When I'd received a report from Dorahachi that the students hadn't returned, I hurriedly began the search. Only around midnight was I able to confirm their safety. Apparently, they'd been exploring Kurikala without my permission.
To be honest, it chilled my guts. They seemed to have found a strange door in the depths of the 4th floor, got sucked into it, and been temporarily transferred to the Tower of Deceit.
Tower of Deceit was a zone so vicious that even my current self would lose his life if I didn't put up a defense. Fortunately, the chance encounter with monsters was lower this time, so it was a relief.
However, I couldn't make head or tail out of how the students could come back, even after listening to their explanations. Well, it should be a terrifying memory, though, so it was understandable.
Anyway, I believed they could come back safely with nothing more than luck. For the time being, all students were banned from exploring Kurikala, unless they were accompanied by a guardian.
Meanwhile, I was still dealing with the Maguire family. White luminous worms were crucial for the family's industry, but there were more important matters to deal with than this. It was about the reformation of agriculture. The new industry, at best, was only to increase the productivity of the territory, and it was quite natural.
Unlike Toto village, the Maguire family had surplus power, and the farmers themselves weren't in dire straits. Consequently, it was tough to persuade them, but thanks to the Toto village chief and the words of wealthy merchants introduced by Grace, they finally consented.
Right now, a council was conducted to discuss the future development of the territory, attended by the retainers of the Maguire family and the chief of all villages and towns.
"Hey, what is the purpose of constructing a sewer system?"
A pink-haired girl with sparkling eyes, who was sitting in the front row, raised her hand and asked.
She was Yui Maguire. My cousin. Apparently, thinking that the territory was still in crisis, she demanded to participate in the council too. Despite being a girl, she was someone who would lead this land in the future. So, she had enough qualifications to take part in the discussion. Besides, there was still an anachronism that women couldn't participate in management. For these two reasons, I agreed to let her join the council.
"Many contagious diseases, like korori, cause excretion. It creates an outbreak, which can actually be easily prevented just by dealing with it appropriately."
A cheer rose up from the attendees.
At first, these people hadn't listened to my childish talk, and showed their half-convinced expressions instead. However, it all changed completely after I invited trusted members of the Maguire family, like Dimer and Bart, and the chief representative of villages and towns to stay for a few days in Camelot, the capital of Radol. Since then, no one had doubted my words.
By the way, "korori" was the world's name for what we call cholera on Earth.
"Hmm. Does it have any relation with the fact that toilets in Camelot were clean?"
"Yes, in Camelot, fecal matter collected from the toilets of each household is sent to a certain facility via a sewage pipe running underground. After being purified and cleaned there, it is flushed into nearby rivers."
"Ohh!"
"Yay!"
"Yeah!"
When Yui saw Dorahachi, Sheena, and Haku waving their fork cheerfully, her face lit up. She rushed forward to rub her cheeks with them.
"Cute! So cute!"
Yui's face was dyed with ecstasy as she rained down kisses on Dorahachi's cheeks, making it a bit difficult to eat. But, she might not be that displeased, judging from how she didn't reject much.
In this regard, I ordered Dorahachi to guard this place along with Hatch, who had been guarding my mother. Unexpectedly, she immediately grabbed the women's hearts instead and became very popular.
It seemed that guarding was only in names as the three of them only played together during the day and slept in the mansion throughout the night everyday, but I guess it was fine since they were kids.
"Mother, I am going back to the academy."
"Be careful. Also, make sure to show your face here once a week without fail."
Running up to me, she gave me a hug and a gentle pat on the back of my head.
"Okay, I promise."
At first, my mother had been firmly against me leaving this place. Even after listening to my explanation that I must return to the academy, she'd insisted on coming along with me.
It wasn't like I hated living with my mother. But, it was just that if we lived together, she might soon realize that I wasn't just a student there and became even more worried. Besides, my mother wasn't someone who could lie. If she were to come face to face with Cliff, my true identity would pretty much turn into a known fact. That would not be good for anything.
In the end, I told her about the teleportation ability and somehow managed to convince her that I would stay in the mansion at least once a week.
"As much as possible, I will come home."
For the time being, I had to manage this territory. As long as I wasn't too busy, I'd try to show up once every three days. After bowing to Dimer and Bart, I invoked the teleportation to my room in Straheim.