Chapter 15

"Let's start with the results of the investigation of the pebbles you collected."

He rudely stuck his fork in and pushed the remaining bread in his mouth to the back of his throat.

Gulp, my throat.

He hurriedly gulped down water and took a deep breath.

What am I doing...? I can't pull myself together.

In contrast to my solo performance, Rumburg and the others were dead serious.

"Y-You've already completed the investigation?"

Rumburg's shoulders trembled and his eyes widened.

"Thanks to Torre."

Rumburg looked taken aback by my modesty, but quickly returned to his usual expression.

"Only because you were here. You gave instructions and moved the difficult Torre. Moreover, your noble spirit in praising Torre is truly admirable."

"Heh, heh. Anyway, we found the minimum necessary minerals. The minerals I was looking for aren't all that rare, you know."

"Is that so!"

"The essential rock salt and limestone, of course, as well as iron, copper, glass, and volcanic ash... and a few rare magical minerals."

The initial check to confirm if there were any creatures around was also to see if these two were present.

Salt is a necessary element not just for humans but for all living things. Limestone might not be essential, but many organisms use it, like shells.

In other words, they are common materials.

On the other hand, magical minerals are considered rare, like gemstones. Honestly, I'm not sure how to use them, but having them certainly increases our options. It's better to have them than not.

The problem is the quantity. Volcanic ash and glass are fine. I want to hear about the limestone, rock salt, and iron. Bartholomew."

"Sure thing."

Bartholomew, who had his hands behind his waist, raised his hand.

Oh, it would be better to have the actual samples.

While still chewing on the bread, he tried to stand up, but was immediately surrounded by Al and Ely from both sides.

What is this tense atmosphere?

"Enemy attack. No presence on the ceiling."

Al bent his knees, ready to jump, and tilted his head up, saying something ominous.

Ely, on the other hand, knelt down, leaned forward, and closed her eyes.

"No presence under the floor."

...

No, standing up suddenly was a mistake. I didn't sense any ominous presence.

Gently placing his hand on Al's arm and standing him up straight, he then turned to Ely, saying, "Calm down," and held out his hands.

"I just thought I'd go get the minerals from the study."

"They are right here."

Rumburg nodded, and Ely quickly and silently disappeared, returning shortly with a cart. The cart, which looked like a three-tiered tea stand used for afternoon tea, was not filled with scones but with stones.

I won't comment. I won't comment.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to Bartholomew.

"Bartholomew, do you know what rock salt is?"

"Yeah, the salty one, right?"

"Right. You don't need an explanation for rock salt. Discuss with Rumburg how much is needed and start mining. There should be multiple mining sites."

"Got it. So, the main ones are limestone and iron, right?"

"Yep. The iron is the reddish one on the second tier. The limestone is the gray one on the top tier. If Rumburg discovered them, ask him for the locations."

"No, I know where both are."

"Especially limestone, we need a lot."

"I think we'll be fine for a while. So, we just need to collect limestone and iron, right?"

I was relieved to hear that we would be fine for a while, as I had been thinking of crushing the giant snail shells that the penguins "peashin" if we ran out of limestone.

"Yep. I think we'll need a cart to transport them. If anyone has one, that would be great, but if not, we can ask Torre to make one."

"No problem. Some of the people who came here brought large items."

"I see. Got it. Please place the mined limestone by the Rubicon River and around this mansion. More around the mansion would be better."

"Sure. What are you going to use the limestone for? Oh, no, I'll just transport it. That's all I need to do."

Shaking his head and touching his stubble, I felt a bit disappointed.

If you have a question, you should ask. I don't want you to suppress your curiosity out of consideration for me or your role.

It might be arrogant, but if you have a question, ask it. If you have a doubt, find out. There are many things in the world that you won't understand even if you ask, but I want you to think about the things that make you curious.

It will surely come back to benefit you and, in turn, everyone else. I believe that.

"Bartholomew, everyone, there are a few uses for limestone, but I have two main ideas for this time."

"Joshua-sama."

Bartholomew called out my name, looking interested, as I suddenly began to explain.

Not only Bartholomew, but Rumburg and the two maids also reacted.

Rumburg's expression didn't change, but his fingertips were trembling slightly, and Ely and Al showed surprise by covering their mouths.

Al's tail was also wagging.

"One is to mix it with sand to make mortar. I plan to use this mainly for the walls of the house. It can also be used as an adhesive when paving bricks in the future."

"Mortar, oh, that white stuff between the bricks, right?"

Bartholomew clapped his hands, understanding.

"Right, that. The other is to add another step. Use volcanic ash as a material for mortar and mix finely crushed stones or bricks when it hardens. This is called concrete and is hard and sturdy. I plan to use it for walls to protect against monsters. This one isn't urgent."

"Wow, that sounds impressive."

"Regarding concrete, I studied it with Sequoia in the principality. The experiments were successful, but it hasn't been used practically yet. So, I plan to entrust the manufacturing and experiments to her."

"Got it. Dividing it into two places, is it because you already have a plan for the town in your head, Joshua-sama?"

"Yep. I was planning to discuss the town's construction plan with everyone later."

"I'd love to hear it!"

Realizing he had been too eager, Bartholomew scratched the back of his head and stroked his stubble with the other hand.

Is he concerned about Rumburg and the others?

"Let me say this first. If you have any questions or opinions, please speak up without considering your position. Otherwise, there's no point in having this discussion."

I might have sounded a bit harsh, but if I didn't, this situation would continue where everyone just defers to me.

I'm not a sage. I know my limits in thinking alone, and I believe that more ideas will naturally come from gathering many opinions.

"Since that's the case, can everyone sit down so we can have a thorough discussion?"

I lowered my eyebrows in a troubled manner and spread my hands, addressing the housekeepers who usually stand while listening.

If you found this interesting, I would be very happy if you could bookmark and rate it!