Returning Home

Early the next day, after breakfast, Ranav went to meet Ganesh Deolalikar at his office. However, upon arriving, he learned that Ganesh had gone to his village to deliver some materials for his house. Since the office staff didn't know when he would return, Ranav had no choice but to postpone their meeting and return to the count's estate for the time being.

The previous night, he had slept deeply again, as Jessica was still unavailable. Now, with his dantian full and his body brimming with energy, he felt fully refreshed. As he entered his room, Jessica's voice echoed in his mind.

"Why do you look so dejected?"

"Good morning, Jessica," Ranav greeted. "I was planning to use some of our golds on the new house since we just finished a mission. I went to meet Ganesh, but he had gone to our village. His staff had no idea when he'd be back in the city."

He paused for a moment before asking, "Oh, by the way, when did you wake up?"

"Just a moment ago." Jessica's voice carried a hint of amusement. "So, what's your plan now?"

Ranav sighed. "I guess I'll have to wait until he returns to finalize everything."

"Or you could visit your home and meet Ganesh there." Jessica suggested. "Midnight is available for you anytime. You can leave today and come back tomorrow. I was also thinking about finding a secluded place where you could advance your body training without interference. If you return home, then the problem is solved."

Ranav's eyes lit up at the idea. "That makes sense. I'll play the 'child card' and say I'm missing my family. That should be a good excuse to visit for a day. Then, I'll return tomorrow morning."

"Perfect! Then don't waste time… let's go now. If we leave immediately, we can have lunch at home," Jessica urged.

After informing the countess and Paramita about his visit, Ranav mounted Midnight and started his journey home. Midnight seemed overly excited to be out of the count's estate, running with full enthusiasm.

By the time Ranav reached his village, the sun was already tilting toward the afternoon.

"Lil' bro!" A surprised shout rang out.

Vivita, who was helping their father with some chores, was the first to notice him. She quickly abandoned her task and ran toward him.

Trinav, noticing his daughter's excitement, turned to see what was happening. His expression changed to one of concern. "Son, is everything okay?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

Ranav smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Dad. I just missed you all and decided to visit. I'll leave again tomorrow."

Jessica made a retching sound in his mind, mocking his blunt lie. Camilla and his mother also came out of the house after hearing Vivita's shout. Ranav ignored her and instead introduced Midnight to his family.

"Everyone, this is Midnight. He's a magical beast and highly intelligent. Although he looks quite large for a horse, he's actually just in his adolescence, given his lineage. He understands human language, but he can't speak yet. He's my contracted beast… consider him part of our family."

Midnight lowered his head slightly and let out a soft neigh, as if greeting them.

Vivita's eyes sparkled in excitement. "How cute!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to caress his mane. Midnight enjoyed the attention and nudged his head against her.

Ranav turned to his mother. "Mom, I'm going to check on the builders. I'll be back for lunch."

Naveena ruffled his hair lovingly. "Don't be late."

Ranav then addressed his father. "Dad, Midnight eats vegetables and grass, so please ask one of the farmhands to gather some. He's got quite an appetite… he eats more than a regular horse. He'll be staying here for the night, and we'll head back to the city tomorrow morning."

With that, Ranav left for his new house.

The masons were working diligently. The roof of the first floor was completed, and they were now focused on the side walls. As he walked around the site, he spotted Ganesh Deolalikar and Henry Irwin discussing something near the pond.

Ranav approached them with a polite nod. "Good afternoon, Mr. Deolalikar, Mr. Irwin."

Both men looked up and smiled. Ganesh greeted him first. "I heard you were in the city. When did you come back?"

"Just a little while ago," Ranav replied. "I originally went to meet you in your office, but since you weren't there, I decided to come here instead. Plus, it gave me a chance to visit my parents."

Ganesh's demeanor turned serious. "How can I help you?"

Ranav pulled out a set of drawings and handed them over. "Due to financial constraints, I initially planned to build only the ground floor. However, I received some unexpected financial support while in the city. If possible, I'd like to complete the entire house according to the original two-story design."

Ganesh carefully examined the plans before nodding. "Give us some time. When do you plan to return to the city?"

"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning," Ranav replied.

"Alright. I'll need to discuss this with my team. Give me an hour, and I'll have an answer for you."

"Sounds good. I'll be waiting for a positive response."

As an afterthought, Ranav added, "Oh, by the way, I also want to expand the boundary around the pond. Will that be a problem?"

Ganesh shook his head. "Not at all. Just show me where you want the new boundary wall."

Ranav nodded and led them toward the pond.

As they walked, Jessica spoke in his mind. "We need a lot of space to build a stable near the pond, on the opposite side of the house. Midnight will be coming here often, if not permanently. You can't have him staying inside the house or wandering the wilderness."

She then added thoughtfully, "This side of the pond is also near the mana geyser where you usually meditate. Once you master Earth Magic, we could even build a tunnel from here to the center of the geyser. If we construct a stable here, it could be used as a base for the tunnel."

Ranav was astonished. "When did you come up with this plan?"

"A long time ago. But we didn't have the money to expand the house, and you were always brooding over money. So, I decided not to bring it up. But now… we're rich." Jessica sounded smug.

Ranav frowned. "Was I really that worried about money? I've never been the money-minded type."

Jessica fell silent.

Her silence was enough of an answer.

Ranav chose to ignore it and instead focused on explaining his ideas to Ganesh and Henry. He requested a large stable that could accommodate up to ten horses.

Ganesh assured him that stables were significantly cheaper to construct than houses. After settling these plans, Ranav returned home for lunch.

After lunch, as Ranav was chatting with his family, Ganesh knocked on the door.

Ranav invited him and Henry inside and sat down at the dining table. His mother brought tea for the guests as Ranav got straight to business.

"Did you finish the calculations?" he asked.

Ganesh placed the revised plans on the table. "I know you don't like vague answers, so I'll get straight to the point. We'll need to make some minor structural changes to your design for better stability, but nothing major."

Ranav nodded. "That's fine. I trust your expertise."

Ganesh smiled slightly, pleased with the compliment. "Our previous quote was 124 golds for the ground floor. If we complete all your drawings, along with the tiled roof and water tank, the total cost will be 250 golds, excluding tiles, doors, and other fittings. You'll need to accompany me to the city to purchase tiles and other materials as before. Their prices vary depending on your choices, and you can decide on the spot. My team will transport them from the city and install them accordingly. If we include your stable, it will add 52 golds, bringing the total to 302 golds. You'll need to provide an upfront payment of 151 golds. Excluding the 62 golds you've already paid; you now need to pay 89 golds to finalize the deal. As for the boundary wall, I'll need more time to calculate the details."

Ranav took out a pouch where he had stored 200 golds. He carefully counted out 89 golds and handed them to Ganesh.