“Lord Jetri!” A busy soldier spotted Jetri, dropped his work, and slammed his gauntlet against his breastplate in salute.

“Hey, hey, hi,” Jetri smiled. “Don’t mind me. Keep at it.”

News that the Succubus had been killed again spread across the eastern frontier in a blink, and Jetri, finally the lead for once, was revered.

They weren’t sure if Chelsey would revive this time, but killing her within mere months was still uplifting.

So the eastern border had felt festive lately.

Jetri grinned at that soldier, then scooped the materials off the ground and turned away.

The Demon Clan’s offensive had paused as well, like they’d truly given up. Not a single demon soldier showed.

Watching the soldiers’ busy backs, he suddenly relaxed a little.

In the afternoon, the sun’s warmth was gentle, and the border wind was generous.

The Half Elf’s wounds still hadn’t fully healed, so he couldn’t leave yet.

It was a good time for Jetri to think about where to enter the Demon Realm. The Demon King said “wait here,” but Chelsey’s raid suggested it wasn’t a direct challenge.

Would charging straight in be too risky?

He’d have his movements exposed to their eyes.

Jetri shook his head, folded his hands behind him, and wandered elsewhere.

He had visited the Mage corps once and never went back. His class was Mage, but his personality wasn’t the typical mage type.

At least he wasn’t the kind to argue until it turned into a fight.

There were churches and priests on the border too, but he hadn’t visited.

Border priests were probably busy year-round. War or not, there were always one or two Mages beaten like some grotesque low-tier demons who needed healing.

Boots on half-brick, half-mud ground, Jetri’s thoughts drifted a little.

The border was a fortress. Commercial buildings were few, and entertainment even less.

To unwind, soldiers had to run out to Lilan Town, the nearest place.

So over this stretch, Jetri had grown familiar with the fortress.

After a while of wandering, watching the bustling soldiers gave Jetri a faint, inexplicable guilt.

So he mulled it over.

“I’ll do it.”

He flipped his palm, pressed his index and middle fingers together like a blade, and lifted.

The heavy materials floated up.

“Lord Jetri?!” Several soldiers who were about to hoist the bricks shouted, half excited, half shocked.

“Where do you want them?” Jetri asked with a gentle smile.

“We really shouldn’t trouble you… Just set them on the wall, we’ll handle the rest,” said an armored man who looked like a squad leader.

From that distance, Jetri couldn’t really see their faces.

They weren’t in full plate, but some wore leather armor.

Helmets, of course, were there.

He figured the speaker was the squad leader because among them, only he wore plate.

“Alright.”

A job that would take a squad half an hour, Jetri finished in a minute.

It was just brute work, hardly technical.

“Thank you so much!” The squad leader got almost too excited once Jetri finished.

“It’s nothing. Just handy.” Jetri knew why he was thrilled.

Mages were the supposed emblem of nobility and elegance.

Across the continent, Mages weren’t meant for this kind of work.

At most, those specialized in earth-and-wood magic—sorry, earth and wood—helped build cities and fortresses.

Engineers are engineers wherever you go.

Jetri didn’t care how others saw it. Magic was a tool, and a Mage was someone who used tools.

Mages weren’t that lofty.

“Alright. Anything else I can help with?” Jetri asked again.

He wasn’t a bleeding heart. He just helped when he saw it.

Mostly, he didn’t want to head back yet.

The armored squad leader scratched at his helmet. His face hid in shadow, but you could tell he was sheepish. “Really?”

“Haven’t I already helped?” Jetri sighed, a little helpless.

“Ah!” The squad leader got flustered, rubbing his gauntlet over his chest. “Then… could you help us a bit more?”

“Sure.”

By the time Jetri waved and walked off smiling, he’d helped the squad finish a whole afternoon’s work.

It had taken barely ten minutes.

Jetri walked back a few dozen meters, then realized—wait, heading back now would be the same as before.

So he turned around again.

“Hey, know anyone else who needs help?” His return left the armored man surprised and a little overawed.

Hearing that, the armored man instantly brimmed with admiration.

—Jetri couldn’t see his face, but it felt that way.

“You really are… worthy of being the Valiant Hero’s teammate!” The squad leader sounded a little hyped. “Here, I’ll take you.”

“Oh, then I’ll trouble you.”

“You’re the one fixing our troubles!” the squad leader declared.

Jetri smiled again, this time with a hint of warmth.

He liked people who were grateful. Even if it was a casual favor, he hoped they’d remember it.

Even if only with words.

So Jetri spent the whole afternoon patching walls and repairing buildings.

This kind of favor was literally a lift of a hand for him.

When the work wrapped up, the soldiers clamored to treat Jetri to a drink in Lilan Town.

Border soldiers had leave, but usually not long. They couldn’t go home, so they hit a tavern or visited a prostitute.

Some hadn’t taken leave yet.

Today’s push had basically finished the week’s work. The squad leaders applied for a unified day off, and it got approved.

Probably because the leave was to take Jetri drinking.

Jetri didn’t mind. He didn’t love crowds, but he didn’t dislike goodwill. Compared to scheming nobles in the capital, he preferred soldiers who invited him because he helped.

With the higher-ups’ nod and Jetri’s agreement, the soldiers burst into cheers.

A whole group set out in force for Lilan Town.