Lotus

Currently, I am in front of the window inside Greg's study, looking out towards the group of figures dressed in a heavy-looking golden armor decorated with shining jewelries. Moments after seeing their delicate appearance, I scoff in an insulting manner.

"What kind of knight dress like a lady?"

In my mind, they are supposed to be the people who protects the mass, the people who confronts the enemy directly. But in this case, they look like designed statues for a purpose of mere display.

I like to get out and give them a nice word, but I was told to stay here by the mayor since we don't want to show my personality as being easy-going.

I was hurt, but I simply accepted the fact that the person just mock me. He's my subordinate so I will be letting him off the hook only this time.

But before an hour could even pass, I began to get bored. They had already left by that time to a room for better communication and thus I was left with nothing to do.

So instead of staying here, waiting for my inevitable, slow, and painful death. I decided to leave the municipal, or the Rose, rather. I flew towards the direction of Lotus Town and minutes later, I arrived there.

In my mind, there is supposed to be a functioning ore mine at the front of the town, two of which are made for special materials while the rest are for mining salt and iron respectively.

However, I sigh in dejection as the only remaining functioning mine is neither of the important source of this town's income. And the only thing that barely functions is in the far side of Lotus town located at its west, the quarry. A deep 2500 square meter quarry used to mine stones.

It's deep is probably around a hundred meter, and it's condition is just horrible. People dressed in rag currently carries what seems to be boulders without any proper equipments, they even look like someone who has yet to bathe for more than a week by just seeing their blackened skin due to their work.

The good thing is, the resources that I provided in this town seems to be doing its job, though I am still puzzled by their clothes. I am confident that I included warm clothes when I was spamming the resources before. There should probably be at least 3 to 4,000 clothes currently stored in the warehouses.

I descended to the town slowly, and once they notice my figure, they started to cheer. I expected them to be lethargic but it seems I am wrong. Their cheer echoes through my ears as they get gradually get closer to me.

"Milord, Milord! You have finally come! We are saved!"

"All Hail, His Lordship!"

Damn, and here I thought things are pretty normal here. But I shouldn't have expected it after seeing that huge statue of myself decorated with Lotus flowers around it in the middle of the town's square, signifying their extreme respect to me.

"We have been waiting for you, Milord. However, we must apologize if we can't give you a welcome feast, we are currently undergoing a town reconstruction."

Town reconstruction?

"What do you mean?"

I am genuinely confuse.

"Ah, yes. Since we already have the resources milord provided, we now started to reconstruct the ore mines so we can start producing an income for his lordship. You must've noticed the mines being currently closed, that's because we decided to do so while the worker retrieve their equipments and other necessary stuff before we start the construction. We are also planning to reconstruct some old buildings that are already deteriorating and if possible, we can expand the town so othe people can live here since we really need manpower."

Goodness.

... It seems I don't need to worry about them after all! For them to think such advance thing despite in a state of distress just a day ago!

T-They are practically governing themselves, independently at that!

I began to express an astonishment, and my face lightened in delight upon hearing his remark. To be exact, I am happy.

But wait, now that I think about it, I am in this world! In this world, this is reality. Which means this is not a game, and they are not someone that just act like an npc.

I have noticed this before, their immediate reaction, their lively faces. They are as if truly alive. They are real people who have awareness and self consciousness.

I instinctively opened the system, head for the [Tool Menu] and pressed the [Status], there I saw the total number of the current citizen within my territory.

When I click the [Pearson Territory] located at the upper-right corner of the window, three windows of the towns' status appear. The first one is [Edelweiss], the other is [Rose], and lastly [Lotus]. Upon seeing the Lotus's town education level, my jaw dropped instantly.

[Literacy: 77%]

I tried to compare the other town's level of education, but without a doubt, the Lotus has the highest, with Edelweiss having [Literacy: 36%], and Rose having [Literacy: 28%]. With an overall average [Literacy: 47%].

So it seems that I am underestimating my people. God, I feel awful.

And I just realize something, my effort to add colleges and schools 25 years ago seems to be not futile after all.

"It seems you have not fully neglected your studies and lessons after all." I mutter, barely able to be heard by the many cheering people, but it seems the man I am speaking with heard my voice and his face made a genuine smile upon hearing my praise.

"Of course, milord! We are taught very well to utilize every material we have after all!" He exclaim, with a hint of confidence in his face.

HAHA, I see!

I am glad.

Their dedication to work appears to be in need of reward, thus, I decided to take my part as well, being their lord who governs them all.

I head for the [Resources], then to [Mine] tab. There, a few options of mining facility appear, such as [Ore Mine] ,[Ore Mine(large)], [Special Ore Mine], [Special Ore mine(large)], [Quarry(small)], [Quarry].

I click [Ore Mine] and instantly, a huge building appears in a highlighted green, I grab it and dragged it towards the mountain slope. Then instantly after placing it, a mine facility appear.

Once after I finished it, I head for the building undergoing a reconstruction. When I click it in my mind, it's status appear. The current percentage of it being [Demolished] is 03%. It's quite a slow progress but if we consider this as their first time then it is by no means a negative situation.

Instead of waiting for more than a month for its reconstruction to even start, I decided to reclaim it, then upgrade it by clicking the [Upgrade] button just at the left of the [Ore Mine]'s window.

Then instantly, the demolishing status vanish and the [Ore Mine] facility changed after the magical dust transition.