Chapter 132: Play Area II

Kai had a talent for making work less tedious. Even when the task was tiring, he found something to joke about, and the other villagers often joined in. His cheerful attitude helped keep everyone motivated.

Kenai, on the other hand, was unusually quiet.

He had been working near the edge of the space, digging out stubborn rocks and carrying them away. He did not complain or refuse any task Anaria assigned him. In fact, he seemed determined to finish his share of the work as quickly as possible.

However, he barely looked at her.

Anaria noticed.

She had hoped their encounter that morning would not leave things awkward between them, but she could hardly blame him for needing time. Kenai had always been more reserved when something bothered him, and forcing him to talk before he was ready would only make matters worse.

For now, she let him work.

A little later, Rylan arrived with several additional pieces of wood and spoke briefly with the villagers before approaching Anaria.

"The elders have agreed to let us use some of the spare materials," he told her. "We should have enough to finish the fence and the climbing structure."

"That’s wonderful."

He glanced at the cleared ground.

"How is your leg?"

"Better. I’m not doing anything too strenuous."

Rylan gave her a look that suggested he was not entirely convinced.

Anaria smiled innocently.

"I’m serious."

"Good. Then keep it that way."

He turned toward the workers and began helping them arrange the wooden frame. Before long, he had everyone organized, ensuring the thicker branches were used where the structure needed extra support.

With Rylan handling the construction, Kai keeping the workers entertained, and Kenai taking care of the heavier tasks, the play area began to take shape faster than Anaria had expected.

By midday, most of the ground had been cleared.

The villagers spread the gathered dry grass over the surface, creating a softer layer for the children to run and fall on. Others worked on the fence, securing the wooden posts firmly into the ground. The climbing structure came together next, built low enough for the children to use without making it unnecessarily dangerous.

Anaria inspected each part as it was completed.

"That post needs to be more secure," she pointed out, gesturing toward one corner of the fence. "And the entrance should be a little wider. We don’t want the children pushing one another when they come in."

The man working on the post nodded and adjusted it.

"Like this?"

"Yes, that’s better."

She walked around the structure, checking for sharp edges and loose branches. Whenever she found something that needed attention, she asked the villagers to fix it before moving on.

It took longer than she had anticipated, but she was determined to get it right.

After all, the children would be using the space every day.

As the afternoon wore on, the play area finally began to resemble what she had imagined. The fence surrounded the cleared ground, the climbing structure stood firmly in the middle, and the softer surface covered most of the bare earth.

A few children had gathered nearby, watching the progress with barely concealed excitement.

Tiku was among them.

"Is it ready now?" he asked for what seemed like the tenth time.

Kai laughed.

"Do you want to help us finish it, or are you planning to stare at it until the sun goes down?"

Tiku shook his head vigorously.

"I want to play!"

"Then give us a little more time."

The boy turned to Anaria, clearly hoping she would make a different decision.

She chuckled.

"Almost. We still need to check that everything is safe."

He sighed dramatically, earning another round of laughter from the adults.

Anaria was smiling when she heard the final wooden post being secured. She turned toward the fence, where Rylan was helping one of the villagers tighten the last joint.

"Are we done?" she asked.

Rylan tested the post before stepping back.

"We are."

Anaria looked over the completed play area, satisfaction spreading through her.

They had done it.

The children did not wait for another invitation. As soon as Anaria gave them permission, they rushed through the entrance, filling the space with excited voices and laughter.

Tiku was among the first to reach the climbing structure. He scrambled onto it, carefully placing his hands and feet where he had been shown. The other children followed, some climbing while others ran around the open space.

One little girl stumbled on the soft ground and immediately got back up, laughing as though falling had been part of the game.

Anaria watched them with a warm smile.

The villagers gathered nearby, pleased to see the children enjoying themselves. Even those who had initially been uncertain about the idea seemed satisfied with the result.

"It was worth the effort," one woman remarked.

Anaria nodded. "It was."

A familiar chime sounded in her mind.

[Task Complete!]

[Reward Received: 200 Spirit Fangs.]

[Additional Rewards: 1× Skill Enhancement Token, 1× Baby Kit.]

Anaria’s eyes brightened.

Oh, that’s useful.

She dismissed the panel before anyone could notice her momentary distraction. The rewards could wait. For now, she wanted to enjoy the sight of the children playing in a space they could call their own.

She had barely turned back toward the climbing structure when Kenai approached.

He stopped beside her, his gaze following the children as they ran around.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then he said, "You did good."

Anaria turned to him.

The words were simple, but she knew they meant more than he was letting on. She studied his face, noticing that the tension around his shoulders had eased. He still seemed quieter than usual, and he had not entirely returned to his normal self, but at least he no longer looked as though he wanted to avoid her altogether.

A small smile touched her lips.

"We did good."

Kenai glanced at her before looking back at the children.

He gave a slight nod.

"Yeah. We did."

Anaria wanted to say something about the morning, about the questions he had left unanswered and the conversation they still needed to have. But looking at him now, she decided not to force it.

They would talk when he was ready.

For the moment, the play area was finished, the children were happy, and the settlement had gained something useful.

That was enough for one day.