I stood outside my little cottage, hands in my pockets, as I faced my landlord, Mr. Edric. The old man squinted up at me, suspicion etched into every wrinkle on his face. He was a tough, no-nonsense guy—probably the kind of person who could out-stubborn a mountain if he really tried.
"So, let me get this straight," he grunted, adjusting his suspenders. "You're vacating? Just like that?"
I nodded. "Yup."
His frown deepened. "And why the hell would you do that, boy? You've been renting this place for four years. Thought you wanted to buy it at one point."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, that was the plan. But I need something bigger. This place was fine when it was just me, but… things have changed."
Edric narrowed his eyes. "Hmph. You got a girl moving in with ya?"
I smirked. "Already did. A while ago, actually."
He snorted. "Hah! Took you long enough to settle down. And she's okay with movin'?"
"She doesn't know yet."
His bushy eyebrows shot up. "Oh, so you're just makin' decisions without her, huh? Bold move, son."
I chuckled. "I'll tell her. Eventually. But this isn't just about me and Alma. I've got plans—big ones. And for that, I need land."
Edric crossed his arms. "You plannin' on building a damn fortress or somethin'?"
I grinned. Not far off. "Something like that. Magnolia's great and all, but I need space. Somewhere outside the town, preferably in the forest."
The old man scoffed. "You got the coin for that?"
I almost laughed. If only he knew. With my Inventory, money wasn't an issue. Gold, jewels, rare treasures—I had enough to buy half of Fiore if I wanted to.
"Yeah, I've got it covered," I said simply.
Edric gave me a long, hard look, then let out a grunt. "Hmph. Well, you were a damn good tenant. Paid on time, never wrecked the place—except for that one time you brought home a drunk Gildarts—"
"In my defense, that was an emergency."
"Emergency, my ass. That fool crashed through the roof."
I grinned. "And I fixed it."
"Hmph." He waved a hand. "Fine, fine. I won't stop ya. You got a timeline for this move?"
"Not yet. Still need to find the right spot."
At that, an idea struck me. "Actually, Edric, you know anybody I can talk to about buying land? Someone who won't try to scam me out of my money?"
The old man scratched his chin. "Hmmm. If you're lookin' for a big plot, you might wanna talk to old man Whitaker. He's got land on the outskirts of Magnolia, just past the forest. Big place, but he's gettin' too old to keep up with it."
"Whitaker, huh?" I filed the name away. "Think he'd be open to selling?"
Edric snorted. "If the price is right, sure. Just don't try lowballin' him—he'll run ya off his property with a crossbow."
"Noted." I smirked. "Appreciate the tip."
Edric nodded, then jabbed a finger at me. "Just don't do anything stupid, boy."
I smirked. "No promises."
As I walked away, I couldn't help but think about the future. Alma didn't know yet, but soon enough, we'd have a place of our own. A place big enough for everything I had planned.
Finding Mr. Whitaker was easy. Getting him to talk? That was another story.
His property was deep in the Magnolia Forest, just past the river. It was huge—rolling hills, thick trees, and a damn good view of the mountains in the distance. This was exactly the kind of place I was looking for.
When I arrived, I found the old man sitting on his porch, shotgun across his lap, looking like he was expecting trouble. His sharp, weathered eyes landed on me the second I stepped foot on his land.
"State your business, boy," he called out, not even bothering to stand.
I raised my hands in mock surrender. "Relax, old man. I'm not here to steal your chickens."
Whitaker squinted at me. "Hmph. That's what a chicken thief would say."
I sighed. This is gonna be fun.
I walked up to the porch, stopping just outside of what I assumed was shotgun range—just in case. "Name's Aiden Leonhart. I heard you might be looking to sell some land."
Whitaker leaned back in his chair, studying me like I was a horse at an auction. "Edric send ya?"
"Yeah. Said you might be open to an offer."
The old man grunted. "Maybe. Depends. You actually got money, or you one of them broke dreamers who think they can charm me into a discount?"
I smirked. "Trust me, money's not an issue."
That got his attention. He leaned forward slightly. "That so?"
I nodded. "But I'm not here to waste your time, Whitaker. I need land. A lot of it. And from what I hear, you got more than you know what to do with."
Whitaker let out a dry chuckle. "Ain't that the truth." He glanced out over his land, his expression unreadable. "This place is too damn big for an old man like me. My kids don't want it, and I ain't got the energy to keep up with it anymore."
I took a step closer. "Then let's talk numbers."
He raised an eyebrow. "You in a hurry or somethin'?"
"Let's just say I've got big plans and I don't wanna waste time."
Whitaker eyed me for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Fine. Come inside. We'll talk."
As I followed him in, I had a feeling this was gonna be a very interesting negotiation.
The inside of Whitaker's house was exactly what I expected—wooden walls lined with hunting trophies, shelves stacked with old books, and a fireplace that had probably been burning since before I was born. The place smelled like aged whiskey and pipe smoke.
He motioned for me to sit at the dining table while he grabbed a bottle and two glasses.
"Drink?" he asked, already pouring himself one.
I chuckled. "I'm good. Don't wanna end up agreeing to buy half of Fiore after a few sips."
Whitaker smirked, taking a slow sip before leaning back in his chair. "Smart man. Alright, let's hear it. How much land you lookin' to buy?"
I folded my hands on the table. "A lot. Preferably, a chunk of land big enough to build a home, maybe some extra buildings, training grounds… and some space for future expansions."
Whitaker whistled. "Sounds like you ain't just settlin' down. You buildin' a damn estate."
I smirked. "Something like that."
He set his glass down with a clink. "Alright, let's talk numbers. I got a little over a hundred acres of unused land I'd be willin' to sell. What's your offer?"
I tapped the table, pretending to think, even though I already knew the answer. "How about double the market value?"
Whitaker nearly choked on his drink. "Double?" He squinted at me. "Boy, you got that kind of money?"
I leaned back with a knowing grin. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."
He eyed me suspiciously. "You ain't one of them noble brats, are ya?"
I laughed. "Far from it. Just a guy who's good with money."
Whitaker studied me for a long moment, then huffed. "Hmph. Can't say no to an offer like that. But I gotta ask—why the hell do you need that much land? You plannin' to start a guild of your own or somethin'?"
I grinned. "Not a guild. Just… planning for the future."
The old man stared at me for a moment before shaking his head. "Fine. We got a deal."
I reached out and shook his calloused hand. "Pleasure doing business with you, Whitaker."
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, downing the rest of his drink. "Just don't come cryin' to me when you realize clearin' all that land is a pain in the ass."
I smirked. There are plenty of things in my inventory that can handle that.
—-
As I walked away from Whitaker's place, a grin tugged at my lips. My own land. It felt surreal. Years ago, when I first arrived in Earthland, I never would've thought about settling down, let alone buying a massive plot of land for myself. Back then, I was just some isekai'd guy trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in this world. But now? I have someone now.
Honestly, having my own place was long overdue. I'd been living in that cottage for years now, and while it was comfortable, it was never really mine. This wasn't just about having a bigger house or more space to train. This was about finally having a place that was mine, built by me, designed for me, and the people I cared about. It was about time I made that a reality.
This wasn't going to be just a house—it was going to be a base. A headquarters. A sanctuary. A place that was equal parts home, fortress, and personal playground.
A castle, maybe? Yeah, that had a nice ring to it. Something big enough to accommodate whatever the future had in store. I wasn't just thinking about myself here—I had people who might need a place to crash, train, or just get away from the chaos of Magnolia's guild life. And let's be real—Fairy Tail's guild hall was great, but sometimes you needed a little peace and quiet away from the constant bar fights and property damage.
And the best part? I didn't have to cut corners. Thanks to my Celestial Inventory, I had access to anything I could ever need. Building materials that could withstand dragon fire? Check. Advanced security systems that could detect intruders before they even realized they were trespassing? Done. I could reinforce the entire place with enchantments and technology beyond this world—literally.
But that was just the foundation. The real fun was in the details.
First, a medbay—not just any medbay, but one outfitted with state-of-the-art healing tech. Imagine something that combined the best of Earthland's healing magic with sci-fi regeneration pods and nanotech medical systems. No more worrying about life-threatening injuries or wasting potions when a simple scan and treatment could fix someone up in minutes.
Then there was the crafting room. I had way too many items in my inventory, some of which I barely understood. I needed a dedicated space to experiment, modify, and even create my own gear. With the right setup, I could combine different magical and technological elements to craft weapons, armor, and artifacts that had never existed before.
And, of course, a training hall. This one was mandatory. I'd been training in Enhancement Magic, and Alma had been making solid progress with her Rune and Archive Magic, but we needed real facilities. A place with adjustable gravity, magic-resistant dummies, and a simulated battlefield. Hell, I could even set up a Hyperbolic Time Chamber-style training room if I really wanted to push things.
But it wasn't all going to be work. If I was going to make a home, I had to have some luxuries, too. A game room was non-negotiable. I missed gaming from my old world, and while I couldn't bring back consoles and the internet, I could set up something similar. Maybe a virtual reality system, an arcade, or even a custom-made entertainment room with a massive enchanted screen for movie nights.
Oh, and let's not forget the library. Not just for magic tomes, but for everything. I could collect knowledge from different worlds, store information on anything I found useful, and have a place where I could just sit down and read whenever I wanted.
The kitchen and dining hall? That one was for Alma. She wasn't some master chef, but she did appreciate good food, and I figured we could use a proper space to cook and enjoy meals together. Plus, if I was going all out, I might as well throw in an enchanted pantry that kept everything fresh indefinitely.
And finally… the living quarters. Our home. The heart of it all. This wasn't just some side project or a fancy upgrade. This was where I saw myself staying for years. A place where Alma and I could truly settle down. Somewhere we could return to after missions, after battles, after long days at the guild. A place where we could be us, away from the noise of the world.
That was the best part—Alma had no idea.
She knew I was thinking about moving, but she had no clue what I was really planning. She probably assumed I'd just find a bigger house in town, maybe a cabin somewhere in the woods. But no, this was going to be our place. A fortress, a sanctuary, and a dream home rolled into one.
I could already picture her reaction. She'd give me that deadpan stare, cross her arms, and say, "You really went overboard, didn't you?"
And I'd just smirk and say, "Of course I did. It's me."
She'd act exasperated, but deep down, I knew she'd love it. She might not say it outright, but she'd appreciate the thought, the effort, the fact that I was doing this not just for myself, but for us.
Why this matters?
Four years in Earthland had changed me. When I first arrived, I had no idea what my place was in this world. Fairy Tail gave me a home, Alma gave me something to hold onto, but I still felt like I was just drifting. Now? Now I had a direction. A goal.
This base wasn't just about comfort or security—it was about building something of my own. In a way, it was me finally putting down roots, finally acknowledging that this world wasn't just some anime I used to watch. This was my life now. My future.
—-
A few weeks had passed since I bought the land, and between my time at the guild, missions, and keeping Alma from figuring out what I was up to, I'd been steadily working on cleaning up the place. It wasn't exactly easy, but with the Celestial Inventory and NIMO, my personal AI Omnitool, it was at least efficient.
The land itself was massive—deep within the Magnolia Forest, surrounded by thick trees, rolling hills, and even a river running along the edge. It had everything I needed: privacy, space, and natural defenses. But before I could even think about building, I had to clear the overgrown terrain, remove debris, and make sure nothing dangerous was lurking around.
"Alright, NIMO, let's scan the perimeter again."
A holographic display appeared in front of me, mapping out the entire area in real time. NIMO's voice—cool and precise—came through.
"Perimeter scan complete. No hostile entities detected. Terrain analysis shows three areas with unstable ground. Shall I mark them for reinforcement?"
"Yeah, do it. Last thing I need is a sinkhole swallowing up my future home."
Small blue markers popped up on the map, highlighting weak spots in the terrain. I pulled out a Terraforming Module from my inventory—a neat little device that could compact soil, reinforce rock layers, and level out uneven surfaces. With a push of a button, the unstable ground solidified like magic. Well, because of magic.
Clearing out trees? That was a breeze. Instead of hacking away like some medieval lumberjack, I had gravity cutters, nano-saws, and even a pocket-sized excavator that expanded into a full-sized machine. A few swipes here and there, and I had logs neatly stacked for later use.
Of course, there were some moments where manual labor was required. I wasn't just going to let the inventory do everything—part of me enjoyed the physical work. It was a different kind of training, and besides, there was something satisfying about seeing progress firsthand.
After hours of work, I wiped the sweat from my forehead, taking a step back to admire the cleared land. It was finally starting to resemble something I could work with.
"Structural integrity of the cleared area is now stable," NIMO reported. "Shall we proceed with the next phase?"
I smirked. "Not yet. I still gotta keep this under wraps from Alma. If she finds out too soon, I lose the surprise factor."
"Understood. Maintaining secrecy protocol."
I chuckled. "Good. Because if she finds out, we're both in trouble."
NIMO didn't have emotions, but I could swear the AI paused just long enough to process the sheer truth of that statement.
The holographic projection, courtesy of NIMO, displayed the full layout in a glowing blue grid.
"The castle foundation will require approximately 500 tons of reinforced stone, 200 tons of high-density alloy for structural support, and specialized energy conduits for power distribution," NIMO reported.
I nodded, studying the design. "We're going for self-sufficiency. No need to rely on Magnolia's power grid or any external sources."
I swiped my hand through the projection, zooming in on the core energy system. I had already pulled a self-sustaining fusion generator from my Celestial Inventory, something that could provide limitless energy for centuries without maintenance. This would power the entire fortress, ensuring automated defenses, climate control, and advanced tech functionality.
The foundation itself needed to be immensely strong, so I selected Adamantite-Reinforced Stone, a hybrid material that combined durability with resilience against magical and physical attacks. The walls? Titanium-infused alloy, layered with an energy-dispersing mesh to absorb impact.
I smirked. "This thing is going to be more durable than half the castles in Fiore."
NIMO's scanners ran another simulation, showing how the materials would be assembled. Pre-fabricated sections would make construction faster, and with the right tools—automated drones, nano-construction bots, and high-precision machinery—this wouldn't take years. It would take weeks.
"Alright, let's begin."
With a flick of my wrist, I pulled out a set of construction drones from my Celestial Inventory. Sleek, efficient, and completely autonomous, they hovered around the cleared land, scanning the terrain and awaiting further commands.
"Alright, NIMO, run the ground stability analysis," I ordered.
A soft hum came from my Omnitool AI, and a holographic scan of the land materialized in front of me. The terrain was solid, but to support a structure of this magnitude, we needed to reinforce the ground.
"Soil density is adequate, but adding a stabilizing layer of compacted high-durability stone will ensure long-term structural integrity," NIMO reported.
I nodded. "Good. Let's reinforce it."
With another command, excavation bots deployed from my inventory, their mechanical arms digging into the earth at an accelerated pace. These weren't some primitive hand tools—these were high-powered tunneling rigs capable of shaping the ground with microscopic precision.
As they worked, pre-fabricated foundation slabs appeared in my hand one by one, seamlessly interlocking as they were laid down by the drones. Self-replicating binding agents fused them together, ensuring that even the strongest earthquakes wouldn't make this thing budge.
I smirked, watching the progress. "A medieval castle with futuristic construction? Yeah, this is going to be legendary."
With the foundation set, it was time to move to the next phase—erecting the walls.
I pulled up the holographic blueprint, watching as the castle's skeletal framework materialized in midair. Towering walls, reinforced with nano-alloy plating, interconnected hallways, hidden compartments—everything was designed for maximum efficiency, security, and style.
"Alright, let's get these walls up," I muttered.
At my command, the construction drones sprang into action. Pre-fabricated reinforced stone panels—lightweight but durable enough to withstand a tank shell—floated from the inventory, aligning themselves in place with laser precision. Gravity stabilizers ensured that everything settled perfectly before self-sealing bonding agents locked them together.
Each section of the castle was more than just walls—they were layered with hidden systems.
Structural Integrity Field: A passive defense that reinforced the castle's durability against attacks or natural disasters.
Self-Sustaining Power Grid: Using a fusion reactor core, the entire base could generate endless energy without reliance on external sources.
Environmental Control System: Capable of adjusting internal temperatures and humidity, ensuring perfect living conditions no matter the weather outside.
Security Network: Hidden cameras, motion detectors, and AI-controlled defenses that would activate if anyone unauthorized tried sneaking in.
I stepped back, watching as the walls began rising, section by section. This wasn't just a home—this was a fortress.
A grin formed on my lips.
"Yeah… This is coming together nicely."
—----------
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