Chapter 662: Photos, Logs, and Leaves
Well, apparently, because he was naive.
The small gathering had ended happily with so much laughter it rattled the rafters. Butler Henry was even wiping at his eyes as he watched the Imperial family take a photo. Not only was the family complete, but every single one of them looked genuinely happy to be there.
It was a sight to remember.
But somehow, after the group photos, everyone started fighting over who would get individual photos with Young Lord Luca. Apparently, it was not optional but absolutely necessary.
"Line up properly!" barked Butler Gary.
"Don’t push!" growled Elder Wei.
"Smile brighter or I’ll elbow you!"
Still, it was a night to remember. And Uno was sure he would take this memory with him to the grave.
...But what had just happened?
One moment, they were bonding joyfully, and the next moment, Uno found himself hefting a giant log while standing in the middle of an empty clearing.
"?"
"???"
"EH?!"
"EHHHHH!!!"
The shadow’s brain stuttered.
"Sir Uno, are you alright? Do you need help?"
The voice came from a bright-faced boy who looked as relaxed as could be. Several large tree trunks floated neatly behind him, dragged by his spiritual tendrils like it was nothing more than laundry on a line.
What on Solaris was going on?!
Uno’s grip slipped slightly on the log. Meanwhile, Luca didn’t think anything was odd at all.
Because, of course, they had always done it like this.
After all, how else would each person’s cabin be built?
At first, there had been talk of going on a tour.
But more than that, a certain Duke had been so eager that he was ready to drag everyone so they could all see his new mecha, eyes sparkling like a boy about to win a championship.
But then, when it came down to it, Duke Leander froze.
How could he possibly take in every perfect line of his son’s creation when the background was so dark?
More importantly, how could he get perfect pictures of it like this?
Everyone thought the excuse sounded absurd. Until they realized... that logic actually made sense when it came to touring the dungeon space.
Because after walking a few steps, it became clear it was far too dark to appreciate anything properly.
So with a refreshing smile, Luca suggested that instead of a night tour, they focus on arrangements for the new cabins while also using the time to talk about the dungeon.
And it was then that the Emperor of Solaris finally understood why Killian had been so insistent on wearing casual clothes earlier.
Because apparently, who else was supposed to make their houses?
"HAHAHA!" Emperor Xavian actually let out a laugh after seeing his wife with a few leaves clinging to her hair and shoulders.
It had been ages since they last worked with their own hands, and he was surprisingly excited about it. That excitement faltered, however, when he noticed his wife, the Marshal, and even the butler staring slack-jawed at something behind him.
He turned—and understood.
Walking gracefully as if nothing was strange at all were the four elders, each holding up a giant tree with their spiritual tendrils.
Initially, one might have asked how they were doing such a thing. But after hearing the truth about the dungeon space, learning about the elders, and even meeting the relaxed tortoise with a silken scarf, they had all agreed that "how" was no longer the question.
The true question was... why?
Why on Solaris was a giant tree being dragged across the clearing?!
Ah, well. About that.
It started because Luca had asked the little girl—who was now extremely protective of her sacred pinky—about her preferred cabin design. D-29 had already supplied several options for people to choose from, and most had followed through with simple steps. But when Luca asked the little princess, she muttered words about a house, dreams, and... trees.
As if possessed, little Nina practically staked her life on it, declaring dramatically, "Can I have a treehouse? Please?!"
She said it with such gusto and determination that she fully expected admonishment. At the very least, someone should have told her it was impossible.
Instead, she was met with blank stares.
"..."
"A treehouse?" Luca asked cautiously.
Nina nodded eagerly and explained, her hands waving as she described a small house perched safely in the branches, her own little space among the leaves.
Luca listened carefully, then turned, a little worried, toward Xavier. "Would that be safe?"
Xavier rubbed Luca’s soft hair with reassurance. "If it’s relatively low, it should be fine. Nina may look frail, but if she has been keeping up with her studies, she should be able to manage having such a place."
"But how would you even do it?" Xavier added. "Can a settlement plot even transfer something like that?"
"I asked D-29 earlier," Luca admitted. "It seems transferring isn’t possible. But maybe we can have a tree planted directly into Nina’s plot."
Well, "planted" turned out to be quite literal.
The elders had to search for a tree willing to move. Elder Feng explained that it was best to ask permission from a tree that did not mind the transfer, so that both sides would benefit from the arrangement.
WHOOOMPH!
The ground shook as a massive tree settled into place, and Nina squealed, her voice piercing the night with delight.
The tree now stood proudly while the elders stabilized it with their powers. Around them, people stood in awe—and perhaps a little fear—at the sight of a full-grown tree casually placed into the ground.
Butler Henry, however, looked horrified. Not only were they all working with their own hands, but he hadn’t been that useful in terms of construction since they started!
Remembering something, he brightened. "Perhaps I could set up the emergency capsule housing instead? That way, we wouldn’t have to build like this."
Killian caught the suggestion and shook his head. "I thought the same at first. However, I later learned that cabins constructed from dungeon materials can aid in the circulation and absorption of spiritual energy. That’s why from then on, I insisted on using local materials rather than bringing them from outside."
"What do you mean?" asked Marshal Julian.
"It’s like a passive ability, Marshal," Killian explained seriously. "Resting or working inside one of these cabins works like passive cultivation. Honestly, it’s why I keep coming back here to sleep. I can sleep longer, and when I wake up, I feel fifty percent less like a corpse."
The explanation hit the fellow workaholics in the vicinity hard.
The Emperor and Empress froze. Then their eyes sharpened.
If staying inside the space meant finishing paperwork faster... wouldn’t that mean more family time?
It would.
But first, they needed respectable cabins to make that happen.
Suddenly, the construction that was meant to be a relaxed, post-dinner bonding activity turned into a high-speed project. The workaholics association had spoken, and their motivation surged through the entire group.
Luca watched with wide eyes as productivity skyrocketed. He was busy treating wood for Nina’s treehouse when D-29 chimed in with a cheerful prompt: "Host, it seems the benefactor’s family enjoys manual labor!"
Luca looked up and saw nothing but grinning faces. Even snickers of happiness echoed around the clearing as they worked harder and faster.
Turning to Xavier, Luca whispered innocently, "If they enjoy using their hands this much, do you think they’d also like tending to the animals?"
The Imperial Crown Prince stilled. A slow smile spread across his face as he leaned down to his wife.
"Yes," he said with quiet satisfaction. And it would be a good payback for revealing to his little chipmunk that he didn’t shop at a discount when he was much younger.