Chapter 164: Research and Maintenance
I was in the forest digging the ground for the foundation and cellar. This place was already dug up before, so it’s easy peasy. Yup, I already have 【Storage】, but there’s something about building a whole place from scratch that made me want to do just that. Cellars are commonplace here, but making one can be quite an ambitious project.
Folks build houses that really last for ages. Usually, the descendants inherit the houses because people don’t build them repeatedly. The first generation builds the house, the second generation works hard on the interior, and the third generation buys furniture. If the fourth generation can still live in that house, that means they’re excellent proprietors.
I guess it’s similar to houses dating back to the Edo period in Japan? I wanted to try living in one even once.
This place is cooler, so Riche is happily gnawing on X-Stick.
Digging the hole was a piece of cake, I just broke the soil gently with a shovel then chucked it into 【Storage】. I think 『Zanzenken』might also work, but it feels like I’m not doing the sword justice if I did.. Besides, that’ll be boring, so for now, we’re going with the【Storage】 method.
Not complaining since it’s very fast and easy, as I said. Plus, I don’t have to go anywhere to get the materials.
I ruminate about the island while working on the house. Is there someone else like Ash, a young daughter of a duke? Ash is not an option, since she’ll definitely be way too serious about it. I’m sure she’s gonna throw herself in the management of domestic affairs to the point that she won’t play with us anymore, so nope.
At any rate, I’ll just go to the library and get knowledge. Riche also feels hot, so I have to come up with a way to cool him down, too.
With that, I finished my work, go into the bath to refresh, then went straight to the library. I searched for shelves related to magic circles and after finding some, I took a few books that seem relevant.
Yeah, I totally neglected my plan to learn how to draw magic circles. I haven’t met any spirits bigger than Horse, but I’m still doing everything by force.
I skimmed through the books, traced and copied magic circles that seemed like they’re gonna be handy, jotted the materials needed and noted the method of activation. Hmm~ I won’t be able to memorize all of this, so the effect will probably be a watered-down version, but the method of activation can be as simple as placing a manastone, huh.
Scritch, scritch. Also jotted down anything interesting.
While drinking tea, I strived to keep my focus on these books that make one get lost in a daydream halfway through. Coffee might be the better choice, but I opted not to, since the aroma can be quite strong. The steam from the cup wafted up towards the high ceiling of the narrow room.
Yeah, the silence is so deafening as usual, so the rustling of the pages sounded loud and clear. I lost track of time, but this way of living isn’t so bad.
Five days passed with me holing up in this place, only going home to sleep and take a stroll with Riche, so I decided to end this. I have to check the fields and the fruit trees or else summer’s really gonna catch me unaware.
Just when I noticed the fragrance of plum blossoms wafting in the air around my home, even the peaches, apricots and almonds were already in full bloom with pink flowers. The glowing white blossoms of apples and pears also bloomed, then scattered with the wind, and hot weather came in just a blink of an eye.
The gooseberries’ green and red translucent berries were hanging low in the woods, and the juneberries and plums were also changing their color. They’ll probably turn bright red in no time.
And so, enough of the mountain wild fruits, time to focus on the fruit trees that I’m taking care of. I picked the flowers so that the fruits can grow nice and huge. I should’ve picked the pear and apple blossoms earlier, but they’re blooming so beautifully that I ended up taking this long to do it. Besides, the spirits are happier when flowers bloom, so yeah.
Sometimes, tiny spirits cling to the remaining calyx, so I try to pick while leaving them there.
Apples, pears, citrus, orange — pluck, pluck, pluck. This is a tough job to do alone, but Mischt’s here today.
It’s not like she’s helping me; she just watches me work, smells the jasmine flowers, basks in the sun while floating. Still, having someone around sure feels different than working alone.
Khadar and Mischt often hang out in the orchard, Pal in the fields and Ish usually stays beside water. Van also frequently drops by to check what I’m making, and I usually see Halalfa in places where the flowers are in full bloom.
The grapevine trellis is in full bloom now, so I saw her right beside the house. I was taken aback at first, since grape blossoms are quite plain. Halalfa is a gorgeous flashy beauty, so I honestly thought she’ll prefer roses and other showy flowers.
Ludure, on the other hand, usually appears beside me without a sound while I read at night, giving me quite a scare. Well, it might be more accurate to say that he’s staring at Riche instead of being beside me.
As for Riche, the dog in question, I thought he’d be happily gnawing X-Stick, but I found him napping; he crammed himself in a shallow hole he dug in the tree shade.
「It’s really hot for you, huh, Riche. 」
「Yup, the Riche of old would have frozen this entire land, mountain and all. 」
I said my thoughts out loud while gazing at Riche, when Mischt suddenly quipped. That’s scary.
「Ah, but maybe it’s because of Jean that he’s compromising and enjoying the seasons without generating a single ice cube? Quite unexpected, if you ask me. 」
Mischt tilted her head cutely.
「Maybe he’s lying low at this time, and is conserving his energy for later. 」
Whoa! Please don’t appear so suddenly like that for goodness sake, Ludere! You keep on popping out without any warning so it’s bad for my heart, you know. But rather than that —
「Are you okay coming out in bright places? 」
「… It’s a bit hard. 」
Yeah, you know this Spirit guy, he’s weak against brilliantly shining sunlight pouring on him. He said he governs Earth, Silence and Magic, and yet he’s okay with cloudy winter skies and autumn. His skin is very pale, so maybe he’s weak against UV rays…?
Eh, but Riche, the deity of darkness, is fine outdoors, though.
NEXT CHAPTER
RELEASE RATE
I Got Transferred in the Middle of a Mountain
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 80 hours
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