Chapter 354: Gathering on My Own
“Great job! This is even more amazing than I expected! Thank you!”
Today is the celebration for the completion of the Tower.
“Hey! From the Island of Soleil! The materials you gathered have brought us Earth Folk great joy!”
“We are so happy to handle those materials!”
“We are truly happy!”
The atmosphere buzzes with excitement, voices harmonizing beautifully.
The location is the Tower’s storage room. The Earth Folk quickly set up low tables after clearing the shelves. Barrels of alcohol! Heaps of meat! Roasted vegetables fresh from the earth!
In addition, there are some rather dense, hard bread rolls. It seems they eat the meat, then consume the bread to reset their taste buds before moving on to the next meat. The Earth Folk prefer their meat on the tougher side. They also drink copiously.
Apparently, they do eat other things normally. However, during a feast, it’s customary to go all out, and that means indulging in meat and alcohol. In the northern lands, it’s not as easy to come by meat as it is in the Demon Forest.
I heard they have a distiller. It’s a much more impressive and efficient one than the distiller I used when making potions. The Earth Folk are quite refined when it comes to tools—at least the ordinary ones that don’t use Spirit’s Power. They favor sturdy and robust designs, giving off a simple yet solid impression.
They’re a group of craftsmen who can’t help but investigate the structure of unfamiliar objects. From the chairs and tables in my House to the entire structure, I’m sure they wouldn’t find it boring.
That House was created by blending my imagination with the knowledge of the Gods.
Of course, there’s no plastic made from crude oil or aluminum produced through electrolysis in this world. It seems that creating such things consumes a lot of lifespan, so I limited it to the toilet and bath. I have no regrets.
It’s become something akin to a manor house that has one foot in the modern age, so they would surely be fascinated. No one intends to enter, and since I don’t have any spare tools, I don’t plan to bring them outside.
I’ve made a mattress, so it’s okay if it wears out, but there are many other items that would be troublesome if they broke, so I feel the urge to create backups while I can.
While I ponder these things, I’m standing up to the challenge of drinking with the Earth Folk. They say I won’t get drunk, but it seems they really want to make me intoxicated. Or do they just want to win?
I tear into the meat, toss vegetables into my mouth, wash it down with alcohol, and laugh heartily. It’s rough and wild, but somehow, they manage to eat without spilling anything other than the drink, so it doesn’t feel too messy.
They pour the alcohol generously, clinking wooden cups together indiscriminately, causing spills everywhere. I’ve come to accept that this is just their culture. But seriously, stop throwing bones on the floor.
Well, the Earth Folk brought in thin sheets to lay down for that purpose. They’ve sunk a couple of challengers into those sheets, and now it’s a drinking contest with the third challenger. The crowd is lively, but I can’t get into the excitement since I already know the outcome.
Before they collapse, I’ll just use [Healing] to sober up!
Before the festivities began, the Wind Spirit from Naruadeid arrived, accompanied by a spirit resembling a seabird.
Earlier this morning, I gathered information about Lady Rosa from the Spirits in Naruadeid, asking them to let me know if they discovered anything new for our next meeting and to keep my inquiries a secret.
According to the Spirits, Lady Rosa is well-endowed. A woman. A pirate from the western seas. She has a contract with the Seabird Spirit and frequently employs Spirits. It seems she works them excessively, but she only sends them out once or twice a month. She occasionally borrows communication Spirits from the Merchant Guild.
I also borrowed one from the Merchant Guild. It’s a type of Spirit that can duplicate itself, with one half located elsewhere. The first time, I sent a message through the Merchant Guild on that side, and if that wasn’t enough, we would arrange to meet and talk directly.
When the Spirit isn’t visible, it’s like I’m talking to the Magic Circle on the table. The Spirit is perched cutely on top of the Magic Circle.
Many of the duplicating Spirits can’t speak, and the one I encountered at the Merchant Guild was also mute. However, when I asked the other Spirits in the room, it sounded like they were discussing ordinary business. There might be some coded language mixed in, but I can’t tell.
For now, I’ve learned that the Merchant Guild’s Spirit communication operates on a set price for Magic Stones and requires almost no Magic Power. The usage fees are high.
I also picked up some rumors about the Lipua territory, hinting that the Lord there might be the type to throw his wealth around. Since I heard this through the Spirits’ senses, there might be inaccuracies, but it generally aligns with what Soleil and the others described.
It seems they’ve managed to endure this famine, but if another poor harvest occurs, they might have to part with their ships. Of course, it’s not just naivety; there’s a hint of calculation behind it.
“What’s up?”
I ask the Spirit while watching the fourth cup being filled for me after the third challenger has been sunk.
Could that seabird belong to Lady Rosa?