[The highway should be repaired first. The town cannot develop if people don't visit it]
Kousaka-san said while looking at Brunhild's map.
Kousaka-san is younger than Baba-jiisan, but he is still more than 60 years old. With a grizzled top knot hairstyle, he looks gentle at first glance but his discernment is sharp. As expected of the one who rose up serving the Takeda's house.
A slightly unexpected event happened when I went to meet Baba-jiisan and the Takeda's Four Heavenly Kings after receiving the letter. Several Takeda's soldiers who lost a place to go said they would like to come to my house too. They were probably subordinates that idolized the Four Heavenly Kings. Well even though they were about 50 people, my house couldn't honestly employ any of them right now since we still didn't have any income yet.
I could manage some way or another if I used the mass production capabilities of [Workshop], but I don't think it is good idea to excessively depend on it since it would be the end if [Workshop] broke down because of something.
[Well, it is possible to construct a highway immediately if we use earth magic...]
[A highway just from Belfast to Regulus is needed immediately, so please make one. However, other than that, Touya-sama… Heika(Your majesty), don't be too much involved in anything. If Heika does almost everything, the people will be overly dependent. Only when it is too much for themselves to handle something alone that it is fine to extend a helping hand.]
Is that so? Well, humans are creatures capable of degradation. As one would expect, will that be bad for a recently created country?
[Next is the reclamation of the eastern part of the country as agricultural area. We can make several rice fields by drawing water from the river using canals. Though it would be nice if the soil there is similar to the soil here. After that, what will be sold to the merchants, and whether it could turn as income for the country...]
Strictly speaking, it is about the percentage of money and other things coming from merchants based from their produce that should be collected as tax.
Honestly, I don't think I need the taxes. I earn enough for myself and my family. But Kousaka-san says the county will not function well in that situation. I decided to entrust the matter to him, though I said in advance that he keep the taxes as low as possible.
[It would be nice if this country has a specialty product. This land originally belongs to Belfast and Regulus, therefore there is nothing in here as well. All that's left is to sell technology or something...]
[For now, I can teach the manufacturing technology to make a bicycle. I think we can earn some income with this for a while. Though eventually, some other countries may start imitating it, I guess]
The bicycle itself is unusual and convenient, but a wagon is better if you carry a lot of baggage, and the horse is better if we are talking about speed. But since there is demand for bicycles, I think it will turn into a business if the technology is taught. However, it seems that it will be quite difficult to make them on the same level as the ones I make.
[Anyway, let's try doing what we can. Since I will entrust Kousaka-san the agricultural area (of business), you do as you like. If it is no good, we will think about it at that time]
When I went to the training ground after parting with Kousaka-san, our three knights were being treated really well by Baba-jiisan's group as usual.
Since there was nothing like a knight order in our house yet, I asked Baba-jiisan and Yamagata-ossan to act as sort of battle instructors.
[Ou, youngster. Is your talk with Kousaka over?]
[Because Baba-jiisan tentatively became my retainer as well, it is irresponsible of you to keep calling me 'youngster']
[Don't say such a hard thing. You see, I will properly call you [Heika] on formal occasions since I can make formal and personal distinction just in case]
That's it. I have feeling that it is useless no matter what I say, even though he was hitting my shoulder while laughing.
[I'm different on that aspect, as it is useless to only tell that to Baba-dono, Chief]
[You apparently just changed from calling him by name to 'Chief', Yamagata]
[It is fine, isn't it? Chief. Sounds important, right?]
I suppose there are other ways beside 'dono' or 'waka'. Good grief. No matter what, I am not good when it comes to dealing with those two. Hah, that's fine already.
[By the way, I plan to get provisions and supplies since it is almost noon. Also, since it will serve as training, I am thinking of having Rain-san's group accompany me]
[For hunting? That's fine, but with those guys in that state?]
Yamagata-ossan pointed at the three people stretched on the ground. Only Nicola-san, whether it is by the willpower of a young man, is left standing with his feet trembling. It's only his fox ears that fell down.
[Light come down, the breath bringing health, Refresh]
After I chanted the spell, grains of soft light poured onto the three people. After a few moments, the three people that were crumbled stood up, jumped up and down hopping, swung their swords, and started moving their bodies.
[My fatigue disappeared...]
[Wow, is this Heika's magic? Amazing!!]
[Kuu, I am worthless. I have no excuse, Heika]
It is the fatigue recovery magic: [Refresh]. It doesn't cure injuries, but it recovers stamina and physical fatigue. If it is used, I can bring forth a fatigue-unaffected physical strength. But since it doesn't change things that were overdid, I feel it is better not to use it too much.
(tlc: muscle soreness, i guess)
[Our house's Chief is a ridiculous guy as usual....]
Yamagata-ossan complains in such way. Well, I'll think of it as being praised.
[Now then, as for lunch, what would you like to eat? For the list, choices are hog, bird, ah, also crab....]
[[[[[Crab!]]]]]]
Is everyone in agreement? Oh well, it is fine. Let it be Bloody Crab. Including all members in the castle and since one is about the size of a dump truck, should hunting two of them be fine?
[Ah~ talking about having you hunt a Blood Crab, you will be careful, alright? After all, it is classified as red rank in the guild]
[[[Eh?]]]
The three were stunned. Since red rank means a first class adventurer, I guess it is as expected?
[Don't worry, because Yamagata-ossan and Baba-jiisan will assist you]
[We will! ?]
That's right of course. I will have you show your abilities.
==========================Scene Change=========================
In the end, I defeated one of the wasteland's bloody crabs using [Gravity]. It did not even take 1 minute!? The last one, leaving it to the five people as I watched as a mere spectator… didn't work. As I watched how the 5 people fought, I sometimes supported them with recovery magic and simple attack magic. Everyone fought continuously for 30 minutes, and Bloody Crab was finally silenced. As expected, it was really hard since everyone is fighter type and don't use magic. That shell is really solid after all. Was their compatibility too bad?
[Good job~]
[…Chief… I now understand how much of a monster you are...]
Yamagata-ossan turned his dull tired eyes towards me. How rude. The two "former" Takeda family members are somehow standing up, but their breath is rough nonetheless. Rain-san's group of three knights are completely unsteady. I apply [Refresh] same like before.
No matter what, the ability of those two is the real thing as expected because they have managed to defeat a red rank monster. Furthermore, the other three people were supporting them so they fought with all their might.
I stored the Bloody Crab in [Storage], and we returned to the castle. Heading directly to barracks, I presented the crab for everyone. Oh right, I wonder if we have enough seasoning? Tentatively, things like salt and miso and so on exist here, therefore I think we should be alright. I have to make sure the peddlers can come quickly to include those as well.
I left dismantling of the crab to Baba-jiisan and the others, and decided the make the highway from Belfast to Regulus.
Because there was a danger zone here originally, a highway was stretched to the south making it a big detour. For this country to be passed by, a new highway has to be made. It is not supposed to be a bad thing since it would shorten the travel time of people going to Belfast and Regulus and vice versa. As for the original highway, it will be left as it is so that people who don't want to come to our country will go that way.
[Maybe I should also establish a checkpoint at the border in advance? It will be unpleasant if strange guys come here]
Though it means that I will have to tamper a little with the highway between Belfast and Regulus as well, it will be fine since I received their permission. Well, I can connect it to the current highway for now.
I use [Gate] and appear on the highway on Regulus side first.
[Can i connect it from here to Belfast side in one go? It is probably better to make it straight rather than strangely meandering and twisting]
First, using Earth magic, I flatten the ground straight until Belfast side. That much is already enough for it to pass as a road, but let's add a stone pavement with a slightly better smoothness so that carriages and their likes can travel easier.
After that, I built simple looking checkpoints at the borders of both Belfast and Regulus. Though I will have to rebuild them into proper ones later. And then, let's set up some signposts. [Brunhild Dukedom this way] will do.
However with this set up, people will just pass by without even stopping. The castle will be seen midway from the highway, but how many will ever say [Let's go look over there]?
Well, it is not like the castle itself will do business, so shall I get Tsubaki-san's clan to set up shops on the highway? Something related to eating and drinking that allows people to take a break will be good, right? It will be an excellent place to gather news and gossips from travelers.
Apart from that, a road to the castle is also necessary. I make a stone-paved road similar to the ones before until the castle gates.
I smelled something good when I approached the front side of the castle. Is it crab stew? My stomach is empty.
=========================Scene Change=============================
It was decided that teaching the bicycle manufacturing method will be done in the afternoon. And, even though I say that, the one who was going to teach is not me, but Rosetta. Well, she does know more details than me after all.... If it is going to be manufactured from the start without using any magic, it is better to leave it to her. She is not the [Workshop] manager just for a show. Generally speaking, if she was an engineer, she would surely be a top notch one.
After entrusting Rosetta with the production side, I then became the person who teaches bicycle riding. It is not going to sell if no one is able to ride it after all. Because the children mistook it as a play thing (though I think it is understandable) and came pestering me with "give us a ride, give us a ride", I made several small ones for their use.
Surprisingly, the both adults and children mastered how to handle a bicycle in blink of an eye. Their sense of balance is on whole new level. Takeda's ninjas are scary...
After that, I have to gather the soldiers and have them take turns on guarding the checkpoints. Since there are about 50 people here with 4 people on each country's side, a total of 8 people are needed. Shall I have them take turns for 8 hours every two days? The one who does not work, shall not eat. Okay.
I lend the batons enchanted with [Paralysis] to the people going to the checkpoints. Night duty is dangerous after all. Because I have made a [Program] for the batons to be usable only by those people, there won't be a problem even if they are taken.
For them be in contact in case something happens, I had them take along the familiars called by summon magic, since it is possible for the familiar to communicate with me telepathically. A dog was summoned for Belfast's side, and cat for Regulus' side.
With this, it should be good. Were we able to put together the appearance of a country?