Chapter 97
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Moving - 6
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Camilla didn't know anything more beyond that, and she had no further information to share.
My father had been righteous in his youth, the type who couldn't stand by when he saw injustice. Just like a real hero straight out of a fairy tale.
"Thanks for telling me anyway."
"It's such a shame, though. A man who was so just and full of courage, passing away quietly with no one the wiser."
"I appreciate the sympathy, but he didn't go lonely."
I thought back to my father's final moments as I spoke.
Even then, he'd worn a hero's smile.
"At the very least, he left this world with a bright expression on his face, right in front of me."
"True enough... Leaving behind a monster like you, Sir Hero, must have put a dramatic full stop on his eventful life."
"Hey... Don't say it like that. You'll make me sound like the Demon King's successor."
"Do you really think not? Considering Titan's history, you've got plenty of achievements that could rival the Demon King's."
"Sigh... I should've kept my mouth shut."
Playing along with Camilla's teasing was getting exhausting.
"Then, we'll hold your title conferment ceremony at this year's capital pre-festival eve in November."
"That works perfectly for me."
"Not at all. It's our duty."
The title ceremony was postponed to the pre-festival eve in November.
It was still only July, so that bought us at least three months.
'Plenty to prepare for.'
For now, I pushed aside my worries about the bothersome ceremony and focused on building the new house quickly while we had free labor in Helen and Camilla.
"You're building something awfully grand."
"All thanks to becoming a noble."
Unlike the previous house, this one was substantially larger.
"Made it over five times bigger than before. That way, everyone can have the rooms they need."
With Ciel included, we already had eleven family members.
And considering plans for more kids, bigger was definitely better.
"Hmm... Already planning to expand the family right after the first one's born. Quite the vigorous hero you are, Sir."
"Camilla? That's sexual harassment."
Helen finally stepped in, unable to ignore Camilla's teasing any longer.
She looked young enough that no one would bat an eye if Camilla claimed to be her mother.
"Helen, how old are you this year?"
"My lady's age is roughly eight..."
"Camilla?"
"Sir Hero, it's rude to ask a lady her age."
"Got it."
So Helen was over eight hundred, roughly.
And she kept that appearance? Nymphs were total cheats.
'At least the nymphs in our house will outlive me by centuries.'
Helia might even see my grandkids' grandkids.
"It's almost complete."
"Thanks to you all, it went fast."
"Definitely. Having Holy Knights charging in sped things up."
Putting rank-4 knights—who got at least quasi-noble treatment—on simple labor was insanely efficient.
Talent really was everything.
"We won't be needed anymore, so we'll take our leave."
"Already? Stick around, catch up a bit, rest."
"We'd love to, but we have to deal with the slave markets and those Haphron bastards in the west on the down-low. Time's tight."
"Should've said something."
I felt bad for dragging busy world-savers into manual labor.
"Heh heh, it's fine. For us, this was just post-meal exercise."
Camilla said it confidently, but her panting subordinates suggested otherwise.
"Anyway, thanks for giving me your valuable time. If you need help, let me know through Helia. I'll drop everything and come running."
"You sure? I hear you don't much like helping outsiders over family."
"You're not outsiders. Hesitating to help friends wouldn't make me a good dad to Ciel."
"We're friends?"
"Wait, was that one-sided on my end?"
"No, we're friends. Friends with a slight age gap."
"Don't worry, I don't care about age."
Amused by my words, Camilla gave a faint smile.
"Then, we'll be off, Sian."
"Sorry about earlier."
"I-It's fine. Just don't abuse it like that again!"
Helen scolded me like a mother before leaving to fulfill her duties.
I always thought the same thing— it sucked only ever receiving help from them.
Next time would probably be the pre-festival eve. Maybe I could do something for them then?
Eh, food for thought later.
"Alright, everyone! Let's push through to the end!"
"“Yeah~!”"
I led the family in finishing the last of the work.
...
The new house became the largest in the village.
At first, there was plenty of opposition. It was bigger than the village chief's—the village rep's—house, after all.
But not anymore.
"Good work."
"Nah, we only finished thanks to you, Tom."
"Haha, hearing that from a future earl leaves me flustered."
With my nobility came lordship over Lugeron Village.
As an earl, no less.
"Don't tease."
"If not now, when? Once you're earl, we won't chat like this."
"It's just a title. Nothing changes day-to-day."
"Is that so? I saw Elsia counting a hefty pile of gold coins earlier."
"Earned that from work."
"And Ian left you a good chunk of land, right?"
"Documents are too old—even Helen's not sure what'll happen."
"That's a pity."
Tom was right; it really was.
If I could claim that land outright, it'd generate steady capital.
"Planning to build a school first."
"School? Like an academy?"
"Not that fancy. Just an education spot for the young ones."
"Hmm... Leaving your ideas aside, is that even feasible?"
"Got teachers lined up. Effort should make it work, right?"
The three nymphs following me, including Helia, were graduates of the Nymph Academy, no less.
'No clue what a Nymph Academy even teaches.'
They were intellectuals of this era.
At minimum, they could pass on basics to the kids.
"Why not build a temple instead?"
As Tom and I traded ideas, the village chief dropped by with his own suggestion.
"Village Chief, you mean a temple?"
"From a story Ian told me once. Some rural southern village raised their kids in a temple, teaching them myths and divine laws from God's messengers."
"I see."
Might be better than a plain school in name only.
Nymphs were God's proxies anyway, so it'd suit them—and us.
The issue was...
"Can we just build a temple willy-nilly?"
Even in modern times, you needed city hall approval for a shrine.
Here, with gods actually existing, you sure as hell couldn't freelance a temple.
"You're a Holy Kingdom earl—what's the problem? Handle any issues yourself."
"Village Chief?"
Since I'd declared I'd stay in the village, he'd been treating me more casually.
Like he was venting regrets he couldn't with my father.
"Kidding. Ask the nymphs if you're worried. Their advice is a hundred, thousand times better than ours."
"Chief's right. Young nymphs are wiser than our stiff old brains."
"Tom? They've lived longer than all our ages combined."
"Exactly why they're wise."
"..."
Anyway, as the chief and Tom suggested, I consulted Helia.
Asked if building a temple for this purpose was okay.
"It's possible. Temples were originally meant to teach children guidance and adults proper conduct, just as you envision."
"So I can build it on my own?"
"No, you must hire a temple architect from the Holy Kingdom."
"God's rules?"
"Yes. A temple houses divine rites. Strict conditions require specialized architects."
"Fair enough. Can you arrange it?"
"Yes, but it'll cost a hefty sum."
"Ah..."
No more freebies, huh.
Made sense, but still disappointing.
Wanted to mooch more.
"How much?"
"Roughly five platinum coins."
"That's steep."
"Materials and transport could push it higher."
"Then it's a no-go."
The expedition reward via Helen was fifty platinum coins.
Five times the promised amount.
According to Elsia, enough to start a decent merchant caravan, but in bare-bones Lugeron Village, it'd vanish into development costs in a flash.
"Wanted a bathhouse too, and a playground for the kids."
One temple would eat a tenth of the funds overnight.
"Why not source materials yourself?"
"Myself?"
"Yes. Most of the west through the Dark Forest is untapped. Exploit it right, and you can gather rare resources."
"Hmm... True."
The Dark Forest alone brimmed with valuables.
Blackwood and such.
Couldn't gather enough solo for a building, but now I had Helen's gift: <Inventory>.
Used smartly, I could shape the territory just how I wanted.