When Lux found Novgar he smiled wide, the man was plucking trees from the ground like pulling weeds.

  “Novgar, you’re amazing! I wish I had a hundred more of you!” Lux called. The giant grinned, tossing aside another tree. The trunk flew through the air and shattered against another with a thunderous crack that rattled Lux’s teeth.

  The clearing was massive. Even with Novgar’s absurd strength and the others helping, it would take weeks, maybe months, to clear the land. Lux found himself genuinely wishing for a herd of Novgar’s.

  “Lucky Charm is good to Novgar!” the big man boomed, voice echoing off the trees. “Novgar will head to the arena right away!”

  Lux blinked, no clue how Novgar associated his praise of pulling out trees with fighting. “Arena? What?” He was used to Novgar’s outbursts, so he just waited, rubbing his temples.

  “Novgar will fight at the arena and bring back more Large Worlders for Lucky Charm!” Novgar puffed his chest with pride.

  Lux processed the words, suspicion settling in his gut. “You… can bring back more people to clear the land?” he asked warily.

  “Novgar will bring the strongest!” Novgar declared. Lux narrowed his eyes. “You just want to fight, don’t you?”

  “Yes! Novgar will fight to bring workers!” he boasted.

  A laugh nearly escaped Lux, despite himself. “I don’t even know how to respond to that. Forget the arena for now, come here. I need your help with something important. An architect. For Silver City.” He emphasised the last part, trying to keep Novgar focused.

  Novgar bounded over obediently, shaking the ground with each step. Lux nudged Trella forward. Trella’s voice wavered, but he managed to explain about Constance’s master and how to negotiate, without fainting, which Lux counted as a win.

  Novgar nodded solemnly, like he’d just accepted a sacred quest.

  Lux allowed himself a brief, hopeful breath. He was about to finally secure an architect!

  “Hey, Novgar,” Lux added, forcing casualness, “could you ask Magenta to take us?”

  If he asked Magenta himself, she’d probably refuse, she hadn’t even fetched the winery blueprint yet. Thankfully she was not far away perched on a log, idly twirling a flower.

  “Novgar will get Magenta! Then we can go to the arena!”

  Before Lux could say to ask nicely, Novgar returned, holding a very flustered Magenta dangling from his massive hand like a cat by the scruff of the neck.

  “You big oaf! Put me down! I am not taking you anywhere!”

  “Novgar is going to fight! Is Magenta stopping Novgar from battling?” His muscles bulged, jaw set, eyes narrowing dangerously.

  Magenta froze. “Fighting? Ah, shit. Fine! I’ll take you.” She rolled her eyes and shot Lux a poisonous glare. “You did this on purpose.”

  Lux flashed a wide, innocent grin. “Nope. Novgar did it all on his own.” Technically true.

  With a huff, Magenta opened a porthole. Three of them stepped onto the familiar stone platforms, Lux smiling at the convenience that Magenta’s skill gave.

  Lux emerged into a bustling street, and immediately realised something was wrong. He hadn’t told Magenta where they needed to go!

  A colossal arena rose three stories high was to his right, its walls draped with champion banners fluttering in the breeze.

  The banners displayed Large Worlders striking what they must have thought were fearsome poses. Lux had to stifle a laugh at one particular warrior who cupped his chest muscles like precious treasures while pursing his lips in what appeared to be an attempt at seduction rather than intimidation.

  Down below, crowds of Large Worlders streamed into the entrance.

  “Damn it, Magenta!” Lux groaned, scanning the madness. “I don’t have time for an arena! I need to find the architect, order materials, and get the winery blueprint! Unless the next champion is secretly a master builder, we’re wasting our time.”

  “Novgar will register, then take Lucky Charm to get his things.” The giant didn’t wait for an answer, already striding off toward the building.

  Lux leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. A large sigh escaped, he was resigned to the fact he would not be leaving until Novgar got his way. “Well, at least he’s enthusiastic.” Magenta’s laughter tinkled beside him, full of mischief.

  Luckily, Novgar didn’t take long. He returned waving a ticket triumphantly. “Novgar will fight this afternoon! Now we get Lux’s things!”

  Lux heaved a dramatic sigh. “Perfect. Nothing says ‘city planning’ like getting sidetracked by a wrestling match. Magenta, please… let’s get to Cledeona Town.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  They returned to the travel building. Lux stepped onto one of the small stone platforms, watching others disappear as they ripped tickets.

  He always found it odd that entry to a city required Magenta to use the official travel buildings. The first time he’d asked about it, out of pure curiosity, she had replied, “If I don’t link into the official system, I’ll be seen as an invader, so we can’t just pop out of a porthole anywhere we like.”

  The words had stuck in his head, repeating like the announcements that echoed in travel halls. He supposed it was a small thing, and at least her magic meant he didn’t need to worry about paying.

  Once Novgar and Magenta were in place, the black porthole opened. Lux stepped through, and a moment later, they stood on the streets of Cledeona.

  The streets here were calmer than the bustling city they’d just left. Most buildings were squat, single-storied, with the odd two-story structure near the town’s heart.

  A few carriages clattered past while small clusters of townsfolk strolled the walkways.

  Magenta hailed a travel carriage, and soon the three were rattling toward their destination. When Lux stepped off, he froze.

  A sprawling mansion loomed before him, ringed by wrought-iron gates. Through the bars, he glimpsed manicured lawns and sculpted gardens.

  “Looks expensive,” Lux muttered, eyeing the place.

  A metallic screech made him wince. Novgar had both hands on the gate, bending the iron like it was tinfoil.

  “Stop! Stop! No, no, no!” Lux called out, the plan they had discussed prior to coming was for Lux to politely negotiate with the architect’s master and use Novgar as an intimidating backdrop.

  Right now, that was falling apart right in front of his eyes. Too late. The green giant forced his way through, leaving a warped gap in his wake. Without waiting for the others, he strode across the lawn in long, confident steps.

  By the time Lux came out of a stupor, Novgar had already kicked the front door clean off its hinges, then flung it onto the grass with a splintering crack.

  “Novgar, wait!” Lux called, hustling to catch up. “We’re here to negotiate, not invade!”

  The warning was too late. Inside, a distinguished man with grey streaks at his temples dangled helplessly in Novgar’s grip, his face turning an alarming shade of blue. Two women stood nearby, frozen in shock.

  Novgar brandished a scrap of parchment. “Novgar is negotiating! Sign!”

  Lux pinched the bridge of his nose. “What kind of negotiating is this,” muttered Lux. Then, louder, “Novgar, maybe let the man breathe before you ask him to sign?”

  The giant obediently dropped the man, who collapsed wheezing on the floor. Before the poor fellow could recover, Novgar whipped out an ink pad from somewhere, mashed the man’s thumb onto it, then stamped the page with a triumphant flourish.

  “Contract complete!” Novgar declared, beaming.

  Lux snatched a look at the paper. There was only one word scrawled across it, mine. A red thumbprint smeared the bottom.

  Lux just stared, lips twitching. “Subtle, Novgar. Real subtle.”

  Novgar turned to the two stunned women, frowned, then gave a decisive nod as if confirming something. Without hesitation, he scooped them up under each arm like sacks of grain.

  “Novgar’s!” he shouted proudly.

  Lux could only shake his head, following after them. “This is not how you negotiate.” However, there was nothing he could do now, the damage was already done. Lux was just going to have to roll with it and hope for the best.

  He cast a glance at the wheezing, furious man on the floor. “You’re fine. Definitely fine. We’ll just… see ourselves out.” And with that, he bolted after Novgar, pulse racing but unable to keep the grin from his face at the sheer absurdity of the situation.

  Thankfully, Magenta was waiting outside beside the travel carriage, smirking like she’d expected all of this. Novgar squeezed into the vehicle, women tucked snugly against him.

  Lux dove in after him, asking, “How did you know to have the carriage ready?”

  Magenta’s laughter rang out. “You let Novgar negotiate. What did you think would happen?”

  An alarm began to blare back at the mansion. Servants and guards poured across the lawn. The carriage jolted forward, throwing Lux to the floor. He scrambled back up and found himself staring into the wide amber eyes of one of the “hostages.”

  “Right. Forgot we kidnapped people,” he muttered. Then, forcing his brightest smile, he said, “So sorry, this was supposed to be a polite hiring, not an abduction.”

  To his utter shock, both women were grinning. “Oh, that’s fine,” one said cheerfully. “But just to confirm, we’re under contract with you now, yes?”

  Lux blinked. “I… guess?” He looked helplessly at Novgar.

  “Novgar has the contract!” the giant announced, handing him the parchment with a proud grin.

  Lux stared at the single word, ‘mine’, and the smudged print. “This isn’t legally binding.”

  “Yes it is!” Novgar insisted. “Novgar did well, right?”

  The two women nodded enthusiastically. Lux sighed, then patted Novgar’s massive arm. “Yes, you… did fantastic. Next time, maybe less property damage, more talking?”

  The carriage screeched to a halt outside the travel building. Magenta flung the door open. “Move it! We’ve got company!”

  Sure enough, three black-uniformed carriages thundered down the road toward them. Lux grabbed the sisters’ hands and sprinted inside. On the stone platforms, Magenta waved impatiently for them to settle in place.

  As Lux stood, catching his breath, a squad of armoured men burst through the doors. “Stop those people!” their leader roared.

  Too late. Magenta’s portal flared to life, and Lux staggered through. He emerged gasping, and alive. “That was close,” he panted.

  “That was fun,” one of the women corrected brightly, flashing Novgar a smile.

  Lux eyed her like she’d grown two heads. Are they… happy about being kidnapped?

  Magenta only laughed. “Don’t worry. Once they realise Novgar was involved, they’ll let it slide. No one wants to make an enemy of this oaf.”

  Novgar puffed out his chest. “Novgar is strong!”

  Lux slumped in relief. He was too tired to argue anymore.

  The amber-eyed woman stepped closer, brushing back a strand of hair. “My name’s Constance,” she said warmly. “This is my sister, Grace. And you must be Lux?” He nodded, still rattled.

  “I take it you want me to design something?”

  “Ah yes, we are currently building a city. So, I would need you to design some buildings.”

  “Wonderful, I have been idle lately.” came a cheery reply. “Once I draw up the plans, could you please tear up this… ” she tapped the smudged contract “masterpiece? It doesn’t exactly have an end date.”

  “Absolutely. We’ll make a proper contract later. Sorry about… all this.” said Lux, flashing a sheepish, apologetic smile.

  “No need. I’ve dealt with Large Worlders before. As long as you pay, I’m happy to work.” Lux blinked at how easily she’d accepted it. If it were himself, he would still be screaming.

  Their conversation trailed off as Magenta stopped in front of a bold sign hanging above a two-story building. “Labours Guild,” she announced. “This is where you needed to go, right?”

  Lux felt a grin spread across his face. For once, something was going his way today.