Chapter 406
Alright, so half a month has passed since it became possible to create something as dangerous as a Tsukumogami in the Spirit World.
"HAHAHAHA!!! FREEDOM!!!""Was it really that suffocating? Percy-san?"
I had thought that adding three Named individuals—Gato, Percy, and potentially Bermuda—would have a significant impact on this pioneer village.
In reality, with the arrival of new artisans, the pioneer village has become quite lively.
"Suffocating, you ask? Let me answer! It WAS suffocating!!"
Well, the "liveliness" is mostly just from this jumpsuit-wearing artisan, Percy.With a beaming smile plastered on his face, running around like a child in an adult's body.
I watch that sight alongside Felt, as if observing something heartwarming.
"I'm sorry. The more we transferred workshop staff here, the worse the harassment from those nobles became. This one here had become so stressed he couldn't even make things anymore.""I'm aware. I received reports on my end as well. They used some pretty rough methods, didn't they?""To be honest, it would have been dangerous without your protection. Attempted kidnapping, breaking and entering, attempted robbery, soldiers refusing to investigate, declining sales due to deteriorating public order. It felt like they tried everything they could."
The reason behind Percy's oddly high-spirited behavior, looking at the newly established workshop facility in the pioneer village's industrial district, cheering and frolicking like a child as if ecstatic, is simple.
Because the Percy Workshop was finally forced to close down after refusing what was essentially a forced "scouting" order.To be precise, it felt like they were targeted and crushed by shady figures from the underworld.
"We tried hiring adventurers' guild members or mercenaries, but no one would take the job.""My family was also targeted. We were even shunned by the neighbors. From our perspective, we thought it was a case where moving quickly was best."
Those actions themselves were within my expectations.It was a matter that could be handled by mobilizing the Entertainers.It was clear that the harassers from the underworld were connected to Duke Marchias, but we had no evidence to prove it and no means to fight back.
"Ah! A brand new furnace! This equipment is new too, and that over there!! Ahh, just! A new workshop is the best!!"
Moreover, fighting them would only expose our combat strength. So, cleanly securing the capable personnel of the "Percy Workshop" yielded more than enough profit for us.
"It's almost exactly the same as the workshop we used, isn't it?""Yes, well, I heard from the staff who arrived first and had our dwarves build it."
If Percy, who received a fitting reward for his hardship and is now frolicking like an excited child given a new toy, is happy, then the future of magical tool development looks bright.
With a beaming smile, he goes around touching the equipment, checking how it feels, and the air is already buzzing with the anticipation of starting work.
"Yep! This aisle is easier to walk through! Wait, it's bigger than the old workshop!!""Are you really okay with giving us facilities this good for free?""In return, I'll be expecting you to work."
And since we were welcoming them, the newly established Percy Workshop has a significantly larger area.The number of employees is the same as before, but considering we might add more equipment, building it larger was better.
"For now, the first orders are magical tool equipment and supplies for the school. Lighting fixtures, climate control systems, water supply systems—the quantities are large, so I'd like you to start as soon as possible. Please deliver the finished items to the prepared warehouse. Here, the order forms.""Are you really okay with ordering this much?""Good work deserves good rewards. That's my motto."
When I hand over the first orders to the Percy Workshop, Felt peers over my shoulder to look at the order forms.
"Mmm! Let's start making them right away!! We're making them, right! We are, aren't we?!""Yes, we are, dear.""You don't seem surprised.""I'm used to it."
Felt isn't flustered by Percy's sudden appearance upon hearing "orders" and shows him the order forms, slightly shifting her position. From their interaction, it's clear she's truly accustomed to it.
*I'd be jumping out of my skin.* One moment a grown man was frolicking around, then his presence just vanished, and the next thing I know, he's moved at high speed to appear behind me.
Percy shouldn't have any combat skills, yet he pulls off such movements naturally.In a way, it's a waste of talent.
"Alright then, everyone! For starters, let's go for eight thousand lighting fixtures!""The delivery deadline is in six months, is that okay?""Ha-alf a ye-ear...?"
I told Percy, since school construction is also starting, we'd like deliveries to match that schedule. But when he turned his head around, his face showed dissatisfaction.
"Ah, is it too short? In that case, we can extend it a bit...""No, no, the opposite!"
I thought the deadline was insufficient, but Percy cheerfully returned his expression to normal, waving his hands to deny it.
"If it's just this, three months is more than enough.""Three months... just for the lighting fixtures?""Nope, everything. Water supply, climate control, lighting, all of it. After all, the Percy Workshop's work is now exclusive to you! Plus, there's no time lag from ordering materials to delivery, and our business route is solely with you. We can focus entirely on making things!"
I was aware I had ordered a substantial amount, but to declare they could do it in half the time—first, I take my hat off to them.
"Umm, Percy-san says that, but is it really okay?""Yes, it's fine. Rather..."
Thinking normally, halving the delivery time seemed impossible, but when I looked at Felt, she nodded as if it were no problem.
"Considering this person's energy level, he might finish even sooner and come asking, 'Can I have the next job?'""Umm, are you serious?""Yes, serious."
In fact, I hadn't expected to be told there wasn't *enough* work.
"Ah, well, in that case, I'll bring orders for other magical tool equipment tomorrow.""Please do. That person gets withdrawal symptoms if he can't make things.""Then I'll also order consumable magical tools and such.""Having regular work is a big help.""Payment in materials they can use freely and daily necessities like food is fine, right?""Yes, if we have the materials, we can make daily items and consumables ourselves here."
I thought I had brought a fairly large order for them, but the boosted enthusiasm of artisans under a "boot camp" status effect is something else.
Gripping tools gleefully, they've already started working. The movements of their hands are so precise, repeating certain actions robotically.
"Well then, I leave it to you.""Yes."
At this rate, I hope they don't get so absorbed in the joy of making things that they come asking for more work in like a month.
Feeling a positive kind of unease, I leave the workshop and head to...
"Gato-san, are you here?""Ah, Liberta-kun.""Liberta, 'sup!""Liberta-kun, good work♪"
The training facility, also known as the Entertainers' training ground.At first glance, it's a bouldering facility, but it also includes training equipment for physical conditioning, a maze modeled after ruins, boxing-ring-like equipment—everything needed to train scouts.
Heading to that facility and searching for my target, Gato, I find him talking with Judeus and Shalia.Ignoring the background sight of men in their underwear, I approach and greet them, and the three turn to return the greeting.
"So, how's Gato-san's class?"
What I had asked Gato to do was to teach knowledge about scouts in the adventuring field—things like vigilance and reconnaissance—which will likely become part of the school's curriculum in the future.It's essential knowledge in the field of adventure.
"It's awesome, super easy to understand!""Yeah! Easy to understand and useful. There was a lot I didn't know either."
I wanted him to teach the Entertainers and gain experience as an instructor.
"Hohoho, everyone is so excellent. They absorb my knowledge in no time.""No, no! Even though we're clearly higher level, we're losing at hide-and-seek!""Yeah, yeah! We realized we're still amateurs at both finding and hiding."
Even with a level gap, Gato's knowledge in the field of experience is the real deal.I'm glad it will positively influence the future activities of the Entertainers.
"The most surprising was when I was hiding right next to the entrance, holding my breath.""Nah, I was more shocked when he was glued right to my back. If he matches my breathing perfectly, I can't notice.""You can't survive if you're not good at hiding. It's the wisdom of an old geezer who managed to live long."
Learning from someone of lower level. I thought there might be some aversion to that, but none of the Entertainers seem to have such a mindset.They seem to respect and admire Gato's skills.
"By the way, did you need something from me?""Ah, yes. It's about the school we're building now. You mentioned wanting a training facility that utilizes the natural environment, right?""Ah, that matter. While having indoor training facilities like this is good, real-life situations are often in natural environments. We'd be happy to have a facility adjacent to nature."
Gato also seems to take joy in passing on his skills to future generations, enjoying his role as a teacher.Since he started teaching, he's been making various requests.Not just about facilities, but he even brought up making paper for teaching materials and asked about bookbinding. I was surprised, but indeed, if we could bind books and create teaching materials, training would advance. So, we're planning to prepare equipment for that too.
I was thinking of asking Percy's group after the lighting fixtures, but at this pace, it seems they'll be able to start on it quite soon.
"The resource survey is finished, and we found a mountain suitable for training. Here are the documents for the candidate mountains. Please look them over and narrow down the candidates.""So quickly. And there are quite a few.""It's thanks to Judeus and the others working hard. If you want to thank someone, thank them.""Well, we're the ones who'll be using it.""We worked hard♪""Thank you, everyone."
Things are steadily progressing—plans for building a viaduct to connect to the training facility and various other projects—and the manpower shortage is starting to become apparent.
If the second daughter's Tsukumogami gets on track, we might manage with fewer people, but stable supply is still a ways off.And even if supply becomes possible, we'll still need people.
"Liberta, there you are.""Claudia, what's up?""A message came from the main temple. Regarding the permission for temple construction and the placement of divine statues. The details change depending on the scale of the temple we build, so they requested you come to the main temple once."
The weakness of this pioneer village is undoubtedly the small number of people. I've been maneuvering various ways to manage without carelessly increasing the population, but results are slow to come.
Right as I'm thinking about that, Claudia hands me a single letter—a summons from the church that venerates the gods.
"I see. Then, let's go."
Receiving it and reading it once, I decide on my next destination.