201 - - Episode 199 Ice Room

It's been a few days since I played with Belle and her friends. I have been pioneering, and Gina and the others have been training and killing the undead.

"Hey Vita, we've finished clearing the space needed for the sanctuary today, how are the animals doing?　Is it safe to go out and capture additional ones?"

"Well, I'm still getting settled, so I'd better give it some more time."

"I see. They're eating food, right?"

"Yes, he is eating. At first he was very cautious, but now he watches for a while, checks the smell carefully, takes a little bit in his mouth, and eats again after some time has passed.

...... What is that behavior. Japanese animals don't use that kind of patch test method, do they?

"At any rate, I understand from what you said that you are very wary. If we continue to feed them, do you think they will grow fond of people?"

"I think they will be less wild, but they are still wild beasts. They don't easily get attached."

"I knew it."　　

It would be a dream come true to walk through the forest and have a fox or a raccoon come up to you and pet you. Well, it's not that shocking, since I caught them for the sake of creating a natural ecosystem.

I don't mind at all if I go to Mohamofu Kingdom every day and keep getting run away by the jade rabbits as fast as I can, or if the guavards ignore my existence like I'm just an ornament. I don't care at all.

By the way, Guavard finally laid an egg. When I checked with Vita, she confirmed that the eggs are fertilized and the parents are now taking turns to keep the eggs warm. I'm sure there will be chicks eventually, and I'm planning to do some kind of imprinting.

However, it will be a long time before we can increase the number of animals to more than a hundred. I can achieve it by buying more guavards soon, but there will be more chicks, and I can't afford to increase the number of guavards all the time. It will take some time to find the magic wand, but we can afford it. If it comes to it, we can add more forests and keep the animals there.

"In that case, I think I'll go to the labyrinth city and look for the wand. Can I ask Vita to continue feeding the animals?"

"Yes, you can leave it to me. But how do I feed them?"

That reminds me. The rats we brought as bait haven't multiplied yet, and if we don't bring in meat regularly, we'll have a fight on our hands.

We can't leave our magic bags behind and there are no creatures around for the spirits to hunt ...... for us to eat. It would be awkward to ask them to go outside the land of the dead. I don't know what to do ...... but I'll just have to ask Dine to freeze them for me.

Maybe we can ask Dine to freeze them every day, but then we would need an ice room. It's still hot in the land of the dead. Even if we freeze them, they will melt soon. It would not be good to keep melting and freezing over and over again.

If we can easily buy a magical tool like Mr. Toruku has, which can be used as a refrigerator, there is no problem, but since Mr. Toruku said he had to ask for it desperately, it will not be easy to get it.

We can safely build an ice house and ask Marie for it with a magic wand. We should dig the icebox as deep as possible and cover it with sawdust so that it can take shape.

"Tomorrow I will make the icebox. If we store meat and grain in it, it will last for a while. It's more work, but could you do it?"

"Ah, an ice house, that's a good idea. That's a good idea. I don't have any problem with that.

Thanks.

One more job before we go to the labyrinth city. But I'm a little excited about making an ice house. When I was a kid, I used to watch TV and wonder why ice could last for six months or a year if you put it in the basement. It's a little strange and exciting to know that I will be making such an ice house with my own hands.

**

"Okay, today we're going to build an ice house!"

I asked Sylphy to take Gina and the others to the nest of the undead, and I decided on a spot next to my house for the ice house, and announced it to Belle and the others who were playing around.

"Himuro?" Cue?""" Himuro?""" Cu?"" What's that?""" ......?"

You didn't know about the Ice House. Then you can't tell from the words alone. I think I see a hatena mark hovering over Bell and the others.

"We're building a room under the ground."

"Beru's room?"

Oof. Bells' faces are a little excited. It's kind of awkward, but I have to tell them or else the ice room will become their room.

"I'm afraid not. The ice room is for meat and vegetables.

"Okay..." "Coo-coo..." "I understand..." "I see..." "I see..." "I see..." "......"

He seemed to understand somehow. It's a little hard to tell whether Moon is nodding or twitching, but since Bell and the others don't say anything, I guess he understands.

"So, Tamamo, move this lawn next door. About three meters of space in a square, please.

"Kookooooo."

Tamamo saluted a little awkwardly and moved the lawn with a "coo". I thanked him and stroked him around.

"We're doing construction work today, too. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to come with me, too.

"Yes."

"Belle and the others will take care of the guavard and make the rounds as usual, okay?"

Yes... cue... coo... leave it to me... ......　

He sees Bell and his friends off, eager to help out.

"Tulu. Tamamo has cleared the lawn, and we're going to build a staircase on the ground, so make sure it's as deep and hard as possible so it won't collapse."

"Okay."

He nods his head and points his right hand toward the ground. Usually, the work is done immediately, but today, it seems to be taking a long time, as if they are carefully hardening the ground.

When we dug the well with the hand auger, we were afraid that it might collapse at any moment because we dug the ground as it was. It's nice to have Tulu here to help us out.

"It's done."

"Thank you, Tulu."

I thank him and ruffle his head. Now, let's get the magic saw and cut out a square spiral staircase. ...... Is it called a spiral staircase even if it's square?　A spiral is a circle, right?　...... Well, okay.

I cut out the ground and store the dirt, and Tulu will consolidate the ground again. It's a nice combination. If the soil is so hardened, do I need to reinforce it with rocks?　No matter how solid it is, the soil will loosen. When the shape is formed, we will come up while reinforcing it with rocks from below.

We don't have to dig a well as deep as a stone. In Japan, I think the deepest wells are 4 to 5 meters deep, so we should dig a well about 20 meters deep, considering the hot climate.　No, we should dig about 30 meters to give ourselves a little leeway.

Even if we have to do more work, it is not that difficult thanks to the pioneering tools, so it is better to leave some leeway. The uphill and downhill will be more difficult, but Vita and Dine will be the ones using it, and they will be able to fly, so it should be no problem.

"Whew, that's about right. Tulu, I'm going to dig a hole in the ground facing north, so you'll have to fix the ground again.

"Yes."

After having Tulu carefully harden the soil, we carefully dig out the earth with a magic shovel. He digs about two meters deeper and makes a room there. It's an ice room, so we can't make it too big.

The height and width should be about 2 meters and the depth should be about 3 meters. We could set up a two-meter cube of rock used for the boundary line and make a hole in it to make it a room. If the rock supports it, the soil will not collapse.

We dig the earth with the magic shovel and place the rock from the magic bag in the open space. Then, hollow out the hole with the rock as a support, and you are done.

"Tulu, is it OK like this?"

"Hmmm, is it dangerous after a time?"

Tulu looks around and says, "I'm sorry. ...... seriously?

"Can you handle it with Tulu?"

Tulu shakes her head. You can't do it.

"Well, should I ask Nomos?"

"Yes."

Then we summon the nomos.

What?

"Yeah, I built an ice house, but Tulu told me that it's a little dangerous structurally. I'm sorry, but can you help me?"

After all, if I'm going to ask Nomos to do something for me, I should have asked Nomos from the beginning, right?　Well, I'm a little excited to be in the ice room.

"Well, there are definitely some weak points. Over time, some parts will crumble and eventually everything will be buried. Tulu, you've got it all figured out."

Nomos patting Tulu on the head. I think I saw a rare sight. Tulu looks happy.

"Well, let's reinforce it. Yuta, the rocks are in the way, so put them away. And I'll do the stairs too.

I store the rocks as you said. It was an idea I was pretty confident about. I'm a little sad.

"Well, then, please."

Nomos waves his hand lightly, and there is a dull thud as the dirt turns to rock. Maybe the stairs are all rock, too.

"Well, that should do it. Now I'm going back to the distillery.

"Ah, ah, thank you, Nomos."

Nomos lightly waves and flies away. As one would expect from a great spirit, he does things quickly and on a large scale. Well, the ice room is finished, though I had to help Nomos in the end. Let's call Deanne.

"Yuta, it's your turn, isn't it?"

Dine, her chest heaving, is summoned as if to say, "Here comes big sister! This is the kind of gesture that Belle and her friends imitate. Well, it's Deene, after all.

"Oh, I've built an ice room and I need you to get the ice ready. Ice on the ground first."

"Okay!"

Hui Dine waved her hand and water was born, freezing with a crackling sound. Roughbirds and orc meat are placed on top. It is quite difficult to walk on the ice with ordinary shoes.

"Dene, please freeze this meat too.

"Yes, sir."

Meat frozen to a crisp. I wonder if flash freezing doesn't ruin the flavor?　Now all we have to do is sprinkle some sawdust on top of this and we'll be all set, won't we?　But if I spread sawdust on the meat, it will be a hassle to clean it. I think I can get by with washing, but it will be hard to clean everything in the ice chamber.

"Deanne, how long do you think the ice in this room will last?

"Well, if you want to keep the meat frozen, I think it will last for a while, if you add more ice in the ice room and cover the meat with ice, I can't say how many days it will last.

"If you cover the meat with ice, won't it be hard to take it out?"

"You can get it out easily, sister."

Hmmm, maybe we should ask Vita to feed them and Dine to take out the meat.

"Deanne, will you help Vita take out the meat she needs?　Then I need you to re-freeze the melted ice, okay?"

"Uh-huh. If it's Yuta's request, I can't help it. Leave it to my sister.

He is happy to be depended on, and he has a big smug look on his face. Well, I'm sure it was thanks to Deanne, so I should thank her. Now we have enough food for the animals. Let's go to the labyrinth city tomorrow. I'll have to tell the others.

Please. Thank you, Dine. You're a great spirit!" That's great."

Tulu and I praise Dine, and when she seems satisfied, we decide to go up to the ground level. Nomos had put his hand on the staircase, and it was perfect.