Volume 10 - CH 7

“And so, in order to welcome the second pioneer group in spring, I want to start focusing on building an irrigation ditch, lumbering and building a fence! Although I say that, I’d like to ask Thomas’s woodworker team to create houses and fences just like they’ve been doing so far, and the two seamsters to continue their work though…”

Although he announced in high spirits, it went the usual once he thought back on it. Yuuji’s voice gradually went softer.

However, it was important for Yuuji, who was a pioneer leader, defense captain and village head, to once again show them his plan.

“Roger that, Mr Yuuji. Well, I can take that as we’ll go on like we talked about before winter began, right? Lumbering and installing the fence will be central for us then. Or will you get someone out to create an irrigation ditch?”

Who answered as representative to Yuuji’s words was the former adventurers party leader Blaise. He also meant to confirm it, but he must have also thought that the pioneer citizens being silent to their leader’s statements was bad. He was an able man.

“No, the irrigation ditch will be me, Alice and Kotarou just like up until now, and I’ll also bring Riese with me. Ah, after that, everyone, I’m thinking of letting the irrigation ditch pass through the pioneer land around here like this and the smithy would be around here. Please use it as a reference for the lumbering”

Said Yuuji, and he handed a piece of paper to Blaise, the woodworker team and the beastkin family.

On the locally produced rough paper was drawn Yuuji’s hand drawn map. It was the conceptual drawing of Houjou village at completion, filled with the smithy, irrigation ditch and the third protective wall. Though it was called a conceptual drawing at completion, it was one up to after welcoming the second pioneer group.

Incidentally, discussions unfolded in the bulletin board towards its further development. They went ahead too far and it went beyond the level of a village, even beyond a town, turning it into a fortified city. They were too enthusiastic.

Who would move towards building the irrigation ditch would be Yuuji, Alice, Riese and Kotarou.

Kotarou would take the role as their guard and Yuuji would be useful when there would be manual labor. The main role for the construction of the irrigation ditch connecting a distance of around a day to the river would be Alice and Riese’s magic. Yuuji seems to have that sort of plan.

On a side note, Yuuji was also looking forward to his daily routine of breaking his gate every morning. That looked unproductive, but that was not the case. As per the advice of the bulletin board residents, he intended to let it duplicate it infinitely and use it as reinforcement of the fence.

“Mr Yuuji, can I go hunt just rike before?”

The catkin Nina asked a question to Yuuji. The snow rabbit hunt was important for securing food as well as the production of preserved food.

“Yes, please continue as is. If needed, please use the sleigh too”

So answered Yuuji.

With this, the remaining subject would be the road construction to the city. But seven people including the criminal slaves had started with that. Furthermore, Yuuji had heard from Kevin that he would put out commissions to the adventurers once it became spring. Such situation seemed to have caused Yuuji to decide to postpone road construction for the time being. No, they were simply short on hands however.

The fourth winter since Yuuji had come to the other world.

Yuuji focused on the construction of the irrigation ditch, and the former adventurers party the lumbering.

The two dogkins among the beastkin family focused on lumbering, and the catkin Nina on hunting.

The woodworker Thomas would be like until now, the house construction and production of wooden fences.

The two seamsters were beginning on the production of the dress which Kevin would be giving as a gift.

It was a surprisingly busy winter for both Yuuji and the pioneer citizens.

He had no spare time to play around in the otherworld pioneer land. Even the sleigh where Alice, Riese and Kotarou were in high spirits with was part of hunting. It was not a toy. Probably.

“Alright, from here then! Alice, could I ask you to do it just like the other day?”

“Okay, Yuuji-nii! Mr Earth, go down a lot~!”

The construction of the irrigation ditch that Yuuji and Alice had begun started up to midway, though there was still some distance until the river. Who arrived at that place were Yuuji, Alice, Riese and Kotarou.

Accepting Yuuji’s words, Alice cast earth magic at once. It was the spell that played an active role in the construction of the reservoir.

Alice raised both her hands and swung down, striking the snow with a puff.

While covered in snow, the ground sunk.

“Hehe~”, having cast the spell safely, Alice proudly showed Yuuji a smiling face.

Being invited by such smile of Alice, Yuuji pat her head while saying “You really are amazing, Alice.” He seems to have been led around by the nose by a nine year old girl. There is also happiness in not noticing it.

‘I’m thinking about connecting this to the river this way. What do you think Riese? Can you do it?’

After stroking Alice’s head for a while, Yuuji turned around and called out to the elven girl, Riese.

That Riese moved aside the snow and looked at the ground that was indented by Alice.

‘This is… you didn’t move it down did you? The surface has become stiff. I wonder, did you compress it? No, but…’

‘Riese, what’s wrong?’

‘Eh? Aah, sorry. Could you let Riese see Alice’s magic today? Riese will try to think about it a little’

‘Okay, got it. Alice could just teach it to you though…’

Yuuji said and looked at Alice.

Alice swiftly looked at Yuuji and tilted her head due to them conversing in a language she did not understand.

Seeing the three like that, Kotarou feebly barked. As if she was seemingly saying explanations are impossible for the genius-like Alice, you know.

The time when Yuuji tried to be taught magic, she went “Go nice and warm and then go gugu and then ei!” The hurdle to teach things was high for the types of people who could do things because they could.

The second day since Yuuji, Alice, Riese and Kotarou genuinely began the construction of the irrigation ditch.

The group once again came to the construction location of the irrigation ditch.

On a side note, whenever Alice would run out of magic powers, it would be time to hunt with Kotarou in the lead. While going on their way to the pioneer land, they were full of vigor in hunting birds and snow rabbits. Kotarou that is.

‘Riese, what will you do? Will you try it out?’

So Yuuji called out to Riese. They were carrying a large rucksack on their backs. The season was winter. Taking into account the cases there would be sudden weather changes, they had prepared food, blankets and a tent that Yuuji was carrying. Perhaps because he became the guardian of the two, one could see traces of Yuuji’s growth.

‘I’ll do it, Yuuji-nii! O origin of magic dwelling in the soil, hear my decree. Head down into pressured mass. Press Earth’

Riese closed her eyes in order to concentrate and wove a web of words in elven language like she was singing. The beautiful blonde girl shone in the silver world. It was a picture-perfect image.

Without a moment’s delay Yuuji prepared the camera. Of course in video mode.

Incidentally, Riese’s magic had no easy-to-understand actions like striking the ground unlike Alice’s. 

However.

When Riese’s chanting was finished, the snow-covered ground indented. It had the same results as Alice’s magic. 

‘Ooh, wow, you’re amazing Riese!’

‘Fufun. Riese is a lady who can do anything on her own! Water magic and earth magic is her specialty’

‘Water magic and earth magic… by the way, what about fire magic like Alice?’

‘Fi- fire magic… will burn down the forest so no! It’s not like Riese can’t use it, you know? Even Riese can use a little bit, you know?’

Riese proudly threw out her chest, but she was somewhat downhearted when asked about fire magic. It appears that, unlike Alice, she did not seem to be good with fire magic.

Perhaps grown accustomed to it with Alice, Yuuji held out his hand and patted Riese’s head. It was sexual harassment. No, Riese was pretending to show the face of a prim person, but she was grinning. It was safe. Riese too was still a child.

“Uwaah, you’re amazing Riese-chan! Alice, Alice will do the next!” 

Alice declared as if to go against her. It appears that Alice hated to lose. Perhaps she may have become jealous of Riese for having her head patted by Yuuji. Yuuji had no patting ability though. 

In any case. 

Alice and Riese used their magic, and Yuuji removed the stones hindering their route by feat of strength. While Yuuji sometimes hit signboards in elven language into trees, the irrigation ditch from the pioneer land to the river advanced at a considerable pace. 

While Kotarou was unusually useless. 

However superior she was, a dog was a dog for starters.