Chapter 18

While just waiting isn’t good, moving around isn’t either.

That’s right. In such times, I should look for some plants.

I cast my eyes on the weeds growing by the riverbank.

The plant has a straight stem with thin leaves sparsely attached, and the tip is fluffy like wheat.

I’ve seen this plant many times, both in this world and in Japan.

Since I’m here, I’ll use my ultimate “Plant Identification.”

Name: Reed

Overview: An annual herb that grows in clusters by rivers and lakes. The stem is sturdy.

Details: The flexible and sturdy stem has various uses.

“Sir Joshua, that?”

Alru, who squatted next to me, poked the reed’s ear with her round eyes wide open.

“This is, well…”

I cut the stem halfway with a knife and shook the ear from side to side for Alru to see.

However, she didn’t react as I expected. Even though she has cat ears, she’s not a cat.

“Patience…”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“I’m not a child anymore.”

Alru pouted and shook her head.

“Huh? I know you’re not a child anymore, Alru.”

“Yes! Patience!”

Alru raised her right hand with a snap, but her eyes were wandering and her mouth was trembling.

What’s going on with her?

Hmm.

“Sir Joshua, that?”

“Yeah, I didn’t pick it up just to play.”

I rotated the reed’s ear with my fingertips and turned to Alru.

“Patience…”

“No, it’s not something that requires patience.”

Smack!

Alru’s fingertips hit the reed’s ear.

The reed, dislodged by the impact, fell to the ground.

“You don’t need to be patient… Go ahead and play.”

Alru, who had turned bright red up to her neck, bowed her head.

I felt a bit guilty, as if I had touched something instinctual.

Without saying anything more, I picked up the reed from the ground and placed it in Alru’s hand.

However, as expected, Alru remained silent with her head bowed, and a moment of silence passed.

...

“Playing with reeds doesn’t make you a child.”

“...Yes.”

“I sometimes want to return to my childhood and play, you know. Like hide-and-seek.”

“Hide-and-seek. Alru is good at it.”

“You seem to be good at it.”

“Yeah! Alru is the fastest at climbing trees.”

“Is that so, is that so?”

Phew. I’m glad she’s calmed down.

Even her way of speaking has changed. It seems this is her true self. She must have been trying to be polite in her own way...

“Reeds can be used for more than just play.”

“More?”

“Yeah. If you dry the reed stems and weave them, they can become mats. With the right technique, you can even make baskets.”

“Sir Joshua! You’re amazing!”

“Reeds are common plants. Any farmer would know this.”

I scratched the back of my head, feeling a bit embarrassed at the praise.

Just as the mood was getting warm and fuzzy, suddenly, there was noise!

Thud thud thud!

Oh, it’s ringing in my ears.

I turned to the source of the noise and saw two dwarves, likely Garam’s apprentices, swinging their hammers.

The hammers were aimed at a large wooden container filled with stones.

Thud thud thud!

They were swinging and striking in turns, so the noise didn’t stop.

As I frowned, the stones were quickly being crushed into smaller pieces.

“Alright. That should do it.”

Garam, who had brought a cart like those used on construction sites to the dwarves, nodded in satisfaction.

“What are you doing? What’s going on?”

Since they were doing something unexpected, I asked Garam, who was proudly pulling his beard.

“We’re building a furnace. As you said, Joshua, we can make the mortar stronger.”

“You’re trying to build a concrete furnace?”

“Concrete, you say. The girl Sequoia knows the formula, so we want to try it out.”

“Oh, I see.”

Hmm. They’re planning to pour concrete into a wooden frame and let it harden.

However, concrete made with volcanic ash, known as Roman concrete, takes a long time to set.

It will be a stronger furnace than one made of clay, but unlike clay, it can’t be fired.

Still, they’re working efficiently.

Under Sequoia’s direction, they mixed all the materials and poured them into the wooden frame, completing the task in no time.

They’re too skilled... Is this their first time doing this?

“Shall we call it a day? I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Not yet, Joshua.”

“That’s right. From here on, we’ll show you the unique techniques of the gnome and dwarf races.”

“I’ll help too.”

Garam, puffing and panting, held me back, and Tohru and Sequoia followed suit.

Garam and Tohru took their positions in front of the wooden frame and slapped their palms together.

Next, Garam placed his hands at his lower abdomen and began to exert force, his arms bulging like logs.

Meanwhile, Tohru closed her eyes and formed a triangle with her fingers.

“Hnnn. Spirits of fire and iron.”

“Spirits of earth and wind.”

Their voices overlapped, and a faint orange light, like heat haze, began to emanate from their bodies.

The light enveloped the wooden frame and the concrete, then disappeared after a few seconds.

“Stand back a bit.”

Next, it was Sequoia’s turn.

She gripped the vine staff in both hands and raised it toward the sky.

The large green gem at the tip of the staff emitted a soft light, and a wind began to swirl at her feet.

Her short skirt and long hair were lifted by the wind, but she didn’t seem to notice.

“Alright, Miss Sequoia.”

Garam and the others quickly stepped back and called out to her.

“Indeed. Spirit of wind, ‘Sylph.’”

In response to her powerful words, the spirit transformed the blowing wind into a tornado.

The tornado enveloped the wooden frame and the concrete!

With a tremendous noise, the wooden frame was blown apart, leaving only the concrete behind.

“Wow. It’s perfectly hardened...”

Thanks to the combined magic of the three, the concrete had hardened instantly.

They really went all out...

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