***
The next morning.
Ethan woke up in a modest room located inside the Town Center.
Pale sunlight filtered through the wooden window frame, casting long streaks of light across the floor.
He sat up slowly, letting his senses adjust, then walked over and pushed the window open.
Below him, the city was already alive.
The streets were crowded with residents moving back and forth with clear purpose.
Some carried stacks of lumber on their shoulders, others hauled stone blocks using carts pulled by NPC laborers.
Blacksmith apprentices moved between workstations, sparks flying as metal struck metal.
There was a rhythm to the chaos, a sense of structure that told Ethan the city was functioning exactly as it should.
Last night, he had ordered Hanss to oversee the construction of a military barracks and a tavern.
Now, seeing it with his own eyes, Ethan could confirm that both projects were already underway.
