Vol 2 Chapter 2 (1/2)

Episode 2 : Kuu (クウ)

“Rick. Gather other helpers and get the remaining dried meat, as well as all the cold protection clothing that was suppose to be traded for salt, and bring it to the workshop on the outskirts.”

My childhood friend, Rick, as instructed carried the dried meat, along with the cold protective clothing, and wild boar bones and wild boar fat. I took the Firefoxes with me outside the village. Since leaving the village so suddenly, I was wondering if the Firefoxes were anxious about whether they thought they were being expelled. Their usual puffy tails looked a little ruffled.

I walked without saying a word, and then saw our destination appear.

“From here on out, this will be your home. I know it’s bad, but we cannot prepare houses for each and every single person. Everyone will have to live here together.  If you find it too unpleasant, there is not much I can recommend. I can search for some elves who would not mind living with you. If it’s only for a few people, some accommodations can be arranged inside the village. What will you do?”

“It would be best if everyone just lives here.”

“Then that’s good.”

I lead the fire foxes to the outskirts of the village to my workshop, and when they saw it the Firefox’s eyes were wide with admiration.

Because there has been no real advancement in construction technology in both the Elf and Firefox villages. Houses are still made of tree, rock, and soil. So it’s understandable that seeing a 30 meter by 30 meter workshop made of brick would be a shock to them, right?

Its unavoidably wide.

1 kitchen room that when converted becomes 45 rooms. If it’s only fifty people, it’s livable.

“There are various dangerous things in the building next door, so you absolutely cannot enter that one.”

Two huge workshops were constructed side by side.

The other day, I added another addition to the workshop because of the equipment from the five hundred soldiers, as well as various production and manufacturing items that filled it to the brim.

This time I wanted to make best use of the second workshop taking into considerations from the last one. I built the first one thinking about the livability and comfort, I did make it while thinking that way. But I gave up cleaning that one because it would take two weeks to make it habitable.

“Umm, Cyril-sama, this… Is it really okay to use this? It’s the first time seeing such a splendid building like this.”

Kuu nervously asked the question.

“Of course. I actually wanted to prepare a place in the village for you. But it would be mentally taxing for both Elves and Firefoxes, with each side doing their own thing right? So until things get settled and everyone gets friendlier with each other I want you to live here whenever possible.”

Both Firefoxes and Elves have their own customs and rules.

With so many people suddenly becoming part of the village, it’s only natural various problems would occur, right?

In the meantime, while putting some distance between them, I want to a.s.sign adequate jobs to the Firefoxes to make them appeal to the elves. To show them visible results and for them to recognize the Firefoxes usefulness.

From now on, I want the guys in the village to slowly close the gap.

“Cyril-sama, this Elf Vill….. Elus.h.i.+e, what is it? This… There is no way you could have made this. Could it be that you got the Korine Kingdom’s support, couldn’t you accept more support?”

There was some hope in Kuu’s voice.

Her guess was the most plausible. Brick structure house also, high purity gla.s.s house, Elf’s technology can’t possibly make that. Is what she should have derived from just that.

In that case, the only possibility left is the Korine Kingdom.

If the elves accepted a.s.sistance from the Korine Kingdom, our safety would increase. Kuu obviously must have thought as far that, right?

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any a.s.sociation with the Korine Kingdom or the commercial city of Ellis. I did my best making it with my own magic.”

“That’s not poss…. no, Thank you very much. I would like to express my appreciation and gratefully accept it, Cyril-sama.”

Kuu respectfully lowers her head.

I don’t believe it would happen, but the reason I hide it is because I am afraid that if I expose it everyone’s mood would worsen.

Long ago, that girl was never this reserved, its because of her position she is using polite manners.

Even though I said this is a place for friends, acting overly familiar with guests while receiving them, or doing foolish things. Even if she was the daughter of the head of the family there is no way she could become the representative, right?

“To give something that I wanted. 「everyone, has a lot of luggage, when we first entered the house. Lets arrange the luggage…」is what I would say, but honestly the smell is terrible, and it’s too dirty. I would like to clean ourselves, there is a well near the workshop, right?”

I point at the well.

and over there, was a well surrounded by brick and a roof.

I spent a lot of time at the studio, so I made a well nearby.

The walls and roof around the metal pump were not made on a whim. I took into consideration protecting someone from getting exposed to the rain.

Usually when I am an elf I can just use water magic to easily pump up the water. But it was inconvenient for my Dwarf form, Kuiro, so I ended up making the well.

“And just like this, this metal handle goes up and down and, the momentum of the water will flow well.”

What was installed was a hand-powered pump. When the handle is pumped up and down, atmospheric pressure causes the water to be sucked up into the internal cylinder. From there it flows vigorously out of the structure.

The water can be poured into the bucket.

“I have all the food preparations inside. Once you have washed yourselves and your clothes, come inside. If you enter now clean up is going to be bothersome. Anyway, I think girls are better clean to start with.”

“For everything up to now and everything from now on, Thank you so much. Everyone here can’t express their grat.i.tude enough.”

This time not just Kuu, all around the Firefoxes at once bowed.

Having just come through the mountains and the forests. Their clothes and bodies were in a terrible condition, covered in mud, grim, and smeared in sweat.

The girls being in such a condition, wouldn’t be able to rest their spirits.

Everyone had a dull expression, with both body and mind being exhausted. The terrible condition of their body’s had an impact as well.

Either way, because of the time needed to prepare the food, I plan to make something good while they clean themselves up.

“The doors are open now, but the building that houses the well is also furnished with a door. If you close it you can’t see from the outside so relax, I will be going. If there is anything you need, just call out to me.”

As I say so, the Firefoxes still with heads bowed made a sidelong glance at the workshop and began to walk in that direction.

“ummm, Cyril-sama”

For Kuu to call out to me like that.

“Whats up?”

“umm, it’s small but, please use this, after, when we are cleaned up we will all help.”

Saying it like that, from her back bag, she takes a cl.u.s.ter of rock salt, dried meat, and also cheese.

“Because I want to set aside things I want to preserve, I only want to get the rock salt from you. Since all the Firefoxes are tired, please leave today’s cooking to me. I can only make but simple things so additional help is not needed.”

“is that so?”

“aaaa. that is why, don’t worry just come and leisurely wash your body.”

“I understand. but, I will come back and help soon!”

As if leaving something unsaid, Kuu ran towards the well.

If it’s like this, she is likely to return soon.

I entered the workshop that I handed over to the Firefoxes, and lucie suddenly appeared.

Apparently, hiding in the shadows in the workshop.

“Firefoxes came but, what’s up?”

“Oh Lucie, didn’t you return to the village?”

“Well I was intending to, but I came back after watching you tag along the Firefoxes, you know. It was hard to call to you, so I followed you back.”[followed]

Lucie was looking a little awkward saying that.

As expected, Lucie has the nature of a hunter, hiding her presence is her specialty; I didn’t even notice it.

“The Firefox village was destroyed by the empire. They escaped and came here it seems. We had various stories and small talk, but the girls are tired and hungry. Anyway I want to prepare a meal for them. Lucie, sorry, but the potatoes, could you harvest about ten roots and bring them to me? I won’t use it in lunch, but I will need them for dinner. I know it’s the potatoes we worked hard together on, but before the elves, we need to cater to the Firefoxes, sorry.”

I bow my head to Lucie.

Lucie was desperately trying her best to grow the potatoes for all the elves. I felt guilty having to selfishly use all that effort for the sake of the Firefoxes.

“Hey, Cyril… You intend to accept all the Firefoxes into Elucie?”

Lucie isn’t angry, so I ask in a normal tone.

“That is my intention. I will not abandon those girls, and we will welcome them to Elucie.”

“Un, if that’s the case it’s okay. I will go get them soon, kay.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Nah, I was doing my best for everyone, you know. Cyril decided that the Firefoxes are now Elucie’s friends right? If I can make friends of Elucie happy, I also will be happy.”

“Lucie…”

I couldn’t endure it, and I hugged Lucie tightly.

“Uhwa… what the, Cyril!?”

Lucie’s face turns red in a panic.

“I love you…”

When I said that Lucie makes a bitter smile, and I loosened my hold.

“I also like things about Cyril,you know. Hey, please don’t do this forever, the Firefoxes are hungry you know!”

I let go of Lucie, leaving reluctantly.

Lucie was still embarra.s.sed and she quickly escaped to harvest the potatoes.

“Well, I feel recharged… time to do my best!”

Saying so, I pour water from the water jug into the pot the water was drawn from the well this morning, I then light a fire in the stone furnace.

Inside the furnace were deep red coals, by that time the luggage from the village arrived.

First thing was the dried meat made from the excess wild boar carca.s.ses.

Pelts for cold protection clothing, the meat could be made into dried meat, but the meat just sticks around the bones and couldn’t be taken off. It would be too painful to harvest that as dried meat, so a considerable amount was left behind.

There is also the excess back fat. The top part of the lump of fat, the sinew inside can’t be eaten as is.

But, if I can come up with a way to make it edible I can use the meat around the bones for lunch, and the excess back-fat for dinner.

The pot I poured water into has a depth of 60 centimeters and a capacity of one hundred liters, a perfect business grade size. I abused my authority by using a considerable amount of precious iron, it was a splendid gem I made. [abused authority]

“The water has boiled. I will put the bones in here.”

And then, I take out a Chinese kitchen knife made from precious iron.

Of course, this was also made with abusing my authority, made wholly with the technology I have, it’s the gem of my pride.[EZ1] First was doing my best with the material properties from ingredients on hand to make the highest quality alloy. Additionally being a thirty multi-layered structure……. This Damascus structure is the same materials used in the construction of swords, if it’s sold. If it’s this world, even if made unskillfully you could acquire a house for the same price.[…..] [EZ2]

Using the spine of the kitchen knife I splendidly hit and break the wild boar bone.

The Chinese kitchen knife is all-purpose. Utilizing the weight and striking the spine would cause normal things to break. Because the base of the blade is thick, using the weight and chopping down cuts through meat and skin. Furthermore going toward the tip it gets sharper and thinner making fine work possible.

“I have seen cooking equipment from various worlds, there is no universal cutlery like a Chinese cooking knife.”

And so, the bones were broken up to a size small enough to enter the pot, the parts with meat sticking on them were also thrown into the boiling pot.

About half of the pot was filled with mostly water, and after adding the ingredients it became two-thirds full.

Meat attached to the bone is generally thrown in and the bones that are left out is cleaned up. I then break up the rock salt with the Chinese kitchen knife and toss it in the pot.

Appropriately, I add mountain herbs and mushrooms that were in the workshop into the pot, then put the lid on; at the same time I start my magic.

“【Pressurization】”

I influence the wind mana inside of the vase and make the atmospheric pressure increase.

From this, I made the ordinary pot into the equivalent of a pressure cooker. From the start, I thought about making a pressure cooker. Because this and that happened and because it was inconvenient, I stopped.

And while doing so, several Firefoxes with clean bodies and clothes came back.

Blood rushes to their cheeks, steam came out. Until some time ago they had dead-like eyes, but it looked as though just a little vigor came back. As I thought, personal appearance is significant.

Firefoxes specialize in fire magic. So naturally they would be was.h.i.+ng their bodies with water they changed into hot water, right. Well temperature drops greatly by one digit and your body senses would be frozen over.

Was.h.i.+ng the body with hot water, comforts the heart and spirit.

The remaining clothing was precisely washed and dried from fire magic, becoming sanitary.

“Cyril-sama, I will help.”

The first Firefox to come back was Kuu. She came rus.h.i.+ng back.

“Well, I am in the middle of making the stew and don’t need help right now. No actually, does everyone have plates? I am making soup, but there isn’t enough tableware.” [stew]

“we don’t have a bowl, but everyone does have cups.”

“is that so, well then, is it ok if I ask you to instruct everyone to take out their cups?”

“yes, I understand!”

Kuu rushes off toward her friends.

While watching it, I had the feeling that because the pot was better for this I opened the lid.

And, the alluring wild boar fragrance filled the room.

Feeling the gazes on my back I turned and, the Firefoxs’ drool was dribbling. The growling of their stomachs could be heard.

Well they weren’t able obtain decent food right. Warm soup would be very irresistible.

“The quality of the soup, how is it?”

Meat heavily sunk to the bottom, I scooped up one bone with the ladle and gently brushed the bone with the kitchen knife.

And the meat tore off and fell with nearly no resistance. Using the pressure cooker made the quality of the stew dish come out well, the meat around the bone looks like it came off cleanly.

I repeat that operation to remove the Bones that I can’t cut and are too big to fit in the Firefoxs’ cups. I gently stroke the surface of the bone and the meat falls into the pot.

Because that process is nearly finished, I skim the sc.u.m from the sorry state of the surface, and complete the soup by stirring it.

Since smaller bones that would fit into their cups have sunken to the bottom, it should be ok, right.

That way we can properly distribute it, so they can slurp and eat it well.

“Uwaa…..”