The grove was alive with activity as Selene watched her Fae Lords and their subordinates continue their work. The frost sprites hauled stone to reinforce the walls, while the fire sprites danced around the food stores, carefully preserving and preparing the meat from the previous hunts. The newly constructed Fae Queen’s Wall shimmered in the sunlight, its crystalline and fiery accents marking it as a barrier of both beauty and strength.

  Selene was interrupted by a system prompt.

  《System Alert: Expansion Available》

  《Your grove has reached its resource limit for current structures. Expand territory to unlock additional resource nodes and construction slots.》

  She frowned. Expanding the grove would require careful planning—and, undoubtedly, more resources. For now, she had to focus on strengthening her defenses and gathering supplies.

  The Fae Lord of Forests approached, her movements graceful as vines coiled around her feet. “My Queen, I sense something unusual beyond the grove,” she said, her voice soft but commanding. “There is an energy source nearby—wild, unclaimed, and potent. It could aid us greatly.”

  Selene’s eyes narrowed. “Is it dangerous?”

  “Unclear,” Forest admitted. “But such power rarely goes unnoticed. If we don’t claim it, someone else will.”

  Selene considered her options. Expanding her grove into new territory would undoubtedly draw attention, but ignoring such a valuable resource wasn’t an option. She turned to the Fae Lord of Shadows, who stood silently in the corner.

  “Take a few shadowlings and scout the area,” she ordered. “Report back before we make any moves.”

  Shadows bowed his head, his dark form flickering before disappearing into the shade. Selene could only wait, her patience tested as the minutes stretched into hours.

  Meanwhile, the trade interface was abuzz with activity. Selene accessed the store and scrolled through the latest listings. The desperation for food hadn’t abated—if anything, it had grown worse.

  [IronFist]: "Anyone selling food? I’ll trade all my energy stones!"

  [HunterKing]: "Can’t hunt. Too dangerous. Please, someone sell meat!"

  [GoldenDragon]: "You weaklings need to get out and fight. Stop relying on others."

  Selene shook her head at the chaos. Many lords were already starting to falter, unable to gather food or defend themselves. She carefully listed another small batch of meat, keeping the price fair but high enough to avoid suspicion.

  Within moments, the trade was complete, and her energy stone reserves grew.

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  She returned to the world chat, carefully selecting a few individuals who seemed desperate but reasonable. Her direct messages were brief and to the point:

  《QueenOfBalance: I have food. Private trade only. Total privacy required. Agree, or no deal.》

  The responses came quickly, each lord agreeing to her terms. The trades were simple—meat for energy stones or cores—but Selene was careful to limit her interactions. She couldn’t afford to be noticed, not yet.

  Shadows returned just before dusk, his shadowlings flickering into existence beside him. “My Queen,” he said, his voice low. “The energy source is a wellspring—a node of concentrated magic. It is unclaimed, but I detected tracks nearby. Others have passed through the area.”

  Selene’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Other lords?”

  “Unlikely,” Shadows replied. “The tracks were beast-like, but... intelligent. We should approach with caution.”

  Selene nodded. “We’ll claim the wellspring, but I want a defensive perimeter set up first. Forest, take the frost sprites and root-bound defenders to secure the area. Shadows, you and the shadowlings will remain hidden and watch for any threats.”

  Her Fae Lords bowed and left to carry out her orders, their subordinates moving swiftly to prepare the grove’s forces.

  As the Fae worked, one of the fire sprites returned with another discovery. It chirped excitedly, tugging at Selene’s sleeve and leading her to a small clearing near the grove’s edge. There, half-buried beneath a pile of leaves, was another chest. Its intricate carvings glowed faintly, similar to the one found the day before.

  《System Alert: Treasure Discovered!》

  《Contents: Expansion Blueprint – Hunting Lodge》

  Selene’s eyes lit up as the blueprint added itself to her inventory. A hunting lodge would allow her to bolster food production and possibly attract more Fae creatures to her grove. She immediately set to work building it, using the resources her sprites had gathered.

  Once the lodge was complete, Selene placed her hands on its structure, channeling her Fae magic. Like the wall and castle before it, the lodge transformed, its wooden beams growing vines and shimmering with magical light. The result was a stunning, nature-infused structure that fit seamlessly into the grove.

  《System Alert: Hunting Lodge Transformed!》

  《Your Fae magic enhances resource efficiency and creature attraction.》

  Selene stepped back, admiring the structure. She had to admit, there was a certain satisfaction in watching her grove grow stronger with every addition.

  The Fae Lord of Forests returned near nightfall, her expression calm but triumphant. “The wellspring is secure, my Queen. It now belongs to the grove.”

  “Good,” Selene said, relief washing over her. “What’s the next step?”

  “Claiming the energy will empower our forces and increase your control over the grove,” Forest explained. “With your permission, I will oversee the process.”

  Selene nodded, following her Fae Lord toward the wellspring. The glowing pool of magic shimmered faintly in the moonlight, its energy humming with power. Forest placed her hands on its surface, and the energy flared, expanding outward in a wave of light.

  《System Alert: Magical Node Claimed!》

  《Your grove’s energy reserves have increased. Resource gathering efficiency boosted.》

  Selene felt the change immediately—a surge of strength and clarity as the wellspring’s power flowed into her.

  Later that evening, Selene returned to the castle, her mind buzzing with plans for the days ahead. The grove was stronger now, but she knew the challenges would only grow. Other lords, beasts, and even the land itself would test her at every turn.

  As she stood on the castle’s steps, gazing out at her transformed grove, Ember approached, her fiery grin as sharp as ever. “What’s next, my Queen?”

  Selene smirked, her confidence unshaken. “We expand. And we survive.”