Chapter 166: Neighborhood Idol

Several days after the Katarakta incident.

I was temporarily disassembling some of the water golems I’d made previously.

「If only I could model and utilize these better…」

I felt like the juice server golems were pretty well made, but I felt they still had various possibilities I hadn’t explored.

…..something like using wood for the shell and onsen water to create a bathtub golem. That was one idea.

If I could do that, then I could take a bath anywhere I wanted.

Especially when the hot season rolled around. Just by exercising a bit I’d sweat. It’d be perfect for then.

I felt that it was starting to sound like a better idea by the second. I was in the middle of remodeling when…

「Hello Daichi-san~」

「Oh Mana? Hello.」

Manaril approached from within the forest.

「This is a new mobile weapon? ……as usual you’re making crazy things.」

「Umm…no it’s just a bath…」

I hadn’t the slightest intention of making it a weapon.

「I-is that so? A bath huh?」

Manaril looked at the golem with wide eyes. It was mistaken as a weapon so I should be careful of how I mold it’s appearance. As I thought this I looked at Manaril.

She wasn’t wearing her usual outfit.

「Actually…Mana what are you doing with that gigantic pack?」

She was carrying a huge backpack around.

「Ah, this is my moving luggage. Though I mostly left it to the spirits to carry my stuff.」

「Moving?

「Mmhm, since the matter with Katarakta has been solved I no longer need to live in the bottom of the lake near the Fort City. I thought a change would be good.」

That’s right wasn’t it? She was living near that city to seal Katarakta. Now that the subject of the seal had been dealt with, she didn’t have to stick around.

「So, judging by your luggage…you’ve already got a place you want to live?」

「Tentatively yes. I was thinking about living on the shores of the new lake on the plains. Remember the private rooms you made at the back of the stage?」

Certainly I’d made an are for golems to standby and to take a break. It was like a small cabin. However, there was barely any furniture. At most there was a table and a chair.

「You want to live there?」

「Of course. That place is pretty comfortable, if I remodel it a little then I’ll be able to live there perfectly well. —Plus, if I live there I can watch over the new Katarakta much more easily.」

「Ohh, I see.」

Though it had been reborn using the apple cores, Katarakta was living in that lake nonetheless. I was wondering how we would be handling it…

「So Dianeia asked you to do it?」

「It’s more like Dianeia said she’d do it, but I thought that I might as well just keep doing it. I wouldn’t be in a bad position and I’d be able to rest easy.」

Manaril said with a giggle as she looked in the direction of the lake.

「It sounds like you’re having fun.」

「Un, I am. It’s been a few decades since I was able to live on the surface after all. The only times I came out from the underwater temple were to do some concerts, then I went straight back.」

Hearing that she’d been living underwater for several decades once more reminded me that she was a dragon…not a human.

「And so, I’ll be Daichi-san’s neighbor, if you want you can come over to play. I’ll at least serve you tea.」

Neighbor….though there’s a forest separating us, it didn’t change that she’d be close by.

Furthermore, if the stage I had made was only used once and discarded it’d feel bad.

「I see. Then I’ll do some light remodeling on that stage, so I’ll at least show my face every now and again.」

「n, thank you Daichi-san.」

Manaril said and smiled before hesitating and saying…

「Also…..I’m sorry for asking so much…but could I come over to play sometimes and sing? There’s a stage on the plains, but the only place I can let loose and sing as I please…is here.」

She asked me with a voice that sounded like it was about to disappear. You don’t have to be overly considerate, you already asked me this before.

「My answer is the same as before. As long as you come at a reasonable time you can sing as much as you please.」

「Thank goodness! —I’ll be in your care from now on Daichi-san!」

「Yeah, best regards Mana.」

And so I got a Dragon Idol as my neighbor.