I Build a Modern Shelter in Fantasy World

They found an inn and rented two rooms. Luke and Gideon carried the supplies from the carriage while Lena and Hannah prepared food for lunch.

"What do you think we'll find there?" Luke asked.

"I don't know. But with the drone's images, at least we can see where their forces are concentrated," Gideon answered.

"About the drone... it seems when we get back, we need to think about how to get power."

"I've already planned for that. We'll use the river in Dergon," Gideon replied.

"I was thinking the same thing."

The two of them went into Gideon's room, where all the supplies and equipment were stored neatly. Lena and Hannah were still in their room, not yet finished with lunch preparations.

"Is it just me, or did you notice it too, Capt?" Luke asked.

Gideon set the box down near the sofa. "What?"

"Jurgan Village. I saw the villagers looked weak, their bodies thin."

"What could be happening?" Luke asked.

"Hmm... the presence of the royal soldiers might be affecting the village's food supply. They have to feed the soldiers, which means less food for the people," Gideon replied.

"Could that really be it? Why don't they send logistics from the Capital?"

"I don't know. Just my guess, not something I can confirm," Gideon said.

He walked to the window and opened the curtain. There weren't many villagers around, but each time he saw them, they showed the same symptoms.

It reminded him of what Queen Anastasia feared about a long war.

Ideally, war shouldn't last more than a year. Wars should be fast and precise, not involving civilians, focusing only on military targets. But that advice was useless in medieval times.

"If Moko doesn't stop this war soon, I don't know how long they'll survive."

"I agree, Capt," Luke said.

The door opened and Hannah came to call Gideon and Luke. They turned to her as she told them lunch was ready in the other room.

They dropped the discussion and went there. They ate together, using their own supplies plus the food Norton had given them. It was filling enough, though nowhere near the taste of home cooking.

"What's our mission now?" Lena asked after finishing her meal.

"Luke and I will scout the area. You and Hannah stay here and guard our supplies," Gideon explained.

"Alright."

"Hannah," Gideon called.

"Yes?" Hannah asked.

"Does the kingdom send food to the troops stationed in this village?"

Hannah froze, confused. She didn't know the details since food and logistics were discussed in the round chamber, and women weren't allowed in, not even to listen.

"In a situation like this, I think they still send it, but it's not a priority."

"The northern and western fronts are the key points in the war between the three kingdoms. Those are the kingdom's top priorities," Hannah explained.

"What's going on?" Lena asked.

"The people of Jurgan Village. They're just as thin as the people in Dergon, though maybe a little luckier," Gideon said.

"Are we going to help them?" Hannah asked.

Gideon fell silent, setting down his plate. They weren't obligated to help Jurgan Village, even if Hannah, as the king's daughter, wanted to.

He didn't want the team's focus divided. His plan had to stay on track, even if it meant ignoring the village's suffering. After all, the village was the responsibility of the local baron.

"No. Our supplies are limited. We'll just focus on the plan."

"I understand," Lena said.

"Wait! You're going to let them starve?" Hannah asked.

"I should be asking you that. Why does your kingdom stay quiet while people starve?"

"I... I can't do anything about it."

Gideon and Luke stood up, Lena followed, while Hannah stayed seated, her head down in sadness. Gideon knew how guilty she must have felt seeing Moko's people suffer. But she was only a princess. Even a queen didn't have as much power as the Crown Prince or the King himself.

"Don't blame yourself for this. The ones who started the war are the ones at fault."

"Luke and I will get ready. If we're not back by three in the morning, stay alert and you take command, Lena!" Gideon ordered.

"Copy, Capt."

He and Luke went back to their room, resting while preparing their gear. Night was the best time to scout, since none of the enemy soldiers had NODs.

Not only that, the darkness and silence made scouting easier. Gideon was confident he and Luke would gather valuable information about the place.

The hot and dry afternoon slowly shifted to a quiet night. Oil lamps were lit, trade closed down, and evening entertainment began. Lena came into Gideon's room and saw the two of them getting ready.

"How's it going?" Lena asked, crossing her arms.

"Everything's ready. We're set to go hunt some deer in the forest," Luke joked.

Gideon gave a small smile. Lena looked at the bed and saw two drones prepared, along with Lyra's laptop. She turned to them again.

"Do you know Lyra's laptop password?" Lena asked.

"Lyra locked her laptop?" Luke asked curiously.

"It's almost filled with Pentagon weapons blueprints. Only a fool wouldn't use a password."

"She should have encrypted the data, not just locked it with a password," Luke said.

Lena sighed and turned toward Gideon, who was still busy preparing.

"Her birthday. That's the password."

"November 10. That means 1110," Luke replied.

"You sure know a lot about her," Lena said with a smile.

Luke smiled back, then stepped forward, turned on Lyra's laptop, and typed in the password. It worked.

"She was important to me," Luke said quietly.

The lighthearted mood turned heavy and sad when he said that in a soft voice. Losing Lyra was a deep blow to Gideon's team. It reminded him how hard it was to trust people.

Lyra had died at the hands of someone she once trusted. Because of that, it was hard for Gideon to give trust without expecting something in return.

"I understand," Lena said softly.

Luke took a deep breath and let it out. He returned to his usual easygoing self and pointed at the screen of the app that connected to both drones.

Lena and Gideon looked at the screen. The battery was halfway, showing yellow at 55 percent. The app explained that the drones could only stay in the air for about one to one and a half hours.

"Before we go into Luthe's territory, we'll need that drone for scouting," Lena said.

"We'll use one and save the other for later," Gideon replied.

"Got it, Capt."

Luke shut off one drone and packed up the recon gear, including the NOD scopes mounted on their helmets, ready to use anytime.

"Be careful, Lena. Stay alert."

"Of course, Gideon."

"What about the princess?" Luke asked.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Lena said.

Gideon nodded, and the two of them got ready to leave. They didn't notice Hannah standing by the wall outside the door, listening. She heard their closeness and realized Gideon's team still didn't trust her.

It hurt, but she had to be strong. Her mother had told her once that trust was the hardest thing to build. Many claimed to trust each other, but most of it was false.

True trust grows when people really understand and respect each other.