The sun was warm and high in the sky, casting a golden sheen over the slowly reviving landscape of Pompom Village. Once scarred by the dragon invasion, the village now pulsed with the quiet rhythm of recovery. Postknights, villagers, and volunteers worked side by side to rebuild what had been lost—patching homes, fixing roads, and planting the seeds of hope.
Solis wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and handed a wooden beam to a fellow Rank D Postknight. Beside him, Vaidya adjusted a support frame with meticulous care, occasionally consulting a hand-drawn plan on parchment. Ada, energetic as always, hammered down nails like she was battling a monster.
"Next one!" Ada called, her voice bright and playful as she heaved a hefty piece of timber over her shoulder toward Solis.
Solis turned just in time to see the wooden beam flying toward him. "Watch it!" he shouted instinctively, barely managing to catch it against his chest. He staggered back a step, the weight surprising him more than the throw. Despite the sudden exertion, a chuckle escaped him.
"Don't laugh!" Ada scolded, placing her hands on her hips with mock sternness, though her grin betrayed her amusement. "That's focus training! Keeps you on your toes."
"Oh, is that what we're calling it now?" Solis grinned, placing the timber neatly on the growing stack beside them. "I thought you were just trying to knock me out of commission so you could get all the praise."
"Please," she said with a flick of her ponytail, "if I wanted you out of the way, I'd use something bigger. Like a wall."
"Noted. Stay away from any loose stone bricks around you."
Vaidya, who had been guiding two younger Postknights on how to properly level the foundation stones nearby, turned around at their bickering. "You two argue like siblings. Should I be worried about flying tools now?"
Ada grabbed another beam and smirked. "Only if you keep talking, Vaidya. This next one might 'accidentally' land near you."
"You wouldn't dare," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
"Try me."
Laughter echoed through the rebuilding site, the warm kind that only existed when hard work was shared between trusted friends. The sun had begun to climb toward its peak, casting golden rays over the debris-strewn village. Pompom, for all its recent scars, was slowly beginning to breathe again.
Even amid the cracked stones, broken walls, and scorched ground, hope stirred—timber by timber, laugh by laugh.
---
They were mid-construction of a new shelter when a familiar figure strolled toward them. Almond, clad in his usual relaxed posture, didn't say a word. He reached into his coat and flipped two coins toward Solis. One landed in his hand with a solid thunk; the other clinked softly on a crate nearby.
Solis caught the first and raised an eyebrow. The coin shimmered with a silver hue, embossed with a laurel wreath. Stamped boldly in its center: 250. The second coin, which Ada quickly picked up, had the number 20 engraved on it.
"Reputation Coins," Ada said slowly, examining the finer details. "These show how many Reputation Points you've earned. Where did you get these, Almond?"
Almond gave them his classic smirk. "Don't look at me that way. You can trust my values. I may be a jerk, but I don't play dirty."
He pointed to the coins. "The 250 RC is for completing the Pasture Lane objective. You all were part of that. And the 20 RC? That's for bringing those logs back yesterday."
Vaidya blinked. "But... how did you get them? Maglina told us she couldn't issue Reputation Points."
Almond sighed as though it was obvious. "This is where you need to use your brains. I talked to her. Then I dragged her to Hayden, the blacksmith. He's old, grumpy, and full of rules—but he knows the knight progress system. He's been authorized to mint and verify Reputation Coins for the village ever since the last leader elected. He minted these in front of us. From now on, if you complete any village tasks, go to him. He'll issue your rewards."
Solis looked at the coins again, this time with quiet reverence. The responsibility of recognition felt heavier than any sword.
As Almond turned on his heel to walk away, Solis called out, "Aren't you going to help us rebuild?"
Almond didn't turn. He just raised a hand lazily over his shoulder. "Nope. I'm headed for Caldemount. Got a delivery to make. I don't have free time like you bunch."
And with that, he was gone.
Ada looked after him, frowning. "He's so annoying. But... helpful, I guess?"
"Very annoying," Vaidya agreed. "But he is quite resourcefull. I'll give him that."
Solis closed his fingers around the 250 RC coin. Somehow, it didn't just feel like metal. It felt like progress. Like something solid to stand on in the journey ahead.
"Come on," he said, pocketing the coin. "We've still got houses to finish. And maybe a few more coins to earn."