Chapter 25

After the meal, we immediately got down to the enjoyable task of firing the kiln.

As part of the preparation, we threw firewood into the furnace and let it burn, using the heat from the firewood to ignite the charcoal.

"Alright. Let the air flow."

"Understood!"

Garam's subordinate at the wooden box, or rather, the furnace device, adjusted the airflow.

There it comes.

A large amount of air flowed into the furnace, causing it to burn brightly red.

The color of the flames changed from red to orange, then gradually became lighter, almost transparent.

"It looks like it’s going well."

The skilled blacksmith Garam stroked his beard in satisfaction.

"Can we forge now?"

"Aye. We can even melt iron."

"Thank you! This means we can smelt and forge iron without combustion stones."

"Indeed. This was quite interesting. Joshua, leave the forging to me."

Garam chuckled and patted his arm.

"Alright then. Let's call it a day for this project."

"Master Joshua."

Torre, the gnome, raised his long white eyebrows and looked up at me with a sigh.

"Thank you very much, Torre."

"This is just the beginning, you know. What’s next? Come on, come on."

"There are still many things I want to do. But first, we need to make iron and glass."

"That won’t be a problem. So many people have gathered here, admiring you."

I understand what he means.

This morning, when I called for people who could dry wood, several hands went up.

They might have been pure spirit mages, but most of those who can dry wood are usually carpenters or similar craftsmen.

I’m not an expert in magic, but if they weren’t craftsmen, they would have learned other spells in the time it took to master drying.

Garam and Torre also mentioned that dwarves and gnomes specialize in "making things."

In other words, magic exists because of the work.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

"Among the village craftsmen, many can handle carpentry, blacksmithing, and fine work. But we’ll have to wait a few days."

"Our priority is to build houses."

"Yeah. We can’t withstand the elements. We can’t keep living in tents or carriages."

"Tents are an option, but they are powerless against storms and thunderstorms. Houses are safer. I understand."

"Exactly. So, let’s start with the houses."

"I understand. But! What’s next? Come on, come on."

You’re looping, aren’t you?

I smiled wryly at the excited and wide-eyed Torre.

"We have to tackle several tasks simultaneously: safety, housing, food, and infrastructure. But we have limited manpower. We need to prioritize and act."

"Indeed."

"Moreover, this is a barren land. Without magic stones and combustion stones, it’s a challenge. We can’t do it like in Rosenheim."

"That’s what makes it exciting! I’m thrilled to see how you, Master Joshua, will solve these problems!"

"Me too. What will we do? What will we do?"

"Me too! Joshua, tell us. No matter how outlandish, I’ll believe everything you say."

That’s right. I thought Sequoia and Garam would join in too.

"Let’s get to the point. Without magic stones, we need sewage treatment and water supply. We’ll solve this by building a sewer system. However, it will be a major project."

"Right. We’ll use concrete, won’t we?"

Garam smirked and stroked his beard.

Exactly. I was planning to use concrete.

We need to consider whether concrete alone will suffice. Perhaps the best approach is to mimic ancient Roman sewer systems, using cut stones and concrete.

If we use only concrete, iron will be a problem.

Producing a large amount of rebar will be difficult. Even if we had a lot of iron, processing it would be a challenge.

"That’s right. Garam. We’ll need a bridge to transport the glass sand. We’ll design the bridge to serve as part of the water supply system. The sewer system will be the biggest project, but maybe the exterior work will be even more significant."

"Indeed, it will require a lot of manpower. But we don’t need experts. Let’s tackle it with the full force of the villagers."

This time, Torre chimed in.

They really seem to be enjoying this. Sequoia’s tail wagged rapidly, and she panted like an excited dog.

Despite her cute appearance, it ruins the effect.

"We should make a model to better understand the bridge’s mechanism."

"Ah, I’ll make it. Can you give me an overview of the process?"

"Sure. Thanks."

Phew. Finally, they’ve calmed down a bit.

Hmm? Sequoia raised her right hand and waved it.

I stared at her face and then turned away.

"You’re so intense."

"You’re ignoring me!"

If I look away, she pounces like an animal. I pushed her cheek and pulled her off me.

"I just thought it was too much to say all at once."

"There’s always more to talk about. Garam and Torre feel the same."

"Alright. I understand. Sequoia wants to share her thoughts too."

"Indeed."

Sequoia nodded vigorously, like a pigeon walking.

Don’t overdo it. You’re really a disappointment...

I looked at her with a warm gaze, and she couldn’t wait to speak.

"Hey, aren’t you going to do experiments? Like in the capital?"

"I plan to. We need to find alternatives to magic stones and combustion stones."

"Wow. What do you plan to do?"

"I haven’t decided yet. But since we have a river, I’m thinking of adding more water wheels and using them."

"I’m looking forward to it."

Sequoia purred and melted into a blissful expression.

I shouldn’t point out that her drool is about to drip.

"Alright, I’ll head back to the mansion with Elie."

"Aye. ...Wait."

"...Master Joshua, please don’t move from there."

As I tried to stand up, Sequoia’s stern face and Elie’s narrowed eyes stopped me.

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