Volume 4.1 - Extra 1.1

Volume 4 Extra 1.1

Editor: Weasalopes

「Now Stiren and Crest Cave are finally connected.」

「Thanks for all the hard work.」

Two days after the large banquet, Wulls workshop, Stiren workshop, and the base at Crest Cave were fully connected via transportation circle. Hiroshi and Haruna had finally finished checking functionality. As to why it wasn’t immediately after the banquet was over, the answer was simple: because the banquet had been far worse than the team had anticipated.

The reason why only Hiroashi and Haruna were currently here was because Tatsuya was still incapacitated, Makoto was focusing on her manga, and because Mio was giving lessons in the workshop. As to why Tatsuya was down, it was because he failed to escape the banquet and was forced to tag along with the dwarves until yesterday afternoon.

It was apparently common sense that Stiren’s entire functionality be shut down the day after the big banquet, so other than maybe some guards at the gates doing their jobs yesterday, the executive, judiciary, and even criminals all stopped business for the day. Rainy’s condition deteriorating and Barold not encroaching into Forre practically felt like a given, with how lively everything was.

「So, Hiroshi-kun.」

「Wazzup？」

「The system changed and list is out there, but do you think we could directly move from here to places like where the People of the Earth live？」

「Yeah, pretty sure.」

Hiroshi nodded at Haruna’s question. As Wulls workshop was becoming convoluted with all the destinations, they had decided to put all the transportation circles together and select any given destination from a list.

The transportation circles generally came in pairs. Therefore, if one of their properties changed, the other circle would automatically change in accordance. This resulted in integration of Wulls’ circles and reciprocality between the other circles as well.

「Although if ya think about it, even if it’s convenient from here to Crest Cave, I don’t really see there being much of an opportunity to go from here to Ortem village, Darl, etc」

「Very true.」

Haruna nodded at Hiroshi. Generally, the circles in every city were set with the purpose of connecting back to Wulls workshop, the hub base. Consequentially, there wasn’t much of a need to go anywhere but Wulls.

「Now, along with Teres and the others’ trainin’, we start with the bricks used for repairing Elza Temple and the rest.」

「Yep. It was rather a lot to take in at once and we only ever got cleaning and purification done.」

「Plus a lotta areas totally got crushed from the last battle. It definitely ain’t somethin’ that’s easily fixed.」

Elza Temple was in far worse condition than simply filling in the crevices. Even Hiroshi didn’t have all the proper ingredients on hand, only able to remove as many pieces of rubble and clean up the place in the little time he had. Haruna had handled all the purification with singing.

「Also, I needa git to teachin’ ya ‘bout refinement ‘n forgin’ now, so first we’ll have Teres, Nora, and Fum go to excavate in rotation.」

「What about Lime-chan？」

「Yeah, she’s a little insufficient for diggin’ through walls. In that sense Fum’d also be a bad idea, but not quite as bad.」

「Ah～……」

Haruna nodded gravely at Hiroshi’s comment.

Lime was barely turning six this August and was not fit to be handling something like excavation. Fum was also barely eight, and hardly someone you would send out to excavate.

However, whereas Lime had yet to do anything other than measuring and harvesting, Fum had yet to even became half an adult but probably still felt strongly opposed to Hiroshi deciding he wouldn’t let her excavate despite her already working as a craftsman.

And with Teres and Nora also treating Fum as being on par with them despite their age differences, the problem only worsened. While they all had their own areas of expertise, you had to treat these three equally or else you’d have an annoying situation on your hands.

「Yeah, so I gotta git a pickaxe that Fum can handle alright and whatnot.」

「Sheesh, making child excavate who’s not even ten has gotta be a lot worse than the average corrupt business.」

「The girl volunteered herself, but I agree this ain’t somethin’ that should be happenin’.」

Hiroshi and Haruna discussed this troublesome issue. If they could, they would love to prevent child labor. At least someone of Aearis’s physique would be preferable, but age and growth just weren’t a thing right now.

So then one might ask, “What if you let them do it when they’re a bit older?” but excavation and harvesting in this world had to be done in a timely manner before things got problematic. Getting all the girls to Making Mastery was the main objective right now.

「So that’s that, but don’t you think we’re starting to need some more people here? Fum and the others are becoming quite skilled at this, so I feel they could look after a newbie or two.」

「Yup……」

Layotte and the queen also said something similar about increasing workers. Fum and the others were already getting used to making their own tools and whatnot, so while not as accomplished as Haruna, they were close to reaching Making Mastery.

To add further, the current craftsmen at the workshop could all do just fine without raising their level. Also, they had mastered the basics of applying alchemy and enchanting to other things, so letting them do their thing would probably get them to intermediate and able to make things like class 4 potions, although this wouldn’t happen until around ten years in th future.

So it would not be a problem to put in a subordinate or two if it helped the girls brush up. From the standpoint of running the workshop, this was also something necessary. The problem was that the current Azuma Workshop was in qutie the unique position.

「There ain’t much of a problem from a teaching standpoint. The real issue is who we let in.」

「Ah～、true true.」

Azuma Workshop, which currently had transportation circles directly linking to all three of the great western countries and their capitals was not in the position to where it could hire just anyone. Or if they did, it had to be through a screening process and with permission from every royal family.

「Yeah, we can’t just pick ‘em up from the slums without given’ it much thought anymore.」

「Very true.」

「So for now I was thinkin’ of findin’ someone likeminded from Ortem Village to cooperate as a back-n-forth……」

「Cooperate？ Who will？」

「It’s Kakashi-san.」

「Ohhh.」

Haruna greatly concurred with Hiroshi’s statement. Kakashi, who was rather tall and gangly for a dwarf, was practically made for the life of a craftsman with how honorable and tight-lipped he was. Letting him in and out of Azuma Workshop would not be an issue, never on his part.

「We also prolly need someone to help out Lela-san.」

「Agreed. Ortem Village just has sheds, so the villagers can easily repair that, but the Darl, Stiren, and Crest Cave workshops are made differently and are not as simple.」

「Yup, Lela-san really needs a helpin’ hand, so dependin’ on the situation we may wanna have Lay or the queen introduce someone.」

Haruna couldn’t see any reason to counter Hiroshi’s opinion. Craftsmen were not the only things needed, but also the people who worked behind the scenes in support.

Anyhow, they needed to pave the way for the workshop to be able to function and develop even without Hiroshi’s being there or else it might become a hindrance to returning to Japan.

「It feels like the workshop suddenly became real busy, huh？」

「Yup. Well, it had to happen sooner or later.」

「Well yeah, but I feel like it’s unnecessary to bring any new craftsmen in besides Lela-san as of right now.」

「Of course I’d agree with ya, but we gotta strike the iron while it’s hot or else we might not have the time.」

「Not enough time for what？」

Haruna had to tilt her head at what Hiroshi said, her blue eyes quizzically staring at him.

「I can’t say this for sure, but I mighta found a way to make tools that let us travel between worlds.」

「Whaaa！？」

「This is only a possibility so don’t get yer hopes up. Cuz what we know so far is that I don’t currently got a high enough enchantin’ skill ‘n that we need a better core than the barold bosses, plus that we can’t be too careless with returning, as we don’t know what the situation is.」

「……I agree with you on that last part, but how can it be that you lack in enchanting……」

「Yeah, well I think it would be easier to understand if we looked in Rufeus Library or some book place. The least we can do right now is meet Daljan-sama in Lorren ‘n check what’s goin’ on over there.」

Haruna agreed there was precious little information. Alfemina had the most crucial details that Hiroshi and friends needed, but she was busy all the time and it was unclear what needed to be done to get back to their world.

「So when I think of how being too involved with the workshop might hinder our progress or how we might git back to our world before the workshop’s complete, I just…」

「You’re right. There might not be enough time.」

Haruna finally got what Hiroshi was trying to convey.

「But at least it ain’t like today or tomorrow is the deadline, so first let’s go back to Wulls ‘n see where we get.」

「Roger that. And before we return, we have to get sand for bricks from Darl, right？」

「Yup. And while we’re at it let’s do a lil test at the other connected locations to see what else we can find.」

「Agreed.」