Chapter 75

"Ha..."

"Y-You guys, what are you talking about..."

Among the beastmen of the 《Bear race》 who couldn't understand the intent of my words, everyone had already started to take action.

Gurai and I first headed to the nearest house.

"Is the owner of this house here?"

"Y-Yes, that's me..."

One of the beastmen we had restrained earlier stepped forward.

"We are going to repair your house now. Is that okay?"

"W-Well, if you can fix it, I'd be happy..."

"Then let's start."

Gurai and I circled the hut to observe it.

"From what I can see, the quality of the wood used for the walls is poor. Some parts are rotten and falling apart."

"Was this house built using wood from the surrounding forest?"

"A-Ah, yes."

When Gurai asked, the beastman nodded hesitantly.

"We'll need to cut more wood. That will take time."

"There's no other way. We'll use the foundation and frame and turn it into a tin hut."

As I said this, I activated 《Alchemy》.

Since the sea is nearby, I alchemized several sheets of 〝Galvanized Steel〟 that are resistant to corrosion.

"I think using this for the exterior walls and roof will make a hut that can withstand salt damage from the sea breeze."

"Got it."

Efficiently, I created the building materials, and Gurai began repairing the house.

The beastmen could only stare in amazement at the scene.

Meanwhile—

"Hey, why is there so much raw garbage scattered around the village?"

Delphi walked around the village, talking to the beastmen.

"Well... when our food runs out, in the worst case, we have to eat this..."

"Are you seriously that stupid? Eating this stuff will kill you and spread disease. Burn it, burn it."

Delphi exhaled a high-temperature breath to dispose of the garbage.

From the reactions of the residents, it seemed they had intended to use it as emergency food.

To think they had to live in a situation where they had to eat such things to survive...

"Hey, don't look so disappointed. If you're hungry, the 《Beowulfs》 are preparing food over there."

"Ah, raw garbage can be used as fertilizer if used properly. It would be nice if this village could have some fields."

As he said this, Uga efficiently prepared the food.

He built a stove with stones and set up the 〝large pot〟 I had alchemized.

Maul, Meala, and Reire, guided by the 《Bear race》 beastmen, brought water from the river.

"It was quite far away?"

"We didn't even have water that far away..."

Enthia and Kuro-chan pulled the carts to transport the buckets of water, as Maul and Meala said.

The more we learned, the more we realized how harsh the environment truly was.

But, that's when our skills come into play.

"Alright, everyone, let's do our best!"

"「「「「「Yeah!」」」」」

The 《Bear race》 beastmen were always taken aback by our efficient work.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

—A few hours later.

"Good work, Gurai."

"Yeah. Mako, are you okay with your magic power?"

"Absolutely, I still have plenty left."

Gurai and I looked around the village.

The landscape, which was dotted with dilapidated huts, had been transformed.

The wooden huts, which were in poor condition, had been reinforced with metal walls and roofs.

Of course, the interiors were also reinforced with 〝Angle Brackets〟.

Ah, it's been a while since I alchemized 〝Angle Brackets〟.

This should make the huts much stronger.

"Wow..."

"Are you dreaming?"

"Metal walls... Is it really okay to use such luxury?"

The beastmen looked at the huts we had repaired with a dazed expression.

"Hey, Delphi, are you done over there?"

"Yeah, I disinfected it artistically."

It seemed Delphi's incineration was complete, and the putrid smell that had permeated the village was gone.

Instead, a very fragrant aroma now filled the air.

"This is a soup made with vegetables from our village. These vegetables are popular in the capital, so it's bound to be delicious."

In the 〝large pot〟, vegetables were being boiled with salted dried meat.

The beastmen's stomachs were growling in front of the nutrient-rich soup.

"It seems everyone is reaching their limit. Shall we start serving?"

Iksa, who had been helping with the cooking, said.

So, the food distribution began.

Like the other cooking utensils, I alchemized metal 〝plates〟 and 〝spoons〟.

The villagers formed a line in front of the large pot.

"Hey, hey, you guys..."

The leader, Bushi, was flustered by the smooth progress of the situation.

His former bandit companions, the beastmen, had also joined the line.

"Hey! Don't trust them so easily! These unknown people—"

"Here, please."

I brought the soup to Bushi, who was shouting.

No matter what, he must have been hungry.

He swallowed his saliva as he looked at the bowl filled with meat and vegetables.

"Hunger makes you irritable. It's best to eat it while it's hot."

"Shut up!"

Bushi took the bowl and spoon from me.

"Damn, this is ridiculous... I thought they were using us 《Bear people》 and then suddenly oppressed and expelled us... Now they suddenly show up in the village to repair houses and cook? ...We 《Bear people》 are always being toyed with by humans!"

Spewing his resentment, Bushi scooped up the soup.

"There's no way this can taste good with such a feeling..."

He took a sip.

"Delicious!"

Bushi screamed and fell to the ground.

His companions rushed to his aid.

"Hey, what's wrong with Bushi!"

"It's no good... He fainted from the deliciousness..."

Bushi, you have a good reaction.

You have the potential to be a food critic.

In any case, the food prepared by Uga and the others was a huge hit.

The beastmen, who hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, let out joyful cries.

‘This, this...’

Even the little one, Chibi, was skillfully carrying a bowl of soup on his head.

His experience as a waiter in the capital was coming in handy.

Chibi brought the soup to an old beastwoman who was sitting in a chair in front of a house, unable to move, perhaps due to a leg injury.

‘This!’

The old woman took the bowl from Chibi.

She took a sip of the soup and smiled, tears streaming down her face.

"...What are you guys, exactly?"

Bushi regained consciousness from his faint.

He and his companions spoke to me.

The enmity in their eyes was gone.

They were now purely confused by this unexpected situation.

"Fixing our houses and cooking such a meal... Are you messengers of the gods or something?"

"No, no, nothing that grand."

The village had completely changed from when we first arrived.

Then, I suddenly looked at the forest surrounding the settlement.

"But the trees in this area are thin and weak."

We had reinforced the huts with 〝Galvanized Steel Sheets,〟 but the trees in this area were not suitable for construction.

...Well, it's because Antimishka had drained the land's power during the invasion.

...With such weak trees, it would be difficult to cut boards or pillars.

If we had electric or engine-powered tools, it would be a different story.

(…Well, that’s… huh?)

Then, I remembered the description of 《Alchemy Lv.3》 I had seen before.

‘Convert magic power into motive power’

"Could it be... converting magic power into motive power..."

At that moment—

‘This, this!’

A cry, almost a scream, came from somewhere.

Chibi?

"What? What was that sound?"

Noticing this, Uga and I headed towards the source of the sound.

"Ah!"

Near the forest, Chibi was being attacked by something.

A creature about the same size as Chibi was biting his head.

It was a raccoon.

A very small, young raccoon.

‘This, this!’

Chibi, with the creature on top of him, was flailing his four legs in resistance.

I immediately reached out to separate Chibi and the raccoon.

‘Ponpoko!’

When I touched it, 《Communication》 seemed to activate.

I could hear the raccoon's voice.

‘This, this!’

‘Ponpoko! Ponpoko!’

‘This!’

‘Ponpoko!’

...Hmm, I can't understand what they're saying at all.

I lifted Chibi, and Uga held the raccoon.

The two were still fighting, trying to pounce on each other.

"Pokota!"

Then, a beastman appeared from the forest.

It was the rabbit-like beastman boy I had seen earlier.

"Ah..."

He stopped, looking at the raccoon struggling in Uga's hand and then at us.

"Huh? Is this raccoon yours?"

"……"

The boy took the raccoon from Uga and bowed silently.

"What's your name?"

"……Ah, um..."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"His name is Mu."

Faced with the hesitant boy, Uga and I tilted our heads.

Bushi appeared.

"Even though you're a different race, are you part of their group?"

"He wasn't originally a resident of this village. He's a traveling beastman... but due to certain circumstances, he's staying here. By the way, the raccoon's name is Pokota."

"What's your story, how did you end up in this village?"

"……"

Mu remained silent.

Perhaps he had reasons he didn't want to share with strangers.

"Well, never mind. You guys must be hungry too. Eat up."

Uga brought a bowl of soup to Mu.

"! ……"

Mu looked surprised but, being hungry, blushed and nodded, taking the bowl from Uga.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

After that, the interaction in the village continued.

I and Iksa were listening to the detailed story from the 《Berserker》 bear beastmen.

The general flow was the same as what we had heard earlier.

The exclusion of beastmen had intensified, and the lord, Prince Stinger, had unilaterally decided to expel them.

Meanwhile, Gurai was making wooden dolls for the village children.

His skillful craftsmanship was well-received, and the children were delighted.

"Why don't you make something too?"

Reire suggested to Delphi, who was eating the leftover soup.

"Why should I...?"

"You're an artist, right? It's good to gain fans in places like this. You never know what connections might be useful in the future."

"Hmph, that's a merchant's way of thinking."

Despite his words, Delphi heated and bent the glass beads he was wearing to make a glass boar doll.

It was also very well-received, and the children were delighted.

"Hehe, you can worship me more, you know?"

"Idiot."

Incidentally, Chibi and Pokota, who had been fighting earlier, were now chasing each other around the village, saying ‘This, this!’ and ‘Ponpoko, ponpoko!’

In any case, after spending a few hours in their village, it was now evening.

We decided to return to the city.

"Thank you today. And I'm sorry for attacking you suddenly."

As we finished our preparations to leave, Bushi and the others said.

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

"It might take some time, but we'll work together to uncover the truth. In the future, we want to help you return to the city."

I and Iksa told them.

The key to this matter is likely the lord, Prince Stinger.

We need to contact him through Iksa's connections.

"See you!"

"Come back again!"

We started walking back to the city of Bizer, the tourist destination, as the villagers bid us farewell.