Legendary Extraction: Kingdom Builder in a Ruined World-Chapter 36: Choice Of The Group.

Elias woke up the next morning to the sound of laughter and soft chatter drifting in from outside. For some reason, the territory felt more alive today than it ever had before. It wasn’t just the usual early morning stir—it was much more lively than that. Elias could already guess the reason. It was partly because Kael and Veran were now gone, but also because the feast from the night before had lifted everyone’s spirits even higher.

The joy and excitement from last night still hung in the air, and now, everyone seemed to carry that same energy into the morning.

Just then, a familiar sweet voice echoed in his mind.

"[Good morning, Master~]"

Elias smiled at the soft greeting.

"Morning to you too, Alia."

"[Feeling refreshed? Or still nervous~?]"

Elias chuckled quietly to himself. He didn’t respond, but Alia already knew the answer.

After the brief exchange, Elias didn’t rush to get out of bed.

Elias knew that the moment he went downstairs, everything would begin. That was when he’d learn what each of them had decided—who would stay and who would choose to leave.

That thought made him hesitate.

Now that Kael and Veran were gone, there were exactly thirty-one people left in the group. Among them, only seven were women.

Elias had learned a lot during the feast last night. It was the first time he had truly taken the chance to talk with the others and get to know more about them and their abilities.

One of the seven women turned out to be the water mage Kael and Veran had once mentioned. Elias hadn’t known who she was before—he hadn’t even tried to find out. Back then, he had been too cautious. He had relied only on his Everflow Flask for water, avoiding the group’s shared supply in case Kael or Veran tried anything sneaky.

But now, with both of them gone, the truth had come out naturally during conversation.

She was quiet but clearly capable, and it was obvious the others respected her.

Elias had also identified other important members in the group.

There was a big man who worked as a blacksmith. He wasn’t a master or anything, but he was skilled enough to sharpen weapons, repair tools, and make simple gear when needed. Then there was a young man who had been used as a scout by Kael and Veran. From what Elias had gathered, the boy had good stealth abilities. He could move quietly and spot danger faster than others.

And there was the woman healer. Elias had seen her ability before, back when the group had first arrived injured a few days ago. She wasn’t very strong or experienced—her level was low and all—but she was consistent. Her tireless effort had helped even the most injured recover better than expected. Two of the wounded, who couldn’t even stand when they arrived, were already walking around now. They weren’t fully healed yet, but at least they could move and do light tasks.

There were others too—a carpenter, two more who were decent with a bow or spear, and a few with minor gathering or farming skills.

They weren’t elite, but they were still valuable to the territory Elias was building. And as the lord, he wanted to keep them.

He sighed and sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his messy black hair.

How many of them would choose to stay? he wondered nervously.

He wished—selfishly—that at least twenty of them would remain. But he knew that was asking for too much. Twenty out of thirty-one was more than half. And now that they were free, most of them would likely want to return to the lives they had before they were enslaved.

Still... he hoped the important ones would stay. The water mage, the blacksmith, the healer, the scout—in fact, anyone who had value in one way or another.

If he could just keep those ones, he’d have a solid foundation to build his territory on.

Yes, it was selfish.

But what lord wasn’t selfish?

Without ambition, no territory would grow. No empire would rise.

He sighed again, deciding to stop the endless thoughts. In the end, it would be their decision to make. He had done his part—he treated them fairly, gave them shelter, food, and respect.

Now... the choice was in their hands.

Elias stayed in his room the whole morning, lost in quiet thought and planning. After today, everything would change. The ones who chose to stay would become true members of the territory. And that meant it was time to begin the real work of building something lasting.

The next step was trade.

The most immediate resource his territory had was the Ashveil Grass that grew naturally around the ruins. It was native to the Ashgrave region and commonly used by alchemists as a potion-scenting herb. But it wasn’t anything special on its own. It wasn’t rare—there were plenty of other herbs that had similar effects. So it wouldn’t be enough to build strong trade connections alone.

Still, it was a start.

His real trump card was his Extraction Talent.

With it, he could offer things that others couldn’t—Skill Books, weapons, gear, and all kinds of rare items.

With enough of those, he could attract merchants to visit the territory. By offering a mix of rare goods and useful resources, he could slowly build strong trade relationships. Over time, those connections could lead to stable income. And by then, trade routes would already be in place, making it easier to expand even more.

He stared at the map Veran had given him. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave him a decent understanding of the nearby areas. Enough to start drawing out possible trade routes.

Before he realized it, midday had arrived.

The sun was high in the sky, and its warm glow poured in through the window.

Elias stood up and stretched, letting out a soft breath as he looked ahead.

Time to go find out what the group had decided—after a full night of thinking it over.

---

Meanwhile, outside...

The mood wasn’t much different from what it was inside Elias’s room.

Most of the morning chores were already done. The area where the feast had taken place had been cleaned up, and breakfast had been served early.

With nothing else to do, the group split into small clusters, gathered in quiet conversations.

In one of those groups, someone spoke.

"Anyone seen Lord Elias today?"

Another man shook his head. "Nope. Hasn’t come down since last night."

"Think he got drunk?" the first one asked, raising a brow.

A third voice chimed in with a laugh. "Idiot. He didn’t even drink last night."

"Then what’s he doing up there?"

"Probably giving us space. Letting us think everything through."

That made the first two men fall quiet.

Then one of them asked the question that had been on all their minds.

"So... have you made your decision?"

The second man nodded. "Yeah. I’m staying."

The rest responded with quiet agreement.

Just then, the front door of the two-story building creaked open.

All eyes turned at once.

Only Elias, Vael, or someone they summoned ever came out of that building. So when footsteps echoed on the wooden platform, the answer was clear.

"It’s Lord Elias!" someone whispered.

Elias stepped out onto the raised front porch, with Vael following closely behind like a silent shadow.

Within moments, the entire group of thirty-one people had gathered at the base of the steps, looking up at the young lord.

Elias met their eyes calmly and gave a small nod.

"Good morning," he said in a steady voice. "I hope you all slept well."

A few heads nodded. Others responded with soft smiles.

"It was thanks to you, Lord Elias," someone said from the crowd.

Elias smiled back and gave another nod.

Then silence settled over the group.

After a pause, he spoke again. freewebnøvel_com

"Last night, I gave you all a choice—a chance to decide what you want from this point forward. Today, I’d like to hear your answers."

He looked over their faces. Some looked thoughtful. A few looked nervous.

So he added gently, "As I said, whatever your choice is, I’ll support it. Whether you stay or leave, I’ll do what I can to help you."

He gave them a moment to speak.

Then, a man in his mid-thirties stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Lord Elias... after thinking it through, we’ve made our decision."

Elias nodded slowly. "Go ahead."

"We’ve... all decided to stay."

Silence fell once more—but this time, Elias was the one caught off guard.

His eyes widened.

"All of you?" he asked, surprised.

The man nodded firmly.

Elias looked around at the gathered faces. No one objected. No one looked unsure. There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation.

They all chose to stay? he thought, still in disbelief.

He was still processing that when the man continued.

"We know it’ll be a burden for you—"

But Elias immediately cut in.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Don’t think of it that way. I told you—anyone who chooses to stay, I’ll welcome with open arms."

His heart was pounding, though he kept his face calm.

All of them. Every single one of them chose to stay.

But then, another thought came to him.

"What about your families?" he asked quietly. "Your lives before you were enslaved?"

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