A barracks for me to stay in was built in Lapis Village. The magnificent barracks occupy the front of the village entrance.
It made the homunculus shrink.
I did not return to Baron Panelo's residence but stayed in the barracks.
I inspected the construction site every day and helped with alchemy, and while conducting the training, I also wrote a report to send to Desmond II.
'Alben is good at this kind of thing. Ah, I can't help it since Father wants me to convey the situation directly.'
As busy as that life was, I didn't forget to supervise the exploration of the magic mines.
Once a day, I went to the Zelkatos Canyon, which took an hour by carriage.
There, I used my specialty, golem alchemy, to check if there was anything wrong with the exploration golem.
I was briefed on all matters related to the exploration operation by Natasha Emrick, the field wizard in charge.
'I guess Sir Emrick is having a hard time these days because of Count Sanchez.'
Natasha didn't say it directly, but I could tell just by looking at the atmosphere.
Natasha seemed to have a headache because of Hosen, who came to this canyon every day on an unhelpful subject and found fault in everything.
Unfortunately, I had no intention of touching Hosen right away.
'Hold on a little longer, Sir Emrick.'
I tied my lime blonde hair into a ponytail and picked up a quill.
The neat handwriting began to fill out the letter to Desmond II.
Today marks the fourth day that my group has stayed in the village.
The power of magic and alchemy was great. In just a few days, great changes occurred in Lapis Village.
First, the mill and communal oven were completed.
The mill was built on the outskirts of the village. It had a large mill for threshing grain and large millstones used to grind grain were designed to be moved by giant water wheels.
There were water wheels that were laid horizontally and those that stood vertically, but at first, only horizontal water wheels could be turned directly by human power.
Alben showed me the blueprint and explained it to me.
“Later, we will connect the aqueduct to take advantage of the difference in water level. Then, we can thresh the grain more easily with the vertical water wheel."
“That’s a very classic way.”
“Yes. Nowadays, most mills use magic stones to turn their spinning wheels. But in Lapis, since the use of magic stones is prohibited, we have no choice but to use labor or natural power.”
It was truly absurd that magic stones were banned in a mining town where they were mined. I sighed.
“You figured out the best way to do it in the current situation. Good work, Alben.”
The communal ovens were built a considerable distance from the mill to protect against fire.
The furnaces were shaped like small igloos with chimneys, and there were fifty of them. The capacity of the furnaces was equal to that of all the furnaces in Lapis.
It was enough to feed the homunculus.
The stove was also a traditional one, using firewood rather than a stone.
I bought the part where the firewood is put.
It was sunny. Then Alben quickly intervened.
“We have laid water pipes under the ground. When the water supply is abundant, we plan to build an open-air bath nearby and supply hot water. It will be a great help in maintaining hygiene in the village.”
“Yes, the bathhouse. That’s a really important facility.”
My eyes, as I spoke, were hazy as if I were wet with homesickness. It was understandable, for I had not had a proper bath for four days.
'There's nothing we can do since even drinking water is restricted.'
There was a magic that made water by drawing moisture from the air, but it was not enough to get it in the bathtub.
Collecting large amounts of water not only took a long time but could also hurt the humidity in the surrounding area.
'This place is already dry, so the water balance is precarious. If you use water magic incorrectly, the well's evaporation could happen quickly.'
I persevered, recalling the theory of balance in nature I had learned in magic class.
With the mill and communal ovens completed, the construction crews moved on to building the house.
The site was still in the process of demolishing each hut and clearing the ground. I looked at the bird's eye view. On the paper were houses with light gray walls and blue-painted roofs.
“There’s a chimney. Is a fireplace for winter set up inside?"
“Yes. If you supply charcoal here, you can stay warm.”
“Hmm, okay. And don’t forget to put up a flower bed in each house.”
“Of course. Isn’t it exhibition administration?”
I and Alben looked at each other and smiled, thinking about planting relief crops instead of flowers. It was an insidious laugh to the ignorant homunculus.
The next morning.
It was time for the homunculus to eat two potatoes for breakfast and head to the mines for the day's labor.
I called the twenty homunculus I had designated as a chef together in front of the mill.
In the mill, Alben dug up a hole last night.
Rye and corn, procured from the grain merchants of the Nello estate, were piled up as high as a mountain.
Alben came out, muttering.
“Her Highness the Seventh Princess wants to eat rye bread and corn soup. You should thresh and grind the ingredients there. Cook it. Do your best and make it several times until Her Highness is satisfied with the taste.”
The homunculi threshed and baked bread as they had learned in theory.
After a couple of hours, a savory smell began to rise from the stove and pot.
“Yeah. Again.”
I sat cross-legged on a chair, acting as a picky Princess.
At first, I pretended to taste it.
But after about five hours of this, I also got tired of the food. So as I went on, I would run my fingers over the surface of the bread and the food would come out.
I became very insincere, like only tasting the soup or only smelling the soup.
Alben even praised that.
“Wow, Your Highness! You can guess the taste just by looking at the angle of the reflection of the smoky smoke and the direction in which the steam spreads!”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. As expected, Alben, your eye for detail is amazing.”
“Hahaha! I am Your Highness's first confidence for no reason?"
It was at that moment. Michael's eyes became fierce.
“Lord Redmon, why are you Her Highness’s first confidant?”
“Hmm? Isn’t that obvious, Sir Agneto?”
My outpouring of affection over the past few days has made Alben feel proud.
He was not intimidated even in front of Michael.
“The Hadelamide royal family has traditionally valued using the mind rather than the body. The relationship between the ruler and his subjects was stronger with the tattoos than with the military. Isn’t that the law?”
Michael couldn't refute it because it was true. Then Alben said comfortingly.
“Don’t be too upset that you're behind me. What’s wrong with being second in line? Aren’t you the knight who serves Her Highness from the closest distance and uses your body? Since you are already receiving enough favor with your body, please yield your head to me.”
The meaning of the word body emphasized twice was clear.
The expression disappeared from Michael's face, but Alben smiled obliviously.
I, who saw this scene, was drinking tea when Sarah heard him and started to groan.
At that moment, Peony patted my back and refuted Alben's words.
“Lord Redmon, unfortunately, you are not your number one confidant.”
“Huh? Why?! What am I worse than Sir Agneto?! Yes?”
Alben asked with a look of resentment.
Then Peony shook her head and said.
“Your Highness's closest confidant is Lady Cedella.”
“...Ah, then I admit it.”
So the order of the order was Cedella, Alben, and Michael.
"Ha..."
Michael let out a sigh mixed with laughter. For him, who had never fallen behind anyone, the number 3 was like rock bottom.
Michael turned to me and said seriously.
“I will do my best.”
"Uh uh uh"
The stove was kept on running from morning until late afternoon.
It should be shared among several people
Ten large baskets were piled high with rye bread.
Ding... Ding...
The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the labor.
It was almost time for dinner distribution.
A procession of homunculus could be seen from a distance.
They were walking with dead expressions on their faces, as usual, dragging their tired bodies.
Then, as they got closer to the village, they realized that the fragrant and delicious smell was getting stronger, and a commotion spread among the homunculus.
They arrived at the village at a faster pace than usual and soon found bread and soup.
It was a time when some homunculuss were swallowing their saliva without even realizing it.
Alben shouted loudly.
“This is the food that Her Highness the Princess left over! It was originally given as livestock feed. Hey, but there are no livestock here, so you guys will have to eat it! Come forward one by one and take some bread and soup!”
The homunculus looked at each other in disbelief, but then they saw some of them step forward and start to line up as well.
Just as the distribution began, I whispered something to Alben.
“I don’t think you need to use such harsh language. Livestock seems too much.”
“No. If you want to catch up to even half of the other royal families, you have to do this much.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I seemed to understand once again why the royal family had fallen in this generation.
A sigh escaped me without me realizing it
Then Alben spoke again, comforting me.
“It’s okay. The majesty of the royal family comes not from humanity but from power. As long as the bloodline remains strong, there is no problem.”
This was said without knowing that with the appearance of Michael, it would soon cease to exist.
It made the homunculus shrink.
I did not return to Baron Panelo's residence but stayed in the barracks.
I inspected the construction site every day and helped with alchemy, and while conducting the training, I also wrote a report to send to Desmond II.
'Alben is good at this kind of thing. Ah, I can't help it since Father wants me to convey the situation directly.'
As busy as that life was, I didn't forget to supervise the exploration of the magic mines.
Once a day, I went to the Zelkatos Canyon, which took an hour by carriage.
There, I used my specialty, golem alchemy, to check if there was anything wrong with the exploration golem.
I was briefed on all matters related to the exploration operation by Natasha Emrick, the field wizard in charge.
'I guess Sir Emrick is having a hard time these days because of Count Sanchez.'
Natasha didn't say it directly, but I could tell just by looking at the atmosphere.
Natasha seemed to have a headache because of Hosen, who came to this canyon every day on an unhelpful subject and found fault in everything.
Unfortunately, I had no intention of touching Hosen right away.
'Hold on a little longer, Sir Emrick.'
I tied my lime blonde hair into a ponytail and picked up a quill.
The neat handwriting began to fill out the letter to Desmond II.
Today marks the fourth day that my group has stayed in the village.
The power of magic and alchemy was great. In just a few days, great changes occurred in Lapis Village.
First, the mill and communal oven were completed.
The mill was built on the outskirts of the village. It had a large mill for threshing grain and large millstones used to grind grain were designed to be moved by giant water wheels.
There were water wheels that were laid horizontally and those that stood vertically, but at first, only horizontal water wheels could be turned directly by human power.
Alben showed me the blueprint and explained it to me.
“Later, we will connect the aqueduct to take advantage of the difference in water level. Then, we can thresh the grain more easily with the vertical water wheel."
“That’s a very classic way.”
“Yes. Nowadays, most mills use magic stones to turn their spinning wheels. But in Lapis, since the use of magic stones is prohibited, we have no choice but to use labor or natural power.”
It was truly absurd that magic stones were banned in a mining town where they were mined. I sighed.
“You figured out the best way to do it in the current situation. Good work, Alben.”
The communal ovens were built a considerable distance from the mill to protect against fire.
The furnaces were shaped like small igloos with chimneys, and there were fifty of them. The capacity of the furnaces was equal to that of all the furnaces in Lapis.
It was enough to feed the homunculus.
The stove was also a traditional one, using firewood rather than a stone.
I bought the part where the firewood is put.
It was sunny. Then Alben quickly intervened.
“We have laid water pipes under the ground. When the water supply is abundant, we plan to build an open-air bath nearby and supply hot water. It will be a great help in maintaining hygiene in the village.”
“Yes, the bathhouse. That’s a really important facility.”
My eyes, as I spoke, were hazy as if I were wet with homesickness. It was understandable, for I had not had a proper bath for four days.
'There's nothing we can do since even drinking water is restricted.'
There was a magic that made water by drawing moisture from the air, but it was not enough to get it in the bathtub.
Collecting large amounts of water not only took a long time but could also hurt the humidity in the surrounding area.
'This place is already dry, so the water balance is precarious. If you use water magic incorrectly, the well's evaporation could happen quickly.'
I persevered, recalling the theory of balance in nature I had learned in magic class.
With the mill and communal ovens completed, the construction crews moved on to building the house.
The site was still in the process of demolishing each hut and clearing the ground. I looked at the bird's eye view. On the paper were houses with light gray walls and blue-painted roofs.
“There’s a chimney. Is a fireplace for winter set up inside?"
“Yes. If you supply charcoal here, you can stay warm.”
“Hmm, okay. And don’t forget to put up a flower bed in each house.”
“Of course. Isn’t it exhibition administration?”
I and Alben looked at each other and smiled, thinking about planting relief crops instead of flowers. It was an insidious laugh to the ignorant homunculus.
The next morning.
It was time for the homunculus to eat two potatoes for breakfast and head to the mines for the day's labor.
I called the twenty homunculus I had designated as a chef together in front of the mill.
In the mill, Alben dug up a hole last night.
Rye and corn, procured from the grain merchants of the Nello estate, were piled up as high as a mountain.
Alben came out, muttering.
“Her Highness the Seventh Princess wants to eat rye bread and corn soup. You should thresh and grind the ingredients there. Cook it. Do your best and make it several times until Her Highness is satisfied with the taste.”
The homunculi threshed and baked bread as they had learned in theory.
After a couple of hours, a savory smell began to rise from the stove and pot.
“Yeah. Again.”
I sat cross-legged on a chair, acting as a picky Princess.
At first, I pretended to taste it.
But after about five hours of this, I also got tired of the food. So as I went on, I would run my fingers over the surface of the bread and the food would come out.
I became very insincere, like only tasting the soup or only smelling the soup.
Alben even praised that.
“Wow, Your Highness! You can guess the taste just by looking at the angle of the reflection of the smoky smoke and the direction in which the steam spreads!”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. As expected, Alben, your eye for detail is amazing.”
“Hahaha! I am Your Highness's first confidence for no reason?"
It was at that moment. Michael's eyes became fierce.
“Lord Redmon, why are you Her Highness’s first confidant?”
“Hmm? Isn’t that obvious, Sir Agneto?”
My outpouring of affection over the past few days has made Alben feel proud.
He was not intimidated even in front of Michael.
“The Hadelamide royal family has traditionally valued using the mind rather than the body. The relationship between the ruler and his subjects was stronger with the tattoos than with the military. Isn’t that the law?”
Michael couldn't refute it because it was true. Then Alben said comfortingly.
“Don’t be too upset that you're behind me. What’s wrong with being second in line? Aren’t you the knight who serves Her Highness from the closest distance and uses your body? Since you are already receiving enough favor with your body, please yield your head to me.”
The meaning of the word body emphasized twice was clear.
The expression disappeared from Michael's face, but Alben smiled obliviously.
I, who saw this scene, was drinking tea when Sarah heard him and started to groan.
At that moment, Peony patted my back and refuted Alben's words.
“Lord Redmon, unfortunately, you are not your number one confidant.”
“Huh? Why?! What am I worse than Sir Agneto?! Yes?”
Alben asked with a look of resentment.
Then Peony shook her head and said.
“Your Highness's closest confidant is Lady Cedella.”
“...Ah, then I admit it.”
So the order of the order was Cedella, Alben, and Michael.
"Ha..."
Michael let out a sigh mixed with laughter. For him, who had never fallen behind anyone, the number 3 was like rock bottom.
Michael turned to me and said seriously.
“I will do my best.”
"Uh uh uh"
The stove was kept on running from morning until late afternoon.
It should be shared among several people
Ten large baskets were piled high with rye bread.
Ding... Ding...
The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the labor.
It was almost time for dinner distribution.
A procession of homunculus could be seen from a distance.
They were walking with dead expressions on their faces, as usual, dragging their tired bodies.
Then, as they got closer to the village, they realized that the fragrant and delicious smell was getting stronger, and a commotion spread among the homunculus.
They arrived at the village at a faster pace than usual and soon found bread and soup.
It was a time when some homunculuss were swallowing their saliva without even realizing it.
Alben shouted loudly.
“This is the food that Her Highness the Princess left over! It was originally given as livestock feed. Hey, but there are no livestock here, so you guys will have to eat it! Come forward one by one and take some bread and soup!”
The homunculus looked at each other in disbelief, but then they saw some of them step forward and start to line up as well.
Just as the distribution began, I whispered something to Alben.
“I don’t think you need to use such harsh language. Livestock seems too much.”
“No. If you want to catch up to even half of the other royal families, you have to do this much.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I seemed to understand once again why the royal family had fallen in this generation.
A sigh escaped me without me realizing it
Then Alben spoke again, comforting me.
“It’s okay. The majesty of the royal family comes not from humanity but from power. As long as the bloodline remains strong, there is no problem.”
This was said without knowing that with the appearance of Michael, it would soon cease to exist.
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