CH 44

Finishing his shopping, Ardis who returned to the base in the forest said during dinner.

「So, from two days in the capital, it seems that the detain warrant for Nere is Sir Thoria’s own decision. The news hasn’t spread to the capital, and there are only a few who knows. It’s probably to hide Thoria’s misdoings.」

「Fumu, then there’s no need for me to be hiding myself. 」

Nere nodded as if satisfied.

「Since that’s the case, we can probably walk around in the capital without problems but…… I don’t really think it’s possible for us to buy a house or stay in an inn. 」

「The reason? 」

「Even if we were to hide the existence of the twins, it’ll still be discovered eventually like in Thoria. If that’s the case, it’ll be better if we stayed here in the first place. 」

Of course, compared with living in the capital, there’s more danger with the wild beasts around but, regarding that, it isn’t any problem if either Ardis or Nere is around. Rather than that, it’s much easier to deal with the wild beasts than the animosity of the citizens.

「Also, rather than being indoors, it’s probably better for the twins to be exposed to the outside world a little. 」

Ardis and Nere looked at the twins. Ardis had felt his heart loosened up unrealizably at the figures of the twins hugging the piece of bread and dug into it in big chunks after a long while.

「If my master has decided so, then I will only follow. 」

Nere said it as a matter-of-factly.

「Alright. Then tomorrow is serious house constructing business. 」

「Ish wit house mwekingー? Fiihia help tooー! 」

「Hiana will mwek hause too. 」

The twins who had bread still in their cheeks spoke but, it was words that he couldn’t grasp the meaning of.

The next morning. Ardis and the others who finished their breakfast went right into building a house.

「We must expand the base first huh. Nere, can you clear out that area over there? Just leave the trees you cut down here. 」

「Acknowledged, my master. 」

Nere who received the instructions set out and logged the surrounding trees and burned the remaining stumps with high temperature flames. Ardis then continued cutting away the branches of the logs that continued piling up, before using magic to help them dry. With this, the logs should be all dry within half a day.

Next, Nere casted earth magic on the area that she cleared out, digging the soil up, then forming appropriately sized blocks of earth and firing it to harden them.

「My master, will this be fine? 」

「More than enough. 」

After about an hour, the space for the house that is soon to be built is cleared out successfully. It was about twice the size of Ardis’s house in Thoria.

「Alright, next will be laying out the blocks of earth as the main building material, then put out the dried wood. The living room and dining room, kitchen and toilet……well, might as well make a bathing spot. The place that the soil was dug up to become an underground storage……, and also a hidden room in case any emergency happens……, if so then we’ll need a dummy storage shack outside the house too huh……」

At Ardis who was focused in thinking, the twins tugged at his clothes and asked.

「Ardis’s room―? 」

「Not making―? 」

「Nn? Of course I will. My room and Nere room, ……then a room for you two? 」

「Together with Ardis is better! 」

「Same room with us! 」

「Since we have a lot space, why not have your own room? 」

And there, another voice was heard.

「I don’t mind if it’s the same room as well. 」

「No, as expected, that would be……」

Ardis frowned at that idea.

Since it’s just a small shack now, they are sleeping together but, Nere is a young woman after all. Although she talks like a man, having a woman who looks like she’s in her seventeen or eighteen sleeping together in the same room with another young man is awkward as expected.

In the end, leaving aside whether if it will be used or not, Ardis decided to include separate rooms in the plans.

「To not attract attention by not making a second floor, instead focus on the underground room……」

「My master. How about a kiln for baking bread? 」

Certainly, it will be annoying to buy bread every time they go for a resupplying trip to the capital. If they just stockpile on ingredients, then it’ll be less of a burden to bake it in house. And hiding the smoke from the chimney isn’t anything difficult.

「Nere knows how to bake bread? 」

「Something of that extent is nothing. 」

It seems that Nere is quite knowledgeable in many things.

「Is that so, then let’s make one beside the kitchen. 」

After finishing allocating spaces for everything vaguely, Ardis started working on the foundation immediately. Reforming the surface of the hole that was dug out by using his magic to bake the earth, then splitting it into different rooms. After laying a layer of blocks on the basement floor, he layered soil on it and another layer of blocks over that.

The above surface main building material is also the blocks that were made by baking soil with magic. Stacking and arranging the blocks like bricks, Ardis made walls and roof.

Because that there was a lack of blocks in the middle of constructing, Ardis instructed Nere to procure more, she went to a place a little way from the base and dug up a large volume of earth before bringing them back and making them into more blocks.

Although baking the soil to harden them up while inserting mana is Ardis’s own method, Nere who wasn’t taught at all was able to do that simple task perfectly. If it’s about pure strength, then Ardis won’t lose but, what was mysterious was Nere is a person with more secrets than Ardis himself.

And the first day’s work concluded there.

The next day, after processing the wood that was dried out completely, Ardis added it to the floor and roof, and covered the walls. Then the rest of the wood is used to make furniture and doors for the rooms.

The leftover vacant space was then made into training space, and somewhere to stock firewood and timber. Then lastly, a small garden beside the house. Although the twins had been able to go outside now, it’s not like they can go into the forest or the town, so Ardis thought the small garden might be able to help quell some bore.

「Well, it had taken shape considerably. Then from today onwards, we will be upgrading from the small shack into this. 」

「A move? 」

「Today? 」

「Yeah, let’s move our baggage from the shack. Will you both help? 」

「Unn, I will carry the clothes with Rianaー! 」

「Then, I will carry the bread with Filiaー! 」

The energetic reply came from the twins, as they walked towards the shack.

After sending their backs off, Ardis looked at the scenery of the new house that had just been built. There’re still many small details that he has to get to, and there’re still many things lacking.

But, it can be used as a shelter for the time being, as Ardis felt a little sense of accomplishment.

「Then……, bed, chopping tools, cooking utensils are still lacking. For the time being, getting all the required miscellaneous items first should be prioritized rather than finding work huh……. Money……. Well, there’s still a lot. 」

「My master. If it’s not enough, I have sixty pieces of gold saved. 」

「No, didn’t I said that’s Nere’s own money? 」

It seems that Nere had no intentions of ever spending her earned compensation money for herself. Although Ardis told her that she would help him to 『Hold』 onto the money, she didn’t seem to treat it as her own at all. Of course, she will still spend on the bare minimum necessary items but, that’s only a few silvers in comparison.

「I still have more than enough on my hands now, there’s no need to use Nere’s money. 」

Ardis still had more than eighty gold currently. If there’s no rent to pay, then it’s an amount enough to live with for a few years.

「Tomorrow, I will go to the capital again to buy some items and bedding. 」

「What shall I do? 」

Since the twins would be left here, there’s no way other than either one of them stay behind to look after them. As for choosing who, it’ll probably be better if Ardis is the one who goes out and Nere stays. Although nothing was obvious on the surface, Sir Thoria might still be looking for Nere secretly.

「Sorry but you’ll be house-sitting. 」

「Acknowledged, my master. 」

Without looking unsatisfied, Nere lowered her head.

Being able to build a house outside the town and hide the twins there. Such a choice was only possible because Nere was there to take care of the twins when Ardis isn’t around.

If it’s only Ardis, then he only has the choice to either take the risk and bring the twins together with him or let the twins stay in a house rented in a city like before.

It was thanks to Nere that Ardis had such a freedom of movement. Although he had not spoken that loud, Ardis is really grateful.

「I will leave that to you. 」

Substituting his words of appreciation, Ardis spoke the words of trust to Nere. Nere who heard that smiled satisfied as a reply.