The following day, preparations for the town's construction began in earnest.
Marquis Rosemary dispatched professional surveyors and architects to draft the town's blueprints. Rest, Viola, Primula, and Yuri had shared their visions beforehand, allowing the experts to build a professional design around their preferences.
Deciding where to place major facilities, routing canals and sewage systems, planning monster countermeasures, and managing waste disposal—the experts lived up to the saying "to each his own trade." They possessed a wealth of knowledge that allowed them to synthesize everyone's ideas into a practical, realistic plan.
Surveying the land was a slow process, meaning actual construction was still a ways off. In the meantime, however, Rest had a mountain of work to get through.
"[Stone Wall]."
Rest invoked the spell, manifesting a solid stone slab before him. He then tipped the wall over, laying it flat against the ground.
"That’s about one kilometer done... but I’ve still got a long way to go."
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he let out a heavy sigh. He was currently tasked with infrastructure—specifically, paving the main highway. By lining up stone walls and tipping them flat, he was forging a road connecting the Marquis Rosemary Territory to his own future domain.
A paved road offered immense advantages. Dirt paths were at the mercy of the weather; rain often left ruts and puddles that made carriage travel treacherous. With stone pavement, the flow of people and goods would remain uninterrupted.
The territory I'm governing will be dependent on my neighbor, the Marquis Rosemary House. Securing this highway is an absolute necessity. Yes, this is the right move.
"[Earth Shield]."
While reassuring himself, Rest used his magic to level and prep the ground.
Using magic to pave roads wasn't unheard of; it was a standard practice. Normally, however, it required dozens of mages working in tandem. It wasn't a job for a single person. Only someone like Rest, with his infinite mana, could pull off such a feat single-handedly.
My mana is holding up fine, but repeating the same spell over and over is draining in its own way. Mentally, it’s a slog.
The repetition felt like endless assembly line work. While the infinite mana meant it wasn't physically grueling, several hours of monotonous labor began to grind down his spirit.
"Rest, do you want to take a break? I brought lunch!"
His only saving grace was Yuri's presence. She had accompanied him to provide food and water as he worked across the empty plains. Viola and Primula were busy elsewhere with administrative duties; as Yuri was unsuited for the clerical desk work they were handling, she had stayed by Rest's side as his support staff.
"I saw a delicious-looking bird flying nearby, so I made some skewers! Dig in!"
"A bird, huh? Well, at least it’s something recognizable as food..."
To put it politely, Yuri was a gourmet; to be blunt, she was an indiscriminate scavenger. Whether it was insects or monsters, if it looked "delicious" to her, she’d eat it. Worse, she’d feed it to others without a second thought. Having fallen victim to her culinary "adventures" more than once, Rest was always on edge about what she might serve him.
"Thanks, it's a big help."
Without stopping his work, Rest took the water and drank, then accepted a skewer and bit into it.
The two of them weren't alone; a crew of workers followed in Rest's wake. They filled the gaps between the stone slabs he manifested, making fine adjustments to the alignment and positioning of the road. Yuri made sure the laborers were fed as well.
"Alright, everyone! Food's ready!"
"Thank you, Young Madam!"
"Our thanks, Young Wife!"
"Much appreciated, Ma'am!"
Yuri wore a bashful, silly grin at the "Young Madam" comments, and everyone looked on with affection. She was naturally cheerful and innocent; despite being the daughter of a marquis, she never put on airs, making her a favorite among the common workers.
She actually has quite a lot of charisma, in her own way. She’s like a manager for a school sports team. She might not fit the mold of a typical noble lady, but she has the aptitude for leadership.
I suppose I’ll keep relying on her. For now, though, back to the grind...
Rest tore off a chunk of the grilled poultry and returned to the monotonous task of manifesting stone walls.
It wouldn't be until later that he learned the "bird" he’d eaten was actually a monster—a grotesque creature with a feathered body and the head of a frog. But that's a story for another time.