[After I removed the curses, everyone wanted to serve under me, and I accepted. Within a few days, they all started performing their jobs properly, including hunting. However, what really bothered me were their houses. Goodness gracious, these demons didn't even know how to build a decent house!]
"Ahh, is this your first time building a house?" I asked one of the architects who was overseeing the work.
"I'm terribly sorry, my Lord. All the real architects perished, and I only know the basics. I apologize," he replied.
"I see," I said.
If that's the case, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands. I may not be an expert, but as the son of a Lord, I've read numerous books on architecture. Plus, I have some knowledge of basic Earth Magic and Elemental Texture Magic. With a little effort, I believe I can build suitable houses.
"Ahh, what was your name again?" I asked.
"Shuhji, my Lord," he replied.
"Alright, Shuhji, I want you to stop working and instruct everyone to gather their belongings from their houses and relocate near the Elder's house. I'll provide a temporary camp for you all. You'll need to stay there while I construct proper houses for you," I said.
"Yes, my Lord. I'll organize that immediately," he said, eager to carry out my instructions.
Elisabeth approached me, curiosity evident in her eyes. "Is something happening, my Lord?"
"Yes, I'm about to build some houses. And please, don't call me 'my Lord.' It sounds really weird," I said to her.
She looked incredibly beautiful today. Over the past few days, I had only seen her a few times, but now I realized she had become even more stunning.
"No, that won't do. You are the Lord, my lord. Actually, if you allow me, I can call you Diablo-sama. I think it suits you," she said with a big smile, emphasizing certain assets... I mean, words.
"Well, it's not perfect, but it's better than 'my lord.' I need a few people to help me build the houses. Can you assist me?" I asked her.
"Of course, you just have to give the orders," she replied.
Within an hour, all the villagers emptied their houses. Truth be told, they didn't possess much. For now, I just needed to construct the houses. Afterwards, I would consider my next steps. Elisabeth and a few others joined me in the house-building project.
I picked up a stick and drew the design of our town on the ground.
[Town divided into three parts: the left side for residential houses, the middle for the main road and various organizations such as medical facilities, workshops, and meeting rooms, and the right side for the Guild office. Well, it's not an Adventurer Guild, but rather a minister's office. From there, I can easily manage everything. In other words, you could call it my house. On the left side of the Guild, I constructed the Elder's house.] I explained my plan to them.
They all looked surprised and excited.
"It's a wonderful plan, but it will take us about three years to complete, and we don't have enough materials," Elisabeth said, her excitement mixed with disappointment.
"You don't have to worry about that. You know about elemental magic, right?" I asked her.
"Yes, I know about the four basic elements: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth," she replied.
"Yes, those are the basic four elements. But there are actually more elements like Light, Dark, Soul, and Holy. All elements are created using mana, right?" I asked her.
"Yes, all elements are created with mana. But wait, are you suggesting that you'll use your mana to create houses?" she asked.
"No, no, if I use my mana, I'll just deplete it, and the houses won't turn out well either. What I mean is, how are these elements created?" I clarified.
She seemed confused.
I continued, "All these elements—whether it's you, me, or even the ground—everything in the universe is made up of three particles, or matter, except for energy. The only thing that differs is the behavior of those particles. So, if I can change their behavior, I can create anything I want. That means I can make houses using stones, trees, dust, and even air."
They all looked perplexed.
"Particles?" she asked me.
"Yes, particles. A long time ago—[in my previous life]—I came up with this idea of how to manipulate elements, but then I forgot about it. It's all science. Now that I remember, I can freely use that magic because I know what causes it. And the best part is, it requires very little mana," I explained.
"Science? I don't understand what you're talking about, but it sounds interesting," she replied.
"Don't worry, science is really complicated. Besides, here we have magic, and if any scientist knew about it, they'd fall head over heels for magic. Ha ha! Well then, shall we get started?" I said.
"Yes!" they exclaimed.
[First, I need to compress all the nearby elements into little stones. I started compressing everything—trees, soil, etc.—and transformed them into small stones. Done.]
When I turned around, they were all shocked.
"How did everything disappear, and what are these red stones?" Elisabeth asked.
"These are the hardest materials I know. You can call them Red Diamonds. Now, collect them. Even a single stone can build an entire house. There's enough material there. Now, I'll create an outline for the houses, and you guys just need to place the stones in the middle of each square. Got it?" I instructed them.
"Yes!" they replied.
Using my mathematical skills, I drew the outlines, and they placed the stones at the core of each house.
Now it was time to manipulate those Red Stones once again.
First, I created a basic design, relying on my memories from my previous life. The houses were made with sturdy cement. I used normal architectural magic, called "Element Manipulate," to construct the houses. Then, I employed "Enchanted Elements" to ensure their durability, making them resistant to earthquakes. I created three types of houses in three different compounds: A, B, and C. The only difference was their appearance. Once again, I used "Element Manipulate" to add color. As for the furniture, I crafted them with wood. I enchanted the doors and windows for added charm. Lastly, I cast "Enchant" on everything to make them safe and unbreakable. In total, I built 90 houses in three rows. Although the number of residents was currently low, I wanted to plan ahead and accommodate future growth. In just one hour, all the houses were complete.
Woohoo! It only took up 5% of my mana. It really came in handy. When I looked behind me, everyone was totally shocked.
All the villagers had gathered to witness the construction.
"In my life, I've never seen houses being built so quickly. And they're beautiful too," the Village Elder said.
"Thanks. Now, I'll divide the houses into three different compounds: A, B, and C. Compound A is for the elderly, those with children, and those who cannot perform heavy labor. Compound B is for those who work in the town, such as shopkeepers and town workers. Compound C is for the town guards and hunters. Although all the houses are essentially the same, you can choose where you want to live. Each house is numbered, so once you decide, come to me and inform me of your house number and the names of the residents. I will register your names with the respective houses. Each house has three living rooms, so if your family consists of 4 to 6 members, you can choose two houses. If you have more than 6 family members, you can have three houses, or you can simply use one. It's your choice. After you're registered, you can modify your house according to your preferences. Additionally, this way, I can assign appropriate jobs to each household," I delivered a speech.
Everyone looked at the houses in awe, as they didn't have many belongings. They quickly decided where they would live, and within an hour, their choices were made.
Currently, there were only 35 people and 28 workers. We needed more people. The next day, I constructed another area and built the Guild house. I had considered creating a currency, but I realized it would be impractical. After all, I was just building a town, not an entire country.
In the following days, I trained the villagers on how the town should operate. They gradually became more proficient, even managing a few days without me.
"You mentioned there are many refugees outside, right?" I asked Elisabeth.
"Yes, to the south, there are several small villages with refugees," she replied.
"Alright, let's go there and ask them if they would like to live here," I said.
"That's a great idea! We need more people to run the town properly, don't we, Diablo-sama?" she asked.
"Yes," I confirmed.
[Demon Lord Gleen]
"It's time to meet him. Make the necessary preparations. We'll begin our journey in a few days," she said.
"Who are you?"