Chapter 42
Chapter 42
[2-3. Solve Nubiar’s long-standing problem and earn the people’s recognition.]
[Reward: 150,000p]
“Wow, that’s the biggest reward yet.”
Judging from the quest description and the reward, this seemed to be the final quest of Chapter 2.
I had been worried whether I could finish all the Main Quests while staying in Nubiar, but if this was the last one, there was no longer any need to stress about it.
“If the final quest is just preventing the Raed River from flooding, it should clear automatically.”
The problem was that I didn’t know how to build a retention basin or a sluice gate.
If it were something like a triangular roof or a drainage path, I would have been confident. I had followed my father around to housing construction sites for years and seen those things endlessly.
But this was completely different.
“If I just dig the ground, the soil could collapse or water might leak out. Just like with drainage paths, the foundation work has to be solid.”
I tried to draw up a blueprint by using every bit of knowledge I had, but since I wasn’t confident, I kept getting stuck.
“What should I do?”
While I was thinking about how to solve the problem, a system window appeared in front of me.
[If you need something, try using the System Shop!]
It really shows up at the most random times.
“More importantly, what I need isn’t tools. It’s knowledge.”
[The System Shop sells knowledge too!]
“Liar.”
The last time I checked, it only sold tools like hammers and saws. Selling knowledge? That was ridiculous.
“…What is this?”
Just in case, I opened the System Shop, and this time there were all kinds of items that hadn’t been there before. A cute little [NEW] label was attached next to them.
Work gloves. Industrial adhesive. Lubricating oil—
“Coffee mix? They even sell this?”
[For laborers doing physical construction work, coffee mix is practically the water of life.]
That was technically true, but seeing it among the tools was a little absurd. There were also things like cigarettes and chocolate next to it.
Now they’re selling everything.
When I scrolled down further, I saw two books.
“Construction and Operation of Retention Basins”
“Structure and History of Sluice Gates”
“That’s exactly what I need.”
Out of countless books, the fact that only these two were being sold was extremely suspicious.
To make matters worse, the price of the two books exactly matched the number of points I currently had.
“So that’s why the quest reward was so high?”
I narrowed my eyes at the system window.
“So you can take the points back like this. That was the plan, wasn’t it?”
[Oh come on, surely not. I’m always trying my best to help you. (´▽｀)]
Could it stop using that emoticon? It irritated me in a completely different way from being insulted.
“I guess I have to buy these.”
It felt wasteful to spend all my points here, but there was no choice.
I needed them to clear the Main Quest.
And once I finished this one, I would receive 150,000 points, so I comforted myself with that thought and pressed the purchase button. The moment I did, the two books dropped onto the desk with a thud.
The delivery speed was impressive.
“Let’s start with the retention basin.”
I sat at the desk and opened “Construction and Operation of Retention Basins.”
As expected from a technical book, there were many unfamiliar terms, but the content itself wasn’t difficult to understand.
“So you can’t just dig it deep at random.”
It needed to be wide and gently sloped, with the bottom compacted firmly.
And in case it overflowed, an outlet channel absolutely had to be prepared.
“This level of work should be completely possible with the technology here.”
The retention basin seemed manageable. Now, should I look at the sluice gate?
The principle behind a sluice gate was also simple.
“The problem is how to actually implement this…”
This place didn’t have precise modern materials or equipment.
There was magic, but it couldn’t replace modern science.
“The medieval method is probably the best we can replicate.”
There were several possible designs, but a manually operated sluice gate using the principle of pulleys seemed the most suitable.
Since the materials would also have to be substituted with what was available here, I carefully wrote down everything I would need.
The next afternoon.
“Where are you going?”
While I was preparing to go out, Calix Krauvel came to visit.
“I’m going to the workshop district.”
I needed to find substitute materials to build the sluice gate. I also wanted to check if there were craftsmen capable of making it.
“Really? I’ll come with you.”
“…Your Lordship too?”
“Why? Do you have a problem with that?”
Yes. I have several problems with it, and I also don’t understand why you insist on coming.
“Aren’t you busy?”
If I said it too bluntly, I would probably get scolded, so I asked as politely as possible.
“Not particularly. There’s nothing for me to do here.”
That was true. What would he even have to do in someone else’s territory?
Thinking about it like that, it was strange that he had come here at all.
He could have simply sent Noah Roheim or another official.
I put on my coat and stepped out of the bedroom.
“Why are you going to the workshop district?”
Calix Krauvel asked while walking beside me.
“To look for materials to build a sluice gate.”
“A sluice gate?”
Right. That term doesn’t exist here yet.
“I decided to call the gate that controls water so it doesn’t all rush out at once a ‘sluice gate.’”
“A sluice gate. What a crude name.”
“Is it?”
“The name aside, I also don’t like how you keep moving around busily even though I told you not to.”
“I’m simply doing my best at the task entrusted to me.”
Now that I thought about it, I was starting to get annoyed.
“If you disliked how hard I work, you should have refused the Marquis’s request to the very end.”
The words slipped out because I was a little irritated.
Calix Krauvel narrowed his eyes.
“So you’re saying it’s my fault that you’re working hard?”
“…That’s not exactly what I meant.”
My voice shrank. When he looked at me like that, an ordinary civilian like me couldn’t help but shrink back.
Calix Krauvel stared at me for a moment before turning his gaze out the window.
“Doing your best isn’t always a good thing.”
His eyes, looking out at the warm sunlight outside, somehow seemed a little bitter.
“So don’t overdo anything. Moderation will be better for you too.”
Was it just my imagination, or did that sound like he was speaking from experience?
“However, Belheim is the exception. When it comes to the affairs of my territory, do your best.”
I had been curious about what kind of past he might have had, but that final remark erased the thought completely.
He was simply a selfish man.
I thought we would take a carriage to the workshop district, but Calix Krauvel brought a horse.
“Get on.”
So we had to ride together again.
I sighed, but refusing wouldn’t make any difference, so I gave up.
And riding with him wasn’t as uncomfortable as I had expected.
Since I sat facing forward, I didn’t have to make eye contact, and most importantly, he didn’t try to talk to me.
I just need to be careful not to let my back touch his chest.
Trying to avoid that naturally made me tense my waist.
“If you sit that stiffly, you’ll strain your back.”
Then Calix Krauvel grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him.
“Ghk.”
A strange sound escaped from me at the sudden contact. From behind, I heard a quiet chuckle.
“For a moment I thought a monster had appeared.”
My cheeks burned at the clearly mocking remark.
“You pulled me suddenly, of course I was surprised.”
“Right. Everything is my fault.”
He replied indifferently while adjusting the reins.
I straightened my posture again, trying not to tense my body too much like he had said.
While we were riding toward the workshop district, a woman galloped past us on horseback. Her high ponytail fluttered in the wind as she rode past, and it looked quite impressive.
“Maybe I should learn horseback riding.”
“Why?”
I had spoken to myself, but Calix Krauvel asked anyway.
“If I know how to ride, it would make traveling easier. Ah, commuting would be easier too.”
I couldn’t exactly say that the woman who just passed looked cool, so I came up with another reason.
Now that I said it out loud, learning horseback riding did seem like a good idea.
In situations like this, I wouldn’t have to rely on others.
Instead of waiting for a stagecoach, I could simply ride a horse to work.
Then my commute might shrink from two hours and thirty minutes to just one hour.
“Do you even have the money to learn?”
The blunt question made me flinch.
“Do you know how expensive horses are? Where would you keep it? It needs regular care, and the feed alone costs a lot.”
The barrage of factual blows made my head spin.
“Fine. I’ll give up. I’ll give up.”
When I declared my surrender, he smiled with satisfaction.
“As I said earlier, being too capable isn’t always a good thing.”
Calix Krauvel slowly pulled the reins and brought the horse to a stop.
We had already arrived at the workshop district.
He dismounted first, then extended his hand to me.
“So live moderately, without drawing people’s attention.”
Then he added,
“That way you won’t become a nuisance for me.”