Chapter 4

It had already been four years, and I had turned seven.

“……”

In the middle of the night, in a forest cabin a short distance from the mansion, I silently stirred a large pot with a big ladle, illuminated by the faint light emitted by the shiki (spirit servant).

This was clearly not the behavior of a seven-year-old. It was a suspicious scene, but I had to do it at this hour to avoid being caught.

The simple work in a quiet place helped me think clearly.

I had learned many things since then.

The Uldwright Empire, which encompassed the Lamplog territory, was indeed a very powerful country.

Its culture was similar to that of the Western world in my previous life, but it surpassed it in terms of civilization, being peaceful and prosperous.

While there were lords who governed various regions, the empire's direct control over a strong standing army meant that military service was not required. The lords' main job was management, and disputes over territories were prohibited.

Compared to the empires of my previous life, this one was much more peaceful.

However, there were still threats.

These were the monsters and the demon races.

Monsters were similar to the spirits in my previous life. They were creatures that occasionally attacked humans, but their corpses could be used as resources, making them more useful than spirits.

The demon races, on the other hand, were the enemies of humans who governed the demon territories that spread beyond the empire's borders. According to what I heard, they were close to being human, like the monsters.

In normal times, the imperial army units stationed in various regions kept a watch along the borders, while also eliminating troublesome monsters (and occasionally bandits) to maintain peace.

However, they couldn't deal with all the monsters. Therefore, some cities had their own defense forces or hired adventurers. The Lamplog territory also had a self-defense group that helped maintain order.

Speaking of defense—this world had its own magic system.

It was a four-element magic system, categorizing all magic into fire, water, wind, and earth, which seemed quite practical.

In reality, there were also light and dark elements, but it felt somewhat similar to the Yin-Yang and Five Elements system I had developed.

I had some thoughts about this world's magic, but I would learn it properly eventually.

I was sure I would gain something from it.

“However… first things first.”

I looked down at the large pot.

Thinking about the heavy work ahead, I sighed.

What I was making now was paper.

It was essential for creating Hitogata, the medium for the shiki, but paper was a valuable item in this world, and as a child, I couldn't easily obtain it.

So, I decided to make it myself.

The process involved first tearing up the grass used as raw material and boiling it in a strong alkaline solution containing high concentrations of metal. Then, I would extract the fibers and beat them thoroughly. I would add a plant to act as a binder, pour the resulting pulp into a mold, and let it dry completely. That was it.

I was lucky. Not only had I learned papermaking in my previous life to focus on the materials for talismans, but I had also found grass that could replace the usual raw materials like kozo and ganpi, and a fruit that could serve as a binder like tororo aoi.

It took a lot of time to find them and make the tools, though.

The work itself was heavy and tough for a child, but there was no choice. I tried to make it easier using magic and shiki as much as possible, but I couldn't do everything that way.

“……Hmm”

I felt something odd in my mouth.

When I pressed the wiggling tooth with my tongue, it fell out smoothly.

I spat out the baby tooth and placed it on my palm. I confirmed it, smiled, and put it in my clothing pouch.

A tooth could also be a fine tool for cursing.

Reincarnation was a good opportunity to try things I couldn't in my previous life.

If I could make many Hitogata, I would be able to do more.

My second life was going smoothly.