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TL: ALT
Chapter 174 – Day 5 of Management Life
On their day off, the two dwarves cooked a large batch of meatballs over a bonfire in front of the cave. The meatballs were made from a mixture of crocodile and turtle meat, and the broth was made from Haze Turtle. Just smelling it made my mouth water!
“It’s a local dwarf dish.”
Katan explained how to eat it.
Apparently, you eat them with thin bread wrapped around wild herbs.
“Delicious…”
I thought the monster meat would be tough, but it had been simmered for so long that it fell apart in my mouth, releasing its juices. The broth was flavorful, and the mountain pepper from the demonic land added a spicy kick, making it impossible to stop eating.
The wild herbs sandwiched between the bread weren’t very aromatic. Did they select the ones I usually eat?
“I dried the aromatic herbs, crushed them, and sprinkled them lightly. I thought it would be better to prioritize texture over aroma.”
“This is delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“But you two should rest today.”
“Hmmm. I’ll eat a lot and then sleep.”
Kahiman must have found the taste nostalgic because he ate it all at once and choked.
They haven’t been in the demonic land that long, but perhaps they are living an intense life.
“Hmmm… I guess it didn’t work…”
Hel came over, scratching her messy hair.
Yesterday, we had a lot of things we wanted to do, so I told everyone to make plans. Not everything will go as planned. The demonic land isn’t so boring that you’ll find out something is impossible until you try it.
Hel is knowledgeable, so she sees things differently than I do. I’ve lived in the demonic land a little longer, so I can quickly judge what’s possible and what isn’t.
“I made a plan for the waterway, but cutting down trees, digging holes, and maintaining it would require too much effort.”
“I figured as much. Even if you work hard to maintain it for a day, the plants of the demonic land will invade it the next day. It only takes a moment to build and destroy.”
“That’s right. I thought we could cut down the trees with P.J.’s knife, but the Guardian Spiders are watching.”
“Should we put the work on hold?”
“No. If we put it on hold, the demon king carrying the cargo will eventually break his back. I was thinking of asking Sylvia for help.”
Just then, Sylvia and Lipa finished their morning training and came up the hill.
“Hey, are you guys up to something?”
“I need to borrow a few Rock Crocodiles from the Crocodile Ranch.”
“S-sure.”
“You want the Rock Crocodiles to carry the cargo?”
“Yes, because Rock Crocodiles don’t take unnecessary risks, and they can crush any rocks that get in the way. My priority is getting the cargo to its destination safely, even if that means winding along the riverbank.”
“Are you going to turn the crocodile path into a waterway?”
“How about it?”
“I think it’s a good idea. Give it a try.”
It might be better than trying to build a fancy waterway. Even if it breaks, the Rock Crocodiles will probably create a new path.
“Oh, I wanted to give them some exercise since they’ve gotten a little fat.”
Sylvia is also enthusiastic.
“I plan to make a loom and try dyeing Arachne’s thread before making clothes. If we have dye, we can draw magic circles, which will alter the outcome.”
However, Arachne’s thread is pure white and smooth, which makes it difficult to dye.
“I see. Clothes seem to be an important way for the dead in the Southwest to identify themselves, so please do your best. What was the other thing?”
“Investigate the monsters in the north and the plants in the northwest.”
Jennifer and Chel were still asleep.
“Lipa, which should we do first? Should we take the job first and leave the other one to Chel and Jennifer?”
“I don’t mind either way, but the north is farther away.”
“Then let’s go northwest. The mountains there haven’t been investigated much, so there shouldn’t be much to do.”
We asked the dwarves to tell Jennifer and Chel to investigate the monsters in the north when they woke up. Then, Lipa and I headed northwest.
“We’ll be back for lunch.”
“Have a good trip!”
“See you later!”
After the two dwarves saw us off, we made our way into the dense forest, parting the undergrowth as we went. There was no need to hurry, so we didn’t run.
We advanced through the dark forest where the morning sun didn’t reach. Near the houses, we knew how to deal with the plants and monsters, so it wasn’t a problem. However, once we crossed a small river, the vegetation and types of monsters changed drastically.
Coniferous trees lined the path, and large mushrooms grew from fallen trees and the corpses of dead monsters.
A black wolf, presumably nocturnal, as large as a cow, passed slowly in front of us, pushing aside the grass and trees just as we were doing. There was blood on the ground, as if the wolf had been injured. It didn’t seem wary of us, so it must have been seriously wounded.
When we followed it to check its wounds, we saw marks that looked like it had been stabbed with several swords.
“Could it be someone who entered the demonic land?”
Lipa asked as he applied medicinal herbs to the wolf’s wounds. He could have left the wolf alone, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so for some reason. The wolf tried to bite Lipa, but didn’t seem to have the strength.
“If there were people attacking the demonic land at night, it would have been taken over long ago. Probably plants. A different kind of razor grass. All the wounds were stabbed from the same direction, right?”
“Certainly, you’re right.”
The sunlight began to shine through the thin forest.
Kiiieeeeeee!
Van, van, van!
We heard a strange sound that made the air tense, accompanied by a low rumbling that shook the ground. Lipa and I unintentionally covered our ears. It was different from the imp’s strange cries.
A few seconds later, the sound disappeared, and everything fell silent.
“What was that?”
“Maybe it was a morning greeting?”
With doubts lingering in our minds, we continued into the forest. After all, this was a demonic land. Not many things made sense here. Places that seemed safe today could be filled with monsters tomorrow.
I came here to collect stones the other day, but I didn’t hear any such sounds.
Swush…
We could hear the sound of wings flapping in the distance.
“Let’s keep an eye on the sky.”
“Yes… Makyo-san! Watch out!”
When I turned around, I saw a pine cone on fire flying toward me.
I deflected it with my gauntlet. More pine cones flew toward me, but they scattered around me. They didn’t seem to be targeting me.
They fell onto the leaf mold, burning the dry leaves slightly and extinguishing the flames.
I looked at the center of the scattered area and saw a cluster of large blue flowers blooming. Flames erupted from the flowers.
“What kind of flowers are those?”
“They look like gentian, but they’re erupting in flames.”
“It’s typical of the demonic land.”
Pine trees were growing above the flame-spewing, gentian-like flowers. I was used to seeing fruit explode in the demonic land, but if they exploded while burning, it could cause a forest fire.
“It’s dangerous. Let’s pick them.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
We picked the flowers and put them in a leather bag moistened with water. The petals would spew fire.
Kiiiiieeeee!!!
A strange sound came from nearby.
I stuffed grass in my ears, approached, and saw a Field Boar digging up and eating grass roots. The strange sound seemed to be coming from the roots of the trees.
“Is that a mandrake?”
“Probably. The Field Boar doesn’t seem to be affected by the strange noises.”
I laughed, but the Field Boar soon became drunk-like, staggering and falling over with stiff legs. It seemed to have a paralyzing effect.
“Let’s collect it.”
I pulled the mandrake out of the ground with the magic cube and put it in a small pot.
Chirp, chirp, chirp…
Small birds flew around the trees.
As the sun rose, we could see far into the distance.
“Look over there. It’s yellow, right?”
Lipa asked anxiously when I took out my earplugs.
Looking in the direction he pointed, I saw that it was indeed yellow.
“It’s okay. It’s not a hallucination. It’s yellow. Let’s go.”
As we approached, we saw that it was a field of chrysanthemums.
However, among the yellow flowers, there were patches of red. It seemed as if monsters had been devoured there.
The petals were sharp and hard, like swords. If someone were to step into such a field at night, they would get skewered.
“Was that black wolf attacked by these?”
“Probably. You wouldn’t be able to tell at night.”
I picked some petals and showed them to Lipa. Unlike ordinary chrysanthemums, these petals were rough and did not reflect light.
There were many monster corpses lying in the flower field. They had been killed during the night and would become nutrients for the soil. I picked some chrysanthemums and put them in my leather bag.
We headed toward the mountains, passing through a coniferous forest with thorny leaves.
Clang, clang, clang!
As usual, the sound of black goat monsters butting horns echoed through the air.
Buzz…
A swarm of bees gathered in a black mass and flew away.
I followed the swarm of bees as I crossed the slope where I had been collecting stones, heading toward the cliff.
“Can’t you smell something like burnt beans?”
“Cover your nose and mouth with a cloth.”
In the demonic land, no matter how delicious it smells, plants may be poisonous. I covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief and crossed the slope, coming out into a field of bright blue flowers.
The petals were spewing flames into the sky, burning the swarm of bees. They weren’t just bees—they were gentian flowers.
The field stretched all the way to the distant mountainside. The sight of harpies and eagles flying through the sky and being burned to ashes by the flames was breathtaking.
“Kyaaora!”
“Pyoeeee!”
Those were the death cries of the monsters as they burned to death. We concluded that the strange cries coming from the northwest were the source of the noise.
“Let’s go back.”
“Yes.”
We returned home before lunchtime.
Hel and Sylvia were already back. They were awake, which was unusual for them. They had explained the plan to the inhabitants of the genetics research institute’s dungeon and given them instructions.
After reporting the strange noises from the northwest, I ate the bread Katan had made and went straight to bed.
“This bread is sweet and delicious!”
“Yeah, it’s good. I mixed honey from Honey Ants and dried cam berries. You crave something sweet when you’re tired, right?”
“I’m not that tired today.”
“Chel-san and the others were complaining. They said, ‘We should do the work closer to home.’”
“I bet they did.”
The north is beyond the ruins of Midgard, and the rocky area is far away.
“When Chel and Jennifer come back, feed them this.”
“Got it.”
“Aren’t you tired from cooking all day on your day off?”
“This is the first time I’ve been allowed to cook whatever I want, so I’m not tired at all.”
“You weren’t allowed to cook in the elf kingdom?”
“Even if it’s not that great, we demonic land dwellers have strong stomachs, so you can feed us anything.”
When I said that, Katan smiled and nodded.
“Makyo-san, something’s coming… Is it the elf?”
Kahiman, who had been silently eating bread, tapped me on the shoulder.
When I turned around, I saw an elf guard jumping out of the road and cutting the vines hanging down with a hatchet.
He had apparently fallen several times, scraping his knees and hands. I gave him a water bag to calm him down.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Yes… The soldiers are calling for the Margrave.”
“I see. Did they leave the stones?”
I had collected them and left them across the stream, but perhaps they had been stolen.
“Probably because they couldn’t fit them on the cart…”
“Ah, they should have just cut them down. I understand. Let’s go. We also have to take care of the matter at the southwest port.”
For now, I decided to sling the rope over my shoulder and head for the entrance. I should be able to cut them with my magic cube.
But if I leave, Lipa won’t have anything to do.
“Lipa!”
“I’ll keep an eye on the dungeon inhabitants!”
It seems he found something to do.
“Please do! Then let’s go. Apply some healing medicine. If you get poisoned, you might have to cut it off,” I told the elf.
“Yes.”
I headed for the entrance with the elf guard.
Vines hanging from the branches were obstructing the path we had just cleared, so I began tearing them off.
Across the small stream at the entrance were soldiers who had been trained in the demonic land, waiting for me. They were supposed to be troublemakers, but they were neat and tidy. The captain and Sasha weren’t there.
Next to them were four stones about the same size as the elf huts.
“Hey, what’s going on? Should I break the stones so they’re easier to carry?”
“No, that’s not it. It’s early, but the first group has arrived at the fort ruins. They would like to greet the merchants and craftsmen and begin construction.”
Apparently, they plan to build a trading town on the site of the fort ruins and are about to start construction. I thought it would happen later, but I guess they moved it up.
“Are they coming all the way to the demonic land?”
“Most of them will die on the way here. It would be better if the Margrave went instead. There are already many wounded.”
Even if they come to the demonic land, people will die.
“I understand. I’ll take some stones with me.”
I cut stones that I could carry with one hand into cubes with my magic. Then, I tied them with a rope and slung them over my shoulder.
“Did you find a spellbook on spatial magic to cast that spell?”
A soldier with a freshly shaven beard and medicinal herbs on his chin asked me.
“No. I was just practicing defensive magic and figured out how to do it. I think anyone can do it with practice.”
“…I see.”
“All right, let’s go. Hey, can you run?”
“If it’s a jog…”
“No, use magic.”
“We can’t do that yet.”
“Oh, right. Then let’s go slowly.”
It’s difficult when so many people are involved. I have to maintain appearances.
The elf guards had cleared a path to the training facility, so I thought it wouldn’t take long. But even when the soldiers ran, they couldn’t catch up easily.
I often had to run ahead and wait for them to catch up. I ended up killing the Vespa Hornets flying in the sky with stones. They were much weaker than the monsters of the demonic land.
I woke a sleeping wild bear and sharpened its claws.
“How have you been lately? Are you getting enough to eat?”
Even when I asked the monsters, they only replied, “Gao.” They were thin and lacked energy, so I wanted them to use their sharpened claws to catch food.
As the sun began to set, we finally arrived at the training facility.
The soldiers had been running nonstop, and sweat, tears, and other fluids poured out of their bodies.
“Leave the rest of the way to the cavalry, and go take a bath.”
“Understood.”
The captain was waiting at the edge of the field.
“From today on, your daily task will be to go to the demonic land and come back.”
As he instructed the soldiers to go to the facility, the captain gave his orders. No one responded, perhaps because they were unable to speak.
“I’m sorry, Makyo-kun. You’ve been putting up with so much.”
“No, this is part of my duty as a lord.”
I want to maintain good relations with our neighbors.
Besides, we’re completely dependent on the royal family for trade. We’re essentially renting the land for free.
“They said they wanted to participate in the training in the demonic land again. However, I think I’ll let them build up their strength a little more first. Living in the facility might be causing them to lose focus.”
“That may be true. What about the planned town site?”
Will someone guide us there?
Sasha’s cavalry is stationed at key points along the road and will guide you. I’ve given up on following Makyo-kun. It’ll be faster this way, right?”
“That’s a relief.”
A female soldier on horseback stood on the road.
“Our squad will show you the way. If you get lost, follow the scent of flowers. Can you smell them?”
The soldier asked.
“It’s the scent of lavender. Did you bring it from the royal capital?”
“Yes. Is it that strong?”
“You can’t smell it yourself? As for me, I smell like an animal, don’t I?”
The female soldier shook her head.
“It smells like burnt sugar.”
“I had sweet bread for lunch.”
“Is there sweet food in the demonic land, too?”
“Yeah. Come try it sometime.”
With that, I started running.
At the end of the road, a female soldier was always there with a horse, holding her hand out to indicate the way. They all smelled like flowers.
Of course, standing there and giving off such a scent would attract monsters.
A female soldier was being attacked by a Big Moth. I killed the Big Moth with the stone on my shoulder, rescued the soldier, and asked her for directions.
“Thank you. That way.”
“I’ve memorized the way now, so you can go back. Thank you.”
After helping female soldiers who were being attacked by monsters, I arrived at the planned trading town site before sunset.
Sasha was waiting for me at the end, being attacked by a Green Tiger.
“Hello. I’m the Margrave.”
I called out to the craftsmen gathered near the ruined fort.
“Margrave! Please help us!”
Sasha shouted, but it looked like the Green Tiger was just playing around. If it wanted to kill her, it would have bitten her neck by now.
“It’s okay. That Green Tiger seems to be full.”
“But this Green Tiger ate the merchants’ food!”
The merchants were lying on the side of the road. They appeared injured, but their wounds didn’t look serious.
I gave them some magic ointment.
However, both the merchants and the craftsmen were still frightened.
“Have you never seen a monster before?”
“Yes, but monsters this strong aren’t in the royal capital’s colosseum…”
Come to think of it, monsters in the Kingdom of Estinia were said to be stronger in the east and weaker in the west.
I could hear the cries of monsters in the distance.
“I’ll take care of a few.”
I grabbed the Green Tiger playing with Sasha by the neck and threw it as hard as I could.
“We can remodel this entire area, right?”
I asked Sasha.
“As long as they don’t go into the neighboring territory, there shouldn’t be any problems. Phew! I thought I was going to die.”
“Does that mean I can take as many monsters as I want?”
“If you see any monsters, kill them immediately. What are the adventurers who are supposed to be guarding us doing!?”
Sasha turned around, but the adventurers were trembling in fear.
I looked around the area and killed any monsters I found with stones. I threw the ones that didn’t seem dangerous far away.
I took the carcasses of edible game animals and Field Boars to the ruined fort.
“Here’s some food. Can you butcher them?”
The trembling adventurers nodded repeatedly.
“Oh, this? It’s stone from the demonic land. Even after smashing monster skulls with it, just look at it! Not a single chip! I’ll leave it here.”
The merchants, who had treated their wounds with ointment, were taken aback. Perhaps they really weren’t used to seeing monsters.
“Anything else? Oh, maybe we should fix the moat?”
There were walls and a moat at the fort ruins, so I repaired them with magic cubes. After I surrounded the area with walls and lit bonfires by the gate, the sun set.
“Is this okay? Sasha, maybe you should call your subordinates. Some of them were attacked.”
“What!? Got it!”
Sasha finally mounted her horse and began to move.
“I’ll leave the rest to you.”
I bowed deeply to the merchants and craftsmen.
“””We’ll do our best!”””
As if regaining their senses, everyone began to move. Perhaps they had simply been paralyzed by the threat of the monsters.
I placed the stone I had brought in the open space in the center, then returned to the demonic land.
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Gotta love Makyo. It’s so funny how clueless people are about the monsters in the Demonic land even though Makyo told them about it. Wearing perfume? Wow.
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