CH 29

November 17th, 2022

Sorry guys, I should’ve uploaded this yesterday but I fell asleep.

Beta reader: My_Own_Worst_NPC

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Thanks to the preparation to welcome the imperial survey team, my level finally went up to 10.

The display on my Creation Magic is as follows:

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Creation Magic Lv.10　 All category creation time reduced by 5%

MP 801/801

Food Production: Lv.5 Food creation time reduced by 9%

Tools Production: Lv.6 Tool creation time reduced by 11%

Weapon Production: Lv.2 Weapon creation time reduced by 3%

Material Creation: Lv.5 Material creation time reduced by 9%

Golem Production: Lv.5 Golem creation time reduced by 9%

Medicine Production: Lv.2

Other  ――

Magic Tools Production ――

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When I reached Lv 10, I gained the additional benefit of a time reduction in all categories by 5%, and since my golem crafting had also risen to Lv 5, I was now able to create a new bird-type wood golem.

This golem’s main function is for reconnaissance, though it can also search for prey and deliver letters not unlike a carrier pigeon. I name it ‘Poppo’, and I only made one for now.

Also, when I reached Lv 10, the category displayed as Other begin to change…

please select either [Armament and Munitions Production] or [Repair]

Armament and Munitions Production was the ability to reproduce modern weaponry and armaments from Earth. It had the ability to create not only firearms, but also biological weapons, chemical weapons, and even nuclear missiles.

I don’t need that kind of dangerous power…

On the other hand, Repair was the ability to repair anything. Whether it was a broken plate or a luxury watch, even a scrap car would run like new.

Both abilities required a certain amount of MP, so it’s not like I could freely create or repair anything.

Anyway, I’m a pacifist, so I chose Repair. Even if I had chosen Armament and Munitions Production the thought of making and using such weapons was beyond me. I don’t want to kill people; I only want to live a peaceful and leisurely life. [1]

Besides, having the ability to repair seems to be useful in many ways. Taking good care of things includes having the ability to fix them!

♢ (Lotte Gram’s POV)

The officers were looking at Shirou from behind as he set down the empty dishes.

“I can’t believe such a sexy boy is living on a stranded island like this.”

“Yeah, not to mention he smells really good!”

“You girls, don’t try to do anything funny with that man, he is an important collaborator.” Leanne put a damper on the lustful atmosphere of the officers.

“Don’t worry, we know that. But it’s fine if both sides are interested, right?” The woman who earlier offered to make ice for Shirou asked. In her unit, she was famous for being popular with the opposite sex.

“It’s fine if you want to have some romance, but do it in moderation. Make sure it won’t interfere with our mission or I’ll be handing out punishment. Is that okay with you, Lotte-sama?” [2]

“Uh-huh…”

The officers were elated when their superiors gave them permission.

Lotte Gram was aware of their conversation, but opted not to participate in it and rather to just quietly drink her sweet iced cafe au lait, especially since she thought that such a thing as romance seemed impossible for her.

Lotte was rather normal for her age; she was interested in men and had sexual desires. However, the number of years she hadn’t been in relationships was equivalent to her age.

In the empire, dance parties were often held in social circles where young men and women met. They enjoy dancing and chatting and finding suitable partners appropriate to their social class.

Lotte, too, had attended the dance parties a few times at the urging of her parents, but no man had ever been willing to dance with her. Lotte was short, so she has a complex about her appearance, and she was not good at talking to other people. It was still manageable if it was between women, but in front of the opposite sex, her mind would often go blank and she didn’t know what to say.

The only thing I’m confident in talking about is my hobby of model making…

Lotte’s hobby was making model sailing ships. The problem was, it was a very unpopular hobby among men. Lotte thought it was a very elegant thing to reproduce in her own hands something as graceful as a ship running over the waves, but not many men in that world were interested in such a thing. [3]

The hobbies that made woman popular with the men were sports like horseback riding and yachting, followed by arts, such as musical instruments and painting, but Lotte wasn’t good at either. Lately, she’d been feeling that romance was not something that was meant to be for her, and she’d already felt like giving up.

She vaguely thought that one day she’d marry someone somewhere through an arranged marriage recommended by her parents or a superior officer, but she didn’t have high hopes because even that could be rejected.

Naturally, she had no experience with men, but she didn’t want to graduate through virginity by using the power of money like some of her colleagues.

In short, the woman named Lotte Gramm was someone who was terrible at communicating and woefully lacking in experience with men.

“How about you, Lotte-sama?”

Suddenly being asked a question by her second-in-command caught her off guard. It seemed their discussion had changed while she was brooding.

“…what about?”

“We were thinking of not staying in the tents or on the ship, but at the inn instead. Would you like to stay here too, Lotte-sama?”

Even for Lotte, the log cabin seemed much better than a ship swaying in the waves or a rickety tent.

And the man just now, he said his name was Shirou right…?

Though she might be bad at communicating, by no means did Lotte not like man.

If I stay at the inn, maybe something good will happen?

Such a faint, but nervous expectation came to Lotte’s mind. Apparently she hadn’t given up on romance after all.

“I will also stay at the inn.”

“Affirmative. I suggest we have our meals here, too. Even Lady Alyssa Milano, the director of the National Land Management and Research Institute, found the food here excellent.”

Lotte nodded her head.

If the iced cafe au lait she just drank was that absurdly delicious, who knows what other kinds of food would be served here. She was looking forward to it.

“If that’s all, I will order the women to start moving our luggage here.”

Lane then started giving instruction briskly.

♢ (Back to Shirou’s POV)

Lotte Gram and others suddenly said they would stay here at the inn. I’d anticipated that though, so the lodge has been prepared for accommodation. Even Goku has finished making their beds.

The guests for the stay would be Commander Gram, her second-in-command Ms Lane, and six other officers.

“At what time would you like to have dinner?”

“Make it six o’ clock.”

“Understood. Then, should I prepare the bath to be ready before dinner?”

“Ooh! Now that you mention it, you have a bath here?”

Water was a precious commodity during a sea voyage, so they probably hadn’t had a bath in awhile.

They all looked so happy. Well, I’m happy, too!

But I have to get them into the bath before it gets dark, otherwise it’ll be hard to see their bodies…

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After showing the guests to their rooms, I went out to pick herbs and flowers for the bath.

“Wonder, follow me”

Some of the soldiers looked like they were dangerous, so I took Wonder with me as a precaution; some of them were giving me explicitly lewd looks and saying obscene things to me.

No one had tried to make physical contact though, probably because they had received orders from the top.

Only a few of them acted weird. The majority of them simply waved their hands at me or called out to me in a cheerful manner, so I tried to greet them politely.

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1 Choosing the ability to repair instead of making modern weaponry might be a bit dull, but I can totally respect his decision to avoid killing people.

2  Not sure why Lane called her superior with her given name. Maybe they’re actually close?

3 Naturally, since men are basically forbidden to board ships in that world.