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Chapter 56 – The woman named 『Storm』
“Master. Today it’s the construction work of the harbour’s dredging.” (Roderich)
“Got it. Let’s carry it out in a hurry.” (Wendelin)
Since the beginning of the Savage Lands’ development around 30 days have passed.
During that time, except one week of having a break, I continued to use engineering magic running about in the Savage Land’s terrain.
In order to make the establishment of cities and villages possible right away, I carry out flattening of the land, reinforcement of the ground and assignments of areas.
Constructing roads connecting those, cultivating huge fields and paddy fields, digging out irrigation channels, building mud walls to ward off wild animals and creating drains.
All sorts of flood-control works for the rivers, extracting stones from rocky mountains and cutting lumber from within the forests.
While performing a large-scaled salt making along the coast as well, I construct at the same time the foundation works for harbours for shipping in various sizes at more than 10 locations.
It was also necessary to build a dredging at the bottom of the sea so that large ships would be able to dock there. There also has been the foundation work to construct a port city.
Also, if you depart towards the ocean, there are dozens of small and large islands. Since there are large quantities of wild sugar-canes growing there, harbours, villages and cities became necessary in order to use those for agriculture.
“By the way, there are locations of mines drawn on master’s map, but…” (Roderich)
“If it’s this Savage Lands, it’s quite wealthy in mineral resources, right?” (Wendelin)
They are in complicated areas. The difficult mines with deposits and contents had their resources collected until they turned into abandoned mines for the sake of my magic training.
The rest of the mines, which can easily be mined even with human power, are only documented on the map as places to be investigated.
Such mines have become my training targets for the practising of extraction magic and the usage of magic in order to raise the magic capacity.
As a matter of fact, the method, which has the best efficiency in raising mana, was to simply gather iron sand in the ground, that’s suitable around there.
I only collect what can be collected and at the end I remove the impurities from that lump of iron.
This method seems to be one used by master during his childhood.
And, shouldering the completed lump of iron and selling it to a blacksmith apparently changed it into his pocket money.
Incidentally, I preferred the method of only collecting certain metals from the rocky mountains, which contain barely all sorts of metals, and the process of refining mithril by charging silver with mana.
“I will arrange for people urgently. However, magic is something frightening.” (Roderich)
Usually a large-scale research group, including mining engineers, will be dispatched and it will become necessary to carefully investigate for at least several months.
But, if you investigate with magic, you will end up knowing even the kinds of metals, possible to be collected, the rough contents and the deposits.
Therefore, a mining engineer, who is able to use detailed detection magic, seems to have a busy job to the degree of being rebuked by his schedule until his death.
“Anyway, the development is currently priority number one.” (Wendelin)
“That’s true.” (Roderich)
“Let’s also have a drinking party at Arno’s roast giblets shop tonight.” (wendelin)
“That’s great.” (Roderich)
After I transfer Erw’s group, who forms a party and goes to the Demon Forest, in the morning, I leap to the construction site of Baulburg.
There I listen to Roderich regarding today’s job details.
Jumping to the actual site and carrying out the work, I complete several requests depending on the circumstances and once it becomes evening, I will go to receive Erw’s group once again.
According to the day, there are also situations, where I will have dinner with Roderich’s group and the other construction staff.
Generally we enjoy the provided meals and alcohol, but once in a while we also ate out.
Be that as it may, currently there are no professional restaurants in Baulburg.
Since there are people, being sharp sighted at recognising a business opportunity, pulling pseudo-food carts, there were many things to eat there.
My particular favourite was the roast giblets food cart.
The shopkeeper at that place cheaply buys the intestines of prey, which came out at hunts and wild animal exterminations, and processing these carefully, he serves them in stew and grilled on a skewer.
There are three types of tastes, salt, miso and soy sauce. It also became a popular store among the other construction staff.
While drinking sake with high alcohol percentage and eating dishes possessing deliciousness although being made out of inferior ingredients, they are talking about various things in seats, which are filled by nothing but guys.
It’s not like I’m particularly homosexual, but the thing called a drinking party, including the dirty jokes only told by men, was something enjoyable as well.
It’s pretty fun, but…
“I just now remembered it, I, I’m an adventurer, right?” (Wendelin)
“Yes, master is an adventurer.” (Roderich)
Although I’m an adventurer, I feel like I have done nothing else but public works in the Savage Lands for more than three months.
Can you really call this the work of an adventurer?
“This is a combined request of the engineering guild and the adventurer’s guild.” (Roderich)
Currently the adventurer’s guild had actually started a branch in Baulburg, although it’s nothing more than a shack.
Accordingly the engineering guild has contacted Roderich and the request, to proceed the construction at that place albeit being difficult due to ferocious wild animals appearing there, was accepted by him.
After the adventurer’s guild received a message, the request has been passed to me.
A part of the commission will be paid to the adventurer’s guild as handling fee and I will receive a reward after completing the job.
On the occasion, the engineering guild will take a share from that as well.
Legally speaking you couldn’t even call that a job as adventurer.
“I see, if it’s also a job from the adventurer guild… as if!” (Wendelin)
It wasn’t the work of an adventurer at all.
Thanks to that, I ended up being told something like 『If it’s Wend, you are are an engineering worker, isn’t that right?』 by Erw.
“Even Erwin says something cruel.” (Roderich)
“Erw is cruel, but I believe that you are cruel as well, Roderich.” (Wendelin)
Although I became the family head of the Earl Baumeister household after being told that I wouldn’t need to work as feudal lord, the next requests were only development construction works.
“Master, public works aren’t the job of a feudal lord.” (Roderich)
“You, aren’t you recently very calm?” (Wendelin)
Since we won’t make any progress, even if we quarrel like this, I try to ask him a single question about something, I remembered.
“Be that as it may, lately I’ve generally done flood-control works for the rivers. But that hasn’t been finished up at all, has it?” (Wendelin)
What I was in charge of were only foundation works, that take the most time and are important for efficiency.
Just around a week ago I did construction work, taking 3 days, at a river that was considerably distant from here. But the finishing construction work hasn’t started at all.
“Changing the flow of the river, dredging the riverbed, creating anti-flood ponds and building an embankment with dredged earth and sand. Although it was troublesome, the construction work hasn’t finished, has it?” (Wendelin)
At least I want them to construct reinforcements made out of concrete and stones for the embankment.
“It will be alright for a while, if no great, heavy floods come, as it is a workmanship to that degree. As for the construction work, there is an order of precedence.” (Roderich)
Even now, after the completed harbour in the outskirts of Baulburg, a large amount of people and materials will be brought in by magic airships.
Also, in addition, small magic airships will transport materials to various planned construction sites of cities. The building of houses and the establishment of large-scaled farms is advancing as well.
Also, the construction of the road network covering the terrain of the Savage Lands and the construction of several port cities even along the coast, which passed through the Demon Forest, is starting.
It was decided to not do the opening the Demon Forest by splitting it into three parts due to the current dangers in the end.
There are many precious monsters and produces. We discussed opening up the centre of the forest and leave the west and east as they are, but the monsters and the vegetation inhabiting the centre and the other two parts are completely different.
If the control was destroyed by unskilfully defeating the reigning master, there would be a danger of monsters, who left the domain, pouring into the centre of the Savage Lands and the coast-lands in great numbers.
In the end, knowing that this matter is no problem, if you move by magic airship in a height of more than several hundred meters above ground, we are currently running an experiment of a service of small magic airships cruising between inland districts and coastal areas periodically.
And the construction of harbours was done at several places as well.
If you ask why I’m aware of it, it’s because it was me, who did the foundation works.
The Demon Forest has many valuable monsters and produces.
Therefore it is opened to adventurers and hunting is recommended. Selling those raw materials wholesale to the adventurer’s guild, taxes will be collected from the guild.
It’s for the sake of such plan, huh? The adventurer’s guild has already dispatched branches at several cities under construction near the Demon Forest. Adventurers have been diving into the Demon Forest at once.
However, apparently several victims already appeared due to the unfamiliar monsters.
“The reason for proceeding with master’s foundation works is that even if master wasn’t able to receive any public works requests for several months, it wouldn’t cause a delay in the development project.” (Roderich) (T/N: That man got a way with his words, lucky for him that our MC isn’t smart)
It will be fine if they intensely carry out such things like the finishing of construction work during the time I’m not here.
It seems the acceleration of me doing foundation works was for that reason.
“(Roderich might be in fact more suited to be a noble than me…)” (Wendelin)
“I’m fully satisfied with being master’s retainer.” (Roderich)
As a matter of fact, I was told 『If Roderich feels inclined, even the restoration of the Baron Rückner household is…』 by Minister Rückner, but Roderich didn’t seem to have that in mind in the slightest.
“Even considered realistically, there is no way I want to succeed something like a household, which committed such disgraces. Even thinking about the profits, the state of being master’s retainer is exceedingly better by far.” (Roderich)
Under the condition of entrusting him with the post of governor, Roderich would be paid with a large wage as long as he is in that position.
The amount of money was at a level that there are appointed Earls in the capital saying 『I want to change with him』.
Seeing that it is a 100% subcontracting, it was also necessary to pay him a reward corresponding with that during that time.
Once I begin my work as feudal lord after retiring as adventurer, it’s likely necessary to reduce his wages.
“According to the schedule, I will leave it to you for around 20 years.” (Wendelin)
“I will do my best as it is work worth doing.” (Roderich)
“I see. That’s great.” (Wendelin)
While saying so, I take out a large quantities of things similar to booklets from my magic bag and hand them to Roderich.
Their number probably exceeds 500.
Roderich was apparently surprised by their weight.
“Master. This is?” (Roderich)
“Those are formal marriage interview photos.” (Wendelin)
Cameras exist in this world.
Since it’s a magic tool, that exists only as item produced in ancient times, no one but those at the level of royalty, large nobility and wealthy merchants possessed them, however nobles often used it for formal marriage interview photos.
Given that the revival of film production techniques were luckily a success, nobles purchase film from their patrons, go to the mansions of the nobles, introduced by their patrons, and make photos of them.
The weakness of film was its expensive price at around 1000 cent, but it seems that nobles, who don’t want to lose to their rivals at any costs, motivate themselves and ask for photos of their daughters and younger sisters.
Even for the marriage partner it appears to be convenient since they will get to know the face of the other party.
With the reason of not knowing the face of their partner, if they aren’t an acquaintance, even if they are told 『Our daughter is beautiful』 by the other party of the marriage interview, the natural result was that it was easy to determine whether they are really pretty, if there’s a photo.
“The number is large.” (Wendelin)
“Nooo, the number has increased.” (Roderich)
Roderich, who is the head retainer serving as governor in the Earldom Baumeister, was flooded by marriage talks.
At the same time, marriage talks several times that came to me as well, but Roderich, who is a person who doesn’t particularly mind, ended up changing all of them into marriage talks intended for him.
After all, the hurdle 『If you want to be my wife, it’s no good if you aren’t able to hunt in the Demon Forest』 seems to be a very effective strategy.
“Roderich, you will become even more busy from now on, if you don’t marry quickly.” (Wendelin)
“That is, I’m aware of that, but…” (Roderich)
Once Roderich opens one booklet for one reason or another, there was a still very young girl photographed there.
“Master…” (Roderich)
“I hear she’s Minister Rückner’s granddaughter.” (Wendelin)
He decided to push his eight years old granddaughter, he tried to push onto me before, onto Roderich without hesitation.
It might seem heartless, but there was a proper reason for that, too.
“It’s because the Rückner family has parted from their valuable appointed Baron title, they owned. They don’t want to lose it, do they?” (Wendelin)
Seeing that Roderich said that he wouldn’t succeed it, they want the child, made with this granddaughter, to do so instead.
This seems to be Minister Rückner’s idea.
“It will be troublesome if a deviation occurs with the power distribution of his noble colleagues in the same financial affairs faction.” (Roderich)
“High-ranking nobles are troublesome.” (Wendelin)
Even though there was confrontation between the brothers, there is the notion to keep that appointed Baron household within the Rückner family’s framework.
Although there’s also a feeling that it’s fine for it to be confiscated due to the disgraces committed, it seems that there has been some kind of conclusion in the discussions between the 5 big finance affairs faction households.
If they oppose it unskilfully, that framework will also be taken by another family. This time it has ended up becoming the target of another finance affairs faction household.
Since the profits are low and a futile strife will only incur costs, they have mutually guaranteed an extent of interests for each other.
“If you are unifying the collusions at the top, it will be easy to fend off an upheaval from upstart nobles.” (Roderich)
Roderich, who had troubles with government service thanks to that, sighs, but I hear that it’s me, who defeated the dragons and started the development of the Savage Lands, that is breaking down his feelings of entrapment by the strict noble society.
“Such being the case, for the sake of preserving the Baron household, Minister Rückner got stuck with increasing interests split to the other 5 big finance affairs faction households.” (Wendelin)
“If he doesn’t preserve that Baron household neither of them will profit. But, if it’s a political marriage of convenience with me…” (Roderich)
Roderich realized that it was impossible to refuse and sighed grandly.
“Regarding that point, I’m the senior. With that girl as legal wife, you have to accept at least one more person afterwards. Well, I will be going hunting from tomorrow onwards. I plan to do so for around 1 week.” (Wendelin)
“Maaaaasster~~~!” (Roderich)
“Doooo your best~~~!” (Wendelin)
Leaving Roderich, who cries while holding a bundle of marriage interview photos, I transferred to the construction site with teleportation in one go.
◆◇◆◇◆
“Wend is a villain as well.”
“No, no, as master I must have my head retainer marry and raise a family. With such a reason, Erw, too.” (Wendelin)
The next day I went to the construction work as planned neglecting Roderich, who screamed while holding the marriage interview photos. I prepared to leave to the Demon Forest with Erw’s group.
Since it’s hunting after approximately three months, I was told 『It’s great you were able to come in that situation』 by Erw.
I have explained the detailed circumstances of the development situation, including the matter of the formal marriage interview of Roderich.
Thereupon Erw treated me, who pushed a large amount of marriage interview photos onto Roderich, as heartless guy.
“Why? Why me as well?” (Erwin)
“That’s only obvious! You are my guard captain!” (Wendelin)
Although he has considerable skill in swordsmanship, Erw’s official position was changed to guard captain since it’s still impossible for him to be the commander of the feudal army with him having the same age as me.
Since I can still continue the adventurer trade, it became Erw’s job to always act as my guard without separating from me.
Probably he is thinking that he must be in my surroundings, due to his work as guard, even if I retire as adventurer, but since he plans to learn about the work related to the army, we decided that he will join the top brass of the feudal army sooner or later.
“I still don’t want to marry or such.” (Erwin)
“Impossible! Just impossible!” (Wendelin)
However, he was taught an evil past-time by Burkhart-san.
Previously Erw had been apparently guided to the pleasure quarter in the capital by Burkhart-san. He seems to be thinking that the way of irresponsibly playing around is more interesting than getting married and raising a family.
“Even Wend wants to still play around, I guess?” (Erwin)
“…” (Wendelin)
Given that it’s impossible to deny that, I kept silent.
It will be a disaster, if a strange woman comes forth stating something like 『It’s Earl Baumeister’s child』 after messing around at such place.
Also, I believe Erw should make such statements after properly looking at his surroundings.
“Eh? What? What was that about womanising?”
“Erw, I’d like you to not talk Wend into strange things.”
“Erw-san, Wendelin-sama obtained a position with responsibilities. It’s different when it’s a concubine, but playing around with women is no good.” (Elise)
Surrounded by Ina, who is setting up her spear, Luise, who is cracking her fists next to him, and Elise, who prepares her mace she doesn’t usually use, Erw’s face became ghastly pale and he was drenched in cold sweat.
Furthermore, in spite of usually joining Erw’s group in the hunting, Burkhart-san seems to be absent on urgent business today.
Although his merit is having a good sense in such things, he didn’t know that he might be the most likely cause since he is an older and fashionable man.
“Playing around? Tree climbing, fishing or such?” (Wilma)
“You know, Wilma. It’s not that kind of playing around.”
Wilma, who had publicly become my fourth fiancĂŠe recently, in spite of having asked me whether I wanted her to attend me at night at the time we met for the first time, apparently had no knowledge of such things.
It looked like she didn’t quite understand the reason for Ina’s group getting angry as playing around equals to her to no more than the feeling of a child’s way of things.
“Anyway, let’s go to the Demon Forest with this line-up today. Well then, Erw, here you go.” (Wendelin)
“What’s this?” (Erwin)
“Marriage interview photos. At least choose two of them.” (Wendelin)
“Why? Me, who is no more than the fifth son of a poor Knight, is…” (Erwin)
Erw became speechless due to me handing him around 200 marriage interview photos.
Even those were sent through Margrave Breithilde.
He has left it to me since it’s troublesome, but even though things might appear this way, those have been carefully selected according to him.
『All of them, bringing marriage interview photos, were stressing the beauty of their younger sisters and daughters to me. I, who have been listening to all of it, am quite patient, am I not?』 (Breithilde)
Certainly, I wouldn’t want to spend time for such a thing.
In my time as trading company worker I was invited to the home of my senior on my holiday and he only boasted about his daughter, who had just been born, and his wife. It might be a feeling similar to that time.
“My and Erw’s situations are different. I guess that’s only natural. As much as possible I want you to decide on a partner in around a month.” (Wendelin)
“I have no right to veto, huh…?” (Erwin)
“There is no way for such thing to be there.” (Wendelin)
It was unthinkable to permit a situation of him having no children or such while becoming a chief retainer of an Earl in possession of territory.
An existence like Burkhart-san is a rarely found exception.
“Wend, you demon!” (Erwin)
“Whatever you say! Set up the schedule of the formal marriage interview together with Roderich.” (Wendelin)
Including Erw, who carried a large amount of marriage interview photos, we transfer by teleportation to the entrance of the Demon Forest with our party.
It’s where we always go, the entrance on the coast’s side of the forest on the west side, where you can pick huge fruits. It’s the place where the construction of a port city is on the way and it’s in the midsts of advancing the construction of a harbour, which will also be capable to handle large ships.
“Wend, over there is the branch of the adventurer’s guild.”
“It’s worn-out.”
“There’s no problem if they can carry out the reception tasks.”
Ahead, where Luise is pointing at, there is the branch of the adventurer’s guild even though it’s a crude hut. Several adventurers were coming and going from there.
Carrying out the procedures of their change of their base of activity, it appears to be no problem even if it’s a hut since they are only buying the adventurer’s loot.
Even a storage, where they place the bought articles, isn’t necessary because they have magic bags.
Also, things, like dismantling the monsters, seem to be currently done at a facility in the capital.
“However, there are more people than expected…”
“Even if it’s dangerous, the profits are large.” (Ina)
As Ina says, because there are unique monsters and things to collect, there were many adventurers moving to the east and west side of the Demon Forest, even if the level of risk is high.
It’s seems it has lead to quite a few victims, but there are also skilled parties returning having obtained results.
Since they are adventurers, even if they die in vain, they will gain a large amount of money, if they produce results.
This was completely at their own risk.
“Now that you mention it, didn’t the items, obtained at the early explorations, sell for a high price?”
“Yes. Hermann-san tanked us as well.”
During the time I was struggling hard as engineering adventurer, Ina’s group went to focus on hunting and collecting in the Demon Forest.
As result, we were able to put the raw material of the monster up in an auction in the capital and they were sold for a large sum of money. I heard it was the same for some kinds of fruits as well.
Currently, in confectionery shops and ingredient shops aimed at wealthy clients, the fruits themselves and the desserts, made using those, are apparently selling like hot cakes in spite of the very high price.
Naturally there were many adventurers coming here aiming for those.
“However, there were also things, which were unmanageable to be used, right? Wend handled them somehow though.”
That was the cacao fruit, but since it’s simply a fruit with a seed, if you don’t know the accurate method to process them, it’s something Ina, who also worried about it, understands well.
“If it’s cocoa and chocolate, those are delicious although they are expensive…”
I have told the recipe to Artur-san. Even the chocolate and cocoa, he took upon himself to produce with confection artisans, who are able to keep a secret, has also the issue of having a single ingredient, milk, that originally was a high-class item. Those became seriously high-priced items.
After taking out the fruit of the flesh and the seed of cacao respectively, the seeds are fermented by wrapping them in leaves of banana and after roasting it at low temperature, the germs in the seed’s coat will be gone or something like that.
More or less I had studied it since my company, during my time as worker in the trading company, also did imports, but leaving all of the actual work to professional confections artisans, they created something great after failing a few times.
Thanks to that it became possible to get high-priced cocoa and chocolate in the capital for free, even including a patent fee, from Artur-san.
“It’s as Ina-chan says. You will just end up overeating.”
“Hot chocolate is delicious, right?”
“Chocolate is tasty.”
No matter in which world, women have apparently the same sweet tooth.
It reached the point of our female camp bringing cocoa and chocolate as handheld food.
In relation to quality, it has ended up in large quantities in my magic bag now, before that it was in Burkhart-san’s.
“Let’s go collect cacao fruits.”
“Actually there’s a lot of demand for it.”
Yesterday Erw had induced us to look at the bulletin board placed in that shack called adventurer’s guild, however Artur-san put out a request that he will buy them for a lot money, if you brought them in, since there aren’t enough cacao fruits.
“Well, then it will mainly be cacao fruits.”
Naturally there will be monster attacks during the collection work, but that’s called the fate of an adventurer.
Since they will become profits, if we hunt those monsters, it’s convenient, if you are skilful as adventurer.
“Until yesterday Burkhart-san was there. Today Wend will be here. That’s greatly reassuring.”
If an adventurer party has powerful magicians, the efficiency of hunting will definitely be different.
There wasn’t any need to even talk about safety.
“So, Erw’s group is the top party around here?” (Wendelin)
“Pretty much. We got a pair of wooden clogs for Burkhart-san to wear.” (Erwin)
That person was an elite adventurer to begin with.
Therefore his efficiency in hunting is completely different.
“Don’t expect too much from me, who’s still inexperienced as adventurer.” (Wendelin)
“Oh my, oh my, the dragon-slaying hero-san is unexpectedly modest.”
“Who’s there?” (Wendelin)
Since someone suddenly cut into our conversation, I begin to search for the owner of that voice.
Once I turn around to the rear, from where the voice came, I saw a young woman standing there.
“I’m called Katarina Linda von Waigel (T/N: >> Katarina Rinda fon Vaigeru <<).” (Katarina)
I have immediately noticed that this woman is a magician.
Moreover, she should be possessing quite the skill and magic capacity.
Her age is around 18 years, I guess?
Also, another unusual thing is the violet hair, which extended until around her hips, and the type of ringlet curls, which are similar to the ones of ojou-sama characters in past shoujo mangas.
On her head she had an Alice band, which had several light blue gems attached to it.
“(Although they seem to be gems, those are magic gems, huh…?)” (Wendelin)
It’s likely something prepared for the time she used up her mana.
Also, on her fingers there were rings put on with several magic gems inserted.
She dons an attire with parts of the fluttering skirt and strings being made out of white cloth and a red leather dress, which can be considered to be custom made.
On a first glance it can be seen as unfit appearance for an adventurer, but the material used is soft dragon leather, which is an item with exceeding physical and magical defence power, I analysed.
Obviously she has spent an eye-popping amount of money, however she is likely an elite magician earning that much income.
In addition, she is wearing dark-brown long boots, which can be considered to be made out of the same dragon leather, and she is grasping a long, rod-shaped wand, with a length of around 2 meters, in her hand, but…
I felt a terribly feeling of discomfort towards her appearance.