chapter 59.1

I’m currently back in the village . I brought along with me the shipwright, as well as three other people who will be his subordinates .

「Chiefー . Can you train these humans?」1

The chief’s mother is a dwarf and he inherited their racial trait of being good with their hands . Because of that, he chose the woodworking path and is now working as a carpenter . He’s an innovator who uses those square posts you see in modern times for the buildings he makes instead of just the tree trunk stripped of its bark which is what is commonly used here .

For some reason, foundation work isn’t included in a carpenter’s scope of work in this world but he’s an amazing demonkin who can do both . If there was anyone who wanted their house built as the village expanded, he was the one you went to . There were other craftsmen of course so he wasn’t the only one .

「It’s fine if you just give one person’s worth of salary for the four of them so please let them live and work at the same place as the other workers」

「Ou, I’ve heard about it . There are no carpenters on the island so you guys are having trouble making your own living s.p.a.ce . I don’t mind employing them . My business has been booming recently thanks to you so I also don’t mind paying all of them for their work」

「Ah……we’ll accept your offer then . I actually wanted you and the others to come to the island with me, but transfer magic isn’t easy to use so I can’t bring someone tall and not more than 4 people . We don’t even have money to just use a regular ship as transport so that’s why I’ll just leave it to these guys to learn from you . I’m asking you for this favor since this is the least expensive method」

「Ou . The village got even bigger since that time so there are a lot of people asking for their houses to be built . That’s why this is the perfect timing since they’ll be able to learn how to make them from scratch . If they have a talent for it, they will be of some use to you after just a cycle of seasons from now」

「That’s pretty extensive, isn’t it? They do have some knowledge on how to make one right now but I just wanted them to learn the proper methods and how to properly process the wood . How about just until they can properly understand the procedures and be able to build a complete house on their own?」

「Ha? Is that all? If you’re in a hurry, they’ll probably be able to remember the process and all after finishing three houses . I don’t really want to do a half-a.s.sed job though」

「Hmmー, I understand . For the time being, I’ll have them return to the island after they learned the job then, I’ll make them come back after making a few on the island . My number one priority right now is for us to build houses a bit further away from the coast after all」

「I don’t know much about the sea but if you just want those build in a different place, should I lend you one of my men? They might still be amateurs but they should still be useful」

「The humans over there really don’t have any knowledge about that kind of work . It would have been nice if there was someone who can do carpentry work among them though」

「It just depends on how you use them you know? They could probably just have them help in lifting up the heavy stuff or shave down the wood to make it straight right?」

「Hmmー, that’s true . I wonder if that’s really alright though」

「Ou, just think of it as me loaning you one of my workers while your men are training over here . That way, you can build proper homes over there even with people who don’t have experience」

The conversation continued like that and in the end, he let us borrow one of his skilled workers in exchange for the four trainees . Well, I guess he does have a point .

「Well then, I’ll be coming back to the village from time to time so please let me know if anything happens while I’m away . As for you guys, you may have heard it earlier but it seems like you’ll be given wages . You aren’t day laborers here so you won’t be paid daily . Because of that, I’ll lend you some spending money you can use for your personal expenses . You can just give it back to me when you receive your pay . You guys have seen the demonkin’s currency before, right?」

「Yeah . But still, is this really alright?」

「I don’t mind as long as you pay me back . I also don’t care what you do with your hard-earned pay . I might end up leaving the work to my subordinates but I’m not one to take money that another person had earned you know? Although this village has been expanding a bit recently, drinking is still the only thing you can do here for amus.e.m.e.nt . If you don’t have money, you won’t be able to enjoy even that . Anyway, just let me know when you’ve learned how to build houses . I haven’t been in a position where I have to hand out orders to someone before so I don’t know what the limit is before you start feeling overworked so I’m sorry about that in advance」

「No no, not only did you not kill us, you even gave us food and paying jobs so we don’t have any reason to complain」

「I’m glad if that’s how you feel . Anyway, I’ve been hearing stories of how strict that craftsman is ever since I was a child so please be careful」

「R-roger」

「Well then, please do your best okay?」

After saying that I went home .

「I’m back~」

「Papa, welcome~」

「Hey there . I’m back . I came back all of a sudden so Okaa-san and mama aren’t here, are they?」

「Un, but Granma Licorice is here you know?」

「I see . That’s a relief then」

「Ara, welcome back」

「Ah, I’m back mother-in-law . Where’s Lily?」

「She went with Suzuran to help tend to the animals」

「I see . How about you Miel? Do you prefer playing at home?」

「Un . The cow-sans and pig-sand are big and scary so I’m just studying magic」

「Ohー, how admirable」

I ruffled his hair as I said that . He has soft hair just like his mother .

「Stop it papa . I’m not a child anymore you know?」

「Haha, I see . Okaa-san and mama don’t really specialize in magic so papa will teach you later okay?」

「Dangerous magic is still not allowed you know?」

As I said that, I saw the figure of my mother in law who went out earlier smiling by the entryway .

「That’s right Miel-kun! Granpa Hail and Granpa Ichii, Granma Sleet and Granma Licorice, as well as your two mothers aren’t that good with magic . So, how about it?」

「Hmmー, I guess I don’t really see everyone using magic . Mama only uses it when cooking . As for mama Suzuran, hers is a bit scary」

「Ahー, that’s right . Suzuran’s is pretty strong, isn’t it? I wonder if she still can’t control it . Well then, what attributes can you use?」

「Hmmー fire, water, and light I guess」

「Shall we learn earth magic then?」

After saying that, I dug up the dirt by my feet and wet with water to create a mud ball .

「Well then, how about you try to turn this mudball into any shape you like using magic」

「Un」

I used that method since I thought it would be better to learn by playing than just studying . I really hated studying after all and found it easier if it felt like I was just playing .

「How about you try turning it into something simple first . Ah, that’s right . How about you turn this sphere into a square」

「Un」

He was struggling at first but the mud ball slowly started deforming so he must be getting the hang of it .

「Ohhー, amazing」

He didn’t give me a reply . He must be concentrating then .

Hmm, I guess I should also try to make a figurines .

It’s just the basic shape of a person though!

「I did it~」

「Papa did it too」

Miel presented to me the mud ball that now has slightly rounded corners .

「Ohhー, amazing . It’s pretty good for your first try you know? Papa also did it you know? It’s a man with a buster sword . The triangle thing at the top is his helmet」

It’s pyramid head-sama no matter how you look at it . 2

「So cool~ . Who is this person?」

「He’s a scary person who appears out of dense fog and kills bad people you know?」

「Eh…」

「Ah……c.r.a.p……」

He started tearing up . What should I do?

「Good kids are fine though, okay? And although I say bad people, it’s only the people who do really bad things . If it’s just a prank, he won’t come out」

「Really~?」

「Yeah」

「What kind of really bad things?」

「Hmmー He won’t come unless its someone who kills everyone in the village . That’s why he absolutely won’t come out」 3

I have to point out that he absolutely won’t come since it might leave some kind of trauma .

「But you must have seen him before since you know about him, right?」

What a sharp kid .

「I read about it in a book at the town’s bookstore you see . A long time ago, he brought peace to a human town after beating the bad guys you know?」

「I see! So he’s really just a good person after all!」

「Eh? Ah……yeah, sure」

I guess his backstory ended up like that . It’s really troublesome to explain . I’m sorry for being a useless father . Also, using the town’s bookstore ended up being a convenient excuse!