Ethan woke to a cool morning breeze rolling through the tall grass carrying the smell of stone dust from the city walls and the faint scent of roasted meat from early vendors near the gates. He walked back toward the entrance determined to gather information supplies and if possible a few local helpers. He needed to understand the materials available the magic systems that supported buildings and how much labor he could realistically gather. As he stepped through the gate the city came alive with activity. Merchants shouted out prices adventurers hauled piles of monster parts and a group of robed mages floated small glowing spheres above their palms as they talked.

Ethan moved through the crowd with the same eyes he used in American cities always scanning for infrastructure patterns. He noticed stone blocks carved with surprisingly clean precision and wooden beams reinforced with shining silver lines. He saw gutters etched with tiny runes that collected water and redirected it into underground channels. Even though the city seemed medieval the magic made certain engineering tasks easier. He stopped at a workshop where a half elf artisan shaped stone with a chisel that vibrated with faint blue light. The pattern of her cuts reminded him of laser precision tools back home. He realized magical tools could speed up construction in ways impossible in his world. With the right workers he could build structures faster easier and safer than any modern site.

He approached the artisan and introduced himself explaining he wanted to build outside the walls. She looked at him like he was either brave or insane. Monsters roam the outskirts she said but if you can put enough protective runes maybe it can work. She demonstrated two kinds of rune plates a steady light blue one for strengthening stone and a soft green one that created a small barrier field. She explained that runes needed mana channels carved into the walls of a building and those channels had to be done by hand or by skilled earth mages. Ethan listened carefully absorbing every word. If he could combine modern floor plan logic with their rune system he could design structures far more efficient than what locals were used to.

He bought a bundle of the blue rune plates and a smaller set of green ones using a handful of silver coins he earned earlier by helping a merchant reorganize inventory. Then he walked deeper into the city looking for builders. At a tavern he found a group of beastfolk laborers strong and capable discussing jobs for the week. He offered them simple work clearing land outside the walls in exchange for steady pay and meals. They hesitated at first but his tone was confident and his plan sounded complete. They agreed to meet him at the field later that afternoon.

Next Ethan searched for mages. He needed someone who could apply enchantments to the foundation stones and create mana channels for the apartments. Near a tower he found an older mage with a long scarf and bright curious eyes. The mage asked him why he wanted to build so far from the city. Ethan explained that land grows in value when people build and feel safe. If they could create a stable zone protected by runes people would come and pay for comfort. The mage found the idea strange but interesting. He agreed to help Ethan lay the first mana channels in exchange for a long term agreement to study how the structures reacted to continuous mana flow. Ethan accepted instantly. Research for him workers for Ethan. Everyone wins.

By midday Ethan returned to the field with his new materials. The beastfolk laborers arrived carrying tools and packs of food. They watched as Ethan outlined the perimeter of the first Magic Apartment building using rope wooden markers and a rough chalk made from crushed stone. He measured distances counted paces and made sure every section aligned with natural light angles. The workers followed his instructions with growing curiosity since no one in the kingdom used such methodical planning.

When the mage arrived he studied Ethan’s layout and nodded with interest. He began carving shallow channels into the ground with a staff that hummed with soft energy. The air shimmered as green lines spread across the dirt forming the initial mana grid. Ethan walked beside him explaining how he wanted each floor to connect to the main mana trunk line like a modern electrical system. The mage listened carefully impressed that a man with no magical background understood distribution so well.

As the sun dipped lower the foundation began to take shape. Stone blocks reinforced with blue rune plates were placed carefully along the lines. Workers helped shift heavy pieces while Ethan ensured symmetry and spacing. Every time a section locked into place the air vibrated softly as if the world approved of the build. Ethan stood back wiping sweat from his forehead and admired the outline. It looked like the bones of a future landmark something that would stand for decades maybe centuries.

The workers asked him why he believed this idea would succeed. Ethan explained in simple terms. People want safety comfort and predictable living. Adventurers need a home base. Merchants need places to sell goods. Families need clean stable homes. If he provided all those things they would come. The workers exchanged glances nodding slowly. In this world no one had ever considered development in such a structured way.

As night approached Ethan lit a small lantern and sat beside the first laid stones. He felt the pulse of mana under his hands like the heartbeat of a new future. The field around him felt less like wild land and more like a foundation for a city that did not yet exist. He knew this was only the beginning. Tomorrow he would bring more workers expand the grid and raise the first walls. Every inch built would prove that vision and planning could reshape any world no matter how magical or chaotic.

Ethan stared at the growing framework and whispered quietly This is the future home of hundreds. This is where the magic apartments rise. And once the first building stands the rest of the world will understand that development is not just construction. It is creation. It is change. It is the birth of a new way to live.