A Storm Is Coming So We're Reinforcing The House From The Top!
PART 2
***
Despite wanting to help, there are far too few means available at my disposal right now. I have a mountain of methods and knowledge in my head for reinforcing the house, but I don't even have the necessary tools, to begin with.
"Ah, if only I had some 'angle brackets'¹ at a time like this..."
"Angle brackets? What's that?" Upon hearing my muttered words, Mauru and Meara reacted.
The wood used in this house isn't bad at all. It's probably a type of wood that's resistant to rain and wind. So, if we only had the brackets for reinforcement, I could probably manage to do something quickly.
"Hmm... it's a metal plate, but I doubt we have one around."
"A metal plate...
like this?"
Saying so, Meara fiddled with the head of a fallen farming tool on the floor, retrieving a small rectangular metal plate that could fit in the palm of her hand.
"Oh, it's a 'wedge' for farming tools."
A bracket that's inserted between the handle and the head of tools like a hoe to keep them from coming loose.
"I wonder if this can be bent?" That is what I said taking the wedge in my hand.
The metal plate is sturdy. It's not easy to bend. If only there was some kind of tool to help with that, but there's nothing convenient like that here...
"...Ah." I just realized something!
My current attire was that of when I had returned from work and accidentally dozed off without changing. I reach for the belt at my waist.
Alright, my tool bag is still strapped on. Inside this tool bag, there are several small tools equipped for immediate use during work.
"Let's see... Yes, I have it!"
From it, I retrieve a tool that grips objects - the adjustable spanner. Though it's not its intended use, I place the wedge on the table and use the adjustable spanner to secure it between the tabletop and the wedge.
"Now... it might get a little noisy, sorry!"
And then, I remove the head of the hoe and lift it, using it to strike the protruding part of the wedge. After producing a few sharp sounds, due to the principle of leverage, the wedge bends and takes on an L-shaped form.
"Is that... an 'angle bracket'?" The twins, who had covered their ears, looked at the bracket that was born in my hand and asked me that.
"Yeah, that's it, but one isn't enough. We need more bunch of these..."
As I murmured at that very moment, a status window suddenly opened in my mind accompanied by the lively tune.
× × × • • • • • × × ×
[Title]: "DIY Master"
The skill "Alchemy" has been Unlocked.
× × × • • • • • × × ×
Huh? "Alchemy"?
I'm quite surprised by this sudden development.
"Alchemy"
While I've heard of the term alchemy before, I wonder if this means I can now create metal or something?
"No way, something like that..."
Despite forcing a smile, I continue to stare at the bracket in my hand.
In an instant, I notice that the hand holding the bracket is enveloped in a faint light.
No, it's not just the hand. Light is emanating from all over my body.
"Whoa! Mako, what's happening!?"
Maul's voice is filled with bewilderment.
And then, right before my eyes, as if materializing out of thin air, an angle bracket identical to the one in my hand forms and falls to the ground.
It's as if it's been generated by a 3D printer, a perfect replica.
"What! Huh!? Could that just now be... magic!?"
"You can use magic!?"
The twins are making a commotion over the phenomenon that just occurred. On the other hand, my thoughts remain calm.
Just as I thought this skill "Alchemy" is 'that alchemy' which can produce metal. With that in mind, I envisioned the angle bracket more vividly just like the one from my memories.
In an instant, one after another, the angle brackets in the desired shapes are being created. Unlike the makeshift metal wedge, I created just now, the one being created right now differ in shape some are longer and other wider, the one I'm familiar with dropping after another and clattering once it reaches the ground.
"I guess so? And now..." Just the angle brackets won't be enough. The angle brackets have several small holes, through which screws or nails can be inserted to secure them to the wood. Since several of these angle brackets are needed to secure one piece, I need to produce them in batches of a hundred or two hundred at a time.
I proceeded to also imagine nails to secure the angle brackets in place. Just like with the angle brackets, the nails were created consecutively. As a result, the floor is now covered with a multitude of angle brackets and a large number of nails.
One of the twins is looking perplexed. While I brace myself with determination, I feel that I'm prepared.
"Alright! With this many..."
At that moment, the status window appeared in my mind again.
× × × • • • • • × × ×
[MP]:０／100
× × × • • • • • × × ×
"What the? The MP is all used up!" So this skill uses MP just like those magic I know.
Well, for now, setting aside those thoughts, the priority is to proceed with installing these "angle brackets."
"Mauru, Meara... do you have a 'kanazuchi'² in this house?"
"Kanazuchi?"
"Um, something like a hammer."
"Is this what you're talking about?"
Saying that Meara handed me a wooden mallet³.
"A wooden mallet huh... Well, it's better than nothing. Mauru, Meara, if you have another spare, both of you can help too."
Holding the "wooden mallet" in my hand, I give instructions to the two.
"This house your father built is precious. Let's make it strong enough to withstand the storm together!"
※ ※ ※ ※ ※
――The next day.
"Man, last night was intense."
"Yeah, we had a leak in the roof."
"At our place, half of the roof got blown off."
After the storm had passed in the now-ravaged village of Abatox, villagers were gathered outside, engaging in conversation. Everyone had a pair of beastly ears sprouting from their heads, belonging to the species known as "Werewolf Beowulf."
"By the way, how did that twin's household up?"
Suddenly, one of the villagers muttered.
"It was in pretty bad shape to begin with."
"This time might have been a bit too much for it..."
There's a house where two young siblings live, having lost their parents in an unfortunate accident and with no other family to turn to. The villagers would help them at times but they too are impoverished, to be exact the whole village is. This time, there's nobody with the luxury to think about others' matters.
The villagers cautiously make their way to the house where the twin boys live, situated at the edge of the village.
"Wha... Huh?"
However, contrary to the expectations of most villagers, there stood a perfectly intact cabin, without even a hint of leaning or being damaged.
"What's going on here..."
"Did a miracle happen? Why is this rundown hut completely unaffected by the storm?"
Amidst their astonishment and murmurings, the villagers approach the hut. One burly villager touched the wall of the hut and exerted force, trying to push it.
"It's not budging at all. What the heck? This sturdiness..."
Just then, the door of the hut opens, and a woman appears, stretching and yawning.
"Yawn... I had a good sleep."
The villagers immediately turned their gazes towards her, their expressions transitioning to astonishment.
"A hu-human!?"
"Why is there a human woman in this house!?"
"Huh? Um..."
"What's going on, Mako...?"
"Huh? Everyone from the village?"
From behind the woman, the twin beastfolk, Mauru and Meara, showed up.
Facing the bewildered and dumbstruck villagers, the human woman, Mako, could only stand frozen in consternation, saying, "Um..." and looking utterly perplexed.
***
Jyzciel~
¹Angle brackets:
²Kanazuchi: There are different hammer tools in Japan, so the twins probably didn't recognize the term. Kana-zuchi (金槌) directly translates as Metal (金) Hammer (槌).
³Wooden Mallet: MC was looking for a metal head hammer, unlike the twins offered her.