Volume 4 Chapter 11 (1/2)
Ten days had passed after I talked with Kohaku.
During that interval, we had erected a barrier around my house and Rorono's workshop.
Constructing arrays for such barrier was a specialty of Aura. Unlike an obstruction that would vanish instantly, this barrier needed to last indefinitely. Because of that though, its performance were several levels lower.
If an A rank monster were to break this barrier, he would most likely succeed. However, just the fact that we could we alerted to the presence of a being capable of breaking it alone was more than enough.
Furthermore, the materials of the buildings were changed to ones that had the highest soundproofing. These new materials were developed by Rorono, of course.
For the meantime, such was our counter-intelligence measures.
I had also prohibited any conversation regarding important matters outside of my residence and Rorono's workshop.
By the way, I didn't bother to conceal the aerial combat corps because there was no real way to completely hide them anyway. Besides, they had to be trained to be of actual use.
”We've somehow finished setting up the barriers as well as reconstructing the buildings.”
”Yes, we did great!”
”The Dwarf Smiths have also grown a fair bit.”
I looked at Aura and Rorono who both did improvements to my residence and gave them a satisfied nod. Aura built the barriers herself. As for Rorono, she had developed the materials that were used for the sound-proofing but entrusted the rest to the Dwarf Smiths, only to come by occasionally to check up and give further instructions to the apprentices.
To Rorono, her most important job at the moment was the mass production of the Avalon-Ritters and that therefore took priority above all others.
For the moment though, that goal was still quite far away off from realization. It seemed that establishing a stable synchronization between the two cores involved was causing her difficulties. Nevertheless, it seemed like her progress on her continued research had lowered the bar enough for her to be able make a total of three Avalon-Ritters. To have been able to make three A-rank-equivalent units alone was worthy of praise.
”I'm really grateful to the two of you. Thank you. With this, we have made gathering information from us much harder to do.”
What we did was but the bare minimum in terms of counter-intelligence and was far from perfect.
To solve it completely, we needed a monster specialized in intelligence-gathering and to have that, I needed a [Creation] medal.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to produce another [Creation] medal until a few days later. As soon as I could though, I plan on making the new monster.
”I'm glad to be of help to master.”
”Me too. If there's anything else you need me to do, please don't hesitate to ask.”
Rorono and Aura proudly said so.
”Here are your rewards.”
By using my [Creation] ability, I made sweets that were still not common to this world—if they ever existed at all—and handed it to the two. I also handed to Rorono the Dwarf Smith's shares.
”Woaaaahhh, a cake roll with lots of fluffy cream. It's also full of fruits I haven't seen before.”
”The Dwarf Smiths will be delighted. Thank you, master.”
It isn't often that I gave them special rewards that could only be made through [Creation] so the two were greatly pleased.
But then, I suddenly felt as though someone was looking at us. I looked but saw nothing… or so I had thought until I noticed a tail—and nothing more—sticking out of the wall. It was a lovely and fluffy fox tail. It was definitely Kuina's.
She's probably curious about us, I thought. I then remembered that she was troubled before over the fact that she wasn't able to contribute much outside of combat. Taking that and the current scene, I worried she might feel some kind of complex and decided that I should follow up on her sometime later.
”Now, let's all go back to our jobs, okay?”
”Understood, master. Let's give it our all.”
”Mhm. I'm going to try my hardest to be able to present to you the mass-produced Avalon-Ritters.”
The two nodded and then left.
The counter-intelligence measures weren't the only ones we were able to accomplish within the last ten days:
Aura had finally cured Kohaku completely.
The darkness dragons' training, conducted by Wight, was going well.
Kuina had been leveling up the new Mythological Foxes, Dwarf Smiths, and High Elves.
Rorono's research still wasn't complete yet but her goal was now a few steps nearer.
I mustn't lose to my subordinates, I thought as I began my work as their leader.
◇
Today, I was scheduled to meet with a top executive of a company.
For them to expressly ask for a meeting itself was a big issue.
I have to brace myself, I thought as I did my office work. And then, a visitor arrived.
One of the Mythological Foxes assigned to be a maid in my home had guided a gentleman of good build.
Even among the companies that did business in our city, his was among the most prominent. He was Relic, the representative of the Relic Company.
I have to brace myself, I reminded myself again.
”Procell-san, sorry for expressly asking you to make time for me today.”
”No, don't mind it. Knowing Relic-san, it's most probably a matter that needs urgent attention. Even I would like to have more information as soon as possible.”
Nobody knew the importance of time better than a merchant. They understood and valued it. So for him to ask for this meeting, there was no way I could have refused.
”I'm relieved to hear you say so. The reason I imposed on you this time is because of the neighboring city. Frankly, they have been harassing us merchants who are going to Avalon.”
I see, so they decided to be roundabout, I thought as I grimaced.
As of the moment, Avalon couldn't in any way stand on its own. Merchants buy a considerable amount of goods from the neighboring city and sell it here. If the taxes imposed on them were to increase, so too did the cost they had to shoulder and if their profits became so small they almost didn't profit at all, they would withdraw from Avalon. If that happens, the standard of living here in Avalon would decrease all at once.
”We merchants are obligated to pay tariffs and admission fees whenever we go into a city. And when we exit, we are only inspected to see if we have any goods that are prohibited from being exported among our stocks. If we are cleared, we are allowed to exit without paying for any kind of tax. That is the standard affair.”