Chapter 33 – from a bathouse into a city….

Hours later, the slum-like camp was gone. In its place rose neat rows of wooden homes, sturdy roofs, cobbled streets, and lantern posts. Smoke curled from proper chimneys. For the first time in months, the refugees looked like they were living, not just surviving.

That’s when it happened.

From the skies above, several dragons descended, their wings blotting out the sun. The refugees panicked, children crying, mothers clutching their young.

I raised a hand. “Relax. They’re with us.”

One of the dragons tilted his massive head at me. “This looks… interesting. Need help?”

The crowd stiffened in terror.

“Yeah,” I said casually, pointing at the camp. “But could you guys, uh, transform like Lord Althaeon? You’re scaring the hell out of them.”

The dragons exchanged confused looks. Then, with a flare of light, they shifted into humanoid forms—tall, graceful men and women with sharp eyes and a faint aura of ancient power.

The refugees’ fear turned to awe.

“Better,” I said. “Now… any of you interested in becoming merchants? Food sellers? Maybe tavern keepers?”

One of the dragons scratched his head sheepishly. “I’ve always wanted to try cooking…”

“Perfect. Golem!” I pointed. “Build a merchant shop. And a tavern. Make it sturdy. Something that’ll last.”

And just like that, Vista Valley began to change again.
The bathhouse had been only the beginning. Now streets stretched outward, shops rose from the ground, laughter mixed with the clang of hammers.

By the time the sun dipped behind the mountains, the valley no longer looked like a refugee camp. Smoke rose from chimneys, laughter echoed in the air, and the scent of fresh bread and roasted meat drifted from newly-built taverns.

Refugees weren’t refugees anymore. They were citizens.
A slum had become a town.

From a distance, Althaeon, Ilmar, Mina, Oswald, and Luna stood watching the transformation in stunned silence.

Mina whispered, “A… a town…”

Ilmar rubbed his temples. “…In one day.”

Oswald crossed his arms, shaking his head. “This guy’s either a genius or a complete maniac.”

Althaeon stroked his beard with a troubled smile. “More like both.”

And Luna?
Her whole body trembled, her face flushed red, hammer quivering in her grip like it was about to explode.

She pointed at me down below—Randy, happily painting a wall—her voice breaking between rage and sheer embarrassment.
“RANDY… DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU’VE DONE!?!?!?”

I waved back from the scaffolding, totally innocent.
“Uh… community service?”

But before Luna could go full rampage mode, footsteps echoed behind them.

“My, my… Lord Althaeon, what a marvelous sight.”

A young man stepped forward, flanked by polished guards in gilded armor. His cloak shimmered with silk threads, and his smile had the kind of practiced charm that made nobles look dangerous.

Ilmar froze before immediately bowing. “Young Prince…!!”

Mina and Luna quickly followed, bowing deeply. Even Oswald, though grumbling under his breath, lowered his head.

“Uh… who is this guy?” Oswald muttered.

Ilmar whispered quickly, “This is Prince Arthur Danse William—the third in line to the throne. His elder sister is first in line… he is… complicated.”

Arthur’s smile widened as he strode toward Luna. He took her hand smoothly, bending to kiss her arm.

“You must be Princess Luna of the Kingdom of Mana. The rumors did not exaggerate your beauty.”

Luna stiffened, her face twitching between etiquette and discomfort. “…Lord Arthur, forgive us for this commotion. It seems… my subjects are a little overzealous.”

Arthur chuckled, eyes gleaming. “Indeed, indeed. And yet… what a splendid sight! A thriving town in the heart of my grand uncle’s land.” He clapped a hand against Althaeon’s massive back. “Marvelous, isn’t it!?”

SMACK!

The sound echoed like a thunderclap.

Althaeon nearly tripped forward, eyes bulging. “Haaah!? Boy! You dare slap the back of a Dragon Lord!? HELP ME, ILMAR! HE’S GOING TO KILL ME WITH FRIENDLINESS!!”

Arthur only laughed louder. “Granduncle! If this place is already thriving, why not make it official? Become the mayor! Hahahaha!”

“Eh!?” Althaeon blinked in horror.

“Why not? You’re basically the owner of this valley. Recognition would be natural.” Arthur grinned like a fox who had just tossed oil into a fire.

“Lord Arthur…” Ilmar groaned, already dreading the political fallout.

“So you’re not confused by all this?” Luna asked cautiously.

“Confused? Not at all!” Arthur spread his arms dramatically. “I adore it! I may even make this place my home! Why, I can already imagine trade routes, taverns filled with song, bustling streets—splendid! Absolutely splendid!”

Mina smirked knowingly. “He’s going to get along with Randy frighteningly well…”

Oswald nodded grimly. “Yup. Another lunatic joins the club.”

“Why… why is this happening to me…” Luna whimpered under her breath.

Arthur’s gaze suddenly snapped to the cliffside, where the golems hauled massive beams into place. His eyes widened as he saw me—Randy, in my flight suit, welding steel plates onto a massive wall. I paused only to spray white paint across it, marking designs that looked alien to everyone else.

“Is that…?” Arthur’s voice was filled with awe.

Ilmar exhaled sharply. “Yes. That is Master Randy. The one who orchestrated all of this.”

Arthur’s lips curled into a delighted smile. “I absolutely must meet him. This ‘Randy’ sounds like the sort of man who changes history!”

“NO—WAIT, PLEASE—” Luna cried, stamping her foot hard enough to crack stone.

Arthur was already striding forward with reckless confidence.

Behind him, Althaeon, Oswald, and even Ilmar instinctively took a step back, as if they could feel the storm that was about to erupt.

Mina just covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“This is going to be glorious.”

And down at the wall, I glanced over, completely unaware that royalty, dragons, and tsundere fury were all converging on me at once.

By the time all that commotion settled, the bathhouse—er, town—was already finished. Smoke curled from fresh chimneys, the sound of hammers and laughter filled the valley, and refugees were already calling it home.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, proud of the work.
“Hey everyone! I’m done—”

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath me as Luna landed in front of me like a predator cat about to pounce, her red eyes glowing faintly.
“Nyaaa…” she purred sweetly, but her aura screamed murder. 🥰

Then—SMASH!
Her hammer (which a moment ago was a sword, now shapeshifted into a massive warhammer) came down on my head. The shockwave rattled through the valley, kicking up dust and sending nearby golems stumbling.

“YOU—DUMBASS—!!!” she roared, each syllable shaking my bones.

“GAHHHHH!!!” My body cratered into the dirt, my skull vibrating like a drum.

Mina only sighed, palm over her face. “Lady Luna… subtlety isn’t in your vocabulary, is it?”

Oswald flinched at the aftershock. “Geez… that’s hard… even I felt that.”

As I lay there twitching in the dirt, trying to remember how to breathe, another figure strode toward me. A noble aura radiated from him, but instead of menace, it was… obnoxiously cheerful.

“Hey!!!” the young man shouted, his smile wide as a banner. “Are you Randy?”

I blinked up at him, dazed. “…Uh… yeah? And you are…?”

Before I could finish, Luna growled, stepping between us like a feral guardian. “Lord Arthur… leave this fool to me. He needs to be educated about common sense…” She lifted her hammer again menacingly.

The noble—Prince Arthur himself—ignored her completely. Instead, he grabbed my hand with both of his and started shaking it with the force of a storm.

“HEY! HEY! I’m Arthur!!! Prince Arthur Danse William!!! Third in line to the throne!!! Nice to meet you, best friend!!!”

“GAAHHH—STOP SHAKING ME!!!” My entire arm flopped around like it was going to detach.

“Best friend!?” Oswald muttered. “That escalated fast…”

Mina groaned. “This… is going to be a disaster.”

Luna’s face twitched, her aura darkening by the second. “Best… friend…? Nya…?” Her hammer began sparking with red energy.

Arthur clapped me on the back so hard I nearly face-planted again. “So you’re the genius who built this fortress-town in a day! Incredible! Magnificent! I knew I’d find someone like you here!!”

I staggered. “…Wait, what do you mean ‘someone like me’—?”

Arthur’s grin widened, his voice lowering just enough for only me to hear.
“Someone who can change the world.”

The words hit heavier than I expected. Not flattery. A declaration.

Above us, Althaeon and Ilmar exchanged worried glances.
“…This could get dangerous,” Ilmar muttered under his breath.
“Dangerous?” Althaeon chuckled, his golden eyes gleaming. “…This is going to be entertaining.”

I forced a laugh, scratching my head. “Uh… since I’m good, might as well head back. Job’s done, old man.”

“Hmph.” Althaeon rubbed his temples as if I’d just doubled his blood pressure. “You overdid it. A bathhouse… a hospital… a whole damn town in one day. My people are already calling it ‘The Miracle of Vista Valley.’ I need at least one night to get my sanity back.”

“Uh-huh. Well… good luck with that. I’m heading back.”

Before I could take two steps, Luna’s hand shot out and yanked me by the collar. CRACK! My bones screamed.

“You’re going to fix this,” she hissed in my ear. Her tail flicked violently behind her.

“Wha—? I did what he asked!” I protested.

“With WHAT!?” Her eyes blazed red. “A whole town!?”

“…Community service?” I muttered.

Her hammer materialized in her other hand. “Say that again, Randy. I dare you.”

Arthur stepped in smoothly, his noble aura radiating like a practiced politician. “No, no, this is perfect. You’ve done more than expected. Please, stay the night. Let us become better acquainted.”

Luna’s grip on my shoulder tightened to the point I swore I heard bone grind.
“Stay. Nya,” she growled, every syllable dripping with a mix of fury and possessiveness. Her face was red, but her eyes were dead serious.

Mina stifled a laugh behind her hand. “Lady Luna…”

Oswald stretched, smirking. “Might as well stay, bro. Looks like you’re not winning this argument.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. Just let me go back to the airship for a bit first—”

Luna’s gaze sharpened. She leaned close, whispering so only I could hear, her lips brushing my ear.
“No can do. I know what you’re thinking. I can read you, remember?”

Her smile was sweet. Her aura was terrifying.

“D-Dammit… she’s still connected with me,” I muttered under my breath.

Althaeon stroked his beard, grinning like a proud grandpa. “She’s already a wife.”

“Yes… I know, Lord Althaeon,” Mina sighed, dragging her palm down her face.

Arthur clasped his hands together, stars practically twinkling in his eyes. “Ahh… so sweet. Truly a bond blessed by fate!” 🥰

“…Yeah. So sweet,” Oswald muttered flatly, shooting me a look that said ‘rather you than me, bro.’

And me? I just stood there, wondering which would kill me first—Luna’s hammer, Arthur’s political schemes, or my own big mouth.

Night fell over Vista Valley.

The new tavern glowed warmly at the heart of the fledgling town, lantern light spilling through its wooden windows. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread cut through the cold night air. The owner—no ordinary barkeep, but a dragon in disguise—stood proudly at the counter.

“Malsa!” Althaeon bellowed with the joy of an old friend spotting a drinking companion. His massive hand nearly knocked over three mugs. “So!! You really going to be part of this mess, eh?”

The tavern mistress, a stout middle-aged woman with a wide, motherly smile and arms like tree trunks, laughed heartily. Her apron barely hid the faint scales shimmering across her skin.
“Yep! I already like it here! This place… it has a soul, Lord Althaeon. These people need warmth, and I’ll give it to them!”

The tavern was packed. Refugees filled the benches—some still wearing tattered rags, others wrapped in blankets handed out by the volunteers. Their laughter was hesitant, but real, like people who’d almost forgotten how to smile.

Althaeon leaned on the counter, his voice softening as he watched the scene. “Randy… is this what you meant? Improving lives? Hmph. Maybe you’re reckless, but… they already feel at home.”

I didn’t answer. Couldn’t. Mostly because Luna was standing right beside me, her arms crossed, eyes glowing red, her aura screaming tsundere doom incarnate.

Oswald, the idiot, leaned back with a smug grin. “Heh. Poor guy. He’s under queen control already.”

“WHAT. WAS. THAT!?” Luna’s head snapped around so fast the air cracked.

“NOTHING!” Oswald shot upright, nearly falling off his stool.

Mina, sipping calmly on her tea, gave Luna a side glance. “Lady Luna… you’re scaring people again.”

“Scaring!?” Luna’s voice cracked, hammer materializing with a shimmer of light. “HOW could I not be angry!? This nimcompoop!! We came here to help, not to build a bloody KINGDOM!!” She jabbed her hammer at me, and I swear the tavern floor shook.

All around us, refugees froze mid-bite. One man dropped his bread, another choked on his stew. The tavern atmosphere instantly shifted from cozy warmth to “oh gods, the princess is about to murder someone.”

I raised my hands defensively. “H-Hey, it’s not like I planned it!! I just… had materials, manpower, ideas, a couple golems, some dragons… and… okay fine, it spiraled a little!!”

“A little!?” she shrieked, cheeks blazing red. “YOU BUILT A TOWN!!!”

Althaeon nearly fell out of his chair laughing, his beard shaking. “Bwahahaha!! By the gods, boy! She’s right—you’ve done in a day what kingdoms can’t do in decades!”

“Not helping, old man!!” I snapped back, ducking as Luna’s hammer smashed down on the table where I had been sitting. Plates jumped, soup spilled, and the refugees screamed.

Arthur, sitting at the far end of the tavern, clapped politely like he was enjoying a play. “Marvelous! This place already feels alive! Truly, Randy, you are a man of miracles!”

“Don’t encourage him!!” Luna howled, her eyes blazing.

Mina sipped her tea, calm as ever. “This feels less like a diplomatic mission and more like a comedy troupe…”

Meanwhile, I was calculating how long I could survive hiding in the golem storage shed before Luna dragged me out.

That’s when the snobby noble, Lord Dein, strutted in with his armored lackeys.
“Haaah! Lord Althaeon! Look here—see how we helped you build this place? Perfect for taxes!”

Althaeon groaned, rubbing his temples. “Peace and quiet… is that too much to ask?”
Dein shoved a refugee aside like he already owned the tavern.

Luna shot up, blade flashing. “This is a public place. No one owns it.”
Mina’s voice was sharp. “Sir. We’re eating.”
Oswald cracked his knuckles. “Beer’s already terrible, and now it tastes worse with you around.”

“How dare you! Do you know who I am!?” Dein snapped.
I half rose, but Althaeon and Ilmar stopped me. “Leave it to them,” Althaeon muttered.

Then another noble appeared—sleek, dark-haired, mustached, like a butler dipped in arrogance.
“Count Halhan,” Ilmar whispered. “…trouble.”

Before that could sink in, another man stepped through the smoke and chatter. Pinstripe suit. Fedora. Golden rings glinting. A grin straight from the Prohibition era.

“This joint’s the cat’s pajamas, ain’t it?”

My blood froze. “…Mickey ‘Goldfingers’ Moran.”

Ilmar blinked. “Who?”
“He’s from my world… Prohibition gangster. Supposed to be dead.”

I didn’t wait. I shoved through nobles and guards, grabbed Mickey by the collar, and dragged him into the alley.
“Kid, you got moxie,” Mickey laughed. “You’ll fit right in with my crew. My new right-hand guy, see?”

I slammed him against the wall, yanking the 1911 pistol from his coat and pressing it to his head.
“Talk. How the hell are you here?”

“Pull the trigger, ya bum,” he smirked.
Bang! The shot cracked past his ear. His grin faltered.
“Alright, alright! Chicago. Feds cornered me. My boss wanted me dead. Next thing I know—flash—and I wake up here.”

Luna, Oswald, and Mina arrived just in time to see me lower the gun.
“Randy, what the hell!?” Luna snapped.
“He’s like us,” I muttered. “From Earth. Just… another time.”

Oswald frowned. “You’re kidding.”
“America, huh?” Mickey grinned.
“Planet Earth, old man,” Oswald shot back.
“Aw, lay off, pal. I ain’t that old!”

We dragged him back inside, where Arthur already had Dein and Halhan on their knees. His mithril-and-meteor sword gleamed as he scolded them like children.

“Nice blade…” I muttered.
“Awesome,” Oswald added.

Arthur smirked. “So. Who’s this?”
I shoved Mickey forward. “Your new finance guy.”

“What’s the big idea, pal!?” Mickey hissed.
“Do what you do best. Manage money. You’re good at it,” I whispered.

Althaeon’s eyes flared blue as he cast a truth spell, then burst into laughter. “Hah! Interesting boy. You pick strange allies, Randy.”

Althaeon tossed a bag of gold at Mickey. The gangster’s eyes widened.
“Well, looks like I’m under new management. Thanks for nothin’, Lord Fancy-Pants,” he sneered at Dein.

Then he turned to me. “What’s your name, pal?”
“Randy.”
“I like it. You ever wanna play ball, you come find me.”

I sighed. “…I’ll pass.”

As Mickey strolled off with Althaeon and Ilmar, already talking governance, Ilmar leaned closer to me.
“He’s… interesting. How do you know him?”
The tavern’s noise dimmed to a dull murmur in my ears, drowned out by the weight of Mina’s words.

“In my world, he was infamous,” I muttered again, still tasting the unease Mickey left behind. “And very, very dead.”

But if he was here—then my theory wasn’t wrong. I leaned forward across the table, my voice low.
“Hey, Oswald… you think we’re not the only ones who got ‘abducted’ here?”

Oswald didn’t even flinch. He sipped his drink, calm as ever, then answered with that blunt tone of his.
“That’s never the question. Of course it’s possible. The real question is—who did it? And why?”

Before I could push further, Luna approached. Her steps were firm, but her eyes carried a storm. She stopped by our table, her presence enough to silence even the nearby chatter.
“Randy. Oswald.”

Something about the way she said our names sent a chill through me. Serious. Heavy.

“So, Luna,” I asked, meeting her gaze. “Tell me what’s going on. Because it’s not just Kuzman. I believed Nerina… I mean, your late mother.”

Luna’s lips pressed tight, trembling. Her voice lowered.
“Yes… but no, as well.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I muttered. Oswald scowled, equally confused.

That’s when Mina stepped in, sliding beside us with her cup in hand. Her expression was composed, but her eyes glimmered like she’d been waiting for this moment.
“I’ll explain.”

The air shifted. Even amidst the tavern’s clamor, our corner became a pocket of silence, everyone instinctively leaning in.

“Before all this… before you arrived… Lord Lozla, the former king, spoke of a prophecy. A prophecy of worlds colliding. Of foreign souls being pulled into ours.” Mina’s voice wove through the noise like a thread of fate itself.

I leaned back, trying to piece it together.

She continued. “The Kingdom of Mana held a great gathering—nobles, generals, leaders. They were desperate. With coffers empty and men stretched thin, they needed power. Queen Nerina—Luna’s mother—suggested summoning heroes from beyond this world. Many agreed. Too many. The Demon Kingdom was already preparing for war, and fear drove them to reckless choices.”

Luna’s hands curled into fists, her knuckles pale.

Mina went on. “Lord Fu Xi opposed it. Strongly. He argued summoning outsiders would twist the kingdom’s fate beyond repair. But other nations had already begun their own summonings. The vote was cast. And then… I was summoned to the palace by Fu Xi himself. He asked me to investigate.”

My heart thudded. “And?”

Mina’s gaze flickered toward Luna. “I overheard Nerina. She was with Kuzman. Teaching him. Intimately. Guiding him through the spell—an ancient ritual to call forth otherworldly heroes.”

The tavern’s fire popped, but the silence at our table was deafening.

“Wait…” I said slowly. “Ancient magic? I thought only alchemists could do that.”

Mina nodded. “Exactly. Since the fall of the Alchemist Kingdom, the knowledge was lost. Or so we believed. Until that day.”

Oswald tapped his fingers against the table, his jaw tight. “So the summoning wasn’t just reckless. It was… unstable. Random.”

Luna’s voice was sharp, but laced with sorrow. “Your summoning.”

Oswald smirked grimly. “So it just yanked whoever it could grab. No discrimination.”

In my head, gears spun faster than the golem engines. If this ritual pulled us here, then somewhere within its mechanism… was a door. A door that might lead home.

The flicker of hope in my chest was still there, faint but steady—like a stubborn flame refusing to die out.

“Well then…” I leaned back in my chair, trying to sound casual even though my mind was spinning. “Whatever the answer is, we’re not finding it tonight. So…”

Oswald smirked, raising his mug. “Yeah. Might as well treat this whole mess like a school field trip.”

Mina chuckled softly, sipping her tea. “You people… you’re so strong-headed. Never once do you act like you’re lost.”

“Huh? This is nothing,” I said with a grin. “When I was a kid, my uncle tossed me onto Sentinels Island when he was busy with the tribesmen. Told me to figure it out myself. Nearly got eaten alive.”

Oswald froze. “You went to the Sentinels!?”

Mina tilted her head, confused. Luna frowned. “What’s that?”

Oswald sighed, scratching his temple. “...Let’s just say, they’re people who… eat other people.”

Both girls stiffened, horror flashing in their eyes.
“That’s barbaric!!” Luna exclaimed.

“Yep,” Oswald said flatly. “Our world isn’t neat and shiny. It’s split between modern and ancient. Things like that still exist.”

“Yeah,” I added, resting my chin in my hand. “Truth is, our own world hasn’t even been fully explored. It’s not so different from here in that sense.”

The discussion turned into a strange exchange of worlds and histories, until the tavern doors creaked open again. A familiar energetic voice broke the tension.

“Hey! May I join?”

Arthur strolled in, looking too lively for a prince, a grin plastered on his face.

“Take a seat then, bro,” Oswald said, gesturing with his mug.

“Yeah, come on.” I waved him over.

Arthur plopped down, already looking relieved. “Finally! A casual talk. Not politics, not speeches. Just people!”

I raised a brow. “I take it you don’t get many of those?”

“Never,” Arthur groaned. “Everyone expects me to be serious, proper, perfect. Honestly? Tiring.”

Oswald chuckled. “Right!? Peaceful moments are rare. Talking about nothing—feels better than endless formality.”

Arthur clapped his shoulder, and Oswald, surprisingly, didn’t shrug him off.

Luna, however, folded her arms. “Lord Arthur, they aren’t used to royalty. Their world doesn’t have kings or nobles. They have… democracy.”

Arthur waved dismissively. “Then don’t call me lord. Just Arthur. If I want to get along with you, titles mean nothing.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “So… what’s the plan then?”

We traded glances. Oswald shrugged. “That’s your call, isn’t it?”

Arthur sighed. “My kingdom’s complicated. I’m the youngest. My eldest sister? A general—she lives for war. My second sister? Ambitious to the core. Thinks nobles are flawless and the weak don’t deserve protection. Most of these counts? Her faction.”

“Sounds rough,” I muttered.

Arthur gave me a bitter smile. “Rough? I spend half my time cleaning up their messes. My elder sister chases glory, my second manipulates the court. And me? I’m left dragging refugees off the ground, building towns like this. It’s the only way I can breathe.”

Oswald let out a low whistle. “Damn. You’ve got a lot on your shoulders.”

Arthur smirked. “What about you two? Tell me about your world.”

Oswald leaned back, explaining with his blunt tone about governments, laws, and corruption. I added about how royalty existed in places, but the constitution stood above them. “Even kings could be arrested if they broke the law.”

Arthur’s eyes widened. “That… that’s fascinating. Imagine if my country worked that way. Honestly, I’d prefer it. My nation is drowning in corruption, and no one admits it. My father… well, he’s a bit… off.” His voice dipped low at that, shadows passing in his eyes.

A silence lingered before Oswald raised his mug. “Well, cheers then.”

Arthur’s grin returned. He lifted his drink high. “Cheers!!”

I tapped my cup with theirs. “Cheers.”

Across the table, Luna leaned toward me, her voice softer than before.
“Randy… looks like we’ve gained a new ally.”

I smirked. “Nope. That one’s yours.”

Arthur blinked, confused. “Are you two… different?”

“Nope,” Oswald said simply. “We stay in the same kingdom. Which means… we’ve got a home.”

Arthur laughed, raising his mug again. “Then cheers to that!”

The tavern filled with the sound of clinking cups, laughter, and—for the first time in a while—peace.