"You really went and did it again, Ryoma. Your expression looked much better, so I figured you’d gotten enough rest, but... this is what happens when you spend your time 'playing'? Ah, never mind. No need to explain. Actually, don't talk about the details here. You never know who might be listening."
I was surrounded by four guards with dead-serious expressions. Hughes spoke up first as their representative.
"Camille, you've got the most knowledge when it comes to magic. Tell him how that looked from your perspective."
"Understood. First of all, Ryoma, I can at least wrap my head around causing a sandstorm of that scale. I felt you release a massive amount of mana at the start, and there are high-tier spells capable of that kind of reach. However, having the raw power to ground a massive building into nothing but dust is something else entirely. Furthermore, the fact that you used magic with such a wide area of effect without allowing a single grain of sand to affect anything outside the property line is another feat entirely. Finally, while you might have been using different spells without chanting, it looked as if you were responding to the situation moment by moment without a second’s pause, shifting the range and movement of the storm on the fly. To anyone with even a modicum of magical knowledge, those three points make it clear that the magic you just performed is of an impossible difficulty level. You managed to overcome that somehow, Ryoma-kun, but... that magic—or perhaps that method? Either way, you should probably refer to it as your Family-Inherited Magic."
"Family-Inherited Magic?" I asked. It was a term I hadn't heard before, though the meaning seemed self-explanatory.
"You’ve got the right idea," Camille confirmed, "but to elaborate... Family-Inherited Magic usually refers to unique or complex spells that are the culmination of research by a clan famous for magical study. These techniques are passed down only to a select few within the family. You could call them secret arts. Powerful magic is a powerful weapon, and in this world, it’s one’s livelihood. Because of that, there’s no end to the people who will want to stick their noses into it. Unless you’ve committed a crime, it’s a massive problem if someone tries to forcibly uncover your secrets. Magic researchers are a secretive and eccentric bunch, and since most famous clans are nobility, prying too deep can escalate into a diplomatic incident. That’s why, if you label something as Family-Inherited Magic, it becomes taboo to investigate further. It’s an implicit understanding, primarily among the nobility, and it should be the easiest way to deflect unwanted attention."
"I see."
"If anyone comes along who won't take a hint or gets too persistent, come talk to us immediately. Between the guards and the Ducal House, we can handle it."
"I understand. Thank you."
"Alright, let’s leave it at that for now," Hughes said, abruptly cutting the conversation short to move on to the next task. "The demolition is done thanks to your magic, so what’s next on the agenda?"
"Oh, that's right." It was a bit awkward to bring up immediately after such a flashy display, but there was one more thing I wanted to try. "Just like before, I thought of something else while I was experimenting during my holiday. At the time, I got carried away and ran out of mana before I could test it on a large scale..."
"Might as well go for it," Hughes shrugged. "After what we just saw, there's no point in holding back now. Besides, if you're going to do something crazy, I’d rather we be here to witness it."
The others murmured their agreement. With their permission secured, I got back to work.
"One more time!"
I gave the command to the Sand Slimes and activated my Sand Magic once more. The massive pile of sand was swept up by a localized gale, but this time, I didn't give it complex instructions. Instead, I simply had it settle into a corner near the edge of the lot. A scene like a giant hourglass being flipped over unfolded before us, and slowly, a rectangular mass of sand—shaped like a giant block of tofu—began to form.
The onlookers whispered among themselves. Since this lacked the chaotic movement of the demolition, they seemed more confused than awestruck. From the outside, it probably didn't look like much. But as the master of the Sand Slimes currently assimilated into that sand, I knew exactly what was happening inside. And I knew the moment my vision was complete.
"Whoa!"
Like an artist pulling the veil off a masterpiece, I collapsed the surrounding mountain of sand and cleared it away. As the wave of sand flowed across the lot, it left behind a two-story building.
It occupied about a fifth of the total lot. It featured a large central entrance and a hall, with a staircase at the back and corridors stretching to either side, lined with public toilets and private rooms. It was a simple, functional structure.
While the spectators couldn't see the interior, the sight of a complete building emerging from the sand was even more shocking than the demolition. A roar of surprise went up from the crowd.
"No way..."
"What kind of magic is that? Isn't that a bit too convenient?"
"It certainly is."
Unlike the demolition, this was a process of stacking sand and binding the particles together to form the structure's pillars and walls. To put it in Earth terms, I had replicated a 3D printer using Sand Magic. By collaborating with the Sand Slimes, my precision and creative freedom had skyrocketed. I could now create complex structures with ease, a discovery that had led me to spend my entire holiday building and destroying tiny models for fun.
This was simply an application of that hobby on a scale where people could actually live. I knew that 3D printing for construction was being researched back on Earth, and I had been confident that with enough mana and sand, I could make it work here.
However...
"Actually, it's not quite—"
Before I could finish my sentence, a cheer erupted.
"It’s a house!"
"A new house!"
Several of the children who had been watching from the street ran toward the fresh building, their faces lit with joy. The maids and the older children had been too stunned by the building’s appearance to react in time.
"Wait! Stop them!" I shouted.
The adults finally snapped to attention, but two of the children—beastkin, by the look of them—were shockingly fast. They were a split second away from running inside.
"Teleport! Got you! Just hold on a second!"
I successfully intercepted them just before they crossed the threshold. The fruits of my relentless practice with Space Magic while recovering monster corpses in the Fatma Territory were manifesting in small but significant ways.
"Let me go!"
"I want to see the house!"
"It looks like a real house!"
"Wait, just wait. It’s still dangerous," I pleaded, holding the two squirming kids.
"What do you think you're doing, you little brats?!" a booming voice roared.
The kids froze. Ribul, the overseer of the slum, had reached us faster than anyone. He snatched the two children up, his intimidating aura preventing any further resistance. He handed them off to the older children who had caught up and then turned back to me.
"Good grief. Sorry those brats got in the way."
"It’s fine, Ribul-san. No harm done."
"Right... Still, that's some terrifying magic. You can tear down or build up as you please."
"This is still in the experimental phase. I only built it as a test."
I had designed it to be functional, but anything formed by compressing sand with Sand Magic resulted in a material similar to sandstone. While sandstone is easy to shape, it’s also brittle and prone to weathering. It absorbs a lot of water, which leads to frost damage in the winter, making it unsuitable for exterior walls. Since this was the first time I’d ever made something this large, I was worried about structural flaws or safety issues.
"That's why I'm going to build the actual children's house properly," I explained. "That's why I hired all these workers."
"Why not have them check it out now?" a voice suggested.
I turned to see Zeff standing there, joined by Camille, Hughes, Jill, and even Arnold from the Town Office.
"I overheard the plan," Zeff continued. "More than half the workers we gathered today have construction experience. Why not let them perform a safety inspection?"
"Is that okay?" I asked.
"The job description is just changing slightly," Zeff shrugged. "You went through the trouble of building it, and I think those kids would sleep a lot better if they knew they had a roof over their heads sooner rather than later."
He had a point. The kids who had rushed the building were probably terrified of being homeless.
"Ribul-san, the original plan was to build a yard for the kids to play in. Would it be alright if we used this building for now? Once the permanent house is finished, we can tear this one down and turn the space into the yard."
"I won't complain about luxury like a yard," Ribul grunted. "As long as the brats have a place to sleep peacefully, that's enough. If that building is safe, I'd be happy to use it just as it is."
"Understood. Zeff-san, please bring the workers over. The first task of the day is a safety inspection. If everything looks good, have them measure the dimensions for windows and doors. After that, we’ll start on the perimeter wall for the property."
"On it!" Zeff shouted as he ran off.
"Well then, we should get back to guarding the perimeter," Hughes said.
"Right," Jill added. "The crowd is starting to grow now that there’s a building to look at."
"See you later, Ryoma!" Camille waved.
The three guards headed back to manage the curious onlookers. As they left, Arnold Bernheid from the Town Office approached me.
"Good work, Takebayashi-sama. I've been watching the progress. It was... well, it was quite different from what I had imagined."
"Ah, haha..." I gave a sheepish laugh. He probably expected me to use hammers and saws, or at least a more modest form of magic. If I hadn't realized the potential of the Sand Slimes, I likely would have been doing it the hard way.
"Regardless, to achieve this much in such a short time... Should I begin accelerating the paperwork for the district redevelopment?"
"Please. I can't handle the whole slum by myself, and I’ll need the workers’ help, but we won't need to waste any time on demolishing the old buildings. We can move straight into reconstruction, which should drastically shorten the schedule. Also, while I said this building needs an inspection, I didn't build something that’s going to fall over tomorrow. I believe it can serve as a temporary shelter or emergency housing, so please factor that into your adjustments. Can we proceed flexibly as the situation on the ground changes?"
"I have no objections. It’s a relief to work with someone so efficient."
"Just make sure you get proper consent from the residents," I reminded him.
"Of course. With Ribul-dono’s help, I will ensure every resident is satisfied with the process." Arnold offered a confident smile and looked toward the overseer.
"If the Town Office actually does its job for once, we won't put up a fight," Ribul grunted. "At least I've seen that you're someone worth talking to. I'll cooperate."
"Thank you. Establishing a connection with a local leader like yourself is a great stroke of luck for me. It makes it much easier to hear the genuine concerns of the people."
"Hmph."
"Well, I should be going. I have other duties to attend to. If you see me at the Cat's Forehead cafe again, please do say hello."
"Take care. Oh, and Arnold-san? You should probably eat a real meal once in a while instead of just cake. The lady at the cafe mentioned your takeout orders have been increasing lately."
Arnold gave a wry smile. "I will... take that under advisement."
He walked away, still looking a bit guilty.
"I don't know what that was about, but he looks like a lost cause," Ribul remarked.
"Agreed."
Ribul also took his leave, saying he had other business to attend to.
Afterward, the workers Zeff had gathered performed a thorough check of the building. Their verdict was that while they were concerned about its long-term durability in this climate, it was perfectly safe for short-term residency.
From there, we measured the openings, and I left the production of windows and doors to the slimes. I assigned the workers to build the outer wall using stone materials I prepared with magic. Meanwhile, I began working on the foundation for the permanent children's house in the remaining space. By the time the sun began to set, the day's work was complete.