My name is Yame.
Being back on my island after so long had me feeling a little giddy.
The main unit of the investigation team finally arrived. Through the joint efforts of Lana-san and Shiso-sama, the group consisted of twelve high elves, five mountain elves, twenty lizardmen, one beastman, two elder dwarves, ten angels, and Stifano from the ancient demons.
That’s right, ancient demons.
Apparently, Stifano isn't just called a demon; she’s referred to as an ancient demon. That meant Gucci, Bulga, and Prada were all ancient demons too.
And so was I.
To be honest, the word "ancient" didn't really resonate with me, so it made me a bit depressed to realize just how much time had actually passed.
The main unit brought a massive amount of building materials with them.
"Ah, don't put the materials there; move them over this way! That spot will be underwater at high tide."
They wanted to build a base for the investigation? I see, that explained the sheer volume of supplies. If they were going to build a base, that spot over there would be best. It was a bit far from the coast, but because it was on higher ground, even the high waves that hit every few years wouldn't reach it. There was also a spot where fresh water bubbled up nearby. However, if the foundation wasn't solid, the strong winds would blow it right away.
Yes, I knew that well. From experience. Whether I wanted to or not.
The construction of the base and the investigation began.
Wait, what? They were building outhouses before the base? Not just at the planned site, but on the beach too?
"Um, in that case... the sea level reaches up to here, so you should build them somewhere higher than this. Also, I'd like you to avoid that area because of the spring water. If you're building an outhouse, right around here would be great."
There were slimes on the island. I’d seen them a few times myself.
A short while after I spoke, several splendid outhouses were completed. I could sense the work of master craftsmen. But why build the toilets first? The Village Head’s policy? Well, if that was the case, I suppose it couldn't be helped.
Once again, the construction of the base and the investigation began in earnest.
The high elves, mountain elves, and lizardmen all began clearing the vegetation at once to secure the site. Because there were so many people, it was done in the blink of an eye. While the person who seemed to be the high elf commander performed a final check of the site, others were already preparing the building materials. They were so incredibly used to this.
The lone beastman was a warrior named Gulf. Taking several lizardmen with him, he headed out to explore the island. I didn't think there were any strong magic beasts or monsters here, but they said they wanted to double-check just in case I had simply been lucky enough to avoid them. I definitely appreciated the thoroughness.
The two elder dwarves were checking for edible things. However, I had my doubts about their judgment being based entirely on whether or not something could be turned into sake. Was that it? No, they were properly checking for poison too? I thought I’d already told them which ones were poisonous, but apparently, it was dangerous to assume something was safe just because I could eat it. They said I might just have a high resistance to toxins. I see, that made sense.
The angels took to the sky. Naturally, they were mapping the shape of the island, but they were also surveying the surrounding waters for anything unusual.
"The wind direction? Um, in this season, it usually comes from this way during the day. At night, it sometimes flips. Oh, and be careful if the wind blows from over there. That means a big storm is coming."
Stifano was... investigating the place where I used to sleep. Not the base where I usually stayed, but the actual spot where I had been sealed. I wasn't well-versed in that sort of thing, so I left it to her. I just answered honestly whenever I was asked something.
Lana-san and Shiso-sama, who had transported everyone here, either wandered around the island or used teleportation magic to go elsewhere. As night approached, they returned to pick everyone up. I assumed we would be spending the night on the island, but it turned out the majority of the team was heading back to the Village of the Great Tree via teleportation magic.
Teleportation magic was so convenient. And the food at the village was just delicious. If I ever got the chance, I wanted to bring the birds and Ivan to the village too.
The ones remaining on the island were the beastman Gulf and a few lizardmen. They wanted to monitor the island’s condition at night. I suggested they use my cave base, but they declined, saying the birds would probably be bothered by it. Gulf and the others pitched the tents they had brought and prepared to camp out. Since they might not have known, I showed them which grass insects disliked. I was glad they were happy to hear the advice.
Several days passed without any major issues.
The base was finished. It was a one-story house with twenty private rooms, fully equipped with outhouses, a kitchen, a dining hall, a common room, and even a bath. It felt more like an inn than a simple base. The reason it was only one story was to account for the island's winds. Furthermore, as a countermeasure against storms, stone walls had been built to surround the structure. It was amazing how much they had accomplished in such a short time.
Additionally, a watchtower about five stories tall was built a short distance away from the inn. It was constructed solidly, but unlike the main building, they had designed it with the possibility of collapse in mind. Not many supplies were kept there, and to ensure everyone would be safe if it did fall, only the angels—who could fly—were allowed inside. It was essentially a breakroom for them.
A water supply system was also installed. The spring water alone wouldn't have been enough, so they connected a waterway from further upstream. Adjusting the angle of the channel seemed like it would be difficult, but the high elves built it effortlessly. They really were veteran craftsmen.
"A garbage dump? Ah, I suppose that’s important. Then, use that hollow over there. I’ve seen slimes there a few times. Can't we just burn the trash from the construction? Let's use it as fuel."
Laundry would be done downstream at the river. They were building a washing area too? Then the drying area should be around here.
"You're building a shed as well? Is that necessary? Oh, a place to protect the people doing laundry and the clothes if it starts raining. I see."
The inn was finally complete. Furniture and magic tools were brought in from the village. Beds, tables, chairs, shelves, curtains... I could feel the touch of civilization. Magic tools for light, for boiling water, for cooling and freezing things, for air conditioning... they were incredibly convenient. I couldn't help but think back on my own struggles on the island, but there was no use being jealous.
"Wait, I can have one of the rooms as my own? Yay!"
They even built a house for the birds. It was quite a fine structure. The entrance was specially designed so that it would be difficult for anything other than birds to enter. But would they actually like it? Just as I expected, the birds wouldn't even go near it at first, so I took one of them inside to show it off. After I repeated that a few times, the rest of them moved in. They started building nests inside in no time at all. They seemed to like it quite a bit. I felt like it had taken them forever to start nesting in my cave base.
"Is this okay, though? Isn't it a waste of materials? Oh, it’s fine as long as I gather their feathers? Wait, are their feathers actually valuable? I had no idea. I used to just play with them whenever I was bored."
Since the cave base was now empty except for Ivan, I moved him to my room in the inn. From now on, his job was to guard this room. Yes, yes. Ivan seemed happy too.
Then, I said my final goodbyes to the cave that had looked after me until now. It was important to do these things properly. I didn't think it would happen, but I might end up needing its shelter again someday.
Now that the inn was functional, two oni maids began coming from the village. Their purpose was to cook for the investigation team, since until now, whoever happened to be free had been doing it. Having food as delicious as what was served in the village was a huge blessing.
Oh, I helped with the cooking too. I made sure to stir the pot with a large spoon exactly like I was told.
Yeah. I worked really hard.