Chapter 376: A New Frontier
“Is it over there from around here?”
“Probably?”
After indulging in seafood to our heart’s content, we left the harbor town and headed south toward the land that had been granted to us. In response to Rio’s question, I too felt uncertain and pulled out the map given to us by the king to check our location.
By the way, I sold Mr. Miles several cuts of the giant fish. It seemed impossible to sell an entire fish, but I managed to sell a decent amount, which earned us a fair sum of money. We also made an agreement to continue trading in the future, so it should serve as a good source of funds.
“There’s nothing here.”
“Well, of course.”
We were about five hundred kilometers south of the Town of Isolage. It would take roughly four days by carriage. There were a few villages along the way, but we didn’t stop. The nearest village from here is about thirty kilometers to the north. To the east, we could see the sea, but aside from that, it was a sparsely vegetated wasteland. In the distance to the south and west, mountains loomed majestically.
“But it still doesn’t feel real, does it?”
I had no sense of ownership over the land before me. I had rented land in the city before, but that was it. The rented land was enclosed by walls, but here, there was nothing.
“Are we going to build a wall?”
“Maybe put up a sign saying ‘Private Property, No Trespassing’?”
Ivan and Rio each suggested ideas, but even so, a sign might not be very effective. This isn’t Japan, and I doubt there are many people who would strictly adhere to such rules. Well, there might be a few, but they would likely be in the minority.
“A wall would be the safest option, but once we actually build it, things might change?”
“That could be true.”
“Yeah.”
Nodding at their words, I decided we would at least try to build a wall. Rio and I worked together to construct a wall running east to west. We planned to install a gate along the beast path for easy access. It would serve as our entrance, I suppose. Not that I really know.
After about thirty minutes, a wall stretching from the beast path to the horizon was completed.
“That was fast.”
Ivan shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed into the distance.
“Well, it’s about what I expected.”
“What about the entrance?”
Rio asked, prompting me to look back at the entrance. We had left a ten-meter-wide gap for the carriage to pass through, with walls towering on either side. Just then, Phonia popped her head out from beyond the wall, and I waved at her.
“Should we install an iron-bar gate?”
I envisioned the grand entrance of a mansion that could be found in any large city.
“We have iron materials in the Dimensional Box.”
“Then let’s make it.”
We quickly crafted the gate and installed it at the entrance.
“How does this look?”
Despite being hastily made, it turned out to be quite decent. The wall was only about ten kilometers long, so it could be circumvented if someone wanted to, but there was no guarantee that adventurers wouldn’t be on the other side for some quest. It was better to ensure there was a way to get out.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“““Yeah!”””
The three of us, excluding El, chimed in unison. From here, we planned to search for a suitable location for our base from the sky. If Nil grew larger, she would be able to carry all three of us as we soared through the air. Of course, we wouldn’t be moving at high speeds, but we could at least match the pace of a vehicle on a regular road, so it wouldn’t be a problem.
“Alright, Nil, it’s your turn.”
“Woof!”
And so, we began our leisurely exploration of the vast mountainous region from above.
After about a week of exploring the rugged terrain, we had found several potential locations for our base. There were highlands surrounded by mountains, forests, and lakeside spots. Among them were also a few caves and dungeons hidden within the mountains.
“I think this is the place.”
“It’s spacious, isn’t it?”
We landed at our top choice, a highland, and looked around. The area was completely surrounded by mountains, making it seem quite difficult for outsiders to intrude. Grass grew to knee height, with scattered trees providing a clear view. In the distance, we could see either a beast or a monster grazing, but for now, there were no dangerous monsters in sight.
“This seems good, right?”
“I don’t see any problems.”
Ivan and El seemed to agree without any objections.
“Alright, then let’s get serious and build a house.”
“It’s been a while since the Camping House, hasn’t it?”
“Maybe?”
Finding a slightly elevated spot, I took out the Camping House to use as a temporary shelter.
“What kind of house do you want?”
Gathering in the living room, we immediately began discussing. Since we were at it, I wanted to create a house that everyone would love.
“What do you mean by ‘what kind’…?”
Ivan crossed his arms, deep in thought.
“I actually like this house too.”
Phonia seemed to be fond of the Camping House.
“At the very least, I can’t go back to the houses in this world.”
“That’s true. This house is nice, but the one at the deepest part of the dungeon is so comfortable that it might spoil us.”
El’s words drew a vigorous nod of agreement from Ivan. It seemed everyone had become accustomed to the comforts of modern living. Or perhaps it was just the allure of a cozy bed?
“How about we take inspiration from Japanese houses?”
“That sounds good.”
We all nodded in agreement with El’s suggestion. With that, we immediately began searching. While chatting excitedly, El used the laptop we had brought out to compile everyone’s ideas. She had mastered touch typing, and her fingers danced over the keys so quickly that it was almost impossible to see them move.
We brainstormed endlessly about having individual rooms, a basement, soundproof rooms, a workshop, a wooden deck, and a terrace. But really, who were we trying to impress? We were the ones building it.
“Now, here’s the final layout we came up with.”
El displayed the completed design on the large television in the living room.
“This is our house?”
“Haha, it turned out to be quite the mansion.”
Ivan chuckled wryly, but in the end, he didn’t offer any further critiques.