Chapter 365
'A safe town is only possible on safe ground!' That's what my FBO friend used to say.
Wait, wasn't that about building a house? I remember we all exchanged wry smiles at the sheer scale of his ideas.
But, whether it can be realized aside, building a town on stable ground definitely leads to a safer town, that much is true.
"Foreman! We've finished digging on this side!""Alright! Go help on the west side next!""Yes, sir!"
Handing out yellow helmets with the kanji for 'Safety First' and working in specially ordered work clothes, my gaze is fixed on the huge hole created in just one month.
Humans, when properly taught, can learn to work efficiently.
In terms of area alone, it's quite vast—about one kilometer in both length and width.The depth is also around twenty meters.
Even using the cheat that is golems, creating such a huge hole in just one month is simply due to high motivation, I guess.
The digging of the hole itself is almost done, and reinforcement work is progressing in parallel.
The very first thing we reinforced was the ground.We implemented ground reinforcement with 10-meter-thick Block Golems to strengthen the foundation.Since we mixed 'Mark of the Weakling' into the Block Golem material, we've created an unbreakable foundation.Seriously, the Mark of the Weakling is so convenient.We've asked the spirits to secure a large quantity for us, and we're also buying up all the Marks of the Weakling from the markets in the Royal Capital and other cities.Most are sold for a pittance, and sometimes we can even collect them for free. It's fantastic.What's needed for town construction isn't combat strength but durability. An unbreakable foundation? That's just the best.Additionally, we've installed 5-meter-thick Block Golem walls on the sides.
This underground space is for placing the sewage system beneath the town.Water is essential for human life, and wastewater management is also essential.
If wastewater treatment isn't perfect, it can cause epidemics, and dumping wastewater onto the surrounding land leads to environmental destruction.
So, we're building a facility under the town to manage all wastewater.
The structures that will support the town built on top of this underground facility are formed by Block Golems made with the Mark of the Weakling.
Truly, the friend you should have is one from the construction industry.Using game-specific ideas, they built a production system like this.I often got advice from them on town-building, and that knowledge is being put to good use.
"But, is it okay to keep working like this? The more golems we make, the bigger the hole gets, and since we're building the city walls at the same time, we won't be able to produce enough golems to fill the hole."
I'm relatively free aside from checking blueprints and monitoring construction progress.Since Amina needs to be nearby for summoning/dismissing golems, she often strikes up small talk like this.
Three members of the Oniwaban Corps are around us as guards.
Nell is also operating Commander Golems, working on building the city walls that will surround this hole.Claudia and Lady Esmeralda went to the Royal Capital today using the transfer pendulum to report to the Duke and handle procedures for receiving the dwarves.Ingrid is back in the village with the other women, organizing meal preparations and food distribution.
Genjirou's family is arriving soon, so we need to change house allocations.We also need to prepare for the dwarves' arrival, so it's quite busy.
Even so, we have to keep progressing with the pioneering.Truly, pioneering is tough. While thinking this might draw complaints from those who know standard pioneering, I answer Amina's question.
"Ah, it's fine. We have an incredible amount of golem materials."
Block Golem materials are the dug-up earth and stone.We process that with alchemy into bricks of a certain strength.That process includes compression, so naturally, the size becomes smaller than the excavated earth.
Moreover, we're constructing massive city walls encircling this hole, so we lack the mass to fill it back in.
"Incidentally, we can also get flat land, killing two birds with one stone.""Flat land? But if we dig a hole, we can't get flat land, right?"
If so, we'd need to bring new earth from elsewhere, but normally using Factory Golems would turn all flat areas into holes.
"There are non-flat parts, right?""Eh? Could it be...""Yes, the largest material occupying the most area in our territory..."
Fortunately, the land I insisted on has plenty of things to solve that problem.
When Amina looks in the direction I point, she blinks a few times, then looks at me, her gaze asking, 'Are we really doing this?'
"Yeah, from now on, whether we build a town or construct walls along the border, we'll never have enough material. We need to make effective use of what we have."
I think I saw Amina's mouth twitch a little, but it must be my imagination.
"Fortunately, the weather is good, and Genjirou and the others have secured a path up to the summit of that 'mountain' over there. We'll start on it tomorrow."
Normally, most people wouldn't even think of leveling a mountain, let alone making an entire mountain disappear.We've used all the dug-up earth for the city walls and foundation reinforcement, and soon there will be few places left to dig.Well, smashing such common sense head-on is what FBO players do.Looking up at the sky, satisfied with the perfectly clear, cloudless weather, I eagerly await tomorrow's 'field trip.'
So, we finished that day's work and announced tomorrow's plans.When I said we'd level the mountain—or rather, dig it all up—they were stunned. But if we can do it, we just will.
The mountain is quite tall, and if there were monsters, it would be very difficult to proceed, but we've handled that properly.
It might take time just to climb, but using Crane Golems, we can transport workers up in one go.
We've already taken sealing measures against the mountain monsters, so there's no worry of respawns.
So, all that's left is to simply carve away the mountain.
We deploy Harvester, Road Roller, and Crane Golems simultaneously, swiftly transporting the cut materials.The workers have been trained for this day to operate all three types smoothly at once, and the work proceeds seamlessly.
Furthermore, we use Factory Golems to transform the carved-away mountain into Block Golem material.
Mass production upon mass production.
"It's awe-inspiring."
Block Golems steadily descend the path we came up, gathering in the square before the great hole visible from the summit, continuously transforming into city wall material.
"You said that if we use a Commander Golem to control Commander Golems, operating the Block Golems along the way would be easy... and you were right.""How is it in practice? Not too difficult?"
Next to me, admiring the view, is Amina, operating a Commander Golem (of a slightly different model) that controls other Commander Golems.
"Since the movements are simple, the operation isn't that hard.""I'm glad to hear that."
Amina is giving instructions for the scattered Block Golems to properly descend and move to the Block Golem collection point.
"Liberta! I brought them!""Great! Golem Cores for units 4 and 7 are running low, so replenish those, please!""Got it!!"
And today, Nell isn't on wall duty; she's using a Crane Golem to transport Golem Cores from below.
Though she's not riding alone, she nimbly jumps down from the air and lands right next to me.
"Lord Liberta, I have brought lunch.""Thank you, Ingrid.""You're welcome. I shall prepare it immediately.""Yeah, everyone! Let's take a lunch break!"
Since that day we spent together, Ingrid has started showing a little more expression—really, just a little.Right now, she's unfolding a portable table and arranging lunchboxes taken from a Magic Bag.
The workers laugh, saying they're hungry.Her expression remains impassive as she hands out lunchboxes to each one.
"Here is your portion, Lady Amina.""Thank you!""You're welcome. I also have tea prepared."
However, with her comrades, a slight change is visible.Ingrid, with just a tiny softening at the corners of her mouth—almost a smile—receives a sunflower-bright smile from Amina in return.
"Here is your portion, Lady Nell.""Thank you! Oh, my favorite egg sandwich!""Yes, I heard from Lady Teresa, so I made extra."
Seeing Nell's tail wagging happily upon learning her favorite food is inside, Ingrid's eyes crinkle slightly, her expression gentle.
It's clear she's making an effort to show her emotions since being told it's okay.
"Lord Liberta.""Thank you. Ingrid, eat with us too.""Yes."
At lunchtime, people usually split into their teams to eat.So today, the party members are also eating together, but...
"Foreman, got a moment?""Hm? Something up?"
It's common for people to come with questions during the break.
"Yes, it's about the work on that side. It's a bit narrow, and securing footing is difficult."
This time, it's the team leader in charge of Factory Golem No. 6.His name is Cho.He's young, originally a merchant dealing in leather goods, but converted to a pioneering worker.
His trained eye for detail helps him notice these small issues, making him good at safety management.He's a very valuable person.
He already had a sturdy build, but since becoming a worker here and getting tanned, his skin has become a healthy wheat color.It suits his short, dark brown hair nicely. A muscular nice guy.
"Ah, for that, it's better to circle around from this side and carve in.""Ah, I see! Thank you!""No problem. It helps when you come and ask like this.""Well, in most constructions like this, asking questions usually gets you yelled at. But you explain things carefully, Foreman, so it's easy to work with."
He shows me the work map. I suggest approaching from a direction that seems safe, and he smiles, saying he should have thought of that.
If you don't create an environment where reporting, contacting, and consulting is easy, it becomes a breeding ground for accidents.
At first, no one would come ask questions during meals, but after hearing that delaying questions led to problems, I made it known that if you're stuck, ask immediately.
In this world, where 'learn by watching' is the norm, my statement was apparently outside common sense, and I remember it caused quite a stir.
"Besides, my child is due soon, so I need to work hard to earn properly.""The first child in our village. We'll support you on the medical side too, so work with peace of mind.""Yes! Really, life has become much easier since coming here. My wife says she feels reassured because everyone around helps."
Employee benefits—such a word doesn't exist in this world.But that doesn't mean we can't do it.
I don't want anyone unable to focus on work because of worries.I'll do everything I can within my power.
"I see, that's good.""Yes! Oh, sorry for bothering you for so long."
And once his business is done, he returns to his team.Watching him talking and laughing with his team further ahead, I feel reassured. 'That's what matters most,' I think, and take a big bite of the sandwich Ingrid made for me.