Progenitor-san seemed busy, so the Saint remained in the village. While there were apparently several places she could have been sent, the village was considered the safest option. It also helped that no one here treated her with excessive reverence. I wasn't entirely sure just how incredible she was supposed to be. Was I supposed to be more respectful?
Well, it was a bit late for that now. If she complained, I would start showing her some respect. Or maybe it was better to just ask?
"Should I be treating you with more respect?"
"Do you even know what the word 'respect' means?"
I knew the definition, of course, but I remembered what she had said when she first arrived at the village.
"I am the Saint. This might be a meager village, but I shall graciously permit you to revere me."
Fouche-san had immediately put her in a joint lock the moment those words left her mouth. I suppose I should just be happy for the girl's growth.
One way or another, there was still plenty of work to do during the winter. I spent my time in the workshop of the Village Head’s Mansion, tinkering with a squeezing machine. It was a sturdy device thanks to its simple design, but it required fine-tuning.
"Shall we handle that for you?" the Mountain Elves offered.
However, they were already swamped with orders for carriage bodies equipped with springs. I wanted them to leave at least this much to me. Or rather...
"You just want an excuse to do something other than carriage bodies, don't you?"
"Ehehe."
Orders had been coming in nonstop, after all.
"Fine. I’ll handle the adjustments on this machine myself, but I’ll ask you to build a new model entirely. Just make sure the carriage production doesn't fall behind."
"Leave it to us!"
Strangely enough, adding a different task actually seemed to stabilize the pace of their carriage production. They were likely using the secondary job as a way to refresh their minds.
"Can we order a spring of this specific shape? The people in Howlin Village can do it!"
"Also, we’ll need some specialized metal fittings here. I want to give Gatto-san some detailed instructions on those..."
"Village Head, we need ten more pieces of lumber this size, please!"
A month later, the new squeezing machine was complete. It was an immediate hit with the beastman girls who used it frequently.
I looked at my own project. I wondered if the machine I’d spent so much time adjusting was now obsolete.
"It’s okay, Village Head. We’ll make sure to use this one carefully, too."
"The one we’re used to is easier to handle, in its own way."
They were such good girls. I felt a lump in my throat. I told them not to force themselves; it was fine if the old machine just gathered dust in a corner, so long as I didn't have to see it.
Since the Eastern Dungeon had been discovered, we were considering sending an investigation team. There was a chance that people like the Lamia Race or the Giant Race—groups we could actually interact with—might be living there. Hakuren’s personal opinion was that it seemed unlikely, but we couldn't be sure.
The problem was when to send them. Was it a good idea to go during the winter? Wouldn't spring be better? Then again, spring was a busy season for everyone. If they were going to go, now was the time.
Wait, I shouldn't rush into this.
"Village Head, aren't you just trying to delay the trip because you want to go along?"
"Frau-san’s delivery is coming up soon, so you can't leave the village right now, can you?"
"And that’s why you’re pushing for spring..."
The High Elves, already equipped with well-maintained weapons, pressed me for an answer.
"We will secure the area first. You can come later, Village Head," Daga added.
"Daga, are you just excluding me because you’re eager for a chance at revenge?"
"Excluding you? Hardly. We simply cannot allow the Village Head to enter a location before we've confirmed it's safe."
The discussion continued, but no matter what I said, it seemed there was no way I was going with them.
The final roster for the Eastern Dungeon Investigation Team was as follows: Ten High Elves, including Ria. Five Lizardmen, including Daga. Galf from the Beastman Race. Twenty Inferno Wolves. Five members of the Harpy Race to serve as messengers. Hakuren to assist with transportation. And Kierbit of the Angel Race was appointed as the Investigation Team Captain.
"Eh? Why me?" Kierbit asked.
"You’re the best choice to ensure things don't go too far. I’m counting on you."
If I put Hakuren in charge, she wouldn't know when to stop. I really was leaving it all to Kierbit. They planned to set out while I was busy keeping Urza, Gral, Alfred, and the beastman boys occupied. Draim, Holly, I’m going to need your help!
I had heard that dungeon exploration was fraught with danger. Without a certain level of experience, a person could easily be injured—or worse. But everyone had to have a first time, right? What were beginners supposed to do?
Apparently, they were supposed to accompany veterans and learn the ropes. I see. Well, wasn't this the perfect chance for me to learn? Why was everyone looking away? Hehehe.
Fine. If I couldn't go to a dungeon, maybe I should just build one myself. A dungeon I built would be safe. If I practiced there, maybe they’d finally let me go on a real exploration. It seemed like a brilliant idea.
I needed advisors. Who knew the most about dungeons? Lu and Tia both raised their hands. Draim offered his help as well. I appreciated it, but I wondered if Draim intended to stay here until Rusty gave birth. He told me he was fine because he and his wife, Graffaloon, were taking turns going back to their nest.
It felt like they were both here all the time, but if he said it was fine, I suppose it was. I hadn't seen Gucci lately, so he was likely the one actually running their home. I’d have to make some sweets for him next time.
Returning to the topic at hand.
"If we’re building a dungeon, as for the location... I’d like to put the entrance on the south side of the village and expand it further south from there."
If I dug directly under the village and caused a collapse, it would be a catastrophe.
"How deep are we talking?" Lu asked, already getting excited about the design.
"Going too deep will be difficult. We'll hit water."
"What? It should be fine as long as you don't hit a water vein, right?"
"Is that how it works? Everywhere I've dug so far, water comes out after a certain depth."
It wasn't just in the Village of the Great Tree; the same thing happened in Village One, Village Two, and Village Three.
"We knew about the wells, but... didn't you check for water veins beforehand?"
It seemed I had been incredibly lucky. Or perhaps it was thanks to the Universal Farming Tool. I offered a silent prayer of gratitude.
The plan was for a three-floor dungeon. Floor 1 would be a Practice Zone, filled with simple obstacles and basic traps. Floor 2 would be an Orthodox Zone. Floor 3 would be a Dragon's Nest Zone.
The scale was getting a bit out of hand. I was the one doing all the manual labor here, wasn't I? Well, I’d do my best.
First, I dug a diagonal shaft from the entrance down to the depth of Floor 1. I did the digging, and Tia’s golems hauled the dirt outside. Lu managed the ventilation and lighting with magic. Beside us, the Mountain Elves were laughing as they set up various contraptions. I had to warn them not to make any unsolvable traps.
Galf’s son helped by laying stone pavement near the entrance. It was a nice touch, though the design looked a bit too sinister. He told me a dungeon was only a dungeon if it was intimidating. Maybe he was right. I started thinking about making the walls look a bit scarier...
"Village Head, leave the aesthetics for later. Focus on the shape for now."
Right. Back to work.
And so, the dungeon construction began. However, it wasn't something that could be finished quickly. There was still plenty of winter work to do. We made progress little by little, in the gaps between our other chores.
Draim, what is that suspicious-looking magic tool? Harpies, do not build your nests in there. Mountain Elves, I told you those traps were a no-go. They're total "noob-killers." And Urza, Gral, it's not finished yet! It's dangerous in there!
While I was busy dealing with all that, Frau went into labor.