We were busy leading double lives in Volton and the Sanctuary. Today like most days we headed to the Sanctuary, when I had thought to go to the place the kids and the Cat Siths live, but a building I don’t remember was under construction. At the heart of the construction was the Dwarven blacksmith, Doganbo-san. But similar beer-barrel figures had increased by 3 people?
Was the foundation work completed by Gnome? He seemed like he was giving instructions to Doganbo-san and the other Dwarves like a site foreman. The building is a fairly large, simple warehouse-like structure.
「Hey Gnome, what are you building?」
「Oh, Takumi? We have taken this plot. This area will be used for alcohol brewing.」
When I asked Gnome who was acting as the foreman, he said that they were constructing a building for making alcohol.
「Mm, well, that’s alright since I’ve heard about it vaguely, but why did the Dwarves increase?」
「Listen Takumi, don’t make light of the Dwarves. You see, Dwarves would suddenly appear out of nowhere and gather at the place where there is a possibility of making the best alcohol.」
What the hell, that’s scary. Maybe because I was thinking that, Gnome hurriedly made a follow up.
「Nay, be at ease. Strange fellows wouldn’t pass through the barrier of the Sanctuary.」
「I think those who come to savage lands in the western edge of the continent just for alcohol are plenty weird though.」
「What’re ya blabbin’ on about, alcohol is most important.」
「That’s right, Takumi, don’t you want to drink alcohol of potent spirits?」
Haa, the Dwarves’ love for drinking might be the influence of the spirits they worship. Even Salamander cut in.
「So, what alcohol are you making?」
「First of all, ale is fundamental, then distilled liquors made from grain, potatoes, and sugarcane, then wine comes after.」
Again, it seems they’re planning on making various things. Wine is probably something Undine and Dryas want to drink.
Since I don’t drink alcohol that much, I don’t understand their enthusiasm towards alcohol. Even if I do drink, it’s only beer.
In this world, distilled liquors have yet to appear, but during my discussions on alcohol brewing with Gnome, I talked about information from my faint memories. There, I decided to make a distilling machine, but I don’t understand the passion of an alcohol lover.
Doganbo-san and the Dwarven craftsmen(?) were constructing the building for alcohol making at a quick pace. Since Gnome was assisting with Earth Magic, they might complete it in 3 days. They said they would gather materials after that.
It seems I was underestimating the beer-barrel figures.
With Gnome’s leadership, the alcohol brewing equipment had been installed the next day, and the beer barreled figures increased again. Furthermore, there were spouses and families mixed in this time.
「Wha, how?」
「It’s our sixth sense. It’d be troubling if you underestimate us Dwarves’ love towards alcohol, you know.」
Doganbo-san said so with pride, but I don’t think it’s something to boast about.
Still, the number of people who could take care of Wappa and the kids has increased thanks to that. That’s the only thing I consider to be good.
With the Great Spirits doing as they please, the Dwarves increased, but it seems that they were more or less selected. The children already fit in and join in on working the fields.
On one such day, Yggurle Kingdom’s Third Princess Mimir had come, taking along a mother elf and her two children to the Sanctuary with a request to let them live here. The stationing troops of each country did not notice that the Princess’ entourage had entered the Sanctuary barrier. With the magic of the Great Spirits, their figures had been concealed and their presence erased.
「Disparity of wealth exists even in Yggurle Kingdom. Given how there were plenty of nobles from ancient times, that disparity might even be more extreme than in other countries. Her husband was a great hunter but he died from an illness recently, and my contracted spirit came saying that it wanted me to help the two children in trouble.」
However, Princess Mimir had no authority to hire people. Orphanages exist even in Yggurle Kingdom, but it couldn’t shelter both the parent and children. She had thought to mediate work in the royal palace, but it would be difficult to take the children.
「And so what you came up with was the Sanctuary?」
「Is it not allowed?」
With the Princess asking with upturned eyes, and a request from Sylph and Dryas, I didn’t think I could say anything but yes. In the first place, I thought that the masters of this Sanctuary are the Great Spirits, but for some reason, the Great Spirits have a conspicuous behavior of giving me the right to decide.
「Well, we’ll have them help with the orchard work. Let’s have the children consult the Dwarf and Cat Sith wives.」
「Thank you very much.」
The relieved Princess Mimir then grumbled about Yggurle Kingdom.
Yggurle Kingdom is the only Elven country, and many of the nobles from ancient times continue to be distinguished families. Furthermore, there were many pointlessly conceited elves who think themselves to be superior to other races. But there was a portion of the Elven nobility that has a tendency to look down on the poor despite being fellow Elves. Princess Mimir looked sorrowful as she explained. Even though she was revered as the Saint in her country, she was tormented by the feeling of powerlessness everyday.
「We will, to some extent, accept people in poverty as long as they are not criminals. Still, not too many.」
「Is that true?! Thank you very much. With this, we will be able to aid the children from crowded orphanages and the poverty-stricken widows caused by the war 50 years ago.」
Although they’re Fairykin, would it be fine if the number of people increase too much? I asked Undine, who just so happened to be near.
「I was just thinking of that too. Takumi, please build a church of the Genesis Faith in the center of the Sanctuary. We could tell Mimir to prepare a priest.」
「Will that be alright?」
「Yes, well then, a splendid church please.」
It seems I must build a splendid church. I wonder if I could get Doganbo-san to help.
***