Chapter 393: Building a Base

“……Were humans this mighty of an existence?”

“Amazing……”

While Largus, Rilda, and the others poked their heads out of the sea in astonishment, Dee and the others were clearing the forest at a terrifying pace. Well, it was mostly just Dee and Ortho doing the logging, but the rest of the knights were wheezing as they carried the cut timber over to me.

And I rapidly turned that timber into Wood Blocks.

“Nice. It’s really nice and efficient when there are more workers.”

Remembering the days right after we were stranded, when I walked around gathering driftwood washed up on the sandy beach and diligently turned it into Wood Blocks, I watched Dee and the others work with deep emotion.

Before I knew it, a massive amount of Wood Blocks and a large open square had been completed.

“……No one else can work like those two, though.”

Panamera muttered calmly while pointing at the backs of Dee and Ortho, but I could only give a wry smile at that.

“Besides them, I guess there’s only Mr. Targa in our faction. Do you not have anyone like that in your chivalric order, Ms. Panamera? Someone with unrivaled Herculean strength?”

“Herculean strength, huh. Well, using the mithril swords we bought from you, Boy, we could probably do something similar, but swinging a greatsword like that is difficult.”

Panamera said that with furrowed brows. She looked slightly frustrated for some reason. I wonder if the training for Panamera’s Chivalric Order will become more intense? If that happens, I’m afraid the knights of Panamera’s Chivalric Order will resent me later.

While I was thinking such things while chatting with Panamera, Arte and Till came over with Pluriel and pointed at the ship.

“Umm, Lord Van……”

“Hm? What is it?”

Perhaps because I was talking with Panamera, Arte called out to me somewhat hesitantly. You can approach me more proactively, you know, Arte.

When I turned around with a smile, Arte opened her mouth while still pointing at the ship.

“It seems there are a lot of materials on the ship, so if we could make the ship shake a little less, we were thinking we could carry the cargo……”

When Arte said that, behind her, Till and Pluriel both bent one arm and struck a pose as if showing off their biceps. Their arms were slender and there were no biceps to speak of, but it was cute, so it’s fine.

“Ooh, that’s much appreciated. Then, maybe I’ll build a pier first.”

While thanking Arte and the others for their offer, I held Wood Blocks in both hands and turned back toward Rilda and the others.

“I’m going to build a bridge in the sea for a bit! Please step back a little!”

“Hm? Understood.”

When I called out, Largus answered on their behalf. I think he probably didn’t understand what I was saying, but he obediently listened to me. Just like the Apkallus, they might be an innocent race.

After confirming that the mermaids had distanced themselves sufficiently, I deformed the Wood Blocks and built a slightly wide pier extending from the land. We might come here again in the future, so let’s make it a sturdy pier.

Because the terrain this time was such that the coast became deep quickly, the distance of the pier itself wasn’t very long. I built a pier about four meters wide and twenty meters long, extending its pillars deep into the seabed. Taking the threat of magic beasts into consideration, I made ten pillars.

“O-Ooh……”

“In the blink of an eye……”

As I walked along the newly built pier and approached the ship, I heard Largus and the others’ voices of surprise. Hearing those voices, I thought of something and called out to Rilda.

“Where do you all live?”

When I asked that, Largus made a startled face, but Rilda answered immediately.

“There are still more than twenty islands on the other side of this island, so we live on a safe island among them……”

“Huh, is that so.”

Because Rilda had answered, Largus’s face became a bit grim. He might be wary that humans would come attacking. Of course, I had no such thoughts.

“Well then, just in case you ever come around here, maybe I’ll build a house for you.”

“Eh?”

At my words muttered to no one in particular, Rilda adorably tilted her head.

After re-mooring the ship and lowering the folding stairs, I immediately tried building a house. Since I went to the trouble of making it, I designed it to connect to the pier to further increase its strength. I thought a boathouse-like structure would be good if they were the same as the Apkallus, but since this was a coast with good depth, I decided to try a completely different structure.

I built a single-story house on the side opposite to where the ship was moored. Furthermore, the walls continued down to the seabed, and I installed single-swing doors in several places. I also tried making a room underwater, but it’s unknown whether it will be used.

When I tried entering the house, Arte and the others who followed behind raised voices of admiration.

“Wow……”

“It’s wonderful!”

Arte and Till raised moved voices looking at the whole place from the room’s entrance, while Panamera and Pluriel went inside and admired the room’s structure.

“This is spacious.”

“It looks like it could be used as a base, too.”

While satisfied with the reactions of the four, I checked the beach house for the mermaids. The center of the room was the sea surface, with a walkway of about one meter from the walls. Since I made it quite spacious, I think thirty people could sit on the walkway part if they squeezed in. I also made hinged doors at a height where they could be opened by reaching out while sitting, so if they open them, they will serve as windows.

“……Yeah, it looks pretty good.”

It’s simple, but it feels easy to use, so I’m satisfied. While I was having a private viewing of the beach house, Largus and the others entered the house from the seabed right on cue. Poking their heads out onto the sea surface section, Largus and the others were surprised to see the interior.

“Just in case, I made the floor in three stepped tiers so it can adapt to the ebb and flow of the tide. I guess right now is probably when the sea level is at its highest, right? It’s just a guess from the look of the coast, though.”

When I asked that, Largus blinked, turned around, and nodded silently.