Settling Down

When Robert Miller arrived at the gates of Green River Town with his frail wife, children, and elderly parents, he was stunned by the sight of a towering city wall. He stood in awe. The wall before him was just as imposing as the one in Greenwood Town. Since Great Latium Imperium lost Valorfort Pass, the Altai Tribe, Sami Tribe, Tuareg Tribe, and Celtic Tribe could freely roam south. As a result, Greenwood Town had become the first line of defense against these invasions, and its walls were built high and thick. Now, seeing the walls of Green River Town equally formidable, Robert Miller could hardly believe his eyes. If not for the inscription on the wall, he would have thought he had wandered into another town.

"Could it be that everything my brother wrote in his letter is true? Is the government really giving out food to settlers in Green River Town?" Robert Miller's heart raced with excitement, and he quickened his pace toward the city.

At the gate, four guards were stationed, and Robert Miller, expecting to pay an entrance fee like in other towns, reached for his money pouch. But before he could pull out any coins, the guards waved him off. "We don't charge an entrance fee here in Green River Town. We just need to inspect your belongings to make sure you're not an enemy spy."

Relieved, Robert Miller had his wife and elderly parents open their bags for inspection. The guard, Michael Harris, sitting at a small table, asked, "Name, place of origin, and any relatives in Green River Town?"

Robert Miller quickly replied, "Sir, my name is Robert Miller, and I'm from Greenwood Town."

Michael Harris scribbled down the name "Robert Miller" on his ledger. Not knowing how to spell "Miller," he called out to his fellow guard, James Miller, "James, how do you spell 'Miller'?"

James Miller, just finishing up another inspection, chuckled at Michael Harris's messy handwriting and offered to help. "Here, let me give you a hand."

Michael Harris and his fellow guards were mostly illiterate before Magnus Valorion's arrival. With a shortage of educated personnel, Magnus had to start a night school during the construction of the walls, teaching the workers five words a night. These men, who once barely had enough to eat, now had an opportunity to learn, and they cherished it.

Robert Miller watched enviously as Michael Harris wrote his name. As a blacksmith, Robert Miller deeply respected those who could read and write. "Do you have any relatives in town?" Michael Harris asked again.

"Yes, yes, I do! My younger brother, James Miller, lives here in Green River Town," Robert Miller responded eagerly.

Hearing that the newcomer was a relative of his neighbor James Miller, Michael Harris became more welcoming. "James is working on a construction site east of here, about three hundred paces away. You can find him there."

Thanking the guard, Robert Miller and his family headed east. Along the way, they saw neat rows of red-tiled houses being built, with workers applying a gray paste to the walls. The town was bustling with activity, and everyone seemed busy with construction.

After walking about three hundred paces, Robert Miller spotted his brother James Miller, working on a wall with a trowel. "Brother!" Robert Miller called out.

James Miller turned and saw his older brother. Overjoyed, he quickly spoke to his supervisor, Neil Thompson, before running over to greet his family. "You've made it!" he exclaimed. "Come, let's get you registered and collect your grain."

Robert Miller's father-in-law, excited, asked, "James, what are you all doing here?"

"We're building new houses for everyone in town," James explained proudly. "When we finished the city walls, there were leftover bricks, so our town leader, Magnus Valorion, ordered us to use them for housing. With everyone working together, we can build dozens of houses a day!"

James spoke with great pride about their leader, Magnus Valorion, and his tone was filled with reverence. Leading his family to a small brick courtyard, James took out a key and unlocked the door to his house.

"James, is this your home?" Robert Miller asked in amazement.

James nodded. "Yes, this is our home. Thanks to Magnus Valorion, every settler who registers gets a house to use. If you contribute enough to the town, you can even earn ownership of the house."

Robert Miller's father-in-law shook his head in disbelief. "Such a generous offer! We'd never sell a house like this."

James laughed. "Come in and rest. I'll go borrow a cart to help you with the registration."

Initially, Robert Miller didn't understand why his brother needed to borrow a cart.