Rule Zero: The Village Mission

More Rising(Lovely Moments)

Chapter 9: The Garden of Roxia and the Month of Abundance

The passage of time in the Twin Springs was no longer measured by the ticking of a clock, but by the steady expansion of the horizon. One month had passed since the silver twins—Kage and Tsuki—had shattered the surface of the cold spring and claimed Roxia Luvia as their center. In that short time, the clearing between the two springs had transformed from a desperate survivor's camp into a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem that rivaled the aesthetic beauty of the Lotus Clan and the efficiency of the Cloud Clan.

Luvia stood on the high balcony of the newly expanded Great Hall, her notebook in hand. She looked out over the Roxia District, and for the first time, her overthinking mind wasn't filled with anxiety, but with the quiet hum of a master architect watching her blueprints come to life.

"Rule Zero," she whispered, looking at the two wolves lounging at her feet. "If you’re going to build a cage for the world, make sure the world wants to live inside it."

The Great Fence and the Living Perimeter

The first major project of the month had been the Great Perimeter. Luvia had realized that with nearly eighty people and a growing number of assets, she could no longer rely solely on a concealment mist. She had directed the boys—led by Roxia Kai and his Stone-Crag Bear—to build a massive, reinforced fence that circled the entirety of their fertile valley.

This wasn't a simple wooden fence. Under Luvia’s specific direction, they had dug deep into the earth, setting foundations of river stone. They had then woven the fence using the silver-bark pine, which was naturally resistant to rot and pests. Along the top, Roxia Akane and her Golden Spider had woven a thin, nearly invisible thread of spiritual steel-wire. It wouldn't hurt a stray animal, but it would vibrate the moment a human scout tried to climb it, sending a signal directly to the Elite Ten.

Inside this perimeter, Luvia had designated a large section of the forest as a "Protected Pasture." They had cleared away any poisonous weeds or jagged undergrowth, replacing them with lush, edible greens and clover that the System had identified as high-nutrient fodder.

The Roxia Stables: A Symphony of Hooves and Horns

Luvia had spent a significant portion of her earned market gold—and a small, calculated dip into her System treasury—to populate the valley. The stables were divided into four massive, airy wings, each designed for maximum comfort and utility.

The Horse Wing: Here stood twelve sturdy mountain horses, their coats groomed to a high shine. These were for the scouts and for transporting goods to the market. Luvia had assigned Roxia Kaito and two juniors to manage them, ensuring their hooves were shod and their spirits stayed high.

The Sheep Wing: A sea of fluffy, white-wool sheep occupied the second quadrant. Luvia’s overthinking brain was already three steps ahead—she knew the winter would be harsh. "We don't buy wool," she told the elders. "We grow it." The sheep were pampered, fed on the special clover, and in return, they produced a thick, luxurious fur that was already being shorn and spun.

The Goat Wing: The third side was dedicated to the mountain goats. These were the primary source of nutrition for the children and the elderly. Every morning, the juniors would collect fresh, creamy milk, which was then turned into cheese and yogurt in the Great Hall’s kitchen.

The Nursery: The most comfortable and specialized area was the Maternity Wing. Luvia had insisted on a private, quiet space with extra hay and constant warmth for animals about to give birth. She assigned Roxia Mei and a team of gentle-handed juniors to act as mid-wives for the livestock, ensuring that the next generation of Roxia animals was born into peace.

Water, Silk, and Stone: The Bathing Culture

As the houses were completed, Luvia introduced a concept that was almost unheard of for commoners: the Roxia Bathing System. Each of the ten elite houses, and the secondary family homes, now featured private bathtubs carved from smooth river stone.

For the married couples, Luvia had designed the houses with privacy in mind. Their bathrooms were tucked away in the back, featuring wooden changing screens and aromatic candles made from the wax of the Night-shade berries. "Privacy is the ultimate luxury," Luvia noted in her ledger.

But the crowning jewel was the Public Spring Bath. Outside, near the edge of the hot spring, she had built two massive, separate pavilions.

The Moon Pavilion (Female): A serene area surrounded by flowering lily bushes where the women could soak, gossip, and wash their hair in the mineral-rich waters.

The Sun Pavilion (Male): A sturdy, stone-lined pool where the men could soothe their aching muscles after a day of logging and farming.

Luvia had even built a Playground near the center of the district. It featured wooden swings, a small climbing wall, and a sandpit. It kept the children safe and occupied while their parents worked, creating a sense of joy that was rare in the grim, high-stakes world of the Great Clans.

The Harvest and the River's Bounty

One month of the Verdant Hare’s influence had turned the farm into a miracle. The water-stalks weren't just growing; they were overflowing. The stalks were heavy with grain, and the vegetable patches were bursting with oversized carrots, crisp bok choy, and fragrant herbs.

"We have more than we can eat," Roxia Sora reported, her eyes bright with pride. "The storage rooms in the houses are already half-full."

"Stockpile the excess," Luvia commanded. "Dry the vegetables. Ferment the cabbage. We aren't just eating for today; we are preparing for the world to notice us."

The river, too, had become a primary source of wealth. Luvia had purchased different types of poultry to populate the banks. Beautiful, long-necked White Swans glided through the mist, while colorful Mandarin Ducks paddled near the reeds. They provided eggs, down feathers for pillows, and a sense of regal beauty to the domain.

But it was the Prism-Scale Trout that remained the gold mine. Every morning, Roxia Renji and his juniors would use specialized nets to catch a specific quota of the jeweled fish. They were kept alive in a stone-lined holding tank near the riverbank, ready to be transported to the market.

The Mentorship: Building the Elite

The most beautiful part of the month, however, was the social structure. Luvia had established a strict mentorship program. Each of the Elite Ten was responsible for a group of juniors.

Kai taught the young boys the rhythm of the axe and the language of the stone.

Mian taught the girls how to manage the domestic Qi of a household and the art of the silver-leaf tea.

Akane oversaw the weaving circles, where the grandmothers used their decades of experience to make clothes for the village—and even small, embroidered coats for the animals during the chilly nights.

Luvia watched a junior boy, no older than twelve, trying to mimic Kai’s stance with a training hatchet. Kai reached down, corrected the boy’s grip, and nodded. The boy’s face lit up with a glow that no spiritual weapon could match.

The Matriarch’s Reflection

As evening fell, Luvia walked through the district. She passed the chicken coops, where a dozen different breeds—from the heavy-set Orpingtons to the rare, blue-feathered Silkies—were settling in for the night. She saw the elders sitting on the porches of their new homes, their wooden ID tokens gleaming in the sunset.

She reached the nursery, where a new lamb had just been born. The assigned junior was carefully drying it with a soft cloth, while Mei checked the mother’s pulse.

"Everything is perfect," Luvia whispered.

[NOTICE: VILLAGE INFRASTRUCTURE COMPLETE.]

[POPULATION: 88/100.]

[CLAN REPUTATION: UNKNOWN (CONCEALED).]

[SYSTEM WARNING: THE BALANCE OF THE FIVE PATHS IS SHIFTING. YOUR ISOLATION IS ENDING.]

Luvia felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cold spring. She looked at her wolves, Kage and Tsuki. They were both staring toward the north, their fur bristling.

She had built a paradise. She had given the "discards" a life of bathrooms, fresh milk, and private beds. She had created a world where even the animals had embroidered coats. But she knew the world of the Great Clans. They didn't like it when the "trash" built a palace.

"They’re coming, aren't they?" she asked the System.

[PROBABILITY: 99.9%. THE FIRST TWIST IS MANIFESTING.]

Luvia stood tall, her black clothing replaced by a custom-made robe of deep navy silk, embroidered with the silver wolves of Roxia. She was no longer an overthinker hiding in a forest. She was a Leader.

"Let them come," she said, her voice echoing through the silent, perfect village. "I’ve spent a month building the perfect home. Now, I’m ready to defend it."

She looked at the empty space on her token—the space for the spiritual weapon. It remained blank, a silent promise of the power she was still holding in reserve.

The month of abundance was over. The season of the storm was about to begin.