3 bar menu

Chapter 241: Island Development

Alright, I verified the rocks and shells with Pal so I’m putting them on the island. I want to grow some plants before we depart for the labyrinth.

We’re leaving once Retze’s yearly herb collecting commission from the Pharmacist Guild ends. Dinosso also had a commission going on until tomorrow, I think?

In the middle of the night when nobody could see me, I went to the wasteland that would become my future fields and forests. I scattered the powderized former black boulders, adding pulverized shells from time to time.

I could see some areas that would need new stone retaining walls. Rain rarely falls here, but spirits occasionally summon raging tempests so I’d still put them up as a precaution.

I take out more black rocks and pulverize them with magic, then walk around spreading the powder and checking my work. Tiny spirits of the sea breeze, the hot winds, the cool zephyr, sunlight and waterway splashes appeared here and there.

Yeah, flowing water does attract them, huh. More spirits will come if flowers and trees increase on the island, I bet. The spirits I have a contract with usually come when I’m here, but they are usually scattered around doing their own business. I hope they’ll stay on the island if they find it comfortable here.

***

Alright, my work here was done. The gardener will do the rest, hopefully!

Ack, I’m all dusty now. Let’s take a bath first — I’m already here, so might as well enjoy a bath in the tower.

I 【Teleport】to the tower hall, then climb the stairs. I didn’t make a separate room for teleporting, so it’s the stairs for me.

I don’t switch the light on. I remove my clothes and enter the bath in the dark. The sea and stars fill my view. The only sounds I hear other than the ones I made are the wind and the waves as well as the water flowing in the waterways. I could also hear tiny insects from time to time; they’re probably in the thickets and bushes on the cliff.

Back when I was in Japan, the only constellations I knew were Orion, the Big Dipper and Cassiopeaia. I’m studying a bit about the constellations of this world, not because of a romantic reason, but because folks here have sayings such as ‘the season when so-and-so constellation hangs over the mountain’ and the like. I need to understand them for practical reasons.

Something similar to the North Star also exists here. It’s a white, noticeably bright star that doesn’t sit right on top of the earth’s rotational axis, and it draws a tiny circle in the sky on the first day of the month. It’s accompanied by a tiny blue star.

If you remember its position, finding your way when you lose your bearing would be a breeze if the night sky is clear. Well, it also hides behind mountains and trees depending on the location.

I spend a while immersed in a liberating mood, I then go back home and enjoy my dinner. I name a few spirits and spend a lot of time playing with Riche.

After playing, Riche felt hot, so he lay splayed on the floor as I brush his fur. I recently added a chilling magic circle to his brush and he’s ecstatic about it. It probably feels really good. His fur is super smooth, miles away from what it had been at first.

Ludere would suddenly appear in the darkness while I brush Riche, and it took everything in me to ignore him. Today’s the same. That pale face, elegant hair and beguiling good looks are all wasted on that guy. I was scared when he first appeared, but I’m used to it now.

I hurriedly finished my field chores before teleporting to the island the following day. First task was to make some snacks in the tower kitchen. I decided to do pectin jelly since I wanted to make a huge batch of something that lasts long.

The fruits will be pureed and added to the jelly that had been solidified because of the pectin. It’s not a smooth jelly, more like gummy drops in texture and firmness.

And so, I added raspberry paste to starch syrup and simmered it over the fire. Once it came to a boil, I added the pectin and granulated sugar mixture bit by bit while stirring it to dissolve the mixture. The raspberry aroma is really nice.

I took care not to burn the mixture clinging to the sides of the pot. Afterward, I divided it into several portions and added sugar to them while adjusting the sourness. It solidified before long, so I hastily hurriedly poured the mixture to a shallow flat bowl.

I repeatedly simmered and poured the mixture four times. Raspberries and black currant from the mountain house, oranges from the orchard, and the peaches I was troubled about how to dispose of were added to provide flavor.

The solidified jelly is then cut into cubes with suitable sizes, then granulated sugar is sprinkled on it and it’s done. I hurriedly bottled them to finish. Jellies are easy to make, perfect for huge batches!

For something salty, I decided to go with popcorn. Actually, I wanted to make fried mochi but… I still have to harvest the fields in the mountain and secure the ingredients first. In the meantime, I’ll make some rice cakes and dry them so that they’ll be ready for frying one of these days.

Afterward, I made my way towards the main building while carrying the basket with the bottles and pouches of snacks inside it. Auro suddenly appeared halfway through and he carried the basket for me.

Some of the employees followed us as we made our way to the break room so I could leave the snacks there. Auro told them to get back to work with a smile, and they did return to their respective stations. Are our employees truly alright? I feel a bit worried.

After I successfully placed the snacks in the breakroom, Auro whipped out a key. Not sure if he’s the chosen one, but it’s the key to the cupboard where the snacks were.

「You’re locking it? 」
「If we are not careful, they will indulge themselves and will go over the allotted break time. 」

A policy has been established before I noticed it. The snack cupboard would only be opened at the appointed time. Auro and Faramir were the ones assigned to monitor it, so both of them have keys.

Kiel is supposed to have the same role as the two, but I can easily imagine the reason why they won’t let him hold the key, unfortunately for him.

I just noticed, but my employees are all good-looking. They can do their jobs. Ah, but they might have sinful dispositions, being part spirits themselves. Actually, I just tried wording it fancily, but they’re just basically gluttons.

Next stop was the office where Soleil was diligently working. Auro knocked and opened the door, and the scene of Soleil sitting in front of her table with the huge glass window behind her came into view. Kiel was handing documents to her.

「You…! What did you bring for today!? The taste will get bad if we don’t eat it right away, right!? 」
Kiel became desperate the moment our eyes met.

Soleil and Faramir, who was standing in a corner of the room, stared at Kiel with exasperation.

Yup, we can’t let him have a key.