Morning sunlight poured into the Trade Circle. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of warm bread, pine, and fresh cloth. Shops opened one by one. Wooden signs creaked gently in the breeze.
Jaro swept the floor of his herb stall, humming a little tune. "Every leaf in place," he muttered. "Presentation matters."
Next to him, Mira was setting out her painted stones. She'd drawn smiling faces on them, and little animals too. A group of kids gathered around, dropping coins into her small wooden box.
"Do you take special orders?" one girl asked.
Mira grinned. "Of course. What do you want?"
"Can you paint a mushroom… with wings?"
"I'll try."
Inside a newly built wooden hut, Kellen folded cloth carefully, tying it with string. "Green scarves sold well yesterday. I'll dye more tonight."
Her younger brother entered, holding a wooden box. "I made buttons! Wanna sell 'em together?"
Kellen looked at his crooked buttons and smiled. "Sure. We'll call it a family bundle."
Outside, a few villagers passed, admiring their setup.
"I want to build a proper shop," Kellen whispered. "With shelves. Maybe even a roof that doesn't leak."
By midday, the Trade Circle was alive with bartering and friendly chatter. A goblin trader from another forest stopped by, eyes wide.
"You folks really built all this?"
"Yep," Fira the baker replied proudly, handing over a roll. "Try it. First one's free."
He bit in and nearly cried. "Is that… cinnamon?"
Fira grinned. "Imported. From three hills over."
At the far end, a dwarf named Malin was hammering planks together.
"What are you building?" someone asked.
"A tavern," she said with a smirk. "Name's gonna be The Golem's Mug."
"Aren't you worried no one will come?"
Malin looked around. "With this many folks working hard? They'll need a place to sit, drink, and brag. I'll be rich by winter."
Across the road, Lirae sat behind a small table. A wooden board stood behind her, showing available jobs and their pay:
Sweep market stalls: 2 coins
Deliver bread: 3 coins
Repair stalls: 5 coins
Assist farming: 6 coins
Clean public bath: 4 coins
A tired goblin approached and rubbed his neck. "Got anything for sore backs?"
Lirae handed him a small note. "Garin needs help with moving crates. Light work."
He gave a slow smile. "I'll take it."
That afternoon, Rogo returned to his little hut. He counted his coins and whispered, "Twenty-two." He stared at the button he'd saved. Then at a new idea.
He grabbed a knife, a chunk of wood, and started carving. It wasn't perfect. The nose was too big, and the feet were funny. But by evening, he held a little wooden bird.
Next morning, he placed it on a small cloth by the market. One coin.
By noon, it was gone.
Someone left two coins instead.
Zira stood on a high platform, watching it all. Caelen wasn't here today. He was working on something in his house. But even without him, the village moved forward.
She saw laughter. Arguments. Honest work.
She saw hope.
"Elira," Zira said, "do you see it?"
Elira looked confused. "See what?"
"They're dreaming again."
A few stalls down, Jaro helped a customer with a fever. "Brew this, twice a day. No more, no less."
"You're like a doctor now," someone joked.
Jaro shrugged. "Maybe. All I know is I feel useful."
At that moment, a system message appeared above the board:
[System Message: New Profession – Healer (Jaro) Created]
Jaro blinked. "...Huh."
That night, Malin served a single mug of bark tea at her half-built tavern.
The goblin who bought it raised the mug high. "To the village!"
"To the people!" shouted someone.
"To coins!" laughed another.
They all cheered.
Somewhere in the quiet shadows of the forest, more footsteps approached. Another family. Another traveler. Another chance.
The village wasn't just growing in number now.
It was growing in spirit.