Chapter 65
Chapter 65
So he actually obtained Calix Krauvel’s permission.
I asked how he had managed to persuade him, but Miron only smiled and refused to answer.
The Ervrin Mountain Range, which stretched across the northwestern border between the Monola Empire and the Tundra Kingdom, was recorded in books as a dangerous region filled with steep terrain where monsters and demonic creatures frequently appeared.
There was no way a magic portal could exist in such a place, so we would have to travel on foot to reach the Elf Forest located within the Ervrin Mountain Range.
Just reaching it would take about ten days at a comfortable pace. Considering the time needed to resolve the situation and deal with whatever else might arise, I would likely be away for nearly two months.
If luck turned against us, it could take even longer.
By the time I returned, the autumn monsoon would either have begun or already passed, so I inspected the drainage channels in advance and carefully checked that there were no problems with the buildings or roads.
Since we planned to install drainage channels in Zone B and Zone C before next year’s summer monsoon, I instructed the staff of the Urban Development Department to prepare in advance.
Working frantically like that, the day to depart for the Elf Forest arrived before I knew it.
Before leaving, I stopped by the Urban Development Department office to conduct a final inspection and say goodbye.
“You said you’ll be gone for more than two months this time, right? That’s quite a while.”
“Yeah. Where did you say you were going again? The Ervrin Mountain Range?”
“But why are you going there? The Ervrin Mountain Range is a dangerous area. No one should even be living there.”
“Right. What could there possibly be to do there?”
Starting with Anton Brown, the staff members all added their own comments.
“I don’t know the details either. I’m just accompanying the lord.”
Since going to the Elf Forest was a secret, I gave a vague answer.
After saying we’d meet again later, I came out to the annex entrance, where Noah Roheim was waiting.
“Why did you bring so much?”
When I came out carrying luggage in both hands, Noah Roheim asked in mild surprise.
“There are no shops in the forest, so I brought everything I might need.”
Since I also packed tools like a hammer, nails, and a plane just in case, the luggage had increased even more.
“Miss Aileen is very well prepared.”
“I just worry a lot.”
I smiled awkwardly and looked at Noah Roheim’s hands.
“You don’t have any luggage at all, Sir Aide.”
“Ah, I won’t be going this time because I have tasks assigned by the lord. Another aide will accompany him.”
“Another aide?”
“Yes. Anthony Greg—you met him last time, remember?”
“Yes.”
Just as he had mentioned in Nubiar, Noah Roheim had introduced the other aides.
“The one with brown hair and glasses, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Speak of the tiger and he appears—Anthony Greg arrived together with Calix Krauvel.
“That’s quite a lot of luggage. Someone might think you’re moving house.”
Calix Krauvel chuckled when he saw the bags I was carrying.
“You’re not planning to settle down in the Elf Forest while you’re there, are you?”
“No.”
What kind of thoughts were going through his head for his mind to jump to that conclusion?
He really was peculiar.
A short while later, when Miron also arrived, we mounted our horses.
Once again, I ended up riding the same horse as Calix Krauvel.
The moment I climbed into the saddle, my body stiffened. I had to adjust my posture with the movement of the horse, but the warmth and breath I felt behind me made it difficult to focus.
I have to travel like this for an entire week?
Just thinking about it made me uncomfortable, and I let out a deep sigh internally.
We had been told we might have to sleep outdoors along the way, but fortunately we always reached a village before sunset, so we had not slept outside even once.
On the fourth day after departure, we arrived at a small town located on the border between the Northern Territory and the Western Territory around sunset.
The architectural style here is interesting.
To block the harsh northern winds, the walls were built of thick stone, and the windows were generally small. That part was similar to Belheim.
However, unlike Belheim, the doors and windows were arched, and geometric patterns were carved along the walls.
The fences and exterior walls of the buildings alternated between bright stone and dark stone.
It’s a mix of the architectural styles of the Northern Territory and the Western Territory.
It felt unusual, yet strangely harmonious.
“Do you like buildings that much?”
While I was absorbed in looking around, Calix Krauvel asked curiously.
“It’s not so much that I like them—I’m interested in them. Buildings reflect the weather, the terrain, and even people’s preferences. There’s so much variety that it’s fun just looking at them.”
“Really.”
Calix Krauvel glanced around briefly and shrugged.
“They all look like the same buildings to me.”
How unfortunate—he had absolutely no appreciation for architectural beauty.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I sighed.
Because it was a small town, there were many inns, but there were also many travelers passing through, which made finding lodging difficult.
“…I will install a triangular roof for you.”
While we were moving quickly to secure a place to stay before it got too late, a familiar phrase caught my attention.
Calix Krauvel must have heard it as well, because he stopped and looked toward where the voice came from.
“Belheim safely endured the autumn monsoon last year and the summer monsoon this year entirely thanks to triangular roofs.”
A neatly dressed man was explaining enthusiastically while holding onto a noblewoman.
“I am the very craftsman who created those triangular roofs.”
“…What the hell is that bastard saying right now?”
Without realizing it, a rough curse slipped out of my mouth.
Calix Krauvel, Miron, and Anthony Greg all looked slightly surprised at me, but I didn’t care.
“So if you install the triangular roof I built on your home, my lady, no matter how much rain falls, there will be no problems.”
All my attention was focused on the man continuing his nonsense.
“You really made the triangular roof? I heard the person who created it was a woman…”
“It’s true that a woman developed it first, but the one who actually built it was me.”
The man thumped his chest proudly.
“Without me, it would have been impossible to construct triangular roofs. Anyone can draw blueprints, but having the skill to realize them is an entirely different matter.”
Wow, listen to this ridiculous nonsense.
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even laugh.
“Hm, then perhaps I should trust you and give it a try?”
“He’s a fraud!”
When the noblewoman seemed tempted by the con man’s words, I couldn’t hold back and shouted.
If it had been some other scam, I might have ignored it. But I couldn’t overlook someone scamming people with the triangular roof I created.
Only then did the man notice us, and he frowned.
“You’re calling me a fraud? What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“You’re the one who should stop spouting nonsense, don’t you think?”
I dismounted and strode toward him.
“Aileen.”
Miron called my name worriedly, but Calix Krauvel simply watched without doing anything.
“You’ve never built a triangular roof, and you’ve never even seen the blueprints.”
“Ha. Do I have to show you this too?”
Clicking his tongue, the man pulled out a rolled sheet of paper from his coat.
“This is the blueprint for the triangular roof!”
“Pfft.”
The moment I saw the blueprint, I burst out laughing.
The paper he presented was so crude it was embarrassing to even call it a blueprint.
Of course, it might fool a non-expert. But to my trained eyes, it looked no different from random scribbles.
“Why are you laughing?”
At least he was sharp enough to notice that.
Well, anyone making a living by deceiving others would need that much awareness.
“I laughed because it’s ridiculous that you’re proudly presenting this as a blueprint.”
“What?!”
“Since you call this a blueprint, let me ask you something.”
I snatched the scribbled paper from his hands and held it up in front of him.
“What’s the load capacity of this triangular roof? And how did you determine the beam spacing and the number of support points?”
I deliberately used modern technical terminology.
“Th-that…”
Naturally, the con man couldn’t answer and began stammering.
“So he really was a fraud?”
Seeing his suspicious reaction, the noblewoman narrowed her eyes and glared at him.
“…Damn it!”
Having failed to deceive her, the con man spat on the ground and quickly disappeared.
“Ugh, pathetic.”
Instead of working honestly to earn money, people like that only thought about cheating others.
“People like that should disappear from this world.”
With that sentiment, I tore the scribbled blueprint the con man left behind into pieces.