Three days later.
I had a meeting scheduled at the office this morning. My guest was, of course, the architect Perdor Beckentain. As Eleanora and I had anticipated, the arrangements were finalized within the shortest possible timeframe.
To ensure I didn't tarnish the Jamil family’s reputation as their technician, I dressed in a suit. Eleanora and Yudum were similarly well-groomed as they stood by. I had personally cleaned the already-prepared reception room one last time, and we were waiting in a state of perfect readiness when—
“! Owner.”
“I heard it too. It seems the carriage has arrived. Let’s go.”
The moment I took my position in the center of the entrance hall, the two of them moved to wait by the door.
There were various protocols for receiving nobles depending on the situation and the status of both parties. In this instance, the procedure was for the guest to use the door knocker to announce their arrival, then for our staff to open the door, and finally for me to invite them in with words of welcome.
Master Beckentain was a client who had come to request work. However, he was also a noble, and while I was under the protection of the Ducal House, my official status remained that of a commoner. Formality dictated that I welcome him with even more politeness and respect than usual... and yet, the knock didn't come.
Several minutes passed after the sound of the carriage stopping. I couldn't imagine it taking this long just to step out of a coach. For a second, I wondered if I had been mistaken, but when I looked at the other two, I saw strained smiles on their faces. From those expressions, I gathered exactly what was happening outside.
“Is he doing that again?”
“It appears so...”
If it was anything like our previous encounter, it would probably be a while longer.
“My deepest apologies for the delay at your front door.”
When we finally welcomed Master Beckentain’s party, the meeting began with an apology.
“Please, do not let it concern you. If my home has caught the interest of a man known as a genius architect, then as the one who built it, I am honored.”
“What? Takebayashi, you built this house as well?”
“Yes. In the depths of the Sea of Trees where I grew up, we had to maintain and rebuild our homes ourselves, so I have a bit of experience with the craft.”
“In that case, is the design of this manor based on the architectural style of the people living in the Sea of Trees?”
“Buildings intended for habitation in the Sea of Trees are more like fortresses to protect against dangerous monsters. However, since such a grim atmosphere wouldn't suit an ordinary town, I modeled this after an ancient city that was swallowed by the forest in the distant past.”
“What?! There are ruins in the Sea of Trees?!”
The part about ruins wasn't a lie. According to my grandparents' records that I’d found with Kormi, the two of them had explored the depths of the forest and discovered many structures. My grandmother, in particular, had spent a great deal of time collecting records left behind in those places. The Lost Magic for curse removal I’d found previously was also something she had obtained through those explorations.
“I only know of a few locations myself, but my foster parents knew of many more, so I believe there are quite a few. Of course, most are in such a state of decay that ‘debris’ would be a more accurate term than ‘ruins.’”
“No! Architecture is an art that transcends time! Whether a structure remains for the far future through constant repair, or is swallowed by nature after humans are gone—both are art!”
“I see... there’s no doubt that both possess their own profound histories.”
“Precisely. While well-managed buildings are fine, ruins have a depth of flavor all their own. They provide excellent inspiration for my new works. That is why I, too, wish to see those ruins in the forest with my own eyes—”
“Give it up.”
With a resolve that brooked no argument, Foster, the guard, cut in immediately. From his perspective, he could never allow Master Beckentain to be taken into the Sea of Trees.
“—or so I would like to say, but as you can see, Ethan is quite firm on the matter, so it is a great pity. However, so you based it on ruins... That explains why the roads and buildings I saw the other day felt so similar to the Priest Tower of Vactesion Temple and the Zepharion Ruins.”
“You mentioned those the other day as well. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with the origins of those ruins. If it is no trouble, would you mind telling me more about them?”
“Oh, you're interested! Very well. To put it briefly, based on the excavated soil and materials, those two are the most representative examples of structures found across various ages and regions. Much like what you have created, their characteristic feature is a design focused on ‘functional beauty’—prioritizing practicality as a building over superficial aesthetics. They are also distinctive for being remarkably uniform in material and shape, as if they were carved out of a single monolith. The Zepharion Ruins consist of a gentle hill completely covered by identical buildings and the roads connecting them. The harmony created by countless identical structures standing in a row... the magnificence of it standing as a singular entity rather than a mere collection of parts is simple yet profound. On the other hand, the Priest Tower of Vactesion Temple originally stood atop a cliff and fell to the bottom of a deep valley when its foundation collapsed... yet, to everyone’s amazement, even after sliding down a cliff, its overall shape remained perfectly intact! The secret to such strength was inside the walls. Can you guess what it was?”
“Could it be iron reinforcing?”
“Exactly!! Since you could answer instantly, you must have seen it before! If so, there is a high possibility that the ruins in the Sea of Trees belong to the same lineage...”
From his description, I suspected both were concrete structures, so I’d answered with "iron reinforcing" while thinking of modern skyscrapers, and I’d been right. They were likely built by a past Otherworlder or someone influenced by one.
“As you surmised, the secret was metal bracing embedded within the walls. Though the stone portions cracked or crumbled from the impact of the fall, the internal bracing supported it, allowing the general shape to remain. And this bracing was the very proof used to identify it as a ‘Priest Tower.’ While using metal rods for support makes sense, actually doing it is no simple feat. Even though metal has been used since ancient times, the effort required to mine, refine, and process it makes it fundamentally expensive. If that is true today, it would have been even more so with the refining technology of the distant past. Furthermore, to spread it throughout an entire building would require an immense amount. It implies the builder possessed the financial power to use expensive metal without stinting. Yet, the actual structure of the building was remarkably simple. Throughout history, the manors of those in power usually have some form of decoration, even if they appear modest, but no such elements were found there. Therefore, historians believed the builder was a person of power who was in a position where they had to refrain from displays of status. Combined with the many similar ruins elsewhere, they concluded it was likely the residence of clergymen who held power but valued honorable poverty—or perhaps a place for ascetic training.”
“I see...”
It was fascinating. From my perspective, it was just a modern building, but when people of this world looked at those features through the lens of history, that was the conclusion they reached.
As I was enjoying the lecture, Master Beckentain seemed to get even more fired up.
“There are other interesting architectures with similar constructions—”
“Ahem!”
Just as he was about to continue, Foster cleared his throat loudly.
“What is it, Ethan? The best part is just beginning.”
“Once you start one of those stories, you get so absorbed that you never get to the actual business. While we are grateful that this man is willing to listen so calmly, we would like to discuss the work first.”
He had a point. With that, the negotiation was handed off to Eleanora, and I had Yudum bring over the prepared Anti-Curse Misangas. Since we were selling them to a noble, I had them packed in wooden accessory boxes, which gave them an air of high-class luxury.
“These are the requested items. We have prepared ten to start. If necessary, we can provide more if you give us a little time, but how do they look to you?”
“May I?”
“Yes. Please, feel free.”
Once Eleanora gave her permission, Foster gently picked one up. He likely checked for any abnormalities in his own body before using Appraisal magic. His eyes changed from casual checking to deep scrutiny, and he eventually returned the misanga to the box with a satisfied look.
“Splendid. These exceed my expectations.”
“We are glad you are satisfied.”
“I would certainly like to purchase them... but if I may ask, what is the price for each? One can never have too many tools of this kind, so I intend to buy as many as my budget allows.”
“We are asking for one small gold coin per misanga.”
“One small gold coin... That is significantly cheaper than I anticipated.”
“It is only natural that you would have doubts, but this is Master Takebayashi’s wish. No special materials were used for these tools, and because the enchantment process does not take long, we are making a sufficient profit. While we cannot sell them at a price that ignores the market rate, we also do not intend to inflate the price unnecessarily.”
Eleanora stated this firmly.
Everything up to this point had been decided in our advance meetings. The reason for the low price was exactly as she explained. I had hesitated over whether to reveal that the enchantment was fast, but after surrounding an entire mountain with cursed rope, it would be a stretch to claim that mass production was difficult.
They had already seen the rope I’d enchanted, and if I continued to use the magic, someone observant would eventually notice. In that case, I judged it better to speak the truth with full sincerity now.
“Since you are associated with the Beckentain house, we trust these will not be resold or misused. We understand you will be staying in this city for the time being, so please consider this a token of our friendship.”
“...If you go that far, we have no reason to refuse. We shall gratefully take all of them.”
There might have been some noble-style probing between Eleanora and Foster, but the negotiation was successfully concluded. Payment was made promptly, and the handover was completed.
Next was the request for the stone statue. Here, Master Beckentain, who had been as quiet as I was during the sale, finally moved. He began to speak with a passion equal to, or perhaps even greater than, before.
The general circumstances were as I had heard, but—
“The moment I saw those stone statues, I felt as though I had been struck by lightning!! The divinity of those three God Statues was as if you had seen the gods directly! Felt them with your own skin! And captured their images perfectly—no! Such trite words cannot express it! Why do I lack the vocabulary to describe it! Fwooooh?! Waaoooh?!”
“Calm down! Speak in human language, at least!”
As he spoke, his emotions reached a fever pitch. Master Beckentain began to clutch his head and let out mysterious roars while Foster and the other guards moved to restrain him. Since the guards were clearly used to this, their handling of him was surprisingly rough.
This man was an artist to the core... I was thinking that many people would probably be bewildered upon meeting him, but he seemed to calm down eventually.
“Whew... my apologies. At any rate, I felt a ‘presence’ from those statues, as if the gods themselves were residing there, to an extent that cannot be put into words. In architecture, various factors are important—safety, functionality, aesthetic beauty—but it is not enough for them to simply be excellent individually. A truly superior work is one where everything is naturally excellent, and their harmony is the most important thing of all. No matter how much of a masterpiece a building's design may be, and no matter what famous paintings or sculptures are prepared, if they are not in harmony, it is a failure. If I could, I would handle every decoration myself... but even for a genius like me, there are limits. Therefore, I search for and commission artists I deem worthy for the furnishings. Although it is outside my specialty, I have confidence in my aesthetic eye.”
“And so, you have chosen to acknowledge my work.”
“Exactly! If you possess the skill to create statues that radiate the presence of the gods, then I have an intuition that you could create a majestic statue of a gladiator! A statue for the Arena I am building—and its centerpiece—that would be equal to or better than the Arena I designed!”
I see... his seriousness and enthusiasm were fully conveyed.
“First, I am honored that you have acknowledged the statues I made. With that said, I must speak frankly: I have little experience making statues other than God Statues. Even if I were to make a statue of a gladiator, I cannot guarantee I will meet your expectations. It may take time for checks and corrections, or I may even need to ask you to commission someone else if it fails. Would you still be fine with this?”
“I do not mind at all. I have no intention of installing a statue that does not fit my work. In that case, I would clearly decline it. I will also be reaching out to other artists and craftsmen. However, I swear upon my name and the name of my house that I will never renege on the contract without cause. The installation of the statue is planned for the final stage of construction, so there is still a margin of years. Until then, I do not mind how many times you remake it.”
“...If that is the case, I will take on the challenge.”
“Oh! You accept!”
“Since you have assured me that my concerns are not an issue, I have no reason to refuse. Besides, as a creator, it simply makes me happy to have my work acknowledged and to be asked so earnestly.”
Master Beckentain wore a broad, guileless smile. I didn't know how well I could do, but I decided to at least give it a try.
And so, we confirmed the fine details and formally signed the contract—but the meeting didn't end there.
“Fwooooh?! Is this a Heat-Radiating Tree, roughly fifty years old! Its powerful growth rings and deep fragrance represent the majesty of the Great Forest... moreover, judging by its shape, this wood is one-fourth of a single log, which means the diameter of the original trunk was twice our height!”
“This is actually just a branch, and a young one from the lower part at that. The trunk is so incredibly thick that it cannot be easily carried out. Even this branch couldn't have been stored in this room if it hadn't been split into four.”
“What?! Such a great tree, and this is merely a twig? For an ordinary tree, such clear growth rings would not appear in a branch, and even if they did, they would be distorted... If this is a branch, then it is an unimaginably massive tree! It must be like a mountain made of wood!”
During the light small talk after the contract was signed, the topic turned to my recent stay in the Sea of Trees. When I mentioned that the plant in the reception room was a Heat-Radiating Tree, Master Beckentain showed great interest. After I added that I had collected a sample of a mature tree, we ended up in a spontaneous appreciation session.
In return for the talk about the tree, I got to hear more about the local architecture, which Foster had interrupted earlier. While it was interesting for me personally, I wondered if I had been led by a noble's conversational skills into talking too much. By the time we finished, a significant amount of time had passed.