Kays Translations

Chapter 29: I was Getting Used to Living in Clausel.

In a little while, Weiss returned.

He was carrying a burlap sack that seemed to contain tools, and next to him was Lessard.

Like Weiss, he looked up at the roof and said, “Ho!” without hesitation.

“Father, may I join Ren on the roof?”

“Needless to say, you can’t.”

“Moou! Father, you sound just like Ren!”

“I wasn’t worried, but Ren seems to have made an honest decision.”

“I’m honored by the compliment.”

“Both of you! Don’t hit it off all of a sudden!”

“Ha, but yes….. you can watch from below the old building if you promise to keep a safe distance.”

It was only a compromise, but Licia was still happy.

It wasn’t that Ren didn’t think it would be worth the trouble of going out of her way to observe in the harsh winter, but he didn’t want to be tactless.

If Licia wished for it and Lessard allowed it, there was no need to interfere.

—- Weiss-san, is this enough?

—- I’ve brought it!

Soon several knights came to the front of the old house.

They were all holding wood and metal fittings in their hands.

They seemed to have been instructed by Weiss to carry materials to be used for the first aid treatment of the roof.

“We’ll now head for the roof through the inspection entrance inside the old building. I thought that the boy would be able to take it easy, but he has more physical strength than these guys.”

Knowing that there was no need to worry, Weiss instructed Ren without hesitation.

One knight measured the size of the hole to cut the necessary materials, while another set about clearing snow from the roof so as not to interfere with the carpentry work.

Ren worked hard to transport the materials and soon forgot about the cold.

While resting on the roof in the cold wind, Licia’s voice reaches him from below.

“Ren!”

She waved her hand.

She didn’t say anything, just waited for Ren to respond.

She was smiling as he waved back, her cheeks relaxing in satisfaction.

“Let’s do it.”

Seeing the knights carrying the cut-up materials to the roof, Ren followed their lead and picked up a tool.

Among the materials brought in, he focuses on wood.

The places where the metal fittings were to be hammered were already marked.

“Do the knights have many opportunities to do this kind of work?”

Ren asked Weiss, who had only just appeared on the roof, amazed at their familiarity with the work.

“We also use wood for our encampment, though not as much as the carpenters. We mainly get our wood from local sources, but it’s something we can handle a little bit because of that.”

“Oh…… I’m learning a lot.”

“If there’s anything you are interested in, ask me. The knowledge I taught you before about camping may come in handy one day.”

“Like when I was on the run with Licia?”

“Yes. I’m not sure I’d proudly be able to say I taught you that since it was partly my fault—-“

Weiss said and placed the wood on the hole in the roof.

He carefully explained his work, and when Ren asked him about it, he continued to explain until Ren was satisfied.

In no time at all, new rafters were lined up on the hole in the roof and boards were placed to cover them.

Time passed quickly, and several hours had passed since the start of the project.

By midday, the hole on the roof was completely blocked.

It was a simple repair, with the boards placed on top of the newly installed wooden frame, but there was a world of difference between having the boards and not having them.

But it was not the end of the story.

“Here’s the finishing touch.”

Weiss bought something from the regular inspection entrance to the roof.

It was something pale blue and transparent.

“We’re going to put this over the boards.”

He said it was the material of a monster.

It seems to be made from the scales of a monster that lives in the sea, and it seems to be used as a finishing touch to repel water.

“Because the melted snow won’t permeate and it’ll be warmer.”

“In other words, you’re using monster material as a building material.”

“Mm-hmm. It’s easy and looks bad, but the effect is unbelievable.”

Weiss taught him that and covered the wooden planks with the huge scales he had brought with him.

That was the end of the carpentry work.

Weiss laughed at the sound that came from Ren’s stomach and said “I’m hungry too.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

After Ren finished getting dressed, he was visited by a servant working in the main residence.

He was asked by Lessard to join them for lunch.

He had no reason to refuse, rather he thought it would be impolite to refuse, so he quickly complied, cleaned himself up, and went on his way to the main residence. When he went to the prepared dining table, Licia was waiting for him in addition to Lessard.

“I’m sorry. I put you through a lot of trouble.”

“No, that’s my job. Besides, Weiss-san and the others helped me with it.”

I haven’t done that kind of work in a long time.

The last time was just before Jerukku attacked the village, and the time before that was when I was a young boy doing carpentry work with my father Roy.

He and Licia listened with great interest as Lessard asked them about these stories.

They tucked into lunch, enjoying the simplicity of the meal and filling their bellies.

After a while, Licia says, with a hint of reserve.

“……Do you still want to go back to the village?”

The reason why she said it unintentionally was because Ren seemed to be enjoying himself as he talked about his memories of the village. But Ren is now in Clausel of his own volition, but it’s a heavy feeling to think that she’s the one who started it all.

But Ren smiles, trying to wipe away the heaviness.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to go home, but if I don’t grow myself, I might cause trouble for the village again.”

“But —-.”

“I don’t know if I should call it migrating, but I can buy magical equipment for the village with the money I earn at the Adventurers’ Guild here. So in a way, it’s a good thing.”

If this makes the village rich, then that way of life is not a mistake.

As the son of the knight who would eventually take over the village, he would certainly be able to help the village.

“I have often received reports from your village.”

According to the reports, thanks to Ren, the winters aren’t as cold as in previous years.

The villagers are always saying how grateful they are to Ren.

Especially recently, most of the rewards from the steel-eating gargoyles have also been used for the village’s facilities.

“The roads are well maintained and the villagers’ houses are said to look different. They are on track to build a wall around the village.”

“Oh, Father! But Ren is…..!

“Licia-sama, don’t worry about it. I made all the decisions and discussed them with Lessard-sama.”

I don’t have any regrets and I don’t think I made the wrong decision.

In addition to my parents, I couldn’t be happier if the villagers lived happily and comfortably.

But

“But I agree that you should go back to the village at least once.”

Lessard said unexpectedly, startling Ren.

“Don’t get me wrong. I know what you’re thinking and I respect it, but I was just wondering if it might be a good idea for you to return to the village for once.”

“Did something happen in the village?”

As anxiety took over his body, Ren’s mind flickered back to this year’s harsh winter.

As expected, the area around the Baldor Mountains is said to have more snow than ever before. As for Ren, he wondered the same thing, what had happened to his birthplace.

But there was no sign of danger on Lessard’s face.

“Earlier, I told you about the wall that surrounds the village, didn’t I? One of the tasks is to be done in the spring, but they are short on manpower and I plan to dispatch knights for a couple of weeks.”

He wondered if Ren could mix in with the knights that he’d send.

But, as he said before, he knew what Ren was thinking.

If Ren is worried about that, it’s better to keep him out of sight.

As long as it’s possible.

That’s why he can’t reveal his identity to the villagers, but at least to his parents. Lessard suggested.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to go as a knight, even if only as a formality.”

“Is that really necessary?”

“Oh. I’m indebted to you in more ways other than the matter of Viscount Givens. Aside from the steel-eating gargoyles, your work with the Adventurers’ Guild has made this town a bustling place.”

To be honest, I’d like to go back to my village for a short time if they are willing to arrange for me to stay here.

Eventually, after finishing his meal, Lessard got up ahead of the others, said, “Please think about it,” and left the place.

(If I’m going back home, that means I’ll be out of the old building for about a month.)

If I’m going to go back home, it’d be better if I finish my work here first.

I can start thinking about my schedule now.

….. But even so, I’m looking forward to seeing my hometown after a long absence. I wonder how everyone in the village is doing?

Ren, who had been thinking about the village, suddenly felt a small discomfort in his words.

But it wasn’t a bad feeling.

His cheeks relaxed at the thought, which was totally different from what he had been thinking just a few months ago.

(…… going back to his hometown…)

It was interesting that he said he was going back to his hometown, even though he had said he was going to be working in Clausel himself.

Apparently, he liked living here more than he thought he would.

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