Chapter 3: Hidden Wealth
By morning, the wind carried the smell of ash, wet wood, and… hope.
Shelters had been built—simple lean-tos from salvaged timber and stone, but it was a start. Mike and two others had begun clearing the overgrown fields. Ray, ever vigilant, stood guard while the rest of us worked.
[Tutorial Progress: 25% Complete]
[Population: 6 | Morale: Cautiously Hopeful | Food: Low | Wood: 31 | Stone: 17]
My stomach growled, and I realized the hard truth—if we didn't find food soon, even the system wouldn't save us.
But then came the unexpected.
"Lord Ray!" Mike ran up, panting. "You need to see this. East field, near the old cellar."
Ray and I followed him across the field where wild grass had been recently cut. Hidden behind what looked like collapsed rubble was an old stone hatch—overgrown, nearly invisible unless someone had stumbled across it, which Mike had, chasing a rabbit.
"This looks ancient," Ray muttered, running a gloved hand along the rim. "Not peasant work. Nobility once lived here."
My fingers itched. A thought appeared in my head:
[Hidden Structure Detected: Noble Cellar Vault]
[Requirement to Access: Intelligence Check | Knowledge (History) +1]
[Pass: Success]
The hatch clicked.
We pried it open and descended the dusty steps. Inside, our torchlight revealed a stone room, half-collapsed, but still intact. There were rusted weapons, broken barrels, and—tucked under an old cloth—a sealed chest bearing the Duke's crest.
I held my breath and opened it.
Gold coins gleamed beneath the light. Not many—maybe a few hundred—but enough to buy supplies, hire help, or trade with nearby settlements if any existed.
More importantly, behind the chest were scrolls—maps of old roads, trade routes, and even mine markers.
[Hidden Wealth Discovered: 300 Gold | Historical Records Unlocked]
[You have gained new Structure Blueprints: Quarry, Road, Trade Post]
I stared at the maps, heart pounding.
This wasn't just luck.
It was preparation. Someone—maybe my father—wanted me to find this.
But why?
"Ray," I said quietly, handing him a map. "Look at this pass. There's an iron mine in the mountains nearby."
His eyes narrowed. "If it's not overrun with beasts or collapsed… this could change everything."
[New Quest: Reclaim the Iron Mine]
[Optional: Establish First Trade Route (0/1)]
I smiled, despite myself. "We're not just surviving anymore. We're building something."
For the first time since I arrived, I didn't feel lost.
I felt like a lord.