The village hall of Andora was filled with residents from all corners. The elderly, housewives, even children gathered in the village's central field. Their faces were filled with questions, yet there was also hope.
Hyunwoo stood before them, dressed in simple earth-toned clothes. His gaze was calm but convincing.
"Today, we take the next step," he declared loudly. "Water has flowed back into your homes. But we can do more than that. We can make the fields fertile again. We will bring prosperity to our agriculture."
Some people began whispering. Among them stood a man with black hair holding a simple wooden spear—Claude, the village guard who once didn't trust Hyunwoo. He was known to be stubborn, but he cared deeply about the village's safety and honor.
"How?" Claude asked firmly.
Hyunwoo stepped forward. "We'll build an irrigation system from the artificial river to the fields, and create terraces on the slopes near the mountain base so we have more arable land."
Taeyang, standing beside him, added with a warm smile, "That way, we can plant more without fearing drought again."
Claude nodded slightly, though he still looked uncertain.
"What is terracing, and what will we gain after it's done?" asked a young man from the corner.
"Simply put, we'll turn the sloped land into step-like levels for farming," Hyunwoo replied.
Claude stared straight ahead. "If he really wants to help this village… then I'll help too."
Sounds of agreement began to rise from the other villagers. A decision was made—they would begin work the next day.
The following morning, the villagers began digging water channels. Hyunwoo divided them into teams and guided each group. Taeyang helped move large stones with his strength, while Wonho created a simple water flow diagram using sticks and rocks on the ground.
One young farmer named Jareth, who previously refused to help, now joined in. "I thought you were just some wandering strangers. But you're serious," he muttered as he saw Hyunwoo digging alongside him.
Hyunwoo only smiled, his hands dirty from soil.
Meanwhile, Elric—short with red hair—was arranging bamboo pipes to serve as additional water channels. He wasn't just a farmer, but also skilled in crafting simple tools.
The work continued for two full days. They built small stone walls to hold water at each level and leveled the land with makeshift tools. Yerin occasionally treated blisters and minor injuries.
When the irrigation was complete and water began flowing into the fields, everyone cheered. The once dry soil was now moist. Hope returned to their faces.
But the joy didn't last long.
Taeyang came to the fields and found something that left him speechless. The leaves were dry, filled with holes, and the stems were damaged. He quickly called for Hyunwoo and Wonho.
"This isn't from the water," Hyunwoo said seriously while inspecting a leaf. "There are larvae… this is clearly a pest infestation."
Jareth approached, his face tense. "Will this destroy everything we planted?"
Hyunwoo looked around. "Not necessarily. We haven't lost yet."
Yerin, who came with Belinda, immediately suggested a natural remedy to drive the pests away. "If we can find draganil plants on the northern slope, we can use their scent as a natural repellent."
"And make a spray from ash and water. Mix it with wild green onion extract," added Wonho.
Claude quickly ordered some young men to gather the ingredients. That night, the villagers worked in silence. They pounded leaves, mixed the ingredients, and sprayed the fields with their homemade solution.
The next morning, they waited in silence. And as the sun shone upon the fields…
The leaves looked fresh. No insects were in sight.
Hyunwoo stood in the middle of the field, looking around.
"We did it," he said softly. But in his heart, he knew this was only the beginning of a much greater trial.
The following day, the results became clear. The insects stayed away.
But the peaceful atmosphere began to crack. Some villagers started talking about things they had kept to themselves.
"They… are too smart," whispered a middle-aged man.
"Their clothes are strange, their words unfamiliar. How could they know all this?" added an old woman.
Then they gathered. Some villagers went to the village hall. There, Hyunwoo and his friends were sitting, discussing plans for water storage.
Claude and Arlain, seeing the crowd, tried to mediate. "What's going on here?"
A man stepped forward. "We want to know… who are they really? Where did they come from?"
All eyes turned to Hyunwoo and his team. Taeyang clenched his fists, Yerin lowered her head, Wonho looked calm but tense.
But Hyunwoo remained composed. He stood up.
"We… come from a very distant land. A land that has grown far ahead. There, we learned many things. Maybe that's what makes us different."
Whispers spread. Some villagers looked doubtful.
Suddenly, Belinda stepped forward.
"That's enough," she said. "Look at what they've done. Flowing water. Strong terraces. Saved fields. I don't care where they're from. What I know is—they've helped us more than anyone."
The village chief, who had been sitting silently in the corner, finally spoke. "I've seen it too. And I welcome the changes they bring."