One of the vilge catgirls approached at a light trot, stopping a few steps away from Kai. She still had dust on her hands and small splinters stuck to her forearm, a clear sign she had been working without rest.

  “Master Kai, we have finished building the orc’s house,” she said with a slight bow of her head.

  Kai blinked once. That fast? He looked past the catgirl toward the direction of the vilge. In the end, they were simple structures: raw wood, roofs woven from leaves, almost caveman-level technology. It was a vilge with nearly primitive technology; it shouldn’t have been that complicated to build. Even so, the efficiency surprised him. He decided to reinforce that productive behavior.

  “Well done. Thank you very much for your cooperation. You will be rewarded in due time,” he replied firmly, making sure his words carried weight.

  The catgirl smiled faintly before stepping back. Kai redirected his gaze toward Ivark. The orc was still standing, but his posture was stiff; there was still tension in his shoulders and fresh scars marked his green skin.

  “Ivark, stand up properly,” Kai said as he extended his hand to offer support.

  Ivark hesitated for a moment before taking it. His rge, rough fingers closed firmly around Kai’s hand.

  “Thank you very much, Master,” the orc said, his brow slightly furrowed from pain, though he kept his back straight out of pride.

  Kai noticed he was still moving cautiously. The healing had worked, but it wasn’t complete. He gnced sideways at Katherine. She was watching the scene with a different expression than before; the anxiety was gone, repced by restrained satisfaction. Her ears were rexed and the corner of her lips lifted slightly.

  “Thank you, Katherine. From now on you will be very useful in the vilge. You did very well,” Kai said, allowing himself a slight nod of approval.

  Katherine widened her eyes in surprise and then smiled broadly, a mixture of relief and pride on her face.

  “You’re welcome, Kai… I honestly didn’t expect to have that kind of hidden talent. For the first time, I feel useful,” she replied, csping her hands in front of her chest while her tail moved lightly with enthusiasm.

  “Well, well… enough of the sweetness. Let’s go back to the vilge, Master,” Sira intervened in a slightly sharp tone. Although she kept smiling, her eyes narrowed faintly and she crossed her arms, shifting her weight onto one leg.

  Kai noticed the hint of jealousy in her voice and decided not to confront it now. First, they needed to see the results of the progress.

  The group began walking along the dirt path that connected the clearing to the vilge. The sound of footsteps over dry leaves broke the silence of the forest. Ivark walked to Kai’s right, slightly slower than usual, but refusing to fall behind.

  As they walked, Katherine subtly quickened her pace to stay closer to Kai. She said nothing, but the distance shortened almost instinctively. Sira noticed. Without turning her head, she adjusted her pace to remain half a step ahead of the group, marking territory without words.

  The air between them was not hostile, but it wasn’t neutral either. Kai noticed the shift in positioning; internal competition could be useful… if it did not get out of control. He chose to observe without interfering. Sometimes leadership meant allowing dynamics to settle on their own.

  Katherine moved a little closer to the orc, as if unconsciously making sure he would not stumble again. Sira walked ahead, setting the pace with natural confidence.

  Sira broke the silence. “The vilge is growing quickly, Master. The catgirls work harder since you took control.”

  Kai nodded without looking directly at her. Leadership is measured in visible results. He gnced at Katherine; she was walking a little straighter than before, as if the recognition had strengthened something inside her. Ivark, on the other hand, remained silent, more concerned with keeping himself steady.

  Kai decided that once they arrived, he would evaluate every new structure with a strategic eye. It wasn’t just about houses. It was about productive capacity.

  When they crossed the natural tree line marking the entrance to the vilge, Kai slowed down. Several new structures stood where empty spaces had once been. They were not rge or refined, but they were aligned with greater order. The house intended for Ivark stood out because of its height; it was not wider than Mira’s nor rger than his own, but it had a higher roof, adapted to his stature.

  Kai frowned slightly as he examined the wooden joints.

  “How did you build these new houses so quickly?” he asked, addressing the catgirl who had given the announcement earlier.

  “Most of the materials had already been cut days ago, Master. We just reorganized the work and used more hands at the same time,” she replied proudly.

  Kai analyzed the expnation. Simple optimization… but effective. That meant the vilge had already been well organized from before. Ivark moved toward his new dwelling. He still looked somewhat stiff, but he did not hesitate as he crossed the threshold. His silhouette partially disappeared into the taller entrance.

  At that moment, a faint blue glow appeared in Kai’s vision.

  [Sistema][Vilge – Level 1 → Level 2][More Loyal Subordinates]

  Kai felt a slight pressure in his chest, the sensation of tangible progress. He looked around once more. The catgirls were working; the group was beginning to consolidate thanks to Katherine.

  “Master, I think you should check Mira’s home… well, her former pce. Your new house,” Sira said with a smile that carried an intention that seemed different from simply inspecting it.