Regarding Arborea, Marvin's first plan was to develop it as a reserve base.
After all, the time discrepancy between Feinan and Arborea was very high. One year in Feinan would have been twenty one years in Arborea.
But after the Dark Phoenix used Plane Traction, Arborea was fixed to Ashes Plain.
And Hathaway's Ashes Plain, even if it was in the outer fringes, was still linked to Feinan, through the Legend Wizard herself.
Hathaway knew that her death, or some other reasons, could lead to the Ashes Plain becoming closed off. If that happened, Marvin's efforts would go to waste.
Thus, she had given him a pass to go in and out of Arborea.
In this way, Arborea and Feinan were closely linked, even with the Ashes Plain in between them.
According to Scholar Orland's conjecture, within a month at most (Feinan time), Arborea's time flow would be on par with Feinan's.
And the fusion between Arborea and the Ashes Plain was getting stronger.
In other words, Arborea would finally return to its place of birth.
Even if the plane's laws didn't change, the powerhouses from Arborea could go to Feinan to become stronger.
Aragon was among them.
During his recuperation, Marvin had a long talk with the Nottingheim brother and sister.
In its military campaign against the Shrine, the Nottingheim Kingdom had suffered quite a bit of damage. After all, the Shrine's Paladins were part of the kingdom.
The original two hundred thousand inhabitants had decreased to somewhere above a hundred thousand.
Nana and Aragon weren't very ambitious people. The two only thought of maintaining the current situation and stabilizing the kingdom first.
Marvin was quite satisfied with this, as stabilizing Arborea was very important for him.
He had obtained quite a lot of resources and wealth in this campaign. The Shadow Shrine had plundered a large amount of resources over the years. Half was returned to the Royal Family to bolster the people and preserve their rule. The other half was Marvin's loot.
Marvin used the book of Nalu to call Madeline.
Even if Madeline's magic power wasn't so great, her magic knowledge was more than enough. She set up a large scale logistical Teleportation Array leading to White River Valley.
Arborea was rich in high purity gold, medicinal herbs and tea leaves. At least half of the riches the shrine had gathered were in the form of gold.
Although the Wizard gold coins issued by the South Wizard Alliance was the biggest currency, gold had always been used to trade for things since ancient times.
After the Teleportation Array was started, an unending flow of gold was teleported to White River Valley.
Daniela and the others were startled speechless by this surreal scene.
The high purity gold Marvin brought back from Arborea was a lot purer than the gold they extracted from the mine under the Ogre Mountain.
The gold had been cast into unmarked pure gold bars by the Shadow Shrine.
Marvin let Madeline convey his order.
Spend the money!
The faster they spent the better, the more they spent, the better. They needed to do everything possible to use the gold and goods to increase the pace of construction and improve the training of soldiers!
Even if Daniela didn't know the Great Calamity was about to happen, she could feel that Marvin was planning something big.
She worked her hardest managing White River Valley's development.
She was quite baffled by Marvin's attitude, but because of her oath, she couldn't return to her snowy lands. Luckily, the current Lavis Dukedom was peaceful.
She had the spare time to work, so she just stayed in White River Valley. But she couldn't forget her mission.
Although Marvin wasn't physically there, Daniela had Madeline express her wish.
"Archdevil's head?"
Marvin was soaking in a cask, the wound on his back gradually recovering.
Hearing about this, he frowned faintly.
"Not yet."
"Tell Daniela, after three months. It'll take at least three months before they can move the Archdevil's head."
Marvin knew that there was no free lunch in this world. Daniela already helped him quite a bit with his own matters, and wouldn't do it free of charge.
How much did the Lavis Dukedom actually need the Archdevil's head? Marvin didn't know.
But from Daniela's insistent attitude, there might be an issue with the Sorcerer inheritance.
They needed to emulate their Numan ancestors once again and draw power from the Archdevil's head.
This was a very dangerous matter.
Marvin knew that the Lavis Dukedom was one of the few northern countries that still stood after the Great Calamity, and Daniela became known as the Ice Empress. But this timeline had been altered quite a bit by Marvin.
After experiencing Hathaway's matter, Marvin wouldn't act as impulsively again.
Especially when it was related to Devils, he would have to be exceptionally cautious, protecting his own forces.
In three months, it would be a chance to cooperate with Daniela.
Before that, he had to recover from his injury and wait till the curse was completely dispelled. He'd then leave Arborea and start his path to advance to Ruler of the Night!
It was gradually getting colder. In the later part of the eleventh month, even the southern part of White River Valley was feeling the cold rushing down from the North.
'Winter is coming.'
'This will be the last winter before the disaster.'
Marvin stood on one of the tallest peaks behind the castle, looking over all of White River Valley, his heart filled with countless feelings.
More or less three months had passed since he transmigrated.
A lot of things had happened during those three months, making his memories somewhat overlap.
He remembered that when she was in White River Valley, what Hathaway liked the most was sitting on this peak. She was always looking in the distance while deeply immersed in her thoughts.
When did their relationship start?
Was it when she saw the Shadow Prince, who was bound to assassinate her, at Marvin's feet? Or when he found the Book of Nalu to help her advance to Legend? Or was it at the end of the Battle of the Holy Grail, when his warning saved her from the Shadow Prince's assassination?
Marvin's eyes were gradually blurring.
He honestly didn't know. He had always been very vague toward his own emotions, and he'd had too many things to handle since transmigrating.
From his early recapture of his territory, to the trip to Thousand Leaves Forest and everything that followed… He was like a clock that never stopped.
He didn't even stop to look at the time.
Several wonderful kisses, a warm smile when he returned safely, a cold expression when she was dissatisfied with him...
This was what kept replaying in Marvin's mind.
It ultimately ended with that sentence:
"I'll wait for you."
Marvin's expression was gradually becoming more resolute.
Owl's words were right. He couldn't stumble and stall because of guilt and failure.
Men must learn their lessons and stand up again.
He knew so much about Feinan. As long as he was cautious and prudent enough, how could he still not be able to handle Dark Phoenix?!
He had said six months, but this was too long for Marvin, and for this world!
The Great Calamity would happen after the end of this winter.
To cope with this great disaster, Hathaway was irreplaceable.
The best outcome would be if Marvin could rescue Hathaway before the Great Calamity.
He knew this would be extremely difficult.
Dark Phoenix's strength consisted of not only her own magical powers, but also her identity. To oppose her was to make an enemy of the South Wizard Alliance.
It wasn't time yet.
'I need a good plan.'
Marvin frowned.
At this time, wind blew against his back, and he turned subconsciously.
To the east was that recently finished port. A ship filled with Arborea's medicinal herbs and tea leaves was about to set sail.
It was the transformed Southie.
With money, it was easy to handle all sorts of matters. The outstanding Anna had invited many Master level craftsmen from Bass Harbor to redesign the ship.
The current Southie was completely different from before. Marvin wasn't worried others would recognize it.
An hour later, the Southie would set off, bypassing Jewel Bay and directly leaving for the more flourishing Bass Harbor.
Bass Harbor was at the junction of the North and the South. It was Feinan's eastern traffic hub and a well-known trading spot.
And Marvin would take the Southie to Bass Harbor with Anna and Lola.
White River Valley had Daniela, Owl, and Constantine overseeing it. Along with eight Dark Knights staying behind, it certainly wouldn't be an easy target.
"Sir Marvin, it's almost time to board the boat."
A shadow rushed up like a whirlwind, his face unable to hide his excitement.
Aragon.
He was the first person Marvin brought out from Arborea, the strongest powerhouse of that plane.
He gave up the throne to leave for Feinan and follow Marvin.
He was full of curiosity for the outside world. And Nana remained behind in Arborea, becoming the first Queen of Nottingheim in history.
With Marvin's prestige, the Dark Knights' support, Orland's assistance, as well as her own displays of leadership, no one could say anything.
After all, the current Arborea was already different from before.
Facing the extremely excited Aragon, Marvin nodded and turned to look once more at White River Valley.
Daniela's talents were indeed unmatched. With the large influx of wealth, White River Valley's inhabitants thrived more and more with each passing day.
The guards were also increasing in numbers, but under Anna's strict eyes, their moral standing and loyalty to White River Valley were guaranteed.
The adventurer camp built south of White River Valley was buzzing with activity.
The Sha village had also started to form. A small village had also sprung up in the Ogre Mountain. Slaves and workers from various places were working hard.
Many of White River Valley's original inhabitants who had been farmers gradually changed their professions, such as opening an inn in the adventurer camp, opening a restaurant in the Ogre Mountain, and so on.
The cultivated land was decreasing somewhat, but Marvin wasn't worried.
He already had a back up.
Arborea. It was a plane suited for agriculture. With this plane as support, he could develop White River Valley into a veritable stronghold!
Thinking of this, Marvin took a deep breath.
There were still many things he needed to do.
And the first one was to advance to Legend!
"Let's go!"
He was no longer reluctant to leave this scenery. He turned into a shadow as they dashed toward the Southie.