Chapter 225: Waterway Opening
I’ve arrived at Naruadeid Island.
From the top of the tower, I gaze out over the roofs and part of the plaza—an almost completed town.
Facing the plaza, there’s the Spirit’s Branch, a tea house and light snack shop, a tavern and inn that serves meals, an upscale inn with a card game room, a market for slightly more expensive goods, a market for food and daily necessities, and a theater where events can be held at the entrance stairs. The rest are a few houses that can be converted into shops.
While some areas are still under construction, I believe that once we channel water through here and increase the greenery, this place will become a beautiful town.
The market is narrow, but given the size of the island, it seems fitting. The more expensive market has a space for a tax collector at the entrance, meaning buyers will have to pay taxes here.
On the other hand, the market for food and daily necessities operates on a stall fee system, allowing buyers to avoid taxes. They rent out spaces on a daily or monthly basis, with the rental fees gradually increasing for larger and better-equipped areas. They also tax shipments from ships, so overall, the prices are set quite reasonably.
Next to it is something resembling a soldier’s post and bank. It mainly handles currency exchange and offers a service known as “Karasugane,” where you borrow money in the morning, pay a small interest, and return it by evening. You can use the borrowed money to buy something in the morning and sell it in the evening to repay the loan.
Is that a pharmacy over there?
The seaside area is still far from completion. About half of the residents have moved near the plaza, while the other half have temporarily relocated for renovations, prioritizing the plaza area.
The waterway is complete, and today is the day we let the water flow.
At the center is a well, surrounded by a floral-patterned arabesque mosaic. I had the Spirits help me with this little trick. Originally made from glass with sterilizing properties, it features a design that the Spirits, who favor cleanliness and purity, adore.
A pristine white pathway created by the stonemasons leads from the stairs to the well.
“Alright, I’m going to set the magic stones now.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Present for the occasion are Soleil, Faramia, and Kingin. Auro’s attitude toward me has the two of them visibly taken aback, but I’m just as lost on how to respond, so I let it slide. Faramia’s expression remains mostly unchanged, though she’s staring at the floor. It’s not my fault, but her gaze feels heavy.
Last time, when I tossed it in, everyone was shocked, so this time I gently place the magic stone. Immediately, water bursts forth from the well, flooding over the glass mosaic and cascading down from the opening into the waterway.
“Wow…”
“What is this?”
Soleil and Kiel exclaim in awe. And for some reason, Auro looks pleased.
The sight of the glass mosaic submerged in water is quite charming. The water gently splashes against the pathway, which is slightly elevated above the opening.
“Oh, it’s going smoothly.”
Water flows through the castle’s waterway. I can’t help but feel a bit happy and amused.
My tower, the castle courtyard, and the aqueduct lead to the town plaza. There’s still nothing there yet, but it’s also designated as a future field. At the junction to the field, I’ve placed a small mosaic as planned to enrich the water with nutrients. Moss and algae will likely start to grow in this waterway soon.
“I was surprised when I saw the well water, but this is truly breathtaking. This town will really become beautiful.”
“We’ll need to adjust our plans for recruiting future residents a bit.”
Soleil gazes at the town with dreamy eyes, while Kiel seems a bit surprised but quickly returns to his usual demeanor.
And it seems Faramia is more entranced by the mosaic than the town itself?
“I’ve set up two larger magic stones and two smaller ones. When the effect of the smaller ones wears off, please replace them with the larger ones. It’s safer to have a staggered effect so that everything doesn’t stop at once. As long as the magic stones aren’t fire-type, they should be fine, but if possible, let’s use water-type ones.”
“Understood. I’ll have Teof prepare them regularly, and either I or Kiel will handle the checks and installations. If both of us run into difficulties, we’ll turn to Soleil.”
Auro places a hand on his chest and bows slightly. Teof is the white-haired magic stone artisan.
“Hm? Isn’t it fine to check while ringing the bell?”
There’s a bell at the top of the narrow stairs that signals the time.
“There’s no way we can let an incompetent person handle this. The time bell was made at the Spirit’s Branch.”
“We’ve decided to ring this bell only on special occasions.”
Kiel and Auro chime in. When did that happen?
“Well, as long as someone is managing it, that’s fine.”
The shallow part of the well has a magic circle that sends power from the magic stones, but you won’t see the magic circle that draws water up until you dive about ten meters down. The plate for the magic circle that generates water is at the bottom of the well.
Since Kingin pointed out that the shallow hole for the magic stones has been changed to a deeper one, it’ll be difficult to retrieve them once they’re placed. Diving against the water flow to retrieve the embedded magic circle plate will be quite a challenge.
Still, I suppose there are many who are curious about the mechanism behind the overflowing water. I’d want to see how it works if I had something like this.
“Oh, right. Can you attach these in all directions?”
“What is it?”
I receive a ragged bag that Auro casually handed over. Is Auro now my point of contact?
I open the bag and pull out something wrapped in cloth, which Auro then unfolds. Inside is the Light Spirit’s Rest (Akari).
“What is this? Is it also made of glass?”
“Such beautiful craftsmanship as always.”
Kiel and Soleil peer into Auro’s hands.
“This is—”
Before he can finish, a small light spirit flits in like a firefly and gets trapped inside the round glass. It flies in and gets stuck, stuck.
It’s not one per person, then? The smaller ones can fit in many.
“So, even though it’s daytime and not very noticeable, this is a light.”
“What do you mean by that!? This is a Spirit Lamp, isn’t it!?”
Soleil shouts, nearly fainting as Faramia supports him.