That evening, as the village settled into the soft hush of dusk, Riku climbed up to the flat roof of the inn with the wind turbine slung over his shoulder and a pouch of wiring and components on his hip.
He anchored the turbine at the edge of the roof using metal bolts, angled it toward the wind, and wired the dynamo coil through a junction stone. He then connected the dynamo to the wires and connected the wires to the light and portable fan he had set up inside.
The fan inside his room flickered once, then began to spin, gradually picking up pace, and a soft, cold breeze started filling the space.
Riku stepped back in satisfaction.
Moments later, he connected the lightbulb as well and the lightbulb mounted on the ceiling clicked on with a gentle glow, casting a white hue across the wooden floor.
It wasn't much — but it was electricity.
"I could easily create light and wind with my magic, but this is good as well. No one would suspect my magic, and I can even help set it up in other houses in the village." Riku muttered, satisfied with this development.
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Riku was placing a tray of matcha and mochi onto the newly lit table when he heard a knock.
Lila peeked in.
"Hey, I just came to say thanks again for—"
She suddenly stopped at the doorway, confused by what she saw.
Her eyes went wide as they caught sight of the fan gently spinning in the corner, blades humming smoothly as a cool breeze drifted through the room. The soft light above flickered slightly, illuminating the room with a white light unlike anything the village had ever seen.
"…Riku," she whispered, stepping in slowly. "What… what is this?"
Riku leaned back casually, pouring tea.
"Modern comfort."
She stood beneath the light, eyes fixed upward, her mouth slightly open.
"It's like… the sun," she murmured. "But soft. And the wind... it's cold. Is this being created with high level magic?"
She spun around, staring at the fan like it was a creature brought to life.
Riku smiled. "That's electricity. Powered by the wind. It is a little trick which I learnt earlier."
"It seems just like magic. Even a strong mage would have to expend quite a bit of mana to illuminate the space like this thing over there" Lila whispered as she pointed at the light bulb.
"Not quite. There is no magic. In fact, I am confident that I will be able to place these in every house in the village soon."
She slowly sat down, letting the breeze flow through her hair, eyes still scanning the ceiling.
"I am not sure what to say anymore. You have given us so many surprises. At first, I thought that you were someone who was lost. But it seems like you are not so simple."
He passed her a mochi bun. "It's not about knowing or having a lot of stuff. It's about sharing it. Here, have this bun. "
Lila smiled, the white light sparkling in her eyes.
"Thank you.."
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The next morning, the village was greeted with a familiar jingle that echoed across the village.
Clink. Clatter. Thump.
A small cart with one squeaky wheel turned the bend into the village path, drawn by a tired but sturdy donkey.
The driver, a wiry man with a pointed beard and layered tunics that looked like they had crossed five kingdoms, pulled his wide-brimmed hat back as he surveyed the scene.
"…What in all the spirits' names…?"
The man parked his cart at the village gate and was quickly swarmed by curious children and waving adults.
"Uncle Rennan!" someone shouted.
Riku watched from a distance as a man in his forties, sharp-eyed and perpetually underdressed for the road, was welcomed like family. His donkey, Clover, was immediately fed half a basket of carrots by giggling kids.
Chief Barou approached from the square, arms wide. "Rennan! By the gods, we thought you'd taken a new route!"
"I nearly did," Rennan replied, shaking the dust off his sleeves. "Famine's biting harder than ever. Cities are rationing. Bandits outnumber the guards. You lot are the only stop that doesn't feel like a death sentence."
Barou laughed. "You came at a good time."
Rennan's sharp eyes darted around.
"Why is everyone so... cheerful?" he asked suspiciously.
"We've had a few miracles," Barou said cryptically, then gestured. "Come, see for yourself."
They led Rennan through the village, past singing children and grinning old women weaving cloth garlands. At the center, people lined up calmly with clay pots and wooden buckets.
Rennan squinted. "Wait. Is that…"
The well.
Clean, polished stones. Crystal clear water flowed with a soft hum as a young boy drew up a full bucket and poured it into another bucket.
Steam rose from the coolness, clashing with the morning sun.
Rennan stepped forward, jaw slack. "You have water? How? There has been no rain for ages."
Barou nodded proudly. "You're looking at the result of our saviour — and a miracle of timing."
The merchant knelt beside the well, dipped a hand in, and tasted it.
His eyes widened.
"This… this is better than royal reserves. The nobles in Revale City buy water like this in barrels — and they don't even get it this fresh. Mostly it is dirty water that is processed using magic"
"Tell me, do you think you can take it and sell it in other villages and cities?" Riku, who had now come to the well, asked.
"I can.. but you are?"Rennan asked with a slight confusion in his eyes.
Barou proudly introduced Riku. "This is Riku. One day, he stumbled upon our village, and our fates have changed since then. It was he who performed a ritual to make the well full with water again."
"What? How is that possible? Even the strongest mage with the king cannot create water out of thin air in such quantities..."
"It is all luck. I happened to find a small stone that is able to generate water by combining mana in the air." Riku made up an excuse. "But tell me, are you able to use it to trade?"
"Of course. I can buy 1 bucket of water for 10 copper. I can sell it for 15 copper, but there is also a lot of dangers along the way..." Rennan tried to explain himself, but RIku cut him off.
"That is fine. But we need lots of other supplies rather than copper coins. I hope you can give us a fair trade." Riku already understood margins and business, so he had no intention to make Rennan explain or feel guilty about his business.
"Tell me, what do you want for it? I will do my best to get it for you." Rennan spoke to Riku with a grateful look in his eyes.
"Well, pull out a notebook and brush. It is a long list." Riku said, slightly grinning.
Finally, his peaceful life might become a lot more comfortable.