15-10 Part 2
Side Story: Aniue Says to Build an
Escape Route
- Forest and Potatoes -
Translator : PolterGlast
The next day. Building underground tunnels day after day
would drive me crazy. So today, I decided to perform some dynamic renovations and
use the Shovel on the pioneer land of Erin itself. This was actually Kachua's idea.
「Kuku... Truly the Giant Bergelmir.
Then the Shadows of Bergelmir means the organization that supports you.
That wouldn't be entirely wrong. Though it seems quite tough to support a
free-spirited one like you.」
Using a tree I had uprooted as a chair, Zirant was
spectating over here. Even though she said materialization uses energy, lately Zirant
has had leeway.
「Umu, about that. That is the gift of
the growth of the Shadows of Bergelmir and Erin. If I feel like
it, I think it's possible to act separately from you for about a few days.」
「Don't read people's minds.」
However, there are many times when the natures of the
taciturn me and the talkative Zirant mesh well. I silently pierced the
earth where the trees spread their roots, dug them out, and advanced by kicking
them down behind me one by one. I carved open the forest of Erin. No, I dug
it open. Because the forest here spreads further and further north, I have the
pioneers' guarantee that it doesn't matter how much I clear it.
「By the way, Zirant, do you
remember that white stake?」
「The one in Ratatosk? No,
wait, the small one that was in Ausar's underground tunnel. Your heart
is saying so.」
I paused my
work and glanced back to find the little Dragonewt-sama leaning against a tree,
chin resting on her hand as if to say she could see right through every single
one of my emotions. Don't come crying to me if you get stung by a caterpillar, Zirant.
「Before, I encountered Abyss Hounds
in the forest of Erin. Two of them, at that. Is something like this
possible?」
「Fumu... In other words, you want to
say that somewhere in this forest, in this land as well, there is a white stake
that summons Abyss monsters?」
「Yeah, isn't there a possibility?」
「Umu, I suppose so. But we are not so
free as to search for something that may or may not be there.」
「That's true too.」
Entering the work of digging up the forest again, I fell
silent for a while once more. At first, I felt a small sense of guilt about
destroying the forest, but now the excitement brought by pioneering wins out.
Many books from the other world sing the praises of coexistence with the
forest. If destroyed, it takes an endless amount of time to return to normal. I
understand that, but I think there's hardly anything as terrifying as untouched
nature.
「If it's
bothering you that much, why don't you just ask Sigrun—that outrageous, out-of-control hellion—to handle it for
you?」
「That's true, she seems like she
would happily wander around looking for the stake. But I plan to have Sigrun
accompany me on another matter.」
「Hoh. Consult Wagahai as your
top priority about such things.」
「You've got some nerve saying that
even though you tried to arrange a marriage with Yumil. It's a matter
that won't be a loss for you either, so look forward to it.」
Keeping a secret from Zirant, I continued to uproot
every single tree from the root onwards. Before I knew it, the sun that was in
the east was on the west side. It's past noon. I forgot to eat.
「Ah, there he is, there he is! Shinza,
I brought everyone!」
「It would have been better to wait
over there deshu... It's a terrible path with no place to step deshu...」
When I turned around, Kachua and Durin were
there. Kachua swiftly jumped across between the fallen trees, while Durin
directed what's called a half-glaring look (jitome) at me as if she had
some complaints. By the way, "jito-me"
refers to that moist, scornful look in someone's eyes—a damp, unpleasant glare,
I suppose. In other words, this look. It was unexpected that Durin
had become a bit more strong-minded since becoming Aneue's attendant.
But that's not a bad thing.
「The removal of the fallen trees was
scheduled for tomorrow onwards, wasn't it.」
「It is an order from Puis-san
and Atomina-sama deshu. Because you are clearing too much of the
forest, I was told to come and stop you deshu.」
「You really overdid it, Shinza...」
「Is that so?」
There was a place where fallen trees were piled up, forming
just the right kind of observation deck, so I quickly ran up it. A literal river
of trees lay before us, stretching out into the far distance. By my estimation,
it reached a depth of roughly 500 meters.
「Wouldn't it be better to clear out
about twice as much? I feel like it's still not enough.」
「Ashley-sama, have you lost your mind from overworking deshuka...?」
「I understand the feeling, but they
said to stop because the timber processing can't catch up...」
Inwardly, I felt it wasn't enough, but I stopped myself from
saying it out loud. On the other side of my vision, people swarming the timber
looked smaller than peas.
「Why don't you help with the
lumbering too?」
「No, I'm good with rocks and metal,
but I'm bad at cutting wood.」
「What a strange power deshu
ne...」
In other words, if someone wants to fight me, they should
probably come with a wooden sword instead of an iron sword. I jumped down from
that spot with a good view to next to Durin.
「Then shall we return. ...Durin,
sorry but get on my back.」
「Are you tired deshuka?」
「No, sorry for making you come, but I
want to return quickly.」
「Are you planning to piggyback Durin
deshuka...? That's embarrassing, so I'd like to pass deshu...」
「Ah, that's nice...」
「Yeah, next time for you, Kachua.
Then Durin, hold this.」
I somewhat forcibly pressed my ancestor's Shovel into
Durin's hands. And without giving her a choice, I picked Durin up
in my arms.
「Ashley-sama, t-this kind of thing is even more embarrassing deshuuu!」
「Because I can't bear to watch you
struggle. Let's go, Kachua!」
「Haha, this might be a little fun in
its own way... Yeah, after me, Shinza!」
Carrying Durin with both hands, we proceeded along
the path of fallen trees like wild monkeys and rendezvoused with the folks over
there. Kachua and Durin are to remain there and direct the
lumbering and pioneering. It seems Durin brought a newly created new
type of soil improvement agent, and she plans to spray it on this land once the
trees are cleared. So I returned to the forest again and gathered the potatoes,
which were a byproduct of the pioneering so far.
「Huh, Ashley, you hadn't
returned yet...?」
「To Durin, it looks like
you're carrying potatoes on your back deshu...」
「Yeah, they are all yams. With this
much, I could make a yam bath.」
「Hiyeeh?! Um, I want you to not say
disgusting things deshu...」
「You'd die from your whole body
getting itchy from something like that!」
It seems the metaphor was a little bit bad. However, let me
just say this. As a potato lover, even getting a full-body rash from that is a
long-cherished desire.
「Sorry, it's a metaphor. Then I leave
this place to you; I'll head back first.」
「Leave it to Durin and the
others deshu. Also, next time I want you to watch over Durin's
compounding again deshu. When Ashley-sama
is by my side, for some reason, things just seem to go well,
deshu.」
「I
(Ore) understand that too! When I'm with Shinza, somehow my skills
become sharper!」
With this much timber, we'll probably be able to build
houses for the beastmen who came here too. It's a story I heard later, but it
seems the pioneering schedule was advanced by about two months with this single
job.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
「Wh-What, tonight is awfully... This
is your doing, Ashley!?」
「Ufufu... Because Ashley dug
up so much, I accidentally made too much♪」
By the way, the dinner that day ended up being completely
full of yams. Grated yam, yam soup, steamed yam, a salad of yam and wild
vegetables, fried yam, and barley rice topped with grated yam. They were all delicious
enough that you'd never get tired of them.
「Faintly, Durin had a feeling
it would turn out like this deshu...」
「Ahaha, it is delicious, though! But
later, it feels like the area around my mouth will get itchy...」
Ah, my mouth started itching like crazy afterward, but no
matter. It was the greatest dinner I’ve ever had.
「Aneue, it's the best. I’m counting on you for a repeat
performance.」
「To have you be so pleased, I'm
happy♪ There's still plenty left, so leave it to me tomorrow too!」
「Atomina, everyone's faces are twitching. Spare them from having it
day after day.」
I heard the yam-filled meals continued for three days after
that. It's extremely regrettable that I couldn't keep them company until the
end.
☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆
【Book of the Evil Dragon】
- Adventure -
【Complete
a job worth over 10,000 Crowns at the Adventurer's Guild】
- Reward: EXP 600 / [Imperial Bond LV +1]
- Exploration -
【Walk
1,000 km around the Empire】 430 / 1000 km Completed
- Reward: Movement Speed LV 2 (Further all movement speeds +50%)
- 『The difference between the
first Emperor and you might be mobility. Wagahai thinks you should
acquire this before the world becomes turbulent.』
- Pioneer -
【Freely
Develop Erin】
- Development
Points: 3900 → 10700 / 50000
- Reward: EXP 1000 / Strongest Artificial Weapon
- 『The construction of Erin
Port. The destruction of the rocky reefs. The plundering of treasure from
a villain. The pioneering of the forest and securing of timber. All of it
was splendid. Wagahai shall praise you, saying it was a performance
surpassing even a giant. My Ashley, you did well.』
- Business -
【Turn
the Hez Company into a grand merchant fleet possessing 10 large ships】 6 / 10 Ships Completed
- Reward: Fleet's sailing speed +50%
- 『I probably should have ordered
you to prepare 10 large ships...』
- Purge -
【Bury
7 Villains】
3 Remaining
- Reward: EXP 1100 / Shovel LV +1
- Purge -
【Steal
1,000,000 Crowns of Dirty Money】 986,000 / 1,000,000
- Reward: Spatial Detection LV +1
- 『What a pity... Next time, shall
the two of us go attack the warehouse of the corrupt merchant we attacked
before?』
- Investment -
【Spend
a total of 10,000 Crowns】 6650 → 7050 / 10000
- Reward: EXP 1000 / Premonition of an Encounter
- 『That paella was delicious.
Let's go again when Carral Hez returns.』
- Table of Contents –
【Name】 Ashley
【Lv】 42 → 43
【Exp】 7990 → 8400
【STR】 105 → 108
【VIT】 284 → 286
【DEX】 258 → 260
【AGI】 240 → 244
【Skill】 Shovel LV 5 Scoop
LV 1 Imperial Bond LV 1 Direction Sense LV 1 Movement Speed LV 1 Digging
30x (Active)
『Ashley, I have high expectations for you from tomorrow onwards
too. I ask for another thrilling one like Lord Codwall this time,
kukuku...』
Zirant. Isn't
that impression a bit in poor taste, even for you...?
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