CH 21

Chapter 21 – I Built A Bridge!

“…Hah!”

Mette unleashed an arrow with her bow.

Just like with the crossbows, the target was a tree branch that was set fifty beters away.

And the arrow knocked over the branch with precision.

“Woah! Mette, that was brilliant!”

The voices of the Kijins rose excitedly as they watched Mette shoot.

After making the bows, I had taught the Kijins how to use them.

That being said, I was no master bowman. It was just simple instructions.

However, an hour after training…

In just one hour, Mette was able to use the bow with ease.

The other Kijins were also quick-learners, but Mette was on a different level.

Did this have something to do with her Ogre God crest…?

In any case, with some proper weapons, the Kijins should not lose against the humans. One Kijin could win against two slave hunters.

Aside from bows, I also made some axes and hammers.

I wanted them to be able to make tools even when I wasn’t present.

It was then that I noticed that Iria had been staring at me for a while.

“Iria. What’s the matter?”

Iria said with a sad expression. And then she smiled.

I thought back on what I had been discussing with Mette earlier.

I said things like, ‘it’ll be fine even if I’m not here.’

And so she would have sensed that I might be leaving.

Well, I hadn’t actually decided what I was going to do in the future.

I could continue to make tools and weapons here, or I could travel to the southern city when things calmed down, just as I had planned. After all, even if Royg wanted me to return to the Knights Order, I would never do that.

And so I answered.

“I could just stay here, if you’ll have me.”

“Sir Joshua…”

Iria wiped away her tears and took my hands.

“Sir Joshua. I would be with you here, always.”

This tearful confession from a beautiful woman made me a little frantic.

“In-indeed! We-well, in any case, I suppose I will need to build a house for myself! Also, I do think we need a rampart. It will feel safer.”

I wasn’t sure if it was actually something we needed now…even though I had been thinking of building one.

However, Iria held both of my hands tightly and said,

“Then let’s build them! Your house and this rampart!”

“Uh, yes. But I can stay in a tent for now. If I’m going to build something, it might as well be the rampart.”

“Certainly! But, what is a rampart?”

“You see the fence surrounding the village now? It is like that, only made of stone and much higher.”

Currently, we were only fighting slave hunters who could not use magic, but one day, there may be enemies who could use fire magic.

Wooden fences could burn, but that wouldn’t happen with stone walls.

“Stone walls…in that case, you will need stone.”

“Aye. But it can’t be the kind of stones you see around here. They have to be large, like the ones in the abandoned quarry… Like boulders. Or even a floor.”

“If you need large and strong rocks…they are on the other side of the river. There is a vast floor of very hard rock. And there was a square hole near the center.”

“Oh? Maybe it is a stone pit.”

“Should we go there now? I can take you there!”

“Yes, thank you. However, if it’s the river… No, nevermind. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

And like that, I decided to go with Iria to the stone pit.

I thought that Melk might want to come with us, but it seemed that she was exhausted after using her staff to heal everyone, and she was now sleeping in her tent.

Well, it was probably safer to have a magic user like Melk remain in the village.

I gathered some logs from the stockyard in the village, and then got up onto my horse.

Iria looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Are you riding? But surely the horse cannot cross the river?”

“It’s fine. I’m going to build a bridge.”

Previously, I had gone near the river with Mette, and I remembered how big it was.

And the current had seemed quite violent…

As I rode the horse, I asked Iria.

“Has anyone ever been carried away by the current?”

“A few children…”

“I see…”

While I was constantly astonished by the strength of the Kijins, this was too much for children.

“In that case, I must make it so that it’s safe to cross.”

I dismounted from the horse once we arrived at the river.

“The current is more gentle around here… This is where I will build it. Iria. This will take me some time. Can you watch the area while I work?”

“Yes! Leave it to me!”

Iria said, and then she unsheathed her sword.

Well, if it was really dangerous, I would just stop building the bridge and join the fight.

“Build… Wood Bridge.”

First, I plunged the sharpened logs into the riverbed, and then placed planks on top of them.

Still, it was made of wood, so it would be weak to fire, and would rot as the years passed by.

I would have to make a more durable stone bridge, once I had enough materials.

As I made the bridge like this, I started to hear the sounds of heavy footsteps echoing from the north.

“Armor Boar… I guess it caught our scent.”

“Leave that thing to me.”

“No, Iria. You don’t have any armor and…ah…”

With a single slash, Iria cut the Armor Boar cleanly in half.

The Armor Boar wasn’t exactly confused about what had happened… It had stopped in its tracks.

And its expression had been that of fear as it died.

Iria shook the blood off of her blade and then turned to me with a serious expression.

“Are you hurt, Sir Joshua?”

“Uh…Why would I have been hurt?”

“I see. That is a relief…”

Yes, she was clearly on a different level.

Besides, when it came to battle, she had a different air, as if she was someone else…

Well, I suppose it was her crest…

After that, a few Hell Alligators attacked us, but I merely glanced at them from the corner of my eye as Iria killed them all.

And like that, I finished building the bridge.