Free Web NovelChapter 12: Chapter 12: Returning Home
Morning arrived quietly over Aurelis Divine City.
The first light of dawn painted the sky in shades of gold and amber. Below, the city was already stirring. Merchants unlocked their shops. Street vendors arranged their goods. Early travelers moved through the wide avenues with purpose.
Kai stood near the inn window watching it all.
Two days.
That was how long he and Luna had spent in the city.
Yet the experience felt far longer.
Every hour had brought something new.
Something valuable.
The herb contract with Greenleaf Alchemy.
The Grand Auction House.
The Primordial Fragment.
New authority functions.
In two days, Silverleaf Village had taken its first steps into the wider divine economy.
Small steps.
Barely noticeable to anyone else.
Yet steps nonetheless.
Luna entered the room carrying a simple breakfast.
Bread.
Cheese.
Fresh fruit purchased from a nearby market stall.
The fox maiden set everything on the table quietly.
"We should leave soon."
Kai nodded.
"After we eat."
Luna sat down across from him.
For a few moments neither spoke.
The comfortable silence that had become familiar between them settled naturally.
Then the fox maiden looked up.
"What did you think of the city?"
Kai considered the question.
"Overwhelming."
Luna smiled.
"At first."
"Yes."
He picked up a piece of bread.
"But once you understand how it works, it becomes something else."
"What does it become?"
Kai looked toward the window.
The endless movement of merchants and gods continued below.
"Opportunity."
Luna followed his gaze.
Her golden eyes reflected the morning light.
"I thought the same thing."
That didn’t surprise him.
Luna had proven herself exceptionally perceptive since awakening.
She noticed things others missed.
Processed information quickly.
Adapted without complaint.
As village chief, she had been invaluable.
Here in the city, those same qualities had served them equally well.
After breakfast, they gathered their few belongings and settled the inn bill.
The cost was modest.
Yet it reminded Kai of something important.
Divine Coins mattered.
Without them, even basic comfort was difficult.
With enough of them, the possibilities were endless.
Building wealth would need to become a priority alongside realm development.
They returned to the portal district shortly afterward.
The area was already busy despite the early hour.
Dozens of newly arrived gods stepped through portals looking simultaneously excited and lost.
Kai recognized the expression immediately.
He had worn it himself only two days ago.
As they approached the return portal, Luna glanced toward him.
"Did we accomplish everything you hoped?"
Kai thought honestly about the answer.
They had established a trade contract.
Learned about the city’s economy.
Acquired a valuable fragment.
Unlocked new authority functions.
"More than I hoped."
Luna smiled with quiet satisfaction.
Together they stepped into the portal.
The familiar twisting sensation followed.
Colors blurred.
Space compressed.
Then everything stabilized.
Silverleaf Village appeared before them.
The moment they emerged, a familiar voice immediately rang out.
"You’re back!"
Iris came sprinting across the grass at full speed.
The little fox maiden’s silver hair flew behind her.
Her single tail wagged enthusiastically.
She crashed directly into Kai’s legs.
He barely managed to stay upright.
"Easy."
The child looked up with enormous golden eyes.
"You were gone a long time."
"Two days."
Iris frowned deeply.
"That’s a very long time."
Luna laughed softly beside him.
Several other fox maidens had also gathered near the portal site.
Their expressions reflected obvious relief.
One of the builders smiled broadly.
"Welcome back, My Lord."
Kai looked around.
The village appeared exactly as he had left it.
Perhaps slightly more developed.
New timber had been stacked near the construction area.
Additional farm plots had been cleared along the riverbank.
Even in his absence, work had continued.
The fox maidens hadn’t slowed for a single day.
A warm feeling settled in his chest.
This was what he was building.
Not just buildings.
Not just farms.
A community that functioned and grew even without constant supervision.
That evening, Kai called a meeting.
The fox maidens gathered around the central fire.
Even Iris sat quietly for once.
Though she spent most of the time braiding flowers into Luna’s tail.
Kai described everything that had happened in Aurelis Divine City.
The herb contract.
The auction house.
The economy.
He left out the fragment entirely.
And obviously said nothing about the Divine Evolution Authority.
Yet everything else he shared openly.
The fox maidens listened with intense interest.
Several had never imagined the divine world beyond their realm could be so vast.
When he finished, questions immediately followed.
"How large was the city?"
"Were there really eighty-seven million people?"
"Can we all visit someday?"
"Did you see other fox races?"
Kai answered each question patiently.
Eventually one fox maiden named Mira raised her hand.
The talented crafter looked thoughtful.
"My Lord."
"Yes?"
"You mentioned selling Spirit Herbs."
Kai nodded.
"We have more growing near the eastern forest."
The crafter smiled.
"I’ve also been working on something."
She held up a small wooden box.
Inside sat several carefully dried and bundled herbs.
Far more neatly prepared than anything previously collected.
"I noticed the herbs lose potency quickly after gathering."
"Proper drying and sealing preserves them longer."
Kai stared at the bundle.
Then looked at Mira.
"How much longer?"
"At least three times."
The room went quiet for a moment.
Then Kai smiled.
Higher quality preserved herbs would fetch significantly better prices at Greenleaf Alchemy.
The crafter had essentially just improved their primary trade product without being asked.
"Excellent work, Mira."
The fox maiden beamed with pride.
Luna made a small note.
No doubt already calculating how the improvement would affect future contracts.
After the meeting ended, the fox maidens gradually returned to their homes.
The fire burned lower.
Stars appeared overhead.
Kai remained seated long after everyone else had left.
He opened the authority interface quietly.
**Authority: Divine Evolution**
**Rank: Beginner**
**Authority Energy: 47**
**Available Functions:**
**• Evolution Analysis**
**• Evolution Guidance**
**• Evolution Enhancement**
**• Evolution Acceleration (New)**
**• Racial Memory Reading (New)**
**Locked Functions:**
**• Advanced Evolution**
**• Bloodline Fusion**
**• Species Creation**
**• Authority Evolution**
Forty-seven energy.
Far more than before.
Yet still limited.
Each function carried costs.
Using them carelessly would deplete resources quickly.
He needed to be strategic. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Kai thought about Mira’s preserved herbs.
About Luna’s leadership.
About the fox maidens working quietly every day.
Each individual possessed unique potential.
And now, with Racial Memory Reading available, a new possibility existed.
The Nine-Tailed Fox Maidens had ancient bloodlines.
Ancient histories.
Ancient knowledge buried within their very existence.
What had been lost across generations?
What forgotten abilities waited to be recovered?
The questions filled his mind as the campfire slowly died.
Above him, the Sacred World Tree stood silently against the night sky.
Several new blossoms were forming among its branches.
The population would grow again soon.
More fox maidens.
More talent.
More potential.
And for each of them, the Divine Evolution Authority waited patiently.
Ready to guide.
Ready to shape.
Ready to build the foundation of something extraordinary.
Silverleaf Village was still small.
Still fragile.
Still far from the empire it would one day become.
But the pieces were gathering.
Quietly.
Steadily.
Inevitably.
And Kai was only getting started.
