Chapter 241: Island Maintenance
Well then, after checking with Pal, I decided to add some soil to the island. I want to plant a few plants before heading into the Labyrinth.
I’ll set off for the Labyrinth after finishing Retze’s annual gathering request from the Apothecary Guild. I think Dinoss has some kind of request going on until tomorrow too?
In the twilight, where no one can see me, I made my way to the designated areas for the field and forest, which were just barren land. I scattered crushed black rocks around. Occasionally, I mixed in some powdered shells that I had soaked in water.
It seems like I might need some stone walls for soil retention in certain areas. It doesn’t rain much here, but there are occasional storms where the Spirits go wild, so I should have those built just in case.
I kept pulling out black rocks, crushing them with magic, and wandered around checking things. The island was alive with the sea breeze, hot winds, cool breezes, sunlight, splashes of water from the streams, and the occasional appearance of small Spirits.
It seems that when water is involved, they gather quite a bit. If flowers and trees flourish on the island, they’ll likely increase even more. The Spirits I’ve contracted tend to come around when I’m nearby, but usually, they wander off freely. If they find the place comfortable, I think they’ll stay on the island.
Alright, that’s done. Now, my gardener should take care of the rest…!
Ugh, I’m covered in dust. Time for a bath—since I’m at it, I’ll use the bath in the Tower.
I teleported to the Tower’s Hall and climbed the stairs. The Hall was just stairs, with no rooms built for teleportation.
I intentionally left the lights off, undressing in the dark before soaking in the bath. In front of me was the sea and the stars. The only sounds I heard were my own movements, the wind, the waves, and the water flowing through the streams. Occasionally, I heard the chirping of small insects hidden in the foliage clinging to the cliffs, mingling with the sounds of the waves.
Back in Japan, I only knew a few constellations like Orion, the Big Dipper, and Cassiopeia, but I’ve studied the constellations here a bit. Not for romantic reasons, but because there are expressions like “the hand of such-and-such constellation reaching over such-and-such mountain,” so I had to learn.
There’s something akin to the North Star here too. It doesn’t sit perfectly on the axis, but it shines brightly, tracing a small circle over the course of a day, accompanied by a small blue star.
Once I memorize it, finding my way on a clear night becomes easy. Well, there are times when mountains and trees block the view, but still.
After indulging in this liberating feeling, I returned home for dinner. I spent some time naming the Spirits and playing a lot with Rishu.
After our playtime, I brushed Rishu, who had flopped down on the floor, feeling hot. I recently added a cooling magic circle to the brush, and it seems to feel really nice, making him quite happy. His fur is now shinier than it was at first.
While brushing him at night, I occasionally noticed Rudil lurking in the shadows of the room, and I’ve been doing my best to pretend I didn’t see him. Such a waste of his beautiful pale face and glossy black hair. I was a bit scared at first, but I’ve gotten used to it.
The next day, I wrapped up the field work early and headed to the island. First, I went to the Tower’s kitchen to make some sweets. I wanted to make a large batch of something that would last, so I decided to make pectin jelly.
This jelly is made by solidifying fruit puree with pectin. It’s not the smooth kind; it’s more like gummy candy in texture.
I started by adding water to raspberry puree and heating it. Once it boiled, I gradually mixed in a combination of pectin and granulated sugar, stirring until it dissolved. The sweet aroma of raspberries filled the air.
I had to be careful not to let anything stick to the pot, adding the granulated sugar in batches to balance the acidity and thicken it. It solidified quickly, so I hurriedly poured it into a shallow, flat container.
After simmering and pouring four batches into the pot, I mixed in raspberries and blackcurrants from the mountain, oranges from the orchard, and even some troublesome peaches I needed to use up.
Once the jelly had set, I cut it into bite-sized cubes and dusted them with granulated sugar. I diligently bottled them up, finishing the task. Jelly is so easy to make in large quantities!
For something savory, I prepared corn for popcorn. I really wanted to make fried rice cakes, but I need to harvest diligently from the mountain fields to gather the ingredients first. I’ll have to pound some rice for the fried cakes and dry them out soon.
Carrying a box filled with jars and bags of sweets, I headed to the main building. Along the way, Auro appeared out of nowhere and helped carry my load.
As I was setting things up in the break room, a group of employees followed behind. However, Auro smiled and told them to return to work, and they all went back to their respective jobs. I wonder if our employees are okay? I felt a bit uneasy.
Once I finished setting everything up, Auro pulled out a set of keys. It seemed he had selected the key for the candy cupboard.
“Do we really need to lock it?” I asked.
“If we’re not careful, we’ll devour everything and go over our break time,” he replied.
It seems that the candy cupboard can now only be opened at designated times. Auro and Faramia are responsible for unlocking it, each holding a key.
Kiel should be in the same position as Auro, but I can easily imagine why he hasn’t been given a key.
He’s good-looking, and he does his job well. But being mixed with Spirits must be quite a burden. I tried to say it elegantly, but really, he’s just a glutton.
Next, I headed to Soleil’s office, where he was diligently working. Auro knocked and opened the door, revealing Soleil at a heavy desk with a large glass window behind him, while Kiel was handing over some documents.
“You…! What did you bring today!? You have to eat it quickly, or it’ll lose its flavor! Right!?” The moment our eyes met, Kiel was in a frenzy.
Soleil and Faramia, who was standing at the edge of the room, looked at Kiel with exasperated expressions.
Yeah, I can see why he can’t be trusted with a key.