Chapter 191: I’ve Been Saying It All Along
In the evening, I went to the Island and, while being met with incredulous looks, asked for an addition to the aqueduct leading to my Tower.
I had been fully prepared to rely on [Storage] for both water and hot water until today, but now that I had Van’s wonderful boiling Glass, the desire to have a continuous flow was bubbling up inside me.
The location would be on the combat floor, not the bathhouse floor at the top of the Tower. I would have to scratch out another Magic Circle to draw water up, but this time it could be narrow, and the distance wasn’t too far, so I could manage.
I planned to leave the conical roof and wall facing the Residence intact while demolishing half of the side facing the sea to create a semi-open-air space. I should also make some adjustments to the balcony’s sawtooth wall to ensure a good view. I needed to leave just enough of the roof visible from the nearby ships.
As for the balcony itself, I wondered if I should turn it into an aerial garden.
Having just finished the Empty Well, I decided to show them the water. The Mosaic wasn’t done yet, but they seemed skeptical. So, there I was in front of the Empty Well with Soleil, Kin, and Gin.
“What are you doing? This again…”
“Is that a Magic Circle?”
“You were a magician all along?”
The three of them peered into the well.
“Yes, yes. It’s an explanation of how to use it.”
“How to use it?”
“It’s simple; you just drop a Magic Stone in here.”
I ignored Kiel’s question and continued, tossing a Magic Stone into the shallow hole I had made on the outer edge of the well.
“Hey, be a little more careful!”
Soleil warned in a panicked voice, but I had already tossed it in.
“Is that how it activates?”
Auro asked, smiling but looking puzzled.
“Yep. There are four holes.”
As I spoke, I tossed another one in. Soleil made a face like “Oh no!” and let his hand drop weakly.
“So, it flows water? It looks pretty large-scale, but it can’t be that easy…?”
It actually was easy, Kiel. Drawing the Magic Circle was the hard part!
“Eh? What was that sound?”
“It really sounds like water.”
“Hey, you—”
“Whoa, that was close! Was two enough?”
I jumped back just in time to avoid getting splashed. Meanwhile, the three of them were currently getting soaked.
The water was supposed to fill this floor and flow down once it reached the edge of the opening. It looked like it would accumulate up to about my ankles.
“Looks like we need to raise the passageway; otherwise, the shoes will get ruined.”
I said while pulling out a Magic Stone. The water felt cold and refreshing, but I couldn’t have this every time.
The water would flow out through four openings in two directions. It felt like I was just using the existing window holes. It was a bit of a mystery whether to call them windows since the openings were large and there were fewer walls.
From the west-facing opening, water would flow through the courtyard toward the town. I had planned to place a mosaic pattern made from some mysterious glass pieces in front of one side, but upon further thought, it would be quicker to create a smaller mosaic at the point where the water splits for the fields. I would sneakily make that later.
From the north-facing opening, a waterway would extend toward the Residence, flowing from a bit lower down. If all went according to plan, water would flow through the pipes inside the Residence from the upper floors to the lower ones.
From the south-facing opening, the aqueduct would lead to the Southern Tower attached to the castle walls, also extending from a bit lower down, nourishing part of the castle walls before flowing down to the dock. The Southern Tower was connected to the stairs leading up from the dock, where I planned to do some work with indigo dyeing and other tasks.
Oh, maybe I should build a waterwheel at the Southern Tower. A vertical one, in the Japanese style. It would take a while to complete, though.
And I planned to have the aqueduct flow directly into the square from the east-facing opening.
Fortunately, the construction materials had already been secured by Kin and the architect, who didn’t believe my words about not needing water. I was sure they would build a beautiful bridge combining pillars and arches.
Between this Tower, the Residence, and the Southern Tower, the architect and stonemason were happily installing something that looked too thin and made me uneasy—a flying buttress.
Many people were working hard to finish it quickly, but despite the manpower, progress was slow due to the many who were particular about the details. It was strange; I thought I was offering bonuses based on performance. Even though I entrusted the details to them, they wouldn’t get paid extra for putting in extra effort.
However, seeing the beauty of the finished product made me feel like giving out a temporary bonus. If I did it midway, it might never end, so I decided to wait until the end.
I had put out a call for relocation, but it seemed the architect and stonemason wanted to keep two of each behind… It looked like there would be some modifications even after the construction was done.
When I mentioned this, Kiel coldly pointed out that it was clearly the client’s fault. How cruel.
While I was lost in thought, the three of them remained motionless.
“Are you okay?”
“Impossible!”
Soleil shouted.
I figured this shout would reach the people working in the courtyard. Please stop; it would look bad.
—After consulting with Soleil and Kin, we decided that the water would flow a month later. The call for relocation would also be paused for a month, and those who expressed interest by the deadline would have the option to purchase a house. However, those who came later would only have the option to rent, not buy.
The Island is small, after all. We won’t accept more than the number of houses built. I don’t intend to turn it into an island like Naruadeid, where there are only buildings and pathways. That has its own charm, but I have livestock moving in soon.
I thought I saw Soleil crying, but if I paid attention to that, I would lose. This time, Auro and Kiel also had plenty to say.
“If you can do it, just say so!”
To Kiel’s words, I replied, “I’ve been saying it.”
“It’s hard to fully believe just that water will flow. You need to explain the process; otherwise, it’s incomprehensible. Even if you explain that you’re calling water with a Magic Circle, I’m not sure I would fully believe it…”
Auro squinted, looking off into the distance.
But still, those two would probably get used to it by tomorrow, unlike Soleil, right?
—The Tower was securely locked by Auro.
There were still many things to do, including the Mosaic, but I decided to call it a day. Tomorrow, I was supposed to go to the Forest with Retze, so I needed to prepare a bento.
I thought I would start with a chirashi sushi that doesn’t contain raw ingredients. It would be troublesome if the flavors didn’t match, so I would keep the side dishes unbalanced but leaning toward Western cuisine.
Fried fritters stuffed with zucchini flowers and cheese, shrimp tempura with tartar sauce that had received good reviews before. I would also mix in some fried yuba wrapped around cheese.
A Spanish-style omelet with edamame and prosciutto. Marinated cucumbers, carrots, daikon, and other vegetables. I would add mini tomatoes soaked in dashi with shiso.
As for shrimp and vegetables that aren’t available in Kanum, I should be fine since I usually serve those at home. I thought I would take some miso balls for the soup.
Should I make tacos for the Ex-Staff? I think the Ex-Staff likes junk food because it’s easy to eat. I remember hearing something like, “Who has time to eat slowly?”
And this time, I must not forget the raw meat and water. Even if I wanted to forget, they are always stocked in [Storage]. If I stay quiet, Rishu will be joining me under the condition that he behaves. Once we reach a place in the Forest where we won’t be seen, I plan to summon him.
A stroll, a stroll.