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Chapter 205: Situation on the Island

The following day was spent in the tower.

I wanted to go riding with Ash, but since she has to show Lilith how she’s living her life, Butler and the two of them went to the Adventurer’s Guild to receive commissions.

I rode a boat to Nalluahdid since I was going to the main building. I chatted with Gramps ferry-man and listened to gossip on our way there.

The news of the island gathering immigrants is circulating around. However, people seem suspicious of the notice about the aqueducts. They think it’s weird since there weren’t even any waterways yet. Plus, there’s also the announcement about changing clothes and washing them every two days at the very least, so folks have been keeping their distance yet observing how things go.

But, no matter how I think about it, what’s weird is that they don’t have any clothes to change into in this sweltering heat…! Should I supply clothes to the islanders?

I called the children who gathered from a distance and gave them some candies in exchange for news of the island. The kids told me about their own discoveries and the things their parents grumbled about. It was quite fun, and they seem to be aware.

They’re very lively; they were ecstatic to receive a single piece of candy. Just talking to them made me feel the world is brighter and better.

When I first came to this island, everything seemed gloomy, and the folks here desperately worked themselves to the bone trying to earn money. They still work really hard even now, but the desperation seemed more toned down. The island is probably progressing in a good way, so it made me feel a bit relieved.

From the village on the shore, we climbed a hill while passing through the old houses that had been fixed to become new. In the past, they built narrow and complicated roads, probably to prevent the enemy troops from invading the city. They’re wider now because some of the houses had been torn down and watercourses were constructed.

Still, there’s a lot of complicated stairways and slopes remaining, or should I say the masons had been actively connecting new buildings to the other ones through arches. If there’s a wide space that one can walk straight on, they’d fill it up with new buildings or something else, going on and on until these mysterious alleyways came to be.

The watercourses are also varied; some of them are open narrow canals running along the alleyways, some run through culverts and some bring water up from the ground and drain it back.
Well, Gold and Silver’s desire to build an impregnable fortress is unshakable so… I also thought people had to ride a horse-drawn carriage through the main street. The maze-like alleyways are fun to traverse so I’m glad now that it turned out this way.

Public restrooms were also constructed. The canals have also been widened so the vigorous flow of water slowed down now. We also built several places where people can draw water and they also drain into the sewers. Some of the inns, restaurants and houses in good locations have their own water system. The rent will also be higher for those.

The majority of the town is still covered in stones, but we also left some ground here and there. I requested our in-house gardener to come up with a landscape idea for the whole town and plant it accordingly, so I think it’ll eventually turn into a beautiful alley and not just one covered in cobblestones and stone walls… Well, you can say I just left everything to him.

We also drew some plans for the canals and drainage of the village along the shore, but it’s still on paper because we have to demolish the houses to a certain extent. Once the water flows here, half of the families in this sea-side community will move to the new city, while half will remain here.

The half that will remain also agreed to have their houses renovated, so we’ll start there after we finish developing the city. Boathouses, inns for temporary stays — we can add the buildings that are needed later on.

We passed through the alley and came out into the plaza — it’s like coming out into the light and there’s the sense of freedom. The 『Fae’s Bough』is constructed right in the facade, and a canal from the castle flows directly here, before branching out around the island.

We then walked on a wider street compared to the alley until we reached the castle gates and entered, then we passed by the square within the castle walls, crossed the bridge and we’re finally standing in front of the main building. Underneath the stone bridge and part of the aqueduct lies a precipitous cliff.

I parted with the kids here, greeted the working stone masons and carpenters, then went to meet Soleil.

Marlou was mopping the hallway of the main building.

「Thanks for the hard work. 」
「Yes yes, I really am working hard~ 」
Marlou seemed in a good mood, so it’s probably true that she loves cleaning.

In this world, folks carpeted the floors of corridors and dining rooms with nettles and other herbs that have disinfectant properties. The make-shift carpets are then thrown and replaced several times a year. That’s the dynamics here, but I can’t help but want to tell them they shouldn’t be throwing stuff on the floor… The ‘carpets’ would also have dead rats mixed in them, so I really didn’t know what to do when I heard about it.

However, it’s also true that walking on cobblestone pavement with hard-soled shoes or cloth shoes can be harsh to the feet. I’m still on the fence about whether I should put a proper carpet since it’s hot over here.

「Soleil, hold on to this for me. 」
「What is it? 」
I visited the office and asked a favor from Soleil.

Faramir had been on standby, but the moment I entered the office she bowed to me before going to the next room.

「Jar for storing snacks. I passed by the break room and it’s already empty. 」
It’s normal for servants to play hooky in suitable places. And so I prepared a break room where they can have a breather while drinking tea.

I put two-weeks worth of cookies and candies in the storage jars and wrote the date on them, but it hasn’t been a week yet but the jars are already empty. Seems like there’s an adult here lacking in self-control.

「Ahh… 」
Soleil averted her gaze, as if sensing my thoughts.

Faramir came right in time with a tray of cups.

「Thanks. Just distribute them to everyone once a week. And here, bonus for you two. 」
I handed four jars and a narrow box to them. The box is the bonus.

「Can we open it? 」
「Sure. 」
When I replied, Soleil received the box and handed it to Faramir who then opened it.

I drank the lemon water with a mint leaf floating on it that Faramir brought. I wished there was ice, but that’s too much of a luxury to demand.

「What a lovely aroma… Looks delicious. 」
Soleil murmured as she peeked into the box while Faramir picked the rum-soaked gauze with her white fingers.

I thought it might be too much if I brought cookies and candies every single time, so I tried making a fruitcake with plenty of nuts and dried fruits. It has lots of rum and sugar on it, so it’ll keep for a long time at room temperature.
「Well then, I’m in your care again. Enjoy. 」
When I left the room, I could hear voices from beyond the closed door.

「Soleil-sama, won’t we see blood if we were to divide this… 」
「I agree… Ahh, why don’t we let them cut it one by one, then let them have the slices but in reverse to the cutting order? 」

Soleil, you’re so smart! Ah, but Auro doesn’t like sweets, so shrieks of desperation and agony will probably echo all around when it’s his turn to cut.

No wait, is the battle for the snacks so harsh that two of my employees will scream their lungs out? Don’t tell me it’s really going to be a bloodbath?