Jin looked at the citran sitting in Martha’s kitchen and remembered the events of the previous year.
It had been during early summer, just as the weather was starting to turn hot. Jin had attempted to build a refrigerator for food preservation, but back then, he had no way of returning to Hourai Island and had to abandon the project due to a lack of materials.
But now, things were different.
"Hmm... though making everything too convenient isn't always the right answer, either."
Even though he was no longer a wanted man, he felt that making Kaina Village stand out too much might be problematic.
"What should I do...?"
Jin stepped outside and gazed at the spring-colored mountains.
The snow had already vanished from the lower hills, but the distant high peaks were still capped with perennial snow.
"Snow, huh... That’s it!"
Jin hurried back to the dining area and questioned Hanna, who was busy munching on some citran.
"Hanna, does it snow in this village?"
"Eh?"
Hanna, with a piece of citran still in her mouth, looked puzzled. She couldn't quite grasp the intent behind his question.
"Jin-nii, you need to be a bit more specific."
He was actually scolded by Elsa.
"Ah, my bad, my bad. Hanna, I wasn't here during the middle of winter, so I don't know—how much snow actually falls in this village during the winter?"
This time, the question landed.
"Hmm, let's see. It doesn't snow until after the New Year. But it snows a lot in February and March. The March snow melts right away, but the February snow stays on the ground, so it’s a lot of work."
Jin had only been in the village until the end of the previous year. He hadn't seen any snow accumulate back then, but it seemed a fair amount fell once the calendar turned.
"But everyone said that this year was easy to clear the snow because of the horses Onii-chan made," she added cheerfully.
Hearing that it snowed enough to require shoveling, Jin’s idea solidified.
"Alright. Let's build a cold storage room."
"A cold storage room?" Elsa asked, leaning in.
"Yeah. A cold storage room is basically a hole dug into the ground where you pack snow to preserve food. You gather the snow in the winter and use it during the hot summer. It takes some manual labor, but it doesn't cost a cent to maintain."
Elsa sounded genuinely impressed. "What a fascinating idea. Is that from Jin-nii's world too?"
"That's right. I'd better get permission first. Hanna, I'm going to the Village Chief's place for a bit."
Jin called out to Hanna, who nodded in understanding. Elsa sat back down beside her.
"Okay. Have a safe trip."
Seen off by Elsa and Hanna, Jin headed for the Village Chief's house. Reiko followed silently, her face softening into a slight smile as she watched how much Jin seemed to be enjoying himself.
A group of village women were gathered at the Village Chief's house.
"Jin! We heard you brought souvenirs! Thank you!"
"They look delicious! I'm going to take mine home and eat them with the kids!"
"Hey, make sure you leave some for your husband, too!"
"I know, I know!"
The atmosphere was lively. Amidst the chatter, Village Chief Giebeck spoke up.
"Jin, did you need something?"
Jin explained his proposal to build a cold storage room.
"Hmm, a cold storage room. While there's snow on the ground, we sometimes bury vegetables in it, but you're suggesting we make a permanent facility for it. It's true that being able to keep things fresh during the sweltering summer would be a huge help."
"Jin, please build it!" one of the women chimed in. "Meat spoils so fast in the summer, it's a real nightmare!"
"That's our Jin! Always looking out for us."
With the support of both the Village Chief and the women, all that remained was selecting a site.
Since the snow would gradually melt into water, they needed a place with good drainage, preferably at a lower elevation within the village.
After some discussion, they settled on the square where the wheat storehouse was located. It was practical for food management and had excellent drainage.
"Alright. Gon, Gen, Reiko, help me out."
"Yes, Father."
Jin headed to the square by the storehouse. It sat on the east side of the village, occupying a very gentle slope that led toward the forest. Jin chose an empty spot on the southernmost side for the project.
"Dig a hole here. Make it like a shelter."
He gave the instructions to Gon and Gen. Since the two golems had performed similar tasks before, they were able to handle the bulk of the work without needing constant micro-management.
Furthermore, because the ground wasn't rocky, the work progressed at a brisk pace. Jin had Reiko use Dig magic to assist, rapidly expanding the cavity. Meanwhile, Jin used Hardening to reinforce the walls of the pit.
Through this seamless coordination, the cold storage room was completed in less than two hours.
A passage extended diagonally underground, leading to a main chamber roughly the size of two elementary school classrooms. To ensure drainage, the floor was lined with stonework, allowing water to seep through the gaps into the earth below.
Being about three meters underground provided excellent insulation. Jin then piled the excavated soil on top of the structure to further enhance the thermal protection. Once grass grew over the mound, it would be even more effective.
"This should do it. I'll install a magi-lamp later, but the most important part is the snow."
The snow that had fallen in Kaina Village this year had long since melted.
"I suppose we have no choice but to bring it from the mountains... No, wait."
He realized he could simply produce the snow with magic.
Just then, Elsa and Hanna arrived together.
"Onii-chan, it's time for lunch... Whoa, what did you make?"
"Hey, Hanna. Is it that time already? Let's head back for now. I'll explain on the way."
Jin left the cold storage room behind and walked toward Martha’s house, explaining the concept to Hanna in simple terms.
"Heeh, so you store snow in there. It'll definitely be nice and cool! And you use that to keep the food fresh?"
"Exactly. From next year on, we'll pack in the snow that falls in the village. But since we missed the window this year..."
Jin glanced toward Elsa.
"?"
At first, Elsa didn't understand the look, but then she realized Jin was prompting her to find a solution. She tilted her head, thinking deeply.
Then, just as Martha’s house came into view, she found the answer.
"I see. We can just produce the snow with magic."
＊ ＊ ＊
After lunch, Jin asked Martha and Hanna to help him gather the villagers at the storehouse square.
The villagers who hadn't been present for the earlier explanation were scratching their heads.
"Hey now, Jin, what's all this then?"
Since it was midday, many men had returned to the village from their chores. Word that Jin was up to something again had spread quickly, drawing a crowd. Once he confirmed that most of the village was present, Jin began his explanation.
"This is called a cold storage room. We’re going to pack it with snow, which will stay frozen even through the summer. We can use it to store meat and other food that spoils easily."
Even with such a simple pitch, the benefits were immediately obvious.
"Oh! Well, that's a grand idea! In the summer, meat goes bad before you can blink. We usually have to dry it or salt it just to keep it."
"But wait, there's no snow left this year. You're not going to ask us to haul it down from the mountains, are you?"
Jin chuckled.
"I wouldn't dream of it. Starting next year, you'll gather the snow that falls right here in the village, but for this year..."
Jin looked at Elsa.
"Elsa."
"n."
Elsa stepped forward and extended her right hand toward the opening of the cold storage room.
"Snow Bullet!"
She unleashed the spell—a water-attribute mid-level magic that also functioned as a beginner-level ice-attribute spell.
As she finished the incantation, clumps of snow began flying into the room. Since the source of the water was the nearby stream, she had an ample supply.
"Ooh!"
"Amazing!"
"I've never seen magic like that!"
"That's Jin's sister for you! And she's a beauty, to boot!"
"Hey, her looks don't have anything to do with the magic, do they?"
The villagers voiced their admiration freely. Not a single person looked on with fear or suspicion; by now, they were all quite accustomed to Jin’s habit of breaking common sense.
Interestingly, Jin himself couldn't use offensive magic like this unless he used his specialized bracelets. His repertoire was limited to things like Cooling for temperature control or Ice to create solid blocks.
Since Ice produced solid chunks that weren't ideal for packing tightly around food, and because he wanted to help Elsa build a rapport with the villagers, he had entrusted the task to her.
Thanks to the surplus magical energy stored in her bracelet, the cold storage room was filled to the brim in about five minutes.
"Alright, that's perfect. Good job, Elsa."
Jin praised her while having Gon and Gen pack the snow down tight. He then turned back to the crowd.
"The cold storage room is ready for use. You can put anything in there that needs cooling. However, you must make sure the door stays closed at all times."
"Got it! Is there anything else we need to watch out for?"
"Well, since it's an underground chamber, the air can sometimes get stagnant. Please be careful. If you feel even slightly short of breath, get out immediately."
As he spoke, Jin made a mental note to station an auxiliary golem inside. It could monitor the oxygen levels, look after the health of anyone entering, and assist with moving heavy food supplies.
"Understood. So, it's open for business?"
"Yes."
"Right then! Let's get the boys together and go on a mountain deer hunt!"
The one who spoke was Rock, the boisterous leader of the village men.
"And let's get some liquor in there so it's nice and cold when we get back!"
"You! Don't you dare overdo the drinking!"
And so, life in Kaina Village continued its peaceful, if slightly improved, routine.