That went rather fast," Arin said as he looked out over the river.
The river was enormous, stretching more than two kilometers from bank to bank. Even from where he stood, the opposite shore appeared hazy in the distance, almost blending into the horizon. The rushing water carried logs, reeds, and the occasional uprooted shrub downstream at an impressive speed. Standing on the newly built pier, Arin could not help but feel impressed by the scale of the transformed world. It was difficult to believe that only a few months ago none of this had existed at this scale.
Behind him lay roughly three kilometers of stable ground surrounding the riverbank. Beyond that relatively safe area, the terrain gradually transformed into a vast swamp that seemed determined to swallow everything placed upon it. Pools of dark water reflected the sky while thick reeds and tangled vegetation concealed countless muddy pits. Even experienced travelers had to be careful where they stepped. One wrong move could easily leave someone waist-deep in foul-smelling mud.
The family had spent most of the previous week constructing the pathway that connected their forest to the river. The road was wide enough for two carriages to pass one another comfortably, a luxury that many newly established roads could not offer. Building it had required an enormous amount of labor, planning, and resources. Every section needed to remain stable regardless of weather conditions, otherwise the swamp would reclaim it within days. The challenge had pushed both recruits and elders to their limits.
The greatest expense had been the materials. The Sonnenbergs had spent nearly fifty thousand silver coins purchasing cedar wood to reinforce the road and support structures. Massive wooden pilings had been driven into the ground to prevent sections of the pathway from sinking. By the time construction was complete, almost every silver coin earned from the secret realm had already been spent. The profits that had seemed so impressive only weeks ago had vanished almost overnight.
Fortunately, the extra loyalty contracts purchased with those profits had helped maintain morale among the recruits. Those who had not yet signed full contracts were still limited in what family knowledge they could access. Most were allowed to study archery extensively but were excluded from deeper family secrets. While they appreciated the training, some privately felt undervalued. After all, many believed that archery techniques could be learned elsewhere.
The reality, however, was far different from what most recruits imagined. The Sonnenbergs had spent centuries refining their understanding of the bow. Generation after generation had recorded observations, techniques, and battlefield experiences. Every lesson learned by an ancestor had been preserved and improved upon by the next generation. What appeared to outsiders as simple archery training was actually the accumulation of hundreds of years of continuous refinement.
Many modern people liked to claim that ancient humans were less intelligent than people living today. The Sonnenbergs strongly disagreed with that assessment. Modern knowledge existed only because previous generations had laid the foundations upon which later discoveries were built. Without those ancestors, none of the advances humanity enjoyed would have been possible. The family viewed history not as a relic of the past but as a resource to be cultivated and preserved.
Unlike many factions that were desperately reconstructing lost techniques from surviving manuals and fragmented records, the Sonnenbergs possessed complete archives. Their ancestors had carefully documented everything they learned. More importantly, those records had survived intact through wars, political upheavals, and societal changes. While others were trying to rediscover forgotten methods, the Sonnenbergs merely continued refining techniques they had never lost. That advantage was nearly impossible to replicate.
Several years before the system's arrival, the family had purchased an advanced quantum computing system. The machine had been fed generations of archived shooting records, hunting reports, military observations, and competition results. Using that immense amount of data, it calculated optimal forms, stances, and shooting methods. The resulting style combined centuries of practical experience with modern analytical precision. As far as the family knew, it was the most efficient archery system currently available anywhere in the world.
The recruits practicing under Lilly's supervision had no idea how valuable that knowledge truly was. To them, the lessons simply seemed rigorous and demanding. They complained about posture corrections, repetitive drills, and endless practice sessions. Yet if the family ever compiled its complete archery knowledge into a system tome, entire governments would likely compete for the chance to purchase it. The value of that information was almost impossible to calculate.
Even so, the Sonnenbergs had no intention of selling it. Some things were simply too important to share. Their knowledge formed the foundation of their identity and survival. Trading it away for short-term profit would be foolish. Therefore, the archives remained securely protected, accessible only to trusted family members and contracted recruits.
While those thoughts occupied Arin's mind, he continued waiting alongside his friends at the riverbank. They were expecting the arrival of a merchant vessel later that day. Bennie had apparently negotiated an agreement with one of his long-time business contacts. If everything went according to plan, the meeting would mark the beginning of regular trade between the family and the outside world. It was a significant milestone for their development plans.
Bennie himself stood near the end of the pier, nervously scanning the river. Unlike his usual relaxed demeanor, he appeared genuinely anxious. Several large crates had been stacked nearby, each filled with bows prepared for sale. Most of them had been crafted by recruits studying the bowyer profession. While few possessed exceptional quality, some had reached the Common rarity levels when evaluated by the system.
The popularity of bow-making among the recruits was hardly surprising. Archery was already their strongest area of expertise, making bow crafting a natural extension of their training. Furthermore, weapons sold well in nearly every settlement. Anyone hoping to earn money quickly often chose a profession connected to combat. The recruits had recognized that opportunity almost immediately.
"I agree that it went quickly," Bertho said as he lazily kicked a pebble into the water. The stone bounced once before disappearing beneath the current. "It certainly helped that we didn't need to clear an entire forest to make the road." He folded his arms behind his head and watched the ripples spread outward. "The real challenge was making sure every support piling had stable ground beneath it."
"That part was awful," Bill agreed immediately.
He remembered countless hours spent probing the swamp for reliable footing. Sometimes a location that appeared perfectly stable would collapse beneath a person's weight moments later. Other times a narrow strip of firm ground extended surprisingly far through the marsh. Progress depended heavily on identifying those hidden stable areas. Without them, construction would have taken months instead of days.
"The advantage was that we could work on multiple sections at the same time," Bill continued. Since the family already possessed extensive experience navigating wetlands, they knew how to move safely through difficult terrain. Groups of recruits could be guided to different construction sites simultaneously. That eliminated many of the transportation challenges other factions faced. Instead of moving materials long distances, they simply built wherever stable ground already existed.
Humanity as a whole had been discovering similar efficiencies. Across Europe, organizations constantly searched for creative ways to exploit Gaia's rules. The military, for example, had begun blasting pathways through mountains using mages. However, transporting the resulting stone proved expensive and inefficient. Eventually, they solved the problem by selling the rubble through the marketplace for almost nothing.
In some cases, entire tons of stone could be purchased for the price of a single wooden coin. Builders eagerly bought the materials because they were useful for roads, foundations, and defensive structures. The military benefited because their logistical costs decreased dramatically. Both sides gained something valuable from the arrangement. Similar solutions were appearing everywhere as people adapted to their new reality.
"Speaking of arrivals," Arin said, glancing upriver, "I wonder when that ship is finally going to show up."
He had heard rumors that an important guest would be arriving aboard the vessel. Apparently, someone needed to be escorted back to the family forest. Under normal circumstances, Arin would have tried very hard to avoid such a responsibility. Social interactions with strangers ranked surprisingly low on his list of favorite activities. Yet this time he seemed almost eager.
Bertho immediately noticed the difference.
"Oh, there's definitely a story behind that," he said with a grin. "Normally you'd spend an hour inventing excuses to avoid meeting visitors. Yet you've been in a good mood all week." He pointed accusingly at his friend. "You haven't even thrown one of your usual complaints."
Arin gave him an unimpressed look.
"Fine, I'll explain," he said after a moment. "But when the guest arrives, none of you are allowed to act friendly." The serious tone immediately caught everyone's attention. Even Bill sat up slightly straighter. Clearly this was not going to be a normal introduction.
"The reason is simple," Arin continued. "The guest interrogated Grandpa over the phone."
The group blinked in surprise.
"That's it?" Bill asked.
"That's enough," Arin replied firmly. "I don't care if he's the son of Herman himself. You don't interrogate Grandpa and then expect a warm welcome." He crossed his arms and nodded confidently. "We should make our opinion known."
A look of understanding immediately appeared on Bertho's face.
There it was. The real reason Arin seemed so enthusiastic about meeting someone. It had nothing to do with hospitality or duty. Arin simply believed he had been handed a socially acceptable reason to act cold and distant. In fact, Bertho suspected his friend was secretly delighted by the situation. After all, it allowed him to avoid awkward conversations while still claiming to be protecting family honor.
Bertho wisely kept that observation to himself.
The story was obviously not finished yet, and judging by the faint excitement in Arin's eyes, the arrival of the mysterious guest was going to be far more entertaining than any of them had originally expected.