Reborn as a Noble with a Useless Skill, but He Slowly Rises to Rule Everyone | New Anime Recap

The story starts inside a grand royal palace where a young boy named Van jolts awake in an enormous bed. As he slowly lifts his hands in front of his face, a strange wave of confusion hits him. His hands look tiny and frail.

That's when the realization slowly creeps in. He's been reincarnated from the miserable life he once knew. In his past life, Van was stuck in a draining routine, working a dead-end job just to survive until fate gave him a second chance and reborn him with a noble title.

[music] Now reincarnated as a young noble in a distant village, Van carefully climbs out of bed and balances on a small wooden stool just to get a peek outside. The view stuns him. Tall buildings, endless land, and peaceful skies stretch as far as he can see.

But before he can soak it all in, his maid Tilly bursts in, panicking at the sight of him standing up so high. After all, Van is supposed to be just 2 years old. But when he calmly responds with mature, articulate words, Tilly freezes in place, stunned by what she just heard.

The moment he hears himself speak, Van realizes something even crazier. He doesn't just have memories from his old life. He actually remembers parts of his current one, too.

His past life in Japan is blending with the time he's already spent in this world, confirming beyond doubt that this reincarnation is real. Later that evening, Van joins his father and siblings at the dinner table. The atmosphere is tense, heavy, with awkward silence.

After a while, his father, Halpa, breaks the ice by asking his second son, what he plans to study that day. Carter hesitates, then says he'll be focusing on fire magic and combat tactics. Hopppa nods and turns to the third son, Sesto, who says he'll also be studying magic.

Finally, Hoppa looks at Van and asks the same question. Without hesitation, Van replies that he still has a lot to learn, so he wants to begin by studying the kingdom's history and traditions. His brothers freeze as they stare at him, rattled by how a 2-year-old just gave a more thoughtful answer than either of them.

Palpa suddenly breaks into loud laughter, clearly amused and genuinely impressed by how sharp and promising Van is at such a young age. He says he's got high hopes that Van will end up inheriting the same strong fire magic talent that both he and Van's mother were born with. Halpa then mentions that the magic aptitude test will happen when Van hits 8 years old, and he warns him not to mess it up.

In this world, magical ability isn't just important, it's everything, and it's usually divided into four primary elements: fire, water, wind, and earth. While other forms exist, anything outside those four is seen as second rate or even shameful. Once breakfast is over, Van heads off to his study where the maids start giving him a basic rundown of how society and daily life work in this world.

Just as they're finishing up, the head butler, Esparta, strides into the room and slams a thick stack of books onto Van's desk. Esparta is no ordinary servant. He's a veteran butler who's been working under Van's father for many years.

Despite that, Van still finds him terrifying. Esparta then tells Van he's already aware that he's begun learning to read and do some basic math. So he bluntly asks how far he's gotten.

Van admits he's still struggling with reading and in terms of math, he can only handle simple addition and subtraction. But Esparta knows the kid's got more potential than that. So without asking, he decides to take over as Van's personal instructor.

And from that day on, Van's life turns into a nightmare. The lessons are brutal. Long hours, no breaks, no excuses.

Still, those intense sessions pay off as just within a few weeks, Van manages to read and write with ease. After grinding non-stop for two solid years, Van finally hits his fourth birthday and begins his sword training. At the start, he's completely hopeless.

He keeps getting beaten, even by the maid during sparring practice. Still, he doesn't back down and shows up for training day after day without fail. And by the time he turns five, all that hard work begins to show.

He starts facing off against older boys, ones already in training to become soldiers and can hold his own against them. Van realizes their moves are sloppy and easy to predict, so he beats them over and over again with little effort. The other kids are stunned by how good he is and start wondering if he's some kind of prodigy.

What really sets him apart, though, is that unlike his snobbish older brothers, Van actually talks to the commoner kids and treats them like equals, forming genuine friendships instead of acting like he's above them. Soon afterward, Van takes a moment to catch his breath and grabs a glass of water. Just then, the deputy knight commander D steps into the room and politely asks to see Van's hands.

As he carefully inspects them, DE's expression tightens because there are no calluses, no bruises, so it's clear Van hasn't been wielding a sword for very long. Van confirms it, explaining that his time has mostly been swallowed up by endless studying. D tells him straight up that Esparta has been pushing him nearly three times harder than usual when it comes to academics.

So, D offers to speak with Esparta and suggests a better balance. Less time buried in books, more time on combat. After all, life isn't just about study.

Then, with a confident smile, D swears that if Van gets the extra time, he'll personally shape him into a master swordsman. Van, however, politely declines the offer, saying he's confident he can handle both. D nods, impressed by his determination and suggests that in that case, he'll become Van's official instructor to ensure his training stays sharp and focused.

But training under D quickly spirals into another kind of torment. His drills are brutal, relentless, and leave no room for rest. But even so, Van pushes through.

And deep down, he knows the truth. Despite all the exhaustion, every day in this new life has felt more rewarding than anything he experienced before. For the first time ever, he feels like he's actually living.

And with that, Van silently promises himself that he's going to make this second chance count and enjoy every bit of it. One year afterward, Van turns six, and by now, the constant cycle of backto-back training and studying starts to wear on him. He begins to feel burned out, realizing that if things go on like this, he'll never experience the fun life he once dreamed of.

So, he makes a decision to start living like a normal child and carve out time to enjoy himself. Not long after, he tells one of the maids he wants to go outside and play. She takes him to the town market, and Van is blown away by the chaos and energy, the crowds, the chatter, the colorful goods on display everywhere.

As they walk, his eyes lock onto a massive building towering above the stalls, the Merry Chamber of Commerce. He stares at it in awe. But before he can admire it too long, something unsettling happens.

A child bound in shackles is being dragged through the crowd. Horrified, Van immediately asks the man what's going on. The man coldly replies that he's selling his own son into slavery, and since the boy belongs to him, he has every right to do as he pleases.

The maid quietly explains that in poor families, this happens often. When they can't afford to raise their children, they sell them off to survive, and it's a heartbreaking reality of this world. Van admits it's painful to witness, but deep down, he also feels helpless because he knows there's little he can do to stop it.

Just then, a lady named Rosalie stepped forward and politely greeted Van, saying it was a privilege to be at his service. Van turned to her and asked how much the man would be paid for selling his kid. Rosalie explained that the price varies based on the child's magical aptitude.

And upon hearing that the boy possessed a thieving attribute, which was ranked among the lowest, she stated that he'd be worth no more than three silver coins. Enraged by this, the man lost it and began furiously kicking his shitty son, shouting at him for being Dan useless. He then grabbed the boy by the arm and stormed off, saying they were going to try a different place.

But before he could get far, Van stepped in and blocked his path, calmly, stating that he would buy the boy for five silver coins. Without a second thought, the man accepted the deal, snatched the coins, and walked off without so much as a glance back. Van crouched down in front of the boy, and introduced himself.

The boy quietly replied, saying his name was Cummin. Van then told him that he was free to go wherever he pleased. He never had any intention of keeping him.

He just bought him so he could release him. But after learning that Kamzin had no place to return to, Van suggested he stay with him instead. One of the guards nearby voiced concern, warning Van that the Marquis might disapprove of him bringing a random boy into the estate.

But if Camzine were officially registered as Van's slave, then no one could object. Van turned to Cam and asked if that arrangement was all right with him, and Camson nodded. From that point on, Camson became Van's slave in name.

Rosalie then reminded them that before finalizing anything, they had to complete the slave binding ritual. Both Van and Kamzin reached their hands out at the same time, and following Rosal's directions, the contract was forged, and a faint glowing crest appeared on the back of Kamzins hand. That symbol would remain there permanently as proof of their contract for as long as it stayed in effect.

Once it was done, Van brought Kamzin with him into the Chamber of Commerce to get him properly dressed and out of the ragged, grimy clothes of a streetbound slave. A few days later, back inside the royal estate, Van was about to enjoy a rare moment of calm and treat himself to a cookie. Just as he raised it to his mouth, Kamzan entered the room to report that D had shown up for training.

Van instantly froze and without even blinking, he handed the damn cookie to Kamzen as a bribe and told him to go outside and let D know he wasn't available because the thought of facing another one of D's ruthless training sessions was unbearable. Kamson nods and goes outside to deliver the message, which makes D look visibly disappointed. But since he's already here and eager to train someone, he grabs Kamzen and decides to start drilling him instead.

Two more years slip by and Van finally hits his 8th birthday. The age when every noble child is tested for magical aptitude. Word of his upcoming test spreads like wildfire, sparking curiosity across the entire region.

Nobles, servants, guards, and even common traders buzz with anticipation. Everyone expects great things from Van, especially with both of his parents being exceptional fire mages. His father, Halpa, is especially confident.

He's certain Van will inherit at least a fire affinity. But on the day of the test, the entire hall is stunned into silence. Against every expectation, Van shows no affinity for fire, water, wind, or earth.

Instead, his only magical aptitude is for production magic, an ability ranked as the absolute lowest, widely mocked and dismissed as the most worthless form of magic there is. The room goes cold and Halpa's face twists with rage as the weight of disappointment crashes down. Without warning, he unshathes his blade and charges forward, ready to strike Van down then and there.

Frozen in place, Van can't speak, can't run, and his mind goes completely blank. But just before the blade falls, Mercuria, the eldest son, steps in front of him and blocks the attack. Rather than let blood be spilled, Mercuria suggests a different path.

He suggests assigning Van to manage a remote village that recently came under their control. Mercuria explains that the village is isolated and underdeveloped, and its people haven't yet sworn loyalty to the family, and by sending Van as its new lord, they could stabilize the region while keeping him out of the way. Hapa pauses, then slowly lowers his sword as the idea sinks in.

After a tense moment, he nods in agreement, saying the suggestion is reasonable. Without even looking at Van, he declares that from now on, Van will govern that land. Then he turns his back and orders Van to pack up and leave immediately, stating coldly that someone so useless has no place under his roof.

Once Halpa leaves, Mercia bows deeply and apologizes for making such a shameful suggestion. But Van stops him, saying there's no need for apologies because if Mercia hadn't stepped in, he'd be dead right now. The following morning, Van gathers his things and gets ready to head out to the remote village.

But to his own surprise, he feels excited. He imagines it'll be a quiet place with little responsibility, where he might finally enjoy the peaceful, easy life he's always dreamed of. But that illusion gets crushed fast when D and Esparta announce they're coming along to continue his training and studies.

Van lets out a long, exhausted sigh, already picturing the nightmare ahead. And as if that weren't enough, his favorite maid insists on tagging along too, saying she refuses to be separated from him. With everything packed and ready, Van climbs into the carriage and sets off toward a new chapter.

Still holding on to a tiny shred of hope that he'll finally catch a break and have a little fun. After cruising through the woods in his carriage for a bit, Van decides to kill time by experimenting with a bit of production magic. With some focus and effort, he manages to conjure a miniature sword in the palm of his hand.

Cam watches without much of a reaction because he already knows Van's got a knack for this stuff and picks up new skills in no time. Still, with everything that's happened, being exiled and stripped of his title, Van brings up something that's been weighing [music] on him. He tells Kzen there's no real reason for him to keep serving as his slave anymore.

So, if Kamzene's not up for the journey or doesn't feel like sticking around, Van says he can just dissolve the contract and set him free to live however he wants. But, Kamzin instantly shuts the idea down without even thinking twice. He firmly tells Van that he already chose this path and didn't do it on a whim.

He makes it clear that he'd gladly throw his life on the line if it meant keeping Van safe no matter what kind of trouble they run into. Hearing that, Van has no choice but to respect Kamson's loyalty, though part of him still feels uneasy about it. Out of nowhere, the carriage jerks to a stop, throwing everyone off balance.

Van glances out the window and spots chaos up ahead. The village they were heading toward is under siege. The knights traveling with him immediately assume [music] it's a raid.

Probably just a bunch of low-level bandits or washed up mercenaries looking for something easy to steal. D scans the attackers formation and does a quick headc count [music] around 50 of them. Judging by the numbers, he figures that if they all launched a coordinated assault, they'd have a good shot at wiping out the enemy without much hassle.

So, tactically speaking, it looks doable. But one of the adventurers in their group, a guy named Ortho, isn't on board with that idea. He reminds D that their orders were straightforward from the start.

Protect Van if he's in danger. Right now, Van isn't hurt and no one's coming after him directly. So, as far as Ortho is concerned, jumping into a fight that isn't their responsibility would be a reckless waste of lives and way outside the scope of their agreement.

De's expression tightens with frustration, but even so, he declares that he's going in. He says he can't just sit back and watch while innocent villagers are butchered right in front of him. Whether anyone follows him or not, he's ready to charge in alone.

Before he can take off, he asks the adventurers to stay put and make sure Van's protected in case things spiral out of control. Just as D prepares to move, Esparta suddenly speaks up and shuts the whole idea down. Esparta cuts straight to the point, telling D that throwing himself into a reckless fight like that would be downright idiotic, especially given how vital he is to the kingdom.

If Dies here, it crippled their military's future. As a renowned and highly capable elemental mage, Esparta lays out a smarter approach. He suggests building a powerful defensive barrier around their position to keep Van secure, while the adventurers provide ranged cover from behind the shield to chip away the attackers.

Once the enemy's focus shifts entirely to their front, D and the knights would break off and hit them with a surprise assault from the right flank. Esparta is confident that if they pull it off properly, it'll lead to a clean victory. But Van quickly catches what this plan actually means.

For the enemy to focus on one spot, someone would need to stay out in the open as bait. That someone is Esparta himself, [music] and Esparta confirms Van's suspicion, explaining that unless he takes on that role, D and the others would be dragged into a straightup brawl and probably won't make it out alive. Hearing that, Van fully grasped the weight of what Esparta is putting on the line.

If something goes wrong, Esparta would be the one paying the price with his life. And losing both the kingdom's top strategist and its strongest warrior in one battle would be a devastating loss, one that the land might never recover from. With that in mind, Van steps forward and insists on taking the decoy role himself.

Tilly instantly rejects the idea the second it leaves his mouth, stating flat out that she'd rather take the risk than let Van put himself in the line of fire. Chemson agrees without hesitation, standing tall beside Van. But even with their protests, Van gently tells them both that he values them far too much, and that's exactly why he can't allow either of them to take that risk for sake.

Van lays out his own plan next. [music] He'll ride straight into the enemy lines, using the carriage as bait, drawing their full attention while the others hit them from long range on both sides. As he turns to walk away, he reminds them that he didn't spend years training with a sword for nothing.

And he's confident he can handle himself in a direct fight. Still somewhere deep inside, he quietly accepts that if this really is where his story ends, he'd be at peace with it, so long as it's for something worth dying for. Ortho stares after him, stunned by the sheer recklessness of the idea.

Hearing those words takes him back to his days at the guild, the day he first received the mission to guard Van. At the time, he absolutely despised the idea. To him, all nobles were arrogant scum, not worth lifting a blade for.

But since he planned on operating in the first march anyway, he took the job. What he didn't expect was Van himself. He still remembers the young noble walking up to him, bowing with sincerity and thanking him from the bottom of his heart.

No arrogance, no heirs, just honest gratitude. Van had even gone out of his way to praise Ortho's skills, treating him not like a servant, but like an equal. It was the first time Ortho realized that maybe not all nobles were rotten.

Snapping back to the present, Ortho moves in front of Van and refuses flat out. He says there's no way in hell they're letting some kid throw himself into danger like that. D and Esparta step up right after, siding with Ortho without hesitation.

With that, the original plan gets tossed out. Esparta takes charge and quickly draws up a new strategy. He'll summon a defensive wall around their group, shielding Van behind it.

The adventurers will rain down long-range attacks to thin the enemy [music] ranks. At the same time, D and his knights will strike from the left while Ortho leads a second charge from the right. They waste no time, and Esparta slams his staff to the ground and erects a massive magical barrier.

From behind it, arrows and spells start flying, taking out a wave of bandits before they even realize what hit them. Chaos erupts as the rest scramble to respond just in time to see D and his squad slice through their front lines like butter. But right in the middle of the mess, the bandit leader breaks through the formation and charges past the [music] wall, heading straight for Plural.

But just as his weapon swings down, Van jumps in, intercepting him at the last second. His blade flashes, slicing through the manila's tendon and sending him crashing to the ground in agony. And before the thug can even cry out, Thompson follows up with a crushing blow that finishes him off for good.

Soon after the fighting ends, the last of the bandits are rounded up and tied down, completely neutralizing the threat to the village. With the danger behind them and the mission technically complete, some of the adventurers decide it's time to move on, eager to take on new jobs elsewhere. But Ortho lingers, clearly impressed, not just by Van's sword plague, but by how calmly and decisively he led the group during the battle.

That spark of curiosity grows into admiration, and Ortho decides to stick around a bit longer, offering his support to Van directly. His party members agree without hesitation, choosing to stay and lend their strength as well. Once things settle, Van steps up to formally introduce himself to the village as their new lord.

He addresses the village chief, a man named Rhonda, and thanks him for allowing them to help. Rhonda is still shaken but grateful, expresses his heartfelt thanks to Van for saving their lives. He then shares something troubling.

It turns out this wasn't the first time their village had been attacked. In fact, this year alone, it's happened more than once. According to Rhonda, things were far safer when their village was still under Ferdinado County.

Back then, the area was patrolled by knights who acted as a strong deterrent against bandits. But now, those patrols are long gone and [music] with them, the village's only real line of defense. Van lowers his head and apologizes to Rhonda and the others for the state they've been left in.

He explains that this situation likely arose because the current Marcus has no idea what conditions are like in these smaller, out of the way villages. But now that Van has been appointed as their new lord, he swears not to turn a blind eye to their struggles. He goes on to outline three possible paths they can take to secure their future.

The first is to produce something valuable enough that the kingdom itself wouldn't dare ignore them. The second is to raise enough money to hire mercenaries for protection. And the third is to focus on building the village up from within, strengthening their infrastructure and community to stand strong on their own.

But before the villagers can react, a young girl in the crowd speaks up. She says they've already considered those options in the past. While they sound promising, she explains the reality is much harsher.

They found that putting such plans into action is far more difficult than it sounds. Van does his best to rally their spirits, promising that things will be different now that he's here. He assures them that he won't just talk about change, he'll make it happen.

Still, his words alone don't seem to sway the villagers, many of whom remain unsure. Sensing their doubt, Esparta and D step forward. Standing tall, they formally introduce themselves.

D as the kingdom's chief commander and Esparta as the royal head butler. With firm voices, they back Van's declaration and promise the villagers that this isn't some empty gesture. They assure Rhonda and the others that with them here, there's no reason to fear anything.

[music] Hearing the support of D and Esparta lifts the villagers spirits right away. But it doesn't take long before another concern surfaces. [music] One of them steps forward and heently asks what will be done about taxes, explaining how hard it's been just to survive while giving up 30% of their harvest every season.

Without skipping a beat, Vanna answers that starting immediately, the tax rate will be lowered to just 10%. He calmly explains that ensuring a safe, livable environment comes first. Everything else can wait.

The villagers go silent, stunned by the sudden generosity. A cut that deep to less than a third of what they used to pay is something they never imagined possible. Gratitude quickly spreads among the crowd, and for the first time in a while, their hope feels real.

As for the village's safety, Esparter wastes no time and conjures a thick reinforced stone wall that surrounds the entire settlement, standing tall as a bullwark against any future attacks. Then he mentions that adding a moat would strengthen their defenses even further. D and the knights step in right after, volunteering to dig it out themselves.

Van turns back to the villagers and tells them clearly that if they're willing to work together, he's confident they can transform this place into something far greater than it's ever been. Once things calm down, Van decides to test his production magic again. After a bit of focus, he crafts several woodenl looking blocks, but they're far from ordinary.

These are made of nanop fibers, a rare and ridiculously tough material. When Ortho tries slamming one with his sword, the blade bounces off without even leaving a scratch. Encouraged by the result, Van spends the rest of the day crafting weapons, each one as polished and precise as a royal armory piece.

Watching [music] him work, Tilly starts to worry he might burn himself out. But Van just smiles and assures her he's fine. He remembers reading that production magic usually eats through Mona like crazy, and most people struggle to make even a single object without passing out.

So clearly Van's built a talent for it. As a finishing touch, he crafts a beautiful sword and offers it to Kzin, who accepts it with both hands, promising to cherish it for the rest of his life. Tilly gets jealous, so Van hands her an axe, but one glance at her face makes it obvious she's not thrilled.

That night, Van rests by the campfire, but his whole body aches from sleeping rough. Glancing at Tilly and comes in as they sleep. He can tell they've been putting on a brave face, but they're exhausted, too.

That's when he makes up his mind. It's time to build a real home. The following morning, Van gets to work.

Using the nanob blocks, he and the others begin laying out the foundation. When Chief Rhonda passes by and sees the progress, he remarks that it's shaping up to be a perfect location for the Lord's mansion. And hearing that makes Van's heart swell with pride.

He takes a moment to analyze the structure with his magic, carefully measuring the layout and scanning each block down to the last inch. Once everything feels right, Van activates his magic in full. In the blink of an eye, the entire structure assembles itself in front of their eyes.

A fully built mansion rising from the ground like a miracle. Everyone stares in wide-eyed silence, unable to process what they just witnessed. Van glances up at the massive building, scratching his head a little, thinking that maybe he went just a little overboard.

Nobody can wrap their heads around how Van managed to build an entire mansion in such a short amount of time. It's almost too absurd to believe, and the general consensus becomes clear that his production magic is way more valuable for managing a territory than any flashy elemental spell could ever be. Van admits it's a neat ability, but deep down he still believes offensive magic is the real key to keeping people safe.

[music] In his mind, a powerful lord with the strength to protect is what gives people peace of mind. But his friends shut that down real quick. Esparta points out that while that might be true during times of war, what people really want is a lord who will improve their day-to-day lives.

And in that sense, he says no one fits the role better than Van. What Van just pulled off was nothing short of miraculous. And Orthos straight up says that his powers are way beyond anything a normal production magic user could ever dream of.

But Van isn't stopping there. He says if they bring him enough lumber, he can build houses for everyone. The others are floored and Ortho and D immediately order their men to start hauling in materials.

[music] The villagers, of course, are all in. Their homes are falling apart anyway, and Van quickly realizes he may have just volunteered himself for a massive workload. Still seeing the conditions they're living in, he makes up his mind to transform the entire village from the ground up.

He agrees to build a home for every single family and the celebration kicks off right away. Van gets to work cranking out house after house and people can't believe how much mana he's burning through like it's nothing. Even more impressive is his knowledge of urban planning.

He explains the grid layout he's using. With each unit made of four houses and wide roads running between each block. It's efficient, clean, and organized.

Van says these wooden homes will do for now, but once they have a steady supply of stone, he'll upgrade them all [music] to suit each family's needs. And because he wanted to enjoy a proper bath himself, he went ahead and built a bath house next to his mansion, keeping the design simple, [music] while Plural helped out by filling the tub with water magic. Later, after taking a bath, Van finally gets to crash in a proper bed, clean and satisfied.

The following day, Van finds out the knights managed to dig a trench around the entire village. He's impressed, but notes that filling it with water would make it even better, a full moat for defense. Plus, they'll need [music] a proper water source for drinking and bathing, and that locks in their next goal.

Without missing a beat, Van says it's time to secure a water source. Thanks to Esparta's insane strength, they're able to divert water from a nearby river in no time. He digs a solid few meters of trench instantly, while D and the rest help extend it by hand.

Van followed close behind, reinforcing the bottom and sides of the canal to make sure it wouldn't collapse. The distance between the river and the village was no joke, and Tilly couldn't help but point out how massive a job this really was. Still, Van just shrugs it off because people need water, plain and simple.

It's grueling work, but there's something uplifting about seeing everyone come together and push for the same goal. Besides, once the infrastructure is solid and life in the village becomes more stable, it'll be way easier for merchants to stop by. And for Van, that's crucial because if trade picks up, he might finally get to enjoy the slow, peaceful lifestyle he's been dreaming of.

He estimates the canal work will take about a week, but then one of the workers casually mentions they can already see the village from where they're digging. That completely catches Van off guard, so he calls it a day right then, thinking the crew could use some rest. But D is still raring to go.

He insists they could hit the village in just a few more hours if they keep pushing. But Van notices how drained the others are and tells D to chill. No sense in knocking everyone out cold.

D admits this whole thing feels like a new form of training. But even he realizes they shouldn't push past their limits. By the next morning, Van proudly announces that the canal is officially done.

He gathers everyone together, thanks them for their hard work, and gives Esparta the signal to open the Watergate. A rush of clean river water flows in, and the villagers look on in awe. The moat is now fully operational, surrounding the village and adding a serious layer of defense.

Van can't help but worry that it might overflow during heavy rain, so he floats the idea of building a lake behind the village to handle the excess. Esparta actually thinks it's a great idea. A lake could double as a reservoir for dry seasons, too.

Van jumps on it immediately, getting to work and creating a proper water source that shocks the entire village. Just like that, a place that used to have no water system now has a freaking lake. Thanks to Van, the villagers no longer need to hike out to the river every day just to fill their buckets.

The village chief tries to thank him, but Van waves it off. He's just happy that life is finally starting to feel manageable for everyone here. Later that night, we shift scenes to a girl named Lady Arte.

Traveling alongside someone called Panamera. They're making their way toward a distant frontier village. And while the journey is still far from over, Panamera suggests that Arte should get some rest before they continue.

The following morning, Van wraps up construction on a massive defensive wall known as the Rampart. What used to be nothing more than a plain dirt barrier has now transformed into a seriously solid structure. With a wide enough top to allow patrolling, the guards can now walk across it like it's a fortress wall.

Everyone's buzzing with excitement because this thing is no joke. It's so sturdy that even if bandits show up, the villagers won't have to lose sleep over it. But Van is not content just yet.

He wants to push it even further and make the village feel completely untouchable. Van then experiments with crafting simple crossbows, or at least that's what he calls them. But when he's done, nobody can believe what they're seeing.

These things are anything but basic. They're clean, powerful, [music] and even come equipped with shields on the front, letting guards shoot while staying safely behind cover. The moment they see these, everyone realizes just how insane Van's production magic really is.

Their village may be tiny, but starting to resemble a fully fortified city. Everyone's in full agreement that some random bandit gang wouldn't stand a chance, no matter how bold they get. D even jokes that if the king had half a clue about what Van was capable of, he wouldn't have kicked him out to this backwater place.

He would put him in charge of the entire family. The king may have dismissed him as weak, but one glance at the changes in this village makes it obvious Van's strength isn't just practical. It's battle ready.

D insists that Van might be stronger than anyone they've ever seen, while Asparta argues his real talent lies in defense. The two start bickering, but Van steps in and calms them down. He reminds them there's no point in complaining about how things turned out.

They've got what they've got, so they'd better make it work and stand tall. Right then, Van's stomach growls like it's declaring war. So Tilly heads off to cook something for the crew, but it's a struggle because supplies are running low.

Esparta mentions that while defense is great and all, they need to figure out a steady income source for the village. Right now, they're cut off from the world aside from a couple of merchants who show up once a month. Van brushes it off at first, thinking their crops can handle the village's needs.

But then Esparta mentions something critical. They don't have the ingredients to make Van's favorite sweet baked treats. That gets his attention fast because the idea of living without those sweets is basically a nightmare.

So Van instantly does a 180 and declares that it's time to come up with a solid product the village can sell. Camson then suggests selling the wood blocks that Van crafts with his magic, but Van instantly shuts that idea down. No one else can manipulate them the [music] way he can, so it wouldn't work.

One by one, the others pitch in their ideas, but Van can already tell that finding something unique and valuable enough to market as this village's specialty won't be easy. Afterward, Van finds out that Tilly and Kamzin have been avoiding using their weapons since they were gifts from him. Neither of them wants to risk damaging them, but Van reminds them that the whole point of having weapons is to know how to fight with them, so they've got to get some practice in.

Zera tells him not to stress and shows them the shield made from the Orc knight. It's both tough and flexible, so it won't mess up their weapons too badly. Even when he blocks, Kamzin steps up first, and his swing has no power behind it at all.

Yet, somehow the shield gets knocked to the ground, sliced clean in two. Everyone just stares because a hit with zero force shouldn't do that kind of damage. And the fact that a wooden sword could do that kind of damage with a half-hearted swing stuns everyone, Van included.

Van patches up the shield and not long after, Ortho shows up to see what the fuss is about. He's carrying some orars they recently mined and wants to know if Van is interested in buying them. Ortho explains that the woods around the nearby mountains are crawling with dangerous monsters, which is why most folks avoid the area.

But since no one's been mining there, the place is rich with untouched resources. They came back with iron, copper, silver, and even a little gold. But what really catches Van offg guard is when Orthos says they found myiththal ore.

If that's just from the foothills, then the deeper mountain range must be packed with valuable materials. Van takes a bit of the iron ore and stuns the group by instantly turning it into a solid block of metal. He admits he didn't refine it before molding it, so he's not sure how pure the result is.

Still, Zara's hyped and asks if Van can forge him a sword out of it. Feeling a little guilty about the busted shield, Van agrees. Zara requests both a long sword and a short one, so Van gets started.

It's his first time crafting with iron, so he really has to focus. He carefully visualizes the design and edge, and before long, he finishes. And since Zarah is his very first customer, Van even put in extra effort to make the swords look great.

Zara is thrilled with the short sword, and Van moves on to the next. It turns out just as good, and now all the other adventurers are lining up, wanting weapons of their own. Van reminds them that since they're the ones who gathered the ores, it's only fair he makes their gear.

Once he's done, it's obvious to everyone that Van could easily sell these weapons for a fortune. Then he shifts his gaze to the myithil ore, wondering just how incredible a weapon made from that would turn out. Esparta is immediately fascinated by the myithil, mostly because he's never heard of metallic ores [music] being mined in a forest.

The only logical explanation is that there's a dungeon nearby. He tells Van that if they manage to locate one, everything about their situation would flip overnight. A steady stream of people, trade, and opportunity would flood in, turning their quiet little village into a bustling hub.

That possibility gets Van fired up because finding a dungeon would skyrocket the village's value and status. Dungeons are packed with high-grade resources and gems that can rival national treasures. Normally, whenever the guild catches wind of a new dungeon, they rush to establish a branch in the nearest settlement.

But Van brings up the hard truth. The village just isn't equipped to handle that kind of influx right now. [music] Esparta agrees since bringing in the guild would mean waves of adventurers, merchants, and even knights showing up.

And with their current setup, they barely have the food, space, or infrastructure to support any of them. Worse, if word got out too soon, a rival country might try to invade, hoping to snatch control of the dungeon before the village can do anything about it. And then there's Van's personal dilemma.

He's considered a disgrace by his family. So, if his father finds out that the village he was exiled to actually has value, there's no doubt he'd be shipped off somewhere else. That's why Van decides they need to develop the village and produce results first before any dungeon discovery changes the game.

Ortho totally gets it. He says they'll steer clear of the suspected dungeon area while gathering materials just to be safe. Van knows the adventurers could easily report this and gain favor with the guild, so he genuinely respects that they're holding back to protect the village.

Sometime later, Van looks around satisfied with the progress they've made. He smiles and says their dramatic village makeover is officially complete. Tilly stares at him half in disbelief and asks if he's seriously not out of mana yet after cranking out weapons and houses non-stop.

But Van just waves it off, saying he's only a little worn out. Right then, a breathless messenger rushes in with urgent news. Armored lizards are headed straight for the village.

Van doesn't hesitate and shouts for everyone to get behind the walls, orders the drawbridge raised, [music] and has the gates sealed. The villagers are visibly shaken. They've all heard how deadly those creatures can be, and panic spreads fast, but Van stays calm.

He knows fear is natural, but reminds them that the lives of their friends and families depend on what they choose to do now. He promises to fight for them all, but he's also honest. He can't do this alone.

That's why he asks them to stand with him. If they want to keep this village safe, they'll need to fight for it. [music] This was the end of episode 3.