Chapter 305: 305: Breakfast and Blueprints
---
Kai entered the long dining chamber that had been carved into the side of the central hall. A wide table, smooth stone polished to a soft sheen, stretched across the room. The morning light filtered in through a carved slit in the wall, illuminating the table and the line of steaming dishes waiting to be devoured.
The girls arrived shortly after he did.
Azhara sauntered in first, hair brushed but still carrying the smug aura of a woman who’d woken up very satisfied with life. Vel followed behind, shy but with a soft glow in her cheeks, her eyes flicking to Kai before darting away again. Sha came next, her tail / butt flicking behind her, ears twitching nervously as she muttered something under her breath about "never trusting pervert Azhara again."
Then came Naaro, holding her cactus in one arm and a plate in the other, walking like she had just completed a holy pilgrimage.
She thinks, "My eggs need protein. I need to eat a lot to give birth to healthy eggs. If sir Kai mates with me a few times then my eggs will be ready faster with his life essence liquid. I will ask sir Kai to give me some anaconda time tonight."
Akayoroi entered gracefully with her crimson silk veil trailing behind her, her ant lady form radiating quiet nobility. Lirien the blacksmith followed, clutching a bundle of small tools and gears, her red hair falling around her shoulders in lazy waves.
Behind the girls came the soldier warriors: Vexor, Shale, Flint, and Needle, their heavy steps and deep voices a counterpoint to the harem’s lighter chatter. Silvershadow emerged from the darker archways, antennae twitching, and Shadeclaw slipped silently into the room, her sharp eyes scanning everything by instinct.
The entire breakfast was prepared by skyweaver. She has been working alone since dawn.
Alka, perched at the far end of the hall on a specially extended platform, let out a soft trill, feathers glinting in the sunlight. She bent her head to snatch the biggest piece of roasted meat from a platter, earning an amused glance from Kai.
"Everyone, sit," Kai said, gesturing to the table. "Let’s eat before the day begins. Skyweaver, you worked very hard. Come sit near me."
She nodded and took a seat near Kai.
The room came alive with soft conversation and the clinking of utensils. Azhara leaned her chin on her hand, watching Kai with playful eyes. "Our king works hard and plays hard," she murmured, earning an eye twitch from Vel and a soft choke from Sha, who almost dropped her bone fork.
"Stop it," Vel whispered, glaring.
Azhara only smirked and bit into a piece of fruit with deliberate slowness.
Luna finally arrived after a bath, radiant in a simple robe with her silver hair tied loosely behind her shoulders. She sat beside Kai, the queen reclaiming her throne. Miryam clambered up onto the table in front of them, a tiny wyrmling with bright golden eyes, eagerly tearing into a strip of meat with adorable ferocity.
GRRAAHH!!
Breakfast was loud, messy, and alive. Soldiers and harem girls mixed, the conversation bouncing between work updates and playful jabs. Naaro gave her cactus a tiny slice of fruit and then explained to Flint, with utter seriousness, that "The plant is part of the family too."
Vexor laughed so hard his mandibles clicked. "You are all very unique," he said cheerfully.
Kai ate steadily, enjoying the noise. He had spent too many mornings alone in dark forests or dangerous land since his reincarnation. This... this was his reward for all the hard work he put in to get stronger.
When the plates were finally cleared and the room settled into a comfortable lull, Kai pushed back his chair. "Enjoy the rest of the morning. I have work to do. I will create a forge for Lirien."
A few minutes later...
The forge site was on the far side of the mountain, where the stone jutted out over a sharp drop, and the wind carried away heat and smoke. It was the perfect place to channel the fire without disturbing the rest of the colony.
Kai arrived and sat cross legged, letting the mountain air wash over him.
"System," he called in his mind. "Show me the forge model I got when I contacted the Blacksmith Fire Ant Lirien."
[Ding! System Notification: The host possesses the schematic for the Monarch Fire Forge, a colony based crafting structure. This forge can process beast metals, meteoroid iron, and star crystal fragments, etc. It is powered by aura and flame essence. Upgrade paths available upon reaching some conditions.]
Kai rubbed his chin. "Good. Can we build it here?"
[Ding! Yes. The system recommends placement in an open, ventilated area to channel heat safely. This location is optimal.]
Kai focused, letting his aura flow into the stone. Lines of red light traced across the ground in a circular pattern, the schematic taking shape in his mind.
[Ding! Would the host like to initiate construction of the Monarch Fire Forge? Required materials:
– 200 kg Meteoroid Iron (Available)
– 50 Liters Essence Liquid (Available)
– 5 Star Cores (3★ or higher) (Available)]
"Confirm." he answered.
The stone under his hands trembled. The circle of light deepened as if the mountain itself responded to his will. From his storage cube, the meteoroid iron and essence liquid flowed into the pattern, absorbed in pulses of crimson energy.
The wind picked up. Sparks danced along the stone as molten lines carved themselves into the mountain’s edge.
Moments later, a black and crimson forge rose from the ground. It was a living structure of stone and metal, veins of red heat glowing faintly through its frame. Its mouth opened like a waiting beast, and Kai could already feel the heat radiating softly.
He placed a hand on it, feeling the bond settle. "Perfect."
[Ding! Monarch Fire Forge created successfully. Crafting functions unlocked. Aura based heat control available.]
Kai smiled faintly. "Good. We’ll start testing it later... but first... I need to create a hatch...."