Reborn in the Survival Adventure Game-Chapter 60: A Toast and a Ring

Morning light crept into the town hall.

Caelen stood at the long table with Borin, Garin, and Zira. Piles of wires, crystals, stone pieces, and scraps of bark covered the surface. The scent of glue and copper hung in the air.

Five hours passed.

They shaped the frame from smooth stone, lined it with bark as insulator, and fitted copper wires through tiny holes. Caelen looked down at the parts they had assembled.

"It's finally done," he muttered.

"Well," Borin said, wiping his brow, "the body's done. What now?"

"We design the prototype," Caelen said. "One that can call the other."

He turned to the screen beside him and typed:

"Simple telephone prototype – old rotary model"

A dozen results came up. Caelen picked one.

It was a black, rounded model with a spin dial, a curled cord, and a thick receiver that sat on top.

He showed the screen to Borin. "This. Think you can shape the stone like that?"

Borin stared at it. "Looks like a coiled snail with a rock on its back."

Caelen smirked. "Close enough."

Borin nodded. "Yeah. I can do it. Let me fetch the tools."

Later, Caelen walked to the mine.

He passed the golem still swinging its pick, then went into the deeper part—where he had left the sealed barrel of crushed fruits weeks ago. It had been warm, dark, and undisturbed.

He opened it.

A sharp, tangy scent filled the air. He sniffed again. Not strong... but it smelled like alcohol.

[System Message: Weak Fruit Wine – Fermented – Quality: Low]

He smiled.

"Looks like we've got something to celebrate with."

He scooped the wine into bottles and stored them in his inventory.

Back home, he scribbled out a short plan.

Plan:

1. Introduce the first working telephone.

2. Celebrate the village's progress.

3. Serve food and wine.

He went outside and found Zira helping kids draw herbs in their books.

"Hey," he said.

She looked up. "Hmm?"

"We're going to celebrate. Can you and Garin make something? Food, drinks, whatever we have."

"What's the occasion?"

"You'll see," he said. "Oh—and I found this."

He pulled out one of the bottles.

Zira blinked. "What's that?"

"Wine."

"Where did you get that?"

"I picked fruit from the forest," he said. "Crushed it, stored it in a barrel. Let it ferment."

Zira looked at it like it was a treasure. "You can make wine from fruit?"

Caelen nodded. "If it has sugar, it can become alcohol."

She narrowed her eyes. "So any fruit?"

"Well... not all are good. But most can. Why?"

She shrugged, then smiled. "No reason."

As the sun dipped low, the village gathered near the town square.

A table stood in the center, covered in simple foods—grilled mushrooms, stewed potatoes, sliced meat, roasted corn. Garin stood by with a bowl of soup. Zira poured juice into wooden cups.

Elira and her elf group stood in a corner, quiet but curious. The goblin kids were already giggling and reaching for skewers. Borin and Dorgrim leaned against the forge wall, arms crossed.

Caelen stepped forward.

He held up a stone object, round and smooth, with a speaker on top and a coiled cord made of copper and dried vines.

"This," he said, "is a telephone."

Whispers spread.

"What's that?"

"Looks like a talking mushroom."

Caelen smiled. "It lets people speak across long distances. One day, you'll be able to talk to someone on the other side of the forest... without shouting."

He turned the device on. It hummed quietly. He pressed a stone rune on the side and spoke into it.

"Testing."

The sound echoed from another identical phone on the other end of the table.

The villagers gasped.

"Witchcraft!" someone whispered.

Caelen picked up the second phone and spoke back. "Not witchcraft. Just knowledge."

The crowd applauded.

Zira looked amazed. Elira whispered something to her sister, who stared wide-eyed.

Then Caelen raised a bottle.

"And to celebrate... wine."

He popped the cork. It hissed. He poured a bit into two cups and walked toward the dwarves.

"Dorgrim. Borin. This is for you."

The two stared at the cup.

Dorgrim's nose twitched. "Is that..."

"Wine," Caelen said.

"REAL wine?"

Caelen grinned. "Tastes like fermented berry mud. But it works."

They both grabbed a cup. Dorgrim took a swig and let out a deep groan.

"By the stones... that hits the soul!"

Borin nodded slowly. "You've done good, human."

The two dwarves laughed together, their cheeks already flushing.

Zira came up beside Caelen. "I didn't know you were hiding wine in the mine."

"I wasn't hiding it," Caelen said. "Just... aging it."

She smiled. "That's what I'll say next time too."

The goblin kids passed the phones around. One shouted into it, and another laughed when the voice echoed from the other side.

"This is so cool!" one yelled.

"Can we take one home?"

"Only if you don't drop it," Caelen warned.

Garin poured more juice. "This village is changing fast."

Caelen watched the crowd. "Yeah... and we're just getting started."

Elira slowly approached him. Her brother stood beside her, holding a small plate.

"You made this place feel safe," she said quietly. "Thank you."

Caelen nodded. "It's not just me. Everyone here made it happen."

Then Borin raised his half-full cup.

"A toast!" he shouted.

Everyone turned.

"To the man who brought us tools, walls, magic rocks... and now, wine!"

"To Caelen!" Dorgrim added, raising his cup.

The villagers cheered.

Caelen's face turned red. He scratched his head. "Alright, alright..."

He lifted his cup and smiled.

"To all of us."

They drank together under the stars. The phone clicked quietly in the background, and the village felt more like home than ever.