Chapter 370
With the dwarves joining, you could say the pioneer village became even livelier.
"Hey! Which one of you cut this material?! It's off by a millimeter, you bastard!!""Huh?! That lumber is supposed to be cut that way to match the other pieces better!!"
Well, whether you can call it 'lively' is highly questionable, but even when argumentative, they are properly exchanging opinions.That seems to be the dwarven way.
It's been three months since I commissioned the model houses.
While the vertical farmlands' test operations went well, their construction proceeded, and agricultural production steadily increased, model houses began lining up one after another on the nearby land.
Once freed from the constraints of a budget, these dwarves acted like fish in water, building houses one after another.
Mass housing production by twenty teams of craftsmen, ten groups in total.
Since every design is different, the original residents are also very interested.
"Wow, I told them to build a lot, but I never imagined they had this many ideas."
The prepared land is four hectares. Even though they've built enough houses to be called a residential district, their enthusiasm shows no sign of waning.
Houses keep appearing on the allocated plots, and each one has a different character.
Southern architectural style: the standard medieval European fantasy style, familiar in a way.Eastern architectural style: buildings reminiscent of Edo-period samurai residences. Personally, this style feels most familiar and comfortable.Western architectural style: residences with somewhat colorful appearances, like those from the Middle East, pleasing to the eye.Northern architectural style: perhaps best described as prioritizing practicality? It's simply an architectural form that gives the impression of being "sturdy."In addition to the initial starter houses, once they began creating houses that mixed styles from different regions, they couldn't stop.
Every building has its merits and its shortcomings.
"I like the appearance, but the kitchen is too small.""I see, I see. How big would you prefer?""Well... my family is large, so I'd want it about the same size as that room."
Prototypes are just prototypes.The houses where the shopkeepers, the entertainers' families, and Genjirou's families lived were different for each household.
Each residence has its own character, and thus, complaints arise.Don and the dwarves are listening to feedback from residents who tour these houses.
However, they don't blindly accept a single person's opinion; they treat it as just one reference point, to be reflected as ideas for future house construction.
"Seems to be going well, Don.""Lord Liberta, yes, we're enjoying our work every day.""Enjoying it is good, but be careful not to overwork. I heard from other residents that you're still working after dark.""Ugh."
That diligence is good, but being too absorbed requires caution.When you love something, you truly lose track of time.
"I've also received noise complaints that even after going home, the shouts of work planning discussions echo in the neighborhood, keeping people awake."
This is typical for gamers like us.If it were just that, I'd have given a wry smile, urged them to consider their health and improve, and left it at that.
"......My apologies. I'll be more careful in the future."
But causing trouble for the surroundings is not good.That's why, unusually for me, I came to warn them with a stern face.
They try to be considerate, but when engrossed, their perspective narrows.
Until now, Genjirou, Judes, Sharia, and the entertainers had many interactions with residents through maintaining public order.The shopkeepers, whose livelihood depends on customer interaction, are professionals at dealing with people. Mr. Zinc's group, being conscious of not causing trouble, never had such issues.
"However, that will slow down the work.""Yeah, let's adjust that. I also left the details of how many houses to build and by when entirely up to you, Don."
I share some blame for not urging more consideration. Also, the dwarves' residences, being newcomers, were located away from my area, so I wasn't affected by the noise and noticed late.
The noise threshold gradually lowered, voices gradually got louder, and the neighbors who had initially accepted the dwarves as comrades, knowing their character, thought it would eventually settle down, delaying any warning.
In reality, the dwarves only shout at each other about work among themselves.Regarding neighborhood relations, they try to be friendly in their own way, and their sincerity in wanting to join the community is visible.They greet properly, proactively help women carry heavy items, and never forget words of thanks to the women preparing meals.They properly help with odd jobs when other men are working.In fact, the combat-capable craftsmen have recently been helping with night guard duties.
"Gah! Is the deadline being moved up?""No, on the contrary, it's more like extending the deadline to create some leeway.""It's okay if it's later?""Yeah, yeah. Creating high-quality things quickly is tough. Trying to hurry means you guys have no time to rest and have to shout and work through the night."
Genjirou and the entertainers, knowing the dwarf warriors Clarice brought, highly value them for their low, solid center of gravity and high combat ability.Being craftsmen, they have high concentration and are serious. Since they approach work earnestly, they don't mind standing watch for long periods, earning good reputations from Genjirou and the others.
At first, it was fine. But as they built one house, then two, they enjoyed it more, and their passion to create even better things led to this runaway side effect.
Actually, the complaints were gentle, like, "They're good people, but could they be a bit quieter at night?"
So, seeing Don's repentant attitude, I softened my stern expression.
"I understand the passion to achieve results quickly. But if you push too hard, break your health, and produce results, you lose everything.""We dwarves aren't so fragile.""Yeah, but it's certain that having some leeway is better, right?""That is......""Creating good things takes appropriate time. You can't create masterpieces by skimping on effort. I know that.""!"
Sensing that the reason for their passion was a misguided desire to prove themselves useful here, I gently conveyed.
"It's okay. The people here aren't the short-tempered type to demand immediate results."
Originally, Don and his group didn't get along well with the powerful.I heard the reasons from Clarice.
The powerful saw craftsmen seemingly creating masterpieces easily and thought they could lower costs and mass-produce with short deadlines.Large-scale workshops could handle it to some extent.
They demonstrated they could handle it.
But small and medium workshops couldn't.All craftsmen were lumped together, and if they didn't produce results, their evaluation dropped.It's a common black-hearted judgment seen in one-man management operations.
The reason I say most FBO troubles are man-made is because of these rampant issues.
If Don had a Japanese corporate drone mentality, he might have handled it with overtime. But as a dwarf who clearly states what he can't do, he left a bad impression on superiors.
Concluding that the craftsman is at fault for inability, leading to exclusion and a weak position.
Don's concern about results stems from this history.
They shout because they're desperately trying to produce results. They discuss until midnight because traumatic memories resurface when they try to sleep.
When Clarice asked for help considering these circumstances, I wondered what to do. But ultimately, Don and his group are serious and skilled.
Even considering these circumstances, judging from their character, I couldn't bring myself to expel them just because they didn't produce immediate results.
Their leveling is also progressing with non-combat craftsman builds or half-combat half-craftsman builds.
"It's okay, let's proceed without rushing.""......Yes, Lord Liberta!"
Don and his group are victims.They are afraid to trust.
They were even half-doubting the words of the girl, Clarice.They are trying to trust me, whom they haven't known long, but they thought they wouldn't be trusted unless they actually produced results.
This delicate feeling caused the misguided efforts.
Adjusting those misguided gears is the duty of me, the person in charge of this town.When their motivation becomes full-fledged power, they can demonstrate even greater ability than now.
"Alright! Enough gloomy talk!"
Actually, the warning wasn't the main point. What I'm about to say next is the main topic.
Clap I clap my hands, trying to lighten the atmosphere even a little.
Then, I take out a blueprint from my Magic Bag.
"That is...""Yeah, the vertical city concept you guys created. It was very well done."
This is the fruit of Don and his group's efforts.A town they created, incorporating my words and mobilizing all their knowledge.
"A town divided into five levels in total. Underground: lifelines. First floor: military base and emergency civilian shelters. Second floor: the railway network I proposed for material and personnel transport lines. Third floor: workshops concentrated in the industrial district, combined with the commercial district. And the topmost layer: the residential district."
In a word, it's like a giant self-sufficient fortress.It's a concept only possible because we're enclosing it in a box shape with city walls and there are still few buildings.
"For the vertical farmland, we designed it to restrict entry, preventing non-involved personnel from accessing the lower military and infrastructure sections, and focusing on delivery to the transport and commercial sections."
Various calculations are written in; it's clearly a structure thought through thoroughly.We'll need to make the city walls even taller, but they will become quite substantial as defensive facilities.
For inter-level movement, we'll use large slopes and enlarged versions of the elevators on the Factory Golems. Traffic flow is well-considered, with no blind spots likely to become slums fostering crime.
By making the railway network independent per level, tracks won't hinder other movement, and train accidents can be minimized.Being independent also minimizes schedule disruptions.
In the future, we can also build an elevated bridge railway network based on this height.
The feeling of confinement from the enclosed space is covered by ensuring light volume with Sun Stones, and temperature and air conditioning management with Thermo Control and Air Clean.
Placing the most open living environment on the rooftop alleviates the feeling of confinement.Countermeasures for strong winds, like building walls or preparing special magical tools, are also written.
"Furthermore, on top of that, I've seen the maintenance plans and manuals for the magical tools attached to the buildings and other facilities."
Preparing all of this would cost an astronomical amount and require an incredible quantity of materials.
But.
"Let's build it. This town."
I gave the go-ahead for this plan with a smile.