Chapter 20

"How should I use the first floor?"

While eating the homemade apple pie made by Sakura, I was thinking.

"Please use it as you like, Master."

Even if she says to use it as I like, it's not that simple.

After all, I've only ever lived in a 2LDK.

I've never lived in a large room, so I don't know how to use it.

"Right now, it's just a storage place for wood golems and apples."

I store the harvested apples and the apple trees that can't be placed outside by turning them into golems.

That's why the first floor is permeated with a strong apple scent, like an air freshener.

"Besides, our apples don't rot easily..."

"Because they are packed with magic. However, the magic gradually diminishes over time."

It was discovered recently that the magic inside the apples decreases after a while.

It's like freshness.

The magic is stored while the apples are on the tree, but it's halved by the next day.

Even so, the fact that they don't rot makes me wonder if they can even be called apples.

"Even if I use it as a room, I'll need furniture, hmm..."

"Maybe we should gather materials and make some, or ask the werewolf to buy them for us."

That might be a good idea.

The werewolf is almost like a traveling merchant these days.

And the money to buy things,

"Oh, you're here again today."

Outside the window, near the entrance to the garden, Dianea, the princess witch, was standing.

She was holding her usual leather bag.

"Well, I'll go greet her, Sakura."

"Yes, I'll prepare dinner and wait for you."

●●●

When I went to meet Dianea, she seemed unusually fidgety.

She seemed restless, as if she was seeing something unfamiliar.

"Hey, what's up, Dianea? You seem restless."

"A, ah, it's you. I'm glad. I thought you might have moved because the house looked different."

Oh, right. She doesn't know about the second floor.

"Don't worry about it. By the way, you've been coming here a lot lately, haven't you?"

You come every three days or so, right?

Even though you're a princess, you have that much free time?

"U, um, fortunately, the security in this area has improved."

So, it used to be bad?

Indeed, if I had lived here normally, witches and werewolves would have attacked me, shouting "Hyah-hyah!"

At first, I didn't feel anything because of the hangover and headache, but now I realize it was quite a dangerous area.

"Ugh... That, that was really bad. I'm reflecting on it. But, thanks to you, my work has decreased. I haven't even been staying up all night for two days."

"Is staying up all night normal?"

Looking closely, she had dark circles under her eyes. It seemed like a very demanding job.

Is being a princess like working for a black company?

I can understand not being able to sleep because of the workload.

"Coming here has meaning for me too. So, please take this."

And she handed me the usual leather bag.

"This time, it contains a thousand silver coins."

"I don't really need such a return, you know."

"No, it wouldn't be right to just take without giving. Besides, just by you and your house being here, the area is magically enriched."

Huh? What do you mean by that?

"Didn't I explain it? This land and you are storing and overflowing with a large amount of magic."

I knew you were generating magic, but does having a lot of magic have any benefits?

"First, crops and life grow well. It's the source of life's power. Therefore, materials obtained from animals are also of high quality, making the area prosperous."

"Wow, that's amazing."

"In other words, just by you moving around and using magic as you like, my country becomes prosperous. I give you money as a thank you. It's like saying thank you for being near the capital."

I see, it's a thank you.

You're really considerate, Dianea.

I didn't know this and you've been paying me all this time.

...Actually, the reason I was called here in the first place was because of these princess witches.

A complicated feeling welled up inside me.

"By the way, if the magic is too concentrated, it can become toxic, so be careful. I'm used to it, but I can't get any closer to this ley line, and if a normal person came here, they would probably faint."

"Don't call my home a toxic swamp."

That's quite rude.

"Ugh... S, sorry. It was a slip of the tongue."

"Really. And... why have you been looking around so much? Haven't you gotten used to it yet?"

"N, no, I mean, I was used to it before. ...But, I've been wondering, what is that room?"

She pointed to the first floor.

It was a room with a large window.

Through the window, you could see the tightly packed golems.

Oh, right, there are no curtains, so it's completely visible.

"It's just a storage place for golems."

"Just...? From the looks of it, those golems are packed with a lot of magic. What... what are they for?"

For what? There's no purpose.

That's why they're stored there.

When I said that, Dianea's eyes widened.

She then opened her mouth, sweating.

"Um... I'm not sure if I should ask, but... are you planning to invade my country?"

"Huh?"

What kind of bombshell is she dropping?

"N, no, I want you to listen without getting angry. To us, it looks like an excessive military force."

Excessive military force? What are you afraid of? They're just apple trees.

You can see that if you look closely.

"Hey, come here, golem."

When I called one and showed it to her,

"Ah... D, don't come any closer. I, I'm overwhelmed!"

She took a big step back.

It's just a cute golem made from an apple tree.

She was terribly scared.

The golem also looked a bit dejected.

"Ugh... I'm sorry, but my instincts sensed a threat to life."

"Your imagination is quite vivid, but I've never thought about invading."

I don't even want to.

I'm satisfied with just my house and garden.

"...I see. That's good."

Dianea sighed in relief and then smiled wryly.

"Well, with your power, you could probably take down the capital without such preparations. It was a meaningless question."

I'm not going to do it.

Are you even listening to me?

"Sorry. Maybe I'm a bit tired. I keep having negative thoughts."

Indeed, when you're tired, you tend to think negatively.

Don't let it affect me.

While feeling sympathetic but also exasperated,

"Oh?"

There was an apple stuck to the back of the golem.

...This might be just right.

"Hey, Dianea. Take this. It's a delivery fee."

I picked the apple and handed it to Dianea.

"An apple?"

Dianea, who received it, first tilted her head, but then stared at it intently.

"...It's packed with an unusually dense amount of magic. What is this!?"

"You're a magic user, right? If you eat it when you're tired, it will help you recover."

If it's just one, she should be able to eat it.

"N, no, indeed, with this amount, recovery is certain... Is it okay for me to take it?"

"You're tired, right? Eat it, recover, and stop the negative thoughts."

If you do that, you won't have strange thoughts like me invading.

"U, um, I see. Then, I'll take it. I'll return the favor someday."

"That's fine, I already said."

With that, Dianea took the apple and left.

Well, I've received the money, so I'll go home too.

I'll give the money to the werewolf, order some curtains, and eat the dinner Sakura made.

Golems are just work machines (subjective)

I'll keep writing! Thank you.