the attention of more than a few onlookers.

Entering the banquet hall, the duo quickly became the center of attention. Some of the male gods paused mid-drink, unable to take their eyes off Riveria.

"Hey, Sol, you took your sweet time getting here!" one god called.

"Riviera-chan in her royal dress!" another exclaimed.

"I am Ganesha!" a booming voice declared.

Sol chuckled to himself, fully aware of the effect Riveria was having on his fellow gods. He kept her close by, blocking any of them from getting too close.

"You lecherous lot, keep your distance from my precious Riveria!" he warned.

At that moment, Loki, dressed in a gown but with a notably flat chest that did little to fill it out, emerged from the crowd, eyes fixed squarely on Riveria, who Sol was carefully shielding.

"Out of the way, Sol!" she demanded, her intentions obvious.

Anticipating her move, Sol raised his hand high, waiting.

'Slap!'

The sound rang out as Loki staggered back, a bright red handprint clear on her cheek. The blow knocked her backward, but she quickly rebounded, anger blazing in her narrowed eyes.

"You wretch! I'll get you for that!" she shouted, launching herself at him again. But with her petite stature, Sol was able to hold her back easily, his hand planted firmly on her forehead, preventing any forward progress. Around them, the other gods burst into laughter at the sight.

"You lot better behave yourselves, and quit ogling my Riveria!" Sol declared, puffing himself up as the male gods retreated, though some still stole a glance back at Riveria.

Seeing his possessive stance, a few gods muttered in irritation, drawing disapproving glances from their own family members.

"Alright, you've had your fun," Sol said, finally releasing his hold on Loki's forehead. Unprepared for the sudden freedom, she stumbled forward, nearly falling. Luckily, Gilatia caught her in time, preventing what would've been an embarrassing collapse in front of the entire hall.