Chapter 21

City Wall Construction (Training)

The next day, for some reason, I arrived at the planned construction site for the city wall, accompanied by Hero Emma, who was carrying a sword, and the usual pair, Fee and Emilina.

I spread out a map so they could see it.

"This is... a map of the area around this village, isn't it?"

Even though she had only glanced at it, Emilina seemed to immediately understand that it was a map of this entire region.

"That’s right. And this area circled here is the planned construction site for the city wall."

"I-I see?"

As Emma listened to the explanation, she tilted her head, wondering why we were talking about this now.

"Um, we’re going to do some special training now, right?"

"Of course. I’m going to have you do some solid construction (training), after all."

"Right. Ahaha. For a second, I thought you were going to make us build a city wall."

"We are building a city wall, you know?"

Using the stones on the ground, I used magic to build a part of the city wall all at once.

That said, the limit for a single cast was about one meter in width, so it was a rather daunting task.

I hadn't just set it to cover the village; I had set it to be quite wide, assuming the territory would expand.

Even if it was something I didn't know when I’d finish alone, it seemed like it would end quickly with four people.

"Eh!?"

"Well, it's something like this. Now, you try."

"Um... regarding the city wall, instead of making fences out of wood or something, are we going to do it out of stone right away? And in an instant, too..."

Emilina asked while looking surprised.

"The enemies I'm assuming are monsters. If it's wood, it'll be easily destroyed. Besides, we don't know when Emma might be attacked, right? Then this way is faster than building it slowly with manual labor."

"But what if we’re attacked while building it?"

"That’s already covered by the moat that one of my companions dug. It’s surprisingly effective if the opponent is a monster."

In fact, that was how we defeated the pack of Wolves that tried to attack this place—with a giant hole.

And Emilina seemed to be convinced by that explanation.

"I’ll try it right away!"

Fee made fists with both hands, fired herself up, and began building the city wall.

However, Fee's Earth Magic aptitude is on the lower side.

What she produced was a tiny pile of sand, like something a child would make in a sandbox.

"It's difficult."

"That’s right, magic Levels won't go up very easily unless you keep at it."

"I'll do my best!"

That's one person dropped from the workforce...

While thinking fondly of Fee as she made little sand piles one after another, I looked toward Emma, who I expected would be part of the workforce.

Emma was also making a pile of sand, just like Fee.

However, the moment our eyes met, her face turned bright red, and she hurriedly hid the sand pile behind her back.

"T-This is practice, okay!?"

"Yeah, I know..."

Come to think of it, I hadn't looked at Emma's abilities yet.

I had vaguely predicted that she might have the same abilities as the protagonist, but she might not have that much versatility.

Name: Emma Gender: Female Age: 12 Race: Human Job: Hero Level: 1 HP: 26/26 (B) MP: 12/15 (B) Attack: 4 (B) Defense: 3 (C) Agility: 4 (B) Magic Power: 4 (B)

[Skills] Swordsmanship: 1 (C) Surveying: 1 (D) Spirit Magic: 1 (B) Courage: 1 (S)

[Magic] Fire: 1 (C) Water: 1 (B) Earth: 1 (E) Wind: 1 (C) Light: 1 (S)

When I checked, she had the kind of versatility expected of a Hero, but for some reason, only her Earth aptitude was significantly low.

Since I was making her do something she was bad at, it was only natural that it wouldn't go well.

With that, another person dropped from the workforce...

Now there’s Emilina, but...

"I cannot use Earth Magic."

"Right..."

She couldn't use it in the original game either, so hope was slim, and it turned out as expected.

Name: Emilina Gender: Female Age: 13 Race: Human Job: Saint Level: 8 HP: 38/38 (D) MP: 60/60 (S) Attack: 20 (B+) Defense: 2 (E) Agility: 5 (D) Magic Power: 18 (A)

[Skills] Superhuman Strength: 2 (B) Surveying: 3 (B) Abundance: 2 (B) Oracle: 2 (S)

[Magic] Water: 3 (S) Light: 3 (S)

Emilina is a Saint specialized in Water and Light. I already knew she couldn't use Earth Magic.

In other words, it turns out that I am indeed the only one who can build the city wall.

"It can't be helped. I'll keep building the city wall, so could you three build the roads within the territory instead?"

Having finished my Appraisal, I spoke to the three of them.

However, Emma's mouth was hanging wide open.

"W-What was that just now!? Your eyes were glowing red!? That was so cool!?"

She asked with her eyes sparkling.

"...It was nothing."

"You were definitely doing something!? Just what—"

"More importantly, Emilina, can I leave it to you if I give instructions on where to build the roads?"

"I understand. If it is for Lord Yuri's sake, I do not mind."

Emilina nodded with a smile.

She's a very scary person to be indebted to, but in this case, I have the leverage of protecting the Hero Emma.

"This is for Emma."

I handed a Shovel to Emma.

"What's this?"

"As you can see, it's a Shovel."

"I don't mean it like that!? What do I use this for?"

"A Shovel is a tool for digging soil, you know? Have you never used one?"

"I know that part already!? We're supposed to be training our magic, right? So why are we digging holes? That’s what I’m asking."

"That’s because I want you to cooperate with Emilina to build roads."

Since it seemed I had no choice but to build the city wall bit by bit myself, I lectured them on how to build a road as a trial.

First, dig a large trench. Next, create layers made of Mortar and sand, a layer of stone, a layer of Gravel, and a layer of sand. After having them also put in Magic Stones that had been drawn into threads, the final step is to fill it with soil and place Paving Stones.

If I did it, it would be instantaneous with magic, but it probably wouldn't go that easily for them.

"I thought starting with a city wall was too high in difficulty. If it’s just laying things out, even the current Fee or Emma should be able to do it, right?"

"I-I see...?"

"Also, please raise the center slightly to make it convex. That way, water won't collect on it."

"Um, is it necessary to go that far?"

Emilina asked.

"Moving around will be easier if things are properly maintained, won't it?"

"That is certainly true, but this is a Frontier Region..."

"It doesn't change the fact that it's my territory, you know? Then it's my job to make it easy for the residents to live here, isn't it?"

"...I understand. Then, we will start by building the roads of the territory. Should we start by making a cross shape with the Fountain at the center?"

"That’s right. I’ll leave it to you."

"Then we will go with that for today. I will come to consult with you about the details again in the evening."

With a bright smile, Emilina took Fee and Emma and began the road construction.

After seeing them off, I resumed building the city wall.

"Wait, what about the special training!?"

It was over half a day later when Emma, who had been led away by Emilina, finally remembered that—

◇ ◇ ◇

Building the city wall seemed to consume a surprising amount of Magic Power, and by the time the sun began to set, I was lying on top of my futon.

"I'm tired..."

As expected, it seemed to be a monumental task, and I didn't think it would be finished in a month or two.

Even so, it was a necessary task, so I had no choice but to continue.

"Lord Yuri, are you okay?"

Fee asked anxiously.

"No problem. I just overused my Magic Power like usual, so I'll be fine if I rest."

"...I told you to be so careful about overusing it."

"It's fine. I'll be careful starting tomorrow."

"You always say that."

"More importantly, how was Emilina?"

"Hmm, even from Fee's perspective, she was working seriously."

"I see..."

I believe her claim about protecting the Hero is true, but honestly, I can't read what she's thinking or planning at all.

That's exactly why I had Fee accompany them.

I thought she might take some kind of action if I wasn't around, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Well, since she knows Fee is my attendant, she probably won't do anything suspicious.

"I’ll be counting on you to continue from tomorrow as well."

"Understood. But, if you do anything too reckless, Fee will go back to monitoring Lord Yuri."

"It’s okay. I just didn't know the right balance today; it won't be like that from tomorrow."

"...You've been saying the same thing the whole time. You've never kept that promise."

She gave me a dead-eyed stare.

Since time is limited, it can't be helped. It's much better than regretting not doing what I can do now.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the hut.

"I'm in."

"That's good then. May I intrude?"

The voice belonged to Emilina.

There wasn't anything particularly secret that needed hiding in this temporary hut.

"I don't mind."

"Then, excuse me."

Emilina, who entered the room, had slightly damp hair as if she had just finished a bath, and was dressed unusually lightly.

"...I think going into a man's room dressed like that is a bit much, don't you?"

"Are you going to do something to me?"

She placed a finger on her lips and gave me a slight upward glance.

The gesture could be seen as seductive, but to me, it looked more like she was plotting something.

"As if I would. More importantly, how's the progress?"

"You're quite the cold person, aren't you? May I borrow the map?"

When I spread out the map I had shown them during the day, Emilina traced a part of it with her finger.

"We progressed this far today."

As expected, partly due to the aptitudes involved, it didn't seem to be progressing as desired.

It might be better than nothing that they made even a little progress.

"It’s more than I imagined. Can I count on you to keep that pace?"

"How should we proceed with things other than the cross-shaped road?"

"Basically, I plan to build them in a grid pattern. It looks cleaner than making unnecessarily winding roads. Also, I plan to have rivers flowing here and there."

"I understand. I will leave that to you."

"By the way, how long do you plan to stay here this time? You said you couldn't stay forever, didn't you?"

"That’s true... wouldn't you be in trouble if I left?"

"No, I think there are people I can leave it to, so you can go back whenever you want."

"...That sounds somewhat like you want me to go home quickly."

The Surveying Emilina is in charge of can, in the worst-case scenario, be handed over to Emma.

Though Emilina’s aptitude is far superior—

When it comes to the original game characters, I really don't know what they might pull.

In the sense that there’s a possibility they might threaten the peace, I couldn't say I wanted them to overstay their welcome.

"...That's not true."

"Why are you looking away?"

"It's your imagination."

"Come to think of it, how much of the city wall has Lord Yuri built?"

"I've done from about here to here."

I’ve been prioritizing the side the Demon Race attacked from and building it with a fair amount of strength, so the progress isn't very fast.

However, from Emilina's perspective, it seemed to be surprising progress.

"That's amazing... it looks like the city wall will be completed in about a month..."

"Once the city wall is done, I plan to build a moat around it again and let water flow through. If we go this far, it should be able to withstand a certain amount of attack."

"That is certainly true. However, it is a waste to have such high defense when the number of people who can live inside is only on the scale of a hundred."

Emilina's point was valid.

Eventually, I plan to expand it much wider, but for this time, I’m prioritizing providing defensive power first.

Besides, I didn't think the population would increase so suddenly in this Frontier Region.

"I'll think about it eventually. It’s hard to imagine the population increasing all of a sudden, right?"

"That might be a slightly naive way of thinking, you know?"

"...What do you mean by that?"

"Well, that’s a secret."

Emilina wore a smile as if she had successfully teased me.

"Well then, I shall take my leave now."

"Wait. Tell me more about what you just said—"

However, Emilina left without saying anything more.

And it was a month later, when the city wall was completed, that I understood what she meant.

◇ ◇ ◇

Having finally completed the city wall, I was moving on to detailed work, such as using the Magic Stones laid in the roads to put up streetlights and building bridges where the rivers ran.

Then, a loud voice suddenly echoed from outside the city wall.

"W-What is thiiiiiiis!?"

The voice belonged to Fritz, who had gone to the Town of Nest to report the completion of a request.

At that nostalgic voice, Fee and I hurriedly ran over to find Fritz arriving with a group of mercenaries.

Furthermore, that wasn't all; figures could also be seen coming from the direction of the Royal Capital.

"Hey, Meat-Bro! Just like you told us, we all came together!"

Those figures were the orphans I had bought meat for back in the Royal Capital.

"You guys, why are you here...?"

"Toilet Emina told us. Just like you told us, we all came together!"

The boy wore a proud smile.

And so, my territory, which had only about ten people, suddenly increased its population to nearly fifty—.