The plans for the Universal Ship’s dedicated pond underwent a revision.
Because it was shaped like a ship, I had assumed a pond was a necessity, but since it flies, there was really no need to keep it afloat in water. A simple stand to hold the vessel was more than enough. There hadn't been any need to dig a hole at all.
It was a little depressing to realize that.
Lu was the one who eventually comforted me.
"Don't you think launching from a subterranean hangar sounds cool?" she asked.
I wondered if that was really the case.
Well, regardless, I intended to put the hole I already dug to good use. I would build a door to cover the opening so the Universal Ship wouldn't be left exposed to the elements. To handle rain and snow, I decided the door should be shaped like a triangular roof.
The ship would use its own hands to open this door during launch. Having hands on a ship certainly proved convenient in a variety of ways. I began to wonder if they might eventually become standard equipment for all vessels.
Since the doors were heavy, I decided to have a warning sound play before they opened or closed. For the time being, we would use the Universal Ship's Communication Bell. However, since there was a risk of it being mistaken for the village’s emergency alarm, I decided I would consult with Zabuton about it once she woke up in the spring.
After parting ways with the High Elves and Mountain Elves who had been assisting me, I returned to the mansion to take a break. My breaks usually took place in either my own room or the Guest Living Room. Hearing that Alfred and the others were in the Guest Living Room, I headed there.
It was heartening to see that they were all getting along so well. However, since we were in the living room, I had to remind them not to run around. It was cold outside, after all. I had been feeling the chill myself.
I placed a cushion in a suitable spot and sat down. Looking around, I noticed the kittens were nowhere to be found. With the children present, they were likely hiding out in my room.
The Phoenix Chick Aegis was there, along with the Sake Slime and Hitoe in her fox cub form. I saw them every day, yet for some reason, it felt as though it had been quite a while.
"There, there. Do you want to sit on my lap?" I asked.
I laughed as the Sake Slime wobbled forward. "Not you, Sake Slime. Go drink your sake over there. And not you either, Aegis. You stay on top of my head."
I felt a wave of contentment as Hitoe, who had approached with some hesitation, finally settled onto my lap. A High Ogre Maid brought a small table over and served me tea. She provided some juice for Hitoe as well.
I thanked her and turned the conversation toward Hitoe and Yoko. It seemed that lately, Yoko had been so buried in her work that Hitoe felt neglected. That wasn't good at all. I made a mental note to have a word with Yoko about it. However, I made sure to tell Hitoe that her mother didn't leave her alone because she disliked her. I told her that she must never misunderstand that point.
Eventually, Alfred and the others invited Hitoe to join them, and she hopped off my lap. Kuro, who had clearly been eyeing the spot for some time, immediately moved in and rested his head on my knees.
"Good boy," I murmured.
He had been pacing restlessly around me ever since Hitoe took the spot. I apologized to him, admitting that I had assumed he was sleeping in my room.
As I sat there doting on Kuro, I wondered who would be next. Would it be Yuki? Or perhaps some of Zabuton's Children?
...It turned out to be Malbit.
That was entirely unexpected.
"Um, why are you sitting on my lap?" I asked.
She was a married woman, wasn't she? Even if her husband had passed away centuries ago, this felt like it would cause all sorts of problems. Sure enough, Kierbit was already marching toward us with a terrifying expression on her face.
I beat a hasty retreat. I realized I might have let my guard down too much. I vowed to Aegis, who remained perched motionlessly atop my head, that I would keep a stricter discipline over my heart.
I stood in the Mansion's Central Hall and thought. While this area was convenient for addressing all the villagers at once, it was far too vast and drafty during the winter. It was roughly the size of a narrow soccer field. The High Elves had originally planned to warm the space with magic, but I had put a stop to that because heating such a massive area felt like a waste of resources. Consequently, while it was better than being outdoors, it was still cold enough that people avoided it, which only made the hall feel even more desolate.
I wondered what could be done.
"What if we prepared simple partitions to create private rooms?" I mused aloud.
The High Elves and Mountain Elves standing behind me nodded in agreement. It didn't seem like a bad idea, so I decided to give it a try.
We set to work and managed to create a space roughly the size of a small room. It was surprisingly calming. I figured that if I placed a brazier in the center, it would be plenty warm.
However, I realized I wanted a roof, since the air above was still freezing. I set the height at about three meters. Once the roof was on, it was pitch black inside, so I asked for some light via magic.
It was a rather wonderful little space. However, as it began to feel more like a proper room, the drafts started to bother me. While the gaps between the walls were tight, making the connection between the floor and the walls too snug would make the partitions difficult to move. It was a structural weakness.
If that was the case, I figured using cloth to pitch a tent would be more effective at blocking the wind than using partitions. But I couldn't just pitch a tent directly on the floor without damaging the mansion.
To solve this, I laid down boards about thirty centimeters thick to create a temporary floor and pitched a tent on top of them. The interior was less than two meters square, but it felt just right. I brought in some blankets, and a perfectly comfortable space was complete.
I tried lying down inside. It was nice.
Seeing how much I was enjoying it, the High Elves and Mountain Elves brought a Camping Carriage into the hall and parked it next to the tent. They certainly knew what I liked.
"Alright, let's make a few more of these," I said. It would be wrong of me to be the only one enjoying the setup. At the very least, I wanted the elves who were helping me to have their own tents.
We even started cooking using the Camping Carriage. Even though we were technically indoors, it felt like we were out on a camping trip.
"Wouldn't it have been much easier to just warm this entire hall with magic?" Ann asked, her voice the picture of practicality. I decided to ignore her sound logic.
"By the way, what ever happened with that magic tool?" I asked Lu while we ate our meal by the Camping Carriage.
When Gol and the others had returned during the Autumn Martial Arts Tournament, I had asked Lu to investigate a device they brought back. While the boys had delivered it, the actual client was Gratz. There were rumors that the tool produced dangerous monsters known as "Hybrids."
"There was no need to even investigate it," Lu replied. "A magic tool cannot create a Hybrid. However, a long time ago, a similar tool was used to lure a Hybrid to a specific location, and that's how the misunderstanding spread."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Well, rather than returning it immediately, I figured the other party would feel more at ease if I told them it was safe after keeping it for a while. So, I'm still holding onto it for now."
"Make sure you return it properly," I cautioned.
"I wouldn't dream of keeping it. As far as performance goes, there are much higher-ranking magic tools than that one sitting in your storehouse, Husband."
"That's good to hear. So, what exactly is this Hybrid thing anyway?"
"Hmm. The prevailing theory is that they are masses of magic power."
"I don't really follow."
"Ahaha. Well, you know the magic used to control golems, right?" she asked, referring to the magic Tia used and that we had applied to the Universal Ship. "With that magic, as long as the caster gives a set of instructions, the golem moves on its own, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's like a golem that started moving on its own without any instructions at all. Since it's autonomous, it's the ultimate golem in a way, but its only instinct is self-preservation. It might be rude to Bell or Gou if I called it a failed Mercury species, though."
"Sorry," I admitted. "I still don't quite get it."
"It’s certainly a dangerous monster, but it will never appear around here, so don't worry. The occurrence rate in the Demon Kingdom is likely extremely low as well."
"Then the fact that one appeared near the boys' academy..."
"That was just ultimate bad luck. Like being struck by a stone falling from the sky."
"That sounds... terrible."
"Well, that's probably why Gratz got so nervous and sent the request. When spring arrives, I'll go check the area out when I return the tool."
"Are you going out again?" I asked.
"Oh? Are you lonely? You have Malbit, don't you?"
"So you heard about that," I sighed.
"Fufufu. I'll forgive you if you let me sit on your lap."
"...As you wish, my princess."