Chapter 56: Opening of Trade Routes

Touya’s idea is as follows.

First, fix the barrier, then the trees in that area will disappear. Even if you remove the blinking barrier, it will only return to its original state, but after fixing it, everything may still disappear. If so, then just repeat that process. No stumps will remain, and it should be enough to just prepare the ground.

I know what you’re saying, and it’s not a zero possibility – but….

(Hmmm – probably not. ……)

After much discussion, it was decided to give it a shot. With everyone’s hopes high, we extend the site toward the nearby forest.

We decided to try it in a place not in the direction of the trade route, just in case it was impossible to disarm it. This was because there would be some inconvenience in the future. If there is a boundary in the middle of the road, only the villagers can pass through.

As a result, I was able to disable it. It was not just a matter of deactivating it and never seeing it again. It was possible to deploy it again. However, the place where the barrier disappeared returned to the state of overgrown trees.

“I guess it doesn’t work that way after all. But it seems that the barriers can be expanded again after they are removed. That’s good enough for me.”

The forest returned to its original state, but it was a very useful verification. If it can be easily expanded, it should have a lot more uses. Personally, I was very satisfied with the results.

“No, wait a minute, Village Chief.”

“Touya? What’s wrong?”

“Is this really as it was? Sure, trees and grass are growing, but aren’t there any fallen leaves or pebbles?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

If you put it that way, it is indeed a little different. The soil on the ground is more exposed than before the expansion.

“Fallen leaves and stones are the difference between …… trees and grass and …… living creatures, huh? Only living things are back to normal, is that what you’re saying?”

The other people were thinking about it, but even I, the skill holder, didn’t know, and there was no way I could come up with an answer. At that time, Touya suddenly pulled out his sword and cut down some trees.

“Chief, can you try one more time with this? We’re cutting them off by the roots, and maybe now they’re not treated as living things anymore, right?”

I thought he had a point, so I tried to wrap around the trees he had cut down. Then all the tops of them disappeared, leaving only the stumps.

“Oh, it’s gone, Village Chief.”

“Oh, it’s gone, Touya.”

“Well, as usual, Touya-kun’s imagination, or rather, his flash of inspiration, is amazing.”

“Really, I’m impressed as always.”

“In this case, if you just mow it down with water magic, all you have to do is deal with the stump.”

“It looks like it’s going at a frightening speed. Touya, good job!”

Well, that’s what happened. That’s how I got to the present.

“It looks like we’ll be out of the forest today. There is still some work to be done on root cutting and land clearing, but that will be done in four days.”

“I really admire you Touya. The pioneering and also the reestablishment of the site was also a big deal.”

“Actually, you’re smart and flexible in your thinking.”

“Oh, he’s a great guy.”

“Of course I am, after all, I’m in charge of the brave men of Nanashi Village!”

While working while enjoying such a conversation, a report came from the scout after a while. Apparently, Urgan was coming from the city. The next visit was scheduled for about 5 days later, so I wonder if it was a foretaste.

In less than 20 minutes, Urgan noticed us and approached us.

“It’s been a long time, Chief. I was surprised at how you managed to …… cover that distance in such a short period of time.”

“Hey Urgan, this time we increased the number of personnel and did our best. I’m surprised to see you here. So, you’re here to give us a preliminary report?”

“Yes, sir. I’m here to confirm the next schedule and the number of immigrants.”

“I understand. I don’t want to just stand here and talk, so can I ask you a few questions as we walk back to the village?”

Saying that, we headed towards the village with Sakura. On the way, I met up with Touya and the land preparation team, but it seems that everyone will continue to work.

“I see, the schedule is right on schedule. Tell them that the trade route will be open in four days, and that we can get there in half a day by horse-drawn wagon.”

Along the way, I speak with Urgan. With a little extra time, I asked them to arrive seven days later.

“So, how are the immigrants coming in?”

“We currently have 20 debt slaves. We have one person from the general population who is a blacksmith and an acquaintance of Beritoa’s.”

One person from the general public? Well, this is within the range of expectations. In the first place, we are not looking for Japanese immigrants, and we are talking with the council about such an agreement. The beastmen in town would rather go to the capital or other cities than to a village they don’t understand.

“I am grateful to have a blacksmith. I wonder if the slave is a mining person like last time?”

“No, not this time. I heard from the chairman that he chose those in good health and willing to work.”

“I see. Then please tell him that there is no problem with that.”

While we were coordinating other details of the conversation, we arrived at the former village.

“Sorry, we’ve almost finished talking.

“It’s safer to do it while moving. It’s easier to grasp the spy’s movements.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice it at all… was there a spy?”

“Oh, he’s gone now. It seems he stopped following us before we entered the forest.”

(I don’t know who arranged it, but the fact that they didn’t go into the forest suggests that they are paying some attention to us.)

“It’s a good deal, so please, for lunch Urugan also likes potatoes, right?”

“Oh, I’d love that!”

After that, Urgan gobbled up the potato dishes which looked delicious. In fact, he had another helping twice. I wondered if it would be safe to go home after eating so much, but I didn’t say anything.

“It was worth coming all the way just to get this. The common people wouldn’t be able to eat the potatoes in the village anymore if they didn’t have to.”

“The ones we stored in the army won’t make it to the market. They will be transported to the capital as well, and only the city’s top brass will be able to eat them at most.”

“Yes, you are absolutely right. The village potatoes are used as seed potatoes and grown in the city as well, but the harvested ones are smaller than the ones in the village and they taste normal.”

As most expected, there seems to be a big difference in quality. I was relieved that the village brand could be preserved for the time being.

◇ ◇◇◇

The 150th day of living in another world

Today, at last, the trade road was opened to the point where it passed through the forest. The width of the road is not that wide at 4 meters, but the sense of accomplishment was not half bad.

“However, the town is closer than I thought.”

“Yes, it is. It takes about 30 minutes on foot from here to the town.”

After passing through the forest, the entire area was a grassy plain, and the outer wall surrounding the town could be seen even from the edge of the forest.

“It’s practically the first time I’ve seen this otherworldly landscape. I’m impressed enough to want to go to the city.”

“I know, chief, but it’s going to be nothing but trouble.”

“If you go to the city, you’re likely to get entangled by people in power and Japanese people. At worst, you’ll be abducted and taken hostage.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with a solution. I’m going to try out my expansion skills.”

Because of the reminder from the logging, i did not forget to examine how expansion would work outside of the forest.

I headed right out of the forest and imaged …… the expansion in a 10-meter square, but no matter how long it took, the boundary didn’t appear.

“That’s strange. You guys don’t see the barrier either, do you?”

“I don’t see them. Usually they are activated immediately, right?”

“Yes, they should be.”

Everyone here seemed as blind as I was.

“I’m sure there’s still room for expansion ……. Let’s try the woods for a bit.”

This time I headed into the woods and imagined expansion to the limit of what I could do now. Then the barrier flashed and expanded as usual. The trees within the barrier disappeared cleanly, just as they always do.

“This one is just as normal.”

“What is it?”

It’s an approximate size, but the site extends in a square of about 100 meters in the forest. I felt that there was still quite a bit of land left.

Next, I went back into the forest a little and then extended toward the meadow. –I found that the site expanded to the edge of the forest, but stopped at the boundary with the meadow.

“It’s not confirmed yet, but this boundary may be limited to the Great Forest.”

“What could be the cause? The only thing that comes to mind is that the range of the blessing is limited to the Great Forest, or that the Great Forest has a unique magical element that affects the barrier.”

“Well, both of them seem to be like that, don’t they? Well, let’s try various things and if they don’t seem to work, let’s just give up and go home.”

“I’ll be able to go back to exploring the dungeon now!

With Sakura and Touya’s discussion of the dungeon on my mind, I tried to verify it after that, but… In the end, it didn’t work out anyway. I couldn’t set up a barrier outside the forest, and I didn’t know the cause.

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