Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"You sound more mature, and there's a peaceful look in your eyes… not like the Lucas from a month ago who was so unstable. You've also kept that energy under control," Sandra said, tapping the mark on his arm.

"I see. Well, shall we go meet the others?" Lucas offered his hand, and Sandra took it without hesitation.

They walked hand in hand until others began to notice them, gradually gathering around.

"Are you alright now?" Jerry asked, his tone serious. He was still on guard, and Lucas could sense it, but the concern in Jerry's voice made him feel reassured. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

"Yeah, I've vented my frustrations. You don't need to worry. I'm okay now," Lucas said, hugging Jerry.

Despite his initial wariness, Jerry couldn't help but feel lighter when Lucas embraced him.

"AGHH!! You really scared me there, pal. I thought we'd lost you for a moment!" Jerry shouted, lifting Lucas off the ground.

Barney, Sean, Haley, Sarah, Sandra, and Ella watched with smiles on their faces. Seeing Lucas smile so genuinely warmed their hearts.

"Seeing you like this… does it mean you were successful with the personal quest?" Haley asked, a dazzling smile on her face.

"…Yeah," Lucas said as he was set down, "And I learned a lot there—things that can help our territory become a powerhouse soon." His words surprised everyone.

The confidence on his face made it clear that he had no fear in the world.

"Hey, hey, look who's finally back!" a voice called from the side. Lucas turned and smiled nostalgically.

"How have you been, Mike?" Lucas said, extending his hand for a handshake, but Mike pulled him into a hug instead.

"It's great to see you back, man. You have no idea how scared we were," Mike said, tightening the hug. That's when Lucas realized he might have made a mistake by not telling anyone before he left. Now that he thought about it, it was a rash decision.

"Alright, everyone! Please gather at the camp! We're having a long-overdue meeting!" Lucas called out after taking a deep breath.

"ALRIGHT!!"

"Finally!"

"Let's go right now!"

"Yeah, what are we waiting for?"

Excitedly, everyone followed Lucas to the camp, and soon, almost everyone was seated.

"It's nice to meet you again, Phil," Lucas said, shaking Phil's hand. After focusing on his memories, Lucas recalled that Phil had joined the shelter during his absence. They had spent so little time together that it was understandable why Lucas had forgotten him.

"L-Likewise," Phil said with an awkward smile, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Where are Bill and Uncle John?"

"…Listen, Lucas," Sean said, gaining Lucas's attention, "Don't get upset, but it might be best if you don't meet Bill for a while."

"Why is that?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… he…" Sean struggled to find the words, and Lucas looked around, noticing that everyone was avoiding his gaze.

"Is this about him thinking I'm not Lucas?"

Everyone looked at Lucas in shock, but then many started nodding, making Lucas chuckle.

"Everyone, wait here. I'll bring Bill, and then we can have a quick chat. That should clear up any misunderstandings." Lucas stood up and, without waiting for a response, headed inside the shelter.

As soon as he entered, he heard a faint shriek from the corner of the room.

When Lucas looked over, he almost frowned. The room was bare, lacking even the basic necessities for a human.

Lucas noticed something moving within the shadow cast in the corner.

"Lucas, you're back," John, who was already in the room, approached Lucas quickly.

"Uncle John... I am sorry about earlier. I couldn't control my emotions and it hurt you."

"Lucas...:" John took Lucas's shoulder in his hands and said with pained yet serious eyes, "My temporary pain was nothing compared to what you were feeling. I am sorry that I couldn't help you at that time, there was a mistake with the approach from my side too. Anyway, we will talk about this in detail later. We have a lot of catching up to do before."

"Yeah, I've gathered everyone for a meeting outside. Can you bring Bill too? I'll help clear up any doubts he has about me."

"Fair enough. Give me five minutes."

"Haha, he's all yours."

Lucas stepped outside the shelter again, and everyone turned to look at him.

"He's coming. So, in the meantime, can someone give me a rundown of everything that's happened this past month?"

"Uhh, sure." Haley said, her eyes locked on Lucas, who was sitting with the best posture she had ever seen. One leg was crossed over the other, and he looked like the most approachable person in the world.

"There's not much to tell. We've been receiving gold coins on a constant basis. Some of our daily orders are now fixed with various territories and individuals. Aside from that, with Phil's help, we've started farming with some seeds we got a while ago. He's very efficient, which has sped up the process."

"How fast?" Lucas asked, looking at Phil, who immediately looked down, sheepish. It seemed the boy was uncomfortable with praise.

"I… I can help crops grow 30% faster than their normal rate. T-The percentage increases as my skill levels up."

"That's wonderful news, Phil. It's a pleasure having you in this big family. I hope you feel comfortable here." Lucas said, patting the boy's shoulder in praise.

"E-Everyone is very welcoming! They took care of me like their own, even though I came so late…"

"What are you talking about, Phil? Do you know how much you've helped us since you arrived?" Haley said, trying to smack him on the head, but luckily, he was seated a few places away.

"Pft…" Lucas let out a laugh, and soon everyone else started laughing too.

"Well, Lucas, I think that's enough about us and the territory. Why don't you tell us your story?"

Finally, someone asked the billion-dollar question, and it was time for Lucas to either lie or be honest.