Chapter 39: Sensitive Riveri

After absorbing the divine energy of Apate, Sol's consciousness unlocked new insights about constructing the mythical realm of Valoran. It was at that moment the system, with its characteristic lack of responsibility, informed him that magic stones could accelerate Valoran's construction.

Thus, the magic stone collection began. Now was the time to put it to the test.

Selecting a large, fist-sized magic stone, Sol felt, through his parallel consciousness, a faint wave of energy drawn from within the stone.

"The construction progress of Bandle City is at 60.3% (60.3%–60.3%). Remaining summons available: 5."

What did that mean? Sol's brow furrowed. The progress hadn't increased at all. Why give a progress update if there was nothing new to report?

The system informed him that previous gains in construction progress had been due to borrowing divine power from Erebus. At that time, Sol had been too preoccupied with searching for Alfia to use any of the summoned creatures he had available. His original plan was to gather all available magic stones before deploying a major summon—a single, impactful event that would avoid raising suspicion by using them sporadically.

The system chimed in again. "The energy from a magic stone is limited, and percentages below two decimal places are not displayed."

"What was the point of hiding decimal points? Are you looking down on it?"

"But even the percentage hasn't changed."

His parallel consciousness picked up on his irritation immediately, and, for a moment, he detected an unusually sarcastic tone.

Whoever heard of a sarcastic system? Where had it picked up that attitude?

Frustrated, Sol tightened his grip. There was a crunching sound as the drained magic stone, now brittle and colorless, crumbled in his hand. The once-dark stone had lost its durability, breaking into pieces and spilling from his fingers.

"Well, there's plenty more magic stones left. Let's see how much they'll get us."

"Shall I begin?" asked his parallel consciousness.

"Of course. This stash is yours, so go ahead," Sol replied, his curiosity satisfied. He watched as an energy wave covered the pile of stones, systematically drawing out their magic.

The process wasn't as convenient as devouring divine energy, but Sol knew that even small gains added up. He couldn't exactly absorb divine power every day; wars large enough to yield such energy were rare, after all. 

Moments later, the stones were all drained.

"The construction progress of Bandle City is now at 71.1% (60.3%–71.1%). Remaining summons available: 6."

That was it? Billions in magic stones, and it had only increased by 11%? Calling it a "gold-eater" didn't do justice to how expensive this effort was turning out to be.

At this rate, building Bandle City was just the beginning. Places like Targon and the Shadow Isles would require an impossible amount of resources.

He sighed. "It seems like making more money won't be enough. Maybe shifting focus to other gods is the way to go…"

Noticing his troubled expression, Riveria leaned over, softly tracing his brow with her fingertips, as if trying to soothe away his stress. Sol exhaled deeply, relaxing into her arms.

"Your face looks tense," she observed.

"The cost of world-building is higher than I'd imagined," he admitted.

Having already shared with Riveria the purpose of the magic stones, Sol saw no reason to hide his plans. He'd need her help procuring even more stones in the future.

After his brief explanation, Riveria listened quietly, playing the part of a supportive audience.

"It's alright, Sol-sama," she assured him. "Don't push yourself too hard. I'll always be by your side."

In that moment, a rare softness shone in her eyes. It was as if a divine light radiated from her.

This was why he held her in such high regard.

Sol raised his hand, and Riveria, sensing his need for reassurance, grasped it tightly with both of hers.

"Let's take things slow," he said with a faint smile. "For now, I'll summon a few more Yordle children."

Sol felt her body tense slightly at the mention of Yordles, and he saw her smile falter. 

Raising Yordles was no easy task. Riveria had come to understand that these creatures, with their endless curiosity and boundless energy, were both a joy and a trial for the family.

Managing so many "problem children" at once had left her exhausted. Her years of handling family matters had never been this tiring.

"If any more newcomers are as lively as Lulu and Gnar, I don't think I'll have the energy to keep up with them," she said, her voice tinged with gentle resignation.

Riveria felt a bit self-conscious. After all, she had just promised Sol that she'd support him.

"Not all Yordles are so...spirited," Sol reassured her. "Some are more serious. Lulu and Gnar are simply childlike."

"I hope so…" she murmured, reluctantly optimistic.

Perhaps the new Yordles would be as steadfast as Poppy. If not, someone reserved like Vex might be easier to manage. Even a slightly withdrawn personality would be preferable.

Somewhere along the way, Riveria's standards for new recruits had become surprisingly low.