Desolate World

As even Aria didn't regard the daily activity of the Nightglow guild's members —hunting monsters when everyone was busy with the construction of the village— as a fault, no one dared to scold them. 

Well, there was someone who dared to question Ace. It was Noah. As the commander of town guards, he of course knew that the activity was a mistake, as it violated the agreement of the elders. And as he didn't get any notice from Mars or Aria, he knew that Ace was up to mischief.

"What are you doing? Aren't you afraid Aria will kick your ass for it?" Noah asked.

Ace just smirked, "No way. Remember! I am also the director of night guards. Can't I train my subordinates?"

Noah was stunned for a second, but he then succeeded in getting himself. He then asked with a doubt, "Aren't your subordinates going to be guardians and some elites? It's the deal, right? And didn't we agree to make the night guards in the dark, and used your guild as a shell? I don't think that they are guardians, and more than forty townsmen? You won't make an army, right?"

Ace then sighed. He then explained, "Listen, Noah! I don't think I can do this job by only depending on some elites and a bunch of guardians. I need to build dependable power, that even if the guardians aren't enough, the night guards could still operate. And they would become the foundation of the guild. 

In fact, I have talked with Aria about it. And she didn't say anything."

After that, Noah left him alone with a thumb up. With the two important figures' approval, the guild was working in full swing. 

While the combat personnel busied themselves to level up with Sampson as the captain. The 60 production personnel started the construction of their guild house and other buildings on an acre of land not far from the town plaza. 

For a note, as Sofia wasn't able to create job changing scrolls herself, they just had 16 kinds of jobs that could be given to the townsmen. 

They were warrior, healer, bard, elementalist, archer, and thief for the combat jobs.

And then there were blacksmith, alchemist, tailor, leatherworker, woodworker, builder, sculptor, painter, writer, and cook for production jobs.

As they only had 5 copies for each kind of scroll, so they could only transform 80 townsmen, well actually 79, as one healer scroll had been used to change Mia —the daughter of Adrian— to be a healer. As for the other 24, they recruited the low-level townsmen that already had jobs. 

Most of them were new shadows like Mila. As they were reborn with jobs they had already learned, Andrea just threw them to Ace to cultivate. According to her, the shadows didn't have time to train them, as they were busy constructing the town facilities. Ace of course received them gladly. Including Mila, who was a shadow stalker, he also recruited 7 shadow knights and a shadow priest. A total of 9 shadows.

As for the other 15, they were 2 elven rangers, 2 elven druids, 2 angel sharpshooters, an angel light mage, a gnome earth mage, and 7 merchants, which were 2 goblins, 4 humans, and a dwarf.

Because there were many applicants that came; Ace, Sofia, and Sampson decided to be very strict in the selection. Especially for the townsmen who already had jobs. They only took the jobs that they didn't have. Unfortunately, only these 24 townsmen who had unusual jobs that had applied. So they closed the recruitment after receiving 79 townsmen, who would change their jobs, and 24 low-level professionals.

For the construction of the guild house and other buildings, As a manager, Sofia trusted the five builders to lead the production personnel to do it. As they wouldn't have any activity before their shops and buildings were complete, they would assist the builders.

Like the combat team who hunted monsters, they worked from morning to before dusk. The progress of the construction could be said fast, as Sampson and Adrian had gathered some of the material like stones and logs. For other materials and tools, Sofia had bought from Aria. The floating island had brought many of them from Dragma Valley. So the Nightglow guild could buy them with normal prizes.

***

"How is the progress of the construction?" Ace asked a young dwarf. He was one of five builders that had changed his job a week ago.

He was in the middle of the crowd of his guild personnel who had their dinner. The sun had set and with the lighting of many bonfires and torches, the townsmen enjoyed their dinner.

After taking their meals from the women who were on duty serving meals, the townsmen made a group to have dinner together. Many of them still gathered among their own races and families. But for the youngsters, they had started to mix with their new friends that were many from different races.

Ace's guild personnel was a group with the most variety of races that ate together there. A week working together had brought them together. They no longer showed stiff relationships like the first day they joined. Jokes and teasing could be heard among them frequently. Ace could say that they already became one community.

"I must say it's okay, Guild Master. No incident happened. Everything is progressing according to the schedule that the manager has set.

It's just…," The dwarf with the name Alton seemed to be hesitant to say.

Putting his earthen bowl, Ace said, "Say it! I will do my best to prepare everything that you need.

Alton then leaned his body in Ace's direction and whispered, "About the underground secret space according to the design that the manager gave us, we can't find a time to build it. 

After all, many townsmen pass the area every time. As she said that this area's existence must be kept secret from the townsmen, we haven't had the opportunity to start it."

Ace frowned. He then asked with a low voice, "Can't you do it in the evening?"

Alton shook his head, "Initially, we also thought so. But with the grand banquet being held every day, I think it will be impossible."

***