Chapter 90 - 89: A Place to Call Home
Nina was still staring at the dark stone walls when Iris finally turned back toward her.
"There’s still more to see."
Nina blinked and nodded.
She had spent the last several minutes trying to take everything in, but every direction seemed to reveal something new. The towering walls, the forest beyond them, the buildings scattered throughout the territory, and the people moving through the streets all made Velaris feel far more established than she had expected.
Iris gestured toward the buildings ahead.
"These are the dormitories."
Nina followed her gaze.
Three large two-story buildings stood together, each with several rooms inside. People were coming and going through their entrances, some carrying bags while others were talking with people they had apparently already met.
"These are where the new arrivals can stay," Iris explained. "The rooms can accommodate up to four people."
Nina looked at the buildings more carefully.
"They’re free?"
"No. Five copper per day."
Nina’s brows lifted.
"Five copper?"
Iris nodded.
"That’s all."
One of the people who had arrived with Nina quietly looked toward the dormitories.
"That’s actually not bad."
"It’s meant to be affordable," Iris said. "You can stay there while you work, gather resources, and figure out what you want to do."
Nina nodded slowly.
That made sense.
They had only just arrived. Expecting everyone to immediately purchase a permanent home would have been unreasonable.
She glanced at the people around her.
Some looked relieved.
Others seemed more interested in what else Velaris had to offer.
Kyle, who had been quiet for most of the walk, suddenly pointed farther ahead.
"What about those?"
Nina followed his finger.
A row of larger buildings stood farther away, partially surrounded by greenery.
Iris looked in that direction.
"Those are Garden Villas."
The difference was obvious.
Even from a distance, they looked more spacious and private than the dormitories.
Nina looked at Iris.
"Are those for everyone too?"
"They’re available for purchase."
"Purchase?"
"With Gold."
Nina’s expression changed slightly.
Gold was not something most survivors were willing to spend carelessly anymore.
Iris seemed to understand what she was thinking.
"The dormitories are there for people who don’t want to spend Gold on housing immediately. Garden Villas are for people who want something more permanent."
Nina nodded.
That sounded reasonable.
Then Iris casually pointed toward one of the villas.
"That’s where we stay."
Nina looked at the villa.
Then she looked back at Iris.
"You live there?"
"Yes."
Nina stared for another moment.
"You have a Garden Villa?"
Iris smiled faintly.
"We were here before everyone else."
That explained it.
The Hales had arrived before the current wave of survivors. They had established themselves in Velaris when there had been barely anyone else around.
Of course they already had homes.
Nina glanced toward the villa again.
Behind her, Kyle gave a quiet whistle.
"So they really were lucky."
Edwin looked at him.
"Lucky?"
"They got here early."
Kai nodded.
"That definitely helped."
Nina couldn’t disagree.
The difference between arriving early and arriving now was enormous.
Those who had come first had already secured a place inside the territory. The newcomers were arriving after the territory had begun developing, which meant they had to find their own place within it.
But that didn’t necessarily mean they were at a disadvantage.
Nina looked back toward the dormitories.
"Can people rent the Garden Villas?"
Iris nodded.
"If the owner agrees."
That immediately changed the way several people looked at the villas.
Nina noticed it.
Kyle noticed it too.
They looked at one another.
"If several people share one," Kyle said slowly, "it might not be too expensive."
Edwin considered the idea.
"That depends on the price."
"But we wouldn’t have to stay in the dormitory."
Kai glanced toward the buildings.
"The dormitories aren’t bad."
"No, but a villa would give us more space."
Nina listened to them quietly.
It was an obvious consideration.
They had arrived together.
They had survived together.
There was no reason they had to separate simply because they had entered a new territory.
If they could pool their resources, renting a Garden Villa might actually make sense.
One of the people who had come with them looked toward Nina.
"What do you think?"
Nina glanced at Iris before looking back at them.
"We should find out how much it costs first."
"That makes sense."
Iris watched their discussion without interrupting.
She had expected people to make different choices.
Some would prefer the dormitories.
Others would want their own space.
Groups might share a villa.
Families might want somewhere larger.
That was exactly why she had wanted different housing options available.
Velaris didn’t need everyone to live the same way.
Nina turned back toward Iris.
"Can we rent one?"
"You can ask the owner."
Nina looked toward the villas again.
"Are there many people living there already?"
"Some."
"And the rest?"
"Some haven’t been purchased yet."
Nina nodded.
That was useful.
It meant they might actually have options.
They continued walking.
As they passed the dormitories, Nina noticed how different the atmosphere had become compared to when they first entered Velaris.
People were no longer standing around uncertainly.
A few survivors sat near the entrances talking.
Others were carrying things into their rooms.
Someone was struggling with a bundle of materials while another person helped them.
A group of four walked out together, laughing about something Nina couldn’t hear.
It was strange.
They had only just arrived, yet some people already looked more relaxed.
Nina understood why.
The moment they had crossed into Velaris, the tension they had carried through the wilderness had begun to loosen.
They were inside the walls.
They were safe.
They had somewhere to sleep.
Now they could think about something other than survival.
Nina looked toward the dormitory again.
"Five copper every day."
Iris nodded.
"Yes."
"That means people can stay there while they work."
"Exactly."
Nina smiled faintly.
"That’s actually smart."
Iris didn’t respond immediately.
She simply looked ahead.
The territory was still far from complete.
There were huge stretches of forest surrounding the developed areas, and only a fraction of the available land had been used.
But even now, Nina could see signs of growth everywhere.
Buildings.
People.
Paths.
Storage areas.
Homes.
It didn’t feel like a temporary refuge.
It felt like the beginning of something.
They eventually reached the Garden Villas.
Nina slowed down.
Up close, the difference was even clearer.
The villas weren’t enormous, but they offered considerably more privacy than the dormitories.
Kyle looked at one of them.
"I want one."
Edwin laughed.
"You haven’t even asked the price."
"I’ll ask after deciding that I want it."
Kai shook his head.
"You’re going to regret that when you hear the price."
Kyle shrugged.
"We can split it."
Nina smiled despite herself.
He wasn’t wrong.
If enough of them contributed, the cost might be manageable.
One of the others approached Iris.
"Excuse me."
Iris turned.
"If we rent a Garden Villa together, can several people stay in it?"
"Yes."
"Even if we’re not family?"
"As long as the owner agrees."
The survivor nodded.
"That’s good."
He walked back toward the others.
Nina watched them begin discussing the idea.
Some wanted the villa.
Others preferred the dormitory because it was cheaper and didn’t require them to commit to anything.
Nobody seemed offended by the different choices.
There was simply a decision to make.
Nina looked at Iris.
"You really thought all of this through."
Iris gave a small shrug.
"We needed options."
Nina looked around again.
She couldn’t help thinking about how different this place was from the wilderness outside.
There, every decision had been about food, shelter, and staying alive.
Here, they were deciding where they wanted to live.
That alone felt almost unreal.
Edwin came back over.
"We’re going to check the prices."
Nina nodded.
"Okay."
Kyle pointed toward one of the villas.
"I already picked that one."
"You can’t pick a house before knowing if it’s available."
"Then I’ll pick it if it’s available."
Kai laughed.
"You’re impossible."
Nina shook her head.
Iris watched them with a faint smile.
For the first time since they had arrived, Nina noticed something else.
People were beginning to make plans.
Not plans for surviving the next day.
Plans for living.
Someone wanted a house.
Someone wanted work.
Someone wanted a room.
Someone wanted to find food.
Someone else was already asking about what they could build.
They were thinking about tomorrow.
That was something Nina hadn’t realized she had stopped doing.
She had been so focused on surviving that she hadn’t allowed herself to imagine what came after survival.
Now, standing inside Velaris, she could.
Nina looked toward the Garden Villas again.
Maybe she didn’t need to know yet where she would live.
Maybe none of them did.
For now, they had choices.
And choices were something the outside world had taken from them.
Iris gestured toward the path ahead.
"There’s still more of Velaris to see."
Nina nodded.
She turned to the others.
"Come on."
Kyle looked at the villas one last time.
"I’m coming back for that one."
Edwin laughed.
"You haven’t even seen the rest of the territory."
"I don’t need to."
Kai shook his head as he followed them.
Nina smiled and walked beside Iris.
Behind them, some of the group remained near the Garden Villas to discuss their options, while others followed.
The dormitories continued filling with people.
The villas waited for those willing to buy or rent them.
And somewhere between the two, the newcomers were beginning to figure out where they belonged.
Nina looked ahead.
For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t wondering where she would sleep that night.
She was wondering what she would do tomorrow.
And somehow, that felt like a much bigger change.