BXBX NOVEL Chapter 083: To the undeveloped forest
The next morning, I led Lionel’s squad, Kefin’s squad, and Yarubo’s squad and left Ienith, departing for the forest within the undeveloped land.
“It seems like you’ve accumulated a bit of stress lately?”
” … Yeah. However, there are times when I have to do what I must.”
“But you are working too hard nya.”
“You don’t have any experience managing such domestic affairs right?”
“Yeah, none at all. But thanks to my perseverance, I got their assurance that they will remodel the slums so I believe this stress is a small price to pay?”
Lionel and Cathy were, “Burururu” and Fornoir, were concerned about me.
These past 10 days has been tough for various reasons.
Between getting to know about each beastmen’s specialty and how to go about planning the new business, I felt like I was in an actual straitjacket, in a situation where I could not do anything.
The working population made up 80% of the people while the remaining 20% was made up of children, those who cannot move their body and the elderly.
Thinking that that is a healthy distribution might instead deprive the beastmen of their fighting instinct.
“However, you sent a letter to the Adventurer’s Guild right?”
“Yeah. I thought of informing the beastmen who know about this beastmen country about the current situation.”
Lionel and Cathy were puzzled but they steadily began preparations.
“Well then, heading toward the forest today, how many trees do you plan to cut down?”
“Eh? Yeah, I’ll instruct those girls today how many would be fine to be cut down.”
I pointed at the carriage behind with my thumb.
“However, I am still worried if that is a lucky thing or an unlucky thing.”
” … So it was just as Gurohara mentioned, the slaves from the Empire mediated with that slave dealer?”
“Yeah. In the end, we did not capture him and we don’t know if there’s any underlying scheme involving the slaves that he left behind but I have a feeling that the grudge from the Empire was worsened once again.”
“Kukuku. Well, you could use them to construct the facilities like the orphanage so maybe it was a good thing.”
“That’s because Dolan and Paula made the orphanage and Naria purchased trainers for the children. However … ”
“You can’t blame them for saying they want to return to being slaves nya. There were kids that had lost most of their limbs or children that did not have sufficient to eat nya. Rather than being dumped at a strange foreign place, they would prefer to thank Luciel-sama nya.”
” … I really can’t get used to the -sama suffix after all.”
I became slightly embarrassed and gazed ahead.
The slave dealer I bought Lionel and others from was an assassin from the Empire.
But rather than that, I felt like the slave dealer had the role of screening for wealthy beastmen and individuals with strong desires.
Jasuan-dono headed directly for the slave dealership after hearing the talk. The guys and girls treated as slaves were weak but to be safe, there was a possibility that they received strange orders so I was called over to remove their slave contract using 「Dispel」.
When I was helping the 14 slaves, after I got their word that they will not talk about me applying recovery magic on all the members present, I healed all the guys and girls.
Currently, in order to become a receptionist or take up other roles in the Healer’s Guild, the guys and girls were receiving an education.
Unfortunately, the young man at that time was no longer there so he might have been purchased by some other person or he was dragged along by the slave dealer to act as his escort.
“However, I was taken aback that they commandeered that slave dealership.”
“Even so, those guys and girls are grateful nya. Of course, including me as well nya.”
“Indeed. A debt must be paid with a debt.”
The warm smile from the 2 of them healed my heart.
The road ended halfway along the journey but the grass was not tall enough to obstruct us as well and soon the forest was spread across our eyes in front of us.
“Well then, can the 3 elves alight?”
Dolan, Paula, and the elves alighted from the carriage together.
Their eyes no longer held the look of grief and despair from when I first saw them but now another problem erupted.
“Dwarf magic tools are the best.”
“I can make better magic tools than you can.”
The half-dwarf Paula and Elf Rician competed with their magic tool skills … or with their mouths currently.
“A dwarf like me loved by fire and earth is more useful to Luciel-sama.”
“This old decrepit sure can make a ruckus~. An elf loved by the life-carrying wind and all-enriching water is more useful to Luciel-sama.”
“Who’s the old decrepit. Isn’t you who have lived 3 times longer than I have the old decrepit here?”
While boasting about their own elemental spirits, Dolan and Milfeene snorted roughly as they argued about their usefulness.
“G … guys, give it a break.”
Said the flustered human and elf half, Crecia.
Crecia could view spirits but she apparently can’t speak with them.
“Ha~. Lionel, can you silence those few?”
“Hahaha.”
Lionel only laughed while Cathy who was looking at me until now quickly shifted her sight away.
“Ha~, gather around promptly. Rician and Milfeene, while teaching Crecia about how to converse with the spirits, select the trees that are alright to cut down. Kefin’s squad will assist them and tie this string around those trees.”
『Yes!』
“Dolan and Paula, help with the cutting down of the trees. Lionel, Cathy and I included will protect you two. Yarubo’s squad, protect Fornoir and the horses and let me know if monsters or adventurers approach from outside.”
『Yes!』
They are already completely my personal squad huh~. While thinking about that, I had them move out to perform their respective tasks.
“There’s quite a fair number of trees alright for cutting down huh.”
“Well then, I shall cut them down with this flame-spewing greatsword bestowed to me by Luciel-sama.”
“Don’t burn them.”
Apparently, in this world, the superhumans can cut down trees without getting their blades stuck in the trees.
While I felt impressed at the sight of the tree gradually inclining and falling down, Cathy snapped off the small tree branches from the fallen tree.
Their figure was amazing after all.
After they finish their tasks, I stored it in my magic bag, forming an assembly line.
Paula also manipulated the golem to fell the trees while Dolan had converted the mallet he was proud of into a large axe and became a lumberjack.
The logging went very smoothly so we soon past a hundred.
“Dolan, how much logs do we need to make that and for the plans?”
” … Going by the thickness of these logs, if we have 600 of them combined with the scrap wood from the houses in the slums, we should be able to manage. The Healer’s clinic don’t need any right?”
“Yeah. There’s a reserve of materials there so there’s no problem.”
What I intend to build was 50 units of houses and a school 3 times the size of the Healer’s Guild.
In addition, this time, I’m constructing those without asking for any payment but I’m doing it for a reason.
“Kya~”
Just as I was thinking, I heard a scream.
” … Advance while being vigilant. Lionel, if there are enemies, I give you permission to clad your sword with flames. Let’s go.”
The 5 of us headed towards the direction of the scream and saw that Kefin and the others had collapsed.
” … Where’s the enemy?”
” … I don’t see any nya.”
“I don’t know if it is treants, but I sense a fluctuation in magical power.”
“I see. If that’s the case, stay alert.”
After chanting 「Area High Heal」, I applied 「Recover」 to all members in order and they stood up while shaking or holding their heads.
“So, what happened?”
“We thought that fruits fell from the tree but when we bent down to pick them up …”
“They were mandrakes. I didn’t have the time to call out to them to stop.”
” … Well, it’s great that you all are fine.”
Since in fairy tales, it would normally not be strange that they die from that.
“Even so, these should be raw materials for medicine right?”
“Yeah. However, I heard that the preparation method had been lost.”
Since it was the material for medicine like elixirs.
“Well then, please do not perform any careless actions … Do you all feel like something’s shaking?”
” … Everyone stay vigilant. We are surrounded by monsters.”
…… So once the victims pass out, monsters would come to kill them.
“Absolutely do not die! As long as you are alive I will definitely heal you.”
I equipped my illusionary cane and shield.
“Rician, Milfeene, and Crecia, use this bow, if you can use it I allow the use of spirit magic.”
『Yes (Understood)!』
“Dolan and Paula, use the golem to stop the momentum of the monsters.”
“”Got it(Yes).””
“Kefin squad, prevent the monsters from approaching Dolan and Paula.”
『Yes!』
“Lionel and Cathy, rampage with your heart’s content.”
“Kakaka. I’m overflowing with fighting spirit from those words.”
“Leave it to me nya.”
The moment I applied 「Area Barrier」, I saw the enemies.
” … There’s a large number but do your best. I’ll consider giving a bonus if we win so absolutely don’t die.”
The mere material procurement journey had taken an unexpected turn of events but we will absolutely not die, I will not let them die, as I readied my illusionary cane.
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading.
I will continue writing diligently.