A gate hidden deep in a small ravine came into sight. It’s a gate between two rocks, supposedly protected by Catiza. Its old wooden structure is heavily damaged. Currently it’s still working as a gate, more or less, but since it has started to tilt over, it’s become rather unreliable.
“Ohhh! Emissary-sama! Good morning!!”
Not the small Catiza, but the even smaller Purin is waving her hand from atop the gate. Her small bone tail is wagging furiously. It’s cute how she gives me a morning greeting, although it’s already past noon.
It looks like today it’s Purin’s turn to serve as Chief Gatekeeper. Maybe they’re changing every day.
The costume covering her front has slightly changed in design, compared to before. I think she’s added padding to the elbow area to make sniping easier. Selele’s Bone Pipe is extending from her wrist like a rifle.
“――Yo, Purin. A good morning to you as well.”
“Thanks! Emissary-sama, are you going to head out somewhere?”
“No, I was thinking of repairing this gate, or maybe I should say, build it anew.”
“That’d make Catiza very happy. She seems to hold quite a bit of pride in her job as Chief Gatekeeper.” Purin explains while using her bone pipe to point at the gate’s roof beneath her.
“Did you snipe monsters from a distance with that bone pipe?”
“Yes, I did. I killed quite a lot of them. But, every once in a while, strong monsters come along as well…”
Strong? Like the semi-transparent orc I fought?
“Strong monsters, huh? What kind of monsters were they?”
“First was a huge sheep monster. Next, a small goblin enveloped in a bluish-white light. Then a mage-type of monster with bright spheres floating all around its head. And the most peculiar one was the last monster. It had a humanoid shape, but…a big amount of arms grew out of its torso all of a sudden, and it transformed from having a ribbed armor to an appearance allowing a peek at its bluish-white shining intestines.”
“Hee, the last one does sound powerful.”
“Yes, it spewed out mana in the same color as its intestines while swiftly moving left and right. It kept dodging my shots, just to stop its irregular movements after planting its two legs on a tall tree and glaring at me from far away… When I thought it’d charge all the way from there…I switched with Tsuan-san, but in response, the monster actually withdrew instead.”
I feel like I can understand the monster. It watched Purin transform into Tsuan, right? I would stay away, too. After all, no normal human can transform into another human.
“Tsuan-san seemed to be thrilled that he’d be able to fight after a long time, but once the monster pulled back, he started to complain, saying things like 『Let me have some fun as well』, or 『Aaahh, man, I wanna smoke magic cigarettes with boss』. Given that Catiza often comes out claiming 『I’ll handle it♪』 as close-combat fighter, Tsuan-san has only few opportunities to get a turn.”
“I see.”
Tsuan must have his fair share of troubles to coexist with two female personalities.
At that point, Helme appeared at the edge of my visual field, dancing.
『Ca-chan did her best when dancing and fighting to protect the children. She also listened to Commander-in-Chief Quiche’s instructions very attentively』 Helme explains while saluting after having interrupted her dance.
Why an army salute though…?
『…I see. As for me, I want to also train my triple-spear style with them, but if Catiza and the other two are doing their best here, I think it’s fine to let them be』
『I’m sure they’d immediately come to you if you were to tell them, but…hehe, this attitude is very typical of you, Your Excellency』
『Nevermind it. I’ve got the single-spear style of the Wind Spear Style, and my self-taught dual-spear style. There’s also Kisara’s Demonoid Martial Arts that uses Mephalla’s divine protection and also includes hand-to-hand combat with a spear. Anyway, I got my own ways, like wanting to learn a derivation skill of <Fang Stab>. And I also want to search for possibilities to do combinations with <Dark Water Moon of Nothingness>』
『Just spearmanship already has so many variations. Hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, and ax mastery also exist, so…it looks like there is no end to your way of martial arts, Your Excellency』
『Indeed. I’ll patiently stack up training sessions and actual combat to bring it to new heights』
『Okay. I would like to assist you in that as your attendant』
At that point, I wrap up my telepathic conversation with Helme.
“Well then, Purin, could you step back a bit since I’m going to tamper with the gate?”
“Okay, then I’ll let Catiza take over――”
Her body breaks apart like dissolving clay, transforming into a golden caterpillar. Immediately following, the caterpillar turned into Catiza. Somehow I feel like her transformation has become faster.
“Emissary-sama～～♪” Catiza immediately pounces on me to hug me. “”Emissary-sama’s smell～～♪”
“I got it, I got it, so stop sniffing me up and down.” I say, grab her shoulders, and push her body away.
“Eehhh…how unfair! You were a lot nicer to Purin～!”
“I just talked normally to her. Rather than that, you heard that I want to work on the gate, right?”
“Yeees♪ I’ll go and teach the children a new march♪”
Catiza jumps into the air. While airborne, she stabs her black nails towards the ground. The nails extend as if drawing arcs, and as soon as they pierce into the soil, shee reels them back in, carrying her body towards the ground and then landing softly. Her way of movement that relies on stabbing her nails from the air seems to be faster than her usual cartwheeling. It doesn’t offer the same mobility as her demonic bonefish, but I suppose it does possess some speed.
While repeatedly extending and retracting her nails, Catiza continues to travel towards the monument in the center of the village.
I’m going to move in front of the gate. Creating footholds out of <Magic Hand guided by Thought>, I dashed through the sky.
Alright, here should be good. It really reminds me of the first time I visited this village. This place is rather mountainish. Further down the narrow path that continues beneath those curving cliffs lies a rocky area with the name Horse Rock Cliff. It’s a place with a rock path that has been naturally washed out by rain over many centuries.
Very well, I’ll remake the small valley at the entrance of the village into a sturdy gate. Let’s combine it with the inner gate, which existed from the start, into one long gate tunnel. It’s a place with tall, natural stone walls on both sides. It looks kinda like a straight tiger’s mouth, so I won’t mess with it too much…
I’m going to build a wooden suspension bridge between the tops of the high cliffs on both sides.
After forming an image, I genuinely started the carpentering work. I inserted many rows of rectangular wood blocks into the depressions of the rock cliffs on both sides as if to form connections between both cliffs. Then I vertically piled up several layers of thick, wooden structural beams on top of the horizontal wooden beams as if creating a mille-feuille.
The whole thing looks like a puzzle of wooden frames from here. However, if you’re looking at it from the outside, it should appear as a rectangular space with the pattern of a tiger’s jaw that uses a part of the narrow path.
On top of that, I created two gates and repeatedly reinforced the whole structure to make it as sturdy as possible.
Next I used the rock face of the cliffs towering on either side of one of the gates. Imagining a huge shielded watchtower with a platform for archers at the upper part of the rock face, I built it by growing out my trees. Additionally I created a meaningless warehouse’s rat guard at the four pillars supporting the watchtower.
And then, I made a part of the huge wooden planks surrounding the gigantic tower function as light-based shields by employing <Tail of the Crushing Evil Spirit Tree>. As shield ornaments I focused on reproducing Rotalz’s dotted pixel farts. Given that they’re rectangular, they might look like edge scaffolds of a building.
The top of the watchtower was covered by a gabled roof. I finished it up by diagonally lining up smooth roofing boards so as to allow rainwater to stream into the drain spouts without any problems. Moreover, I placed a massive, flat pedestal on top of that roof.
This pedestal isn’t there as a drama stage…well, it’d be also fine to use it for that as well, or rather…Catiza might actually use it for just that, but…in reality I built it with the idea of allowing everyone, including myself, to train up there while keeping watch. Since the outlook is great, Rollo might like it as well.
I think the conspicuously high roof pedestal will be fine like that.
The last part is the bottom of the tower. The ornaments of the first gate’s door that exists in the ravine, to be precise.
Jumping off the pedestal on the roof, I landed on the ground. At once I had trees head for the surface of the gate door. Let’s go with a black panther extending its tongue out between its ferocious, bare fangs as ornament. Making sure to use one side of the door for the panther’s furry torso, I had a forepaw with its claws extended grab at the gate’s door knob, and the tip of the long tail stretched out towards the roof.
I guess I’ll go with a drawing of children playing on the inner side of the door.
◇◇◇◇
Alright, I think I’ll leave it at that for today. It’s not like I’m tired or anything, but I used up lots of mana.
In exchange, I managed to repair the gate, or rather, transform it into a super extravagant gate as I focused too much on an elaborate design.
From the outside, it might look like a simple fortress. It’s a sturdy main gate in mountain terrain, so it should have become fairly robust.
I even got praised by Gramps Ton when I built the houses, and the creation of Muu’s protheses went without a hitch as well. Maybe it did have some meaning that I earnestly continued the plain woodwork with Master Achilles. I’m sure it helped me with other skills as well, such as my dexterity, but…in the end, the biggest gain from it must have been my mana amount. Still, I haven’t been able to get a skill for it as of yet…
Anyway, it means you can do stuff like this if you’re a reasonable hobby carpenter.
At that point, I touched my Dark Hell Bone Knight ring, summoning the Burning Knights. Following the usual process of manifesting from the ring, the Burning Knights appeared from within the smoke as it slowly dissipated. I introduced the brand-new gate to them.
“What a magnificent gate. It almost looks like a fortress.”
“Your Excellency, I have understood! This is training to build a new fortress in our Spirit World domain, isn’t it?”
“One day I might do that, but right now I can’t promise you anything…”
“Zemetas, that’s a great idea. Your Excellency, by all means, I would like you to not only build a fortress in our domain…but a magic castle. All for the sake of thwarting Lord Hallrain’s ambitions.”
Who’s that Hall-something guy they already told me about before? Did he have a cow face or something?
“But, Your Excellency, we do not own any place requiring protection.”
“Hehe, Ado-chan, Zeme-chan, this here is for my sake♪ Thankies, Emissary-sama～”
Catiza came back while bringing the children with her.
“No, it’s neither for you, Catiza, nor for the Burning Knights. Anyway, I used up my mana, so I’m going to take a little break. Catiza, want to return as a finger or arm? Or do you want to strive in apple picking as Chief Gatekeeper again?”
“I want to watch the village’s vicinity as Chief Gatekeeper and pick some apples!”
Catiza lifts her arms into a hurrah pose. It looks like she’s taken quite a liking to her new job.
“Watch the vicinity, huh? It seems like Higlia and the other wolfmen are patrolling the area, but well, do your best.”
“Of course! The children also said that they want to practice combat with me while learning my songs.”
“…Sure, go for it. But, make sure to not overdo it, even if you might have Quiche’s permission. If any dangerous monsters show up, fall back. Just for caution, I’m going to leave the Burning Knights with you as well. Also, Kisara mentioned that she saw the irregular orc swordsmen you guys told me about in the far distance. The ogre skull platoon seemed to fight other monsters. I don’t know their precise whereabouts, but keep it in mind for the time being.”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Count on me!”
“Roger! They shall not get away next time!”
“Yes, Your Excellency! Count on me! I will crush them next time! Hehe, I’ll beat them with gittanbattan once they show up here! So everything is going to be alright♪” Catiza smiled all over her face after having imitated the Burning Knights.
Is that gittanbattan some kind of skill?
“Ah, Ca-chan! You’re copying Zeme-chan and Ado-chan again!”
“Ahaha, but, her head is funnyyy!”
Just like the children are pointing out, Catiza has created a tasty-looking donut with her hair. But, otherwise she looks like a dark-skinned girl. She’s wearing adorable, poncho-type clothes which the children gave her as a present. I think it’s a rough make that ties together the blue and yellow clothes stolen from the orcs, but it suits her.
Catiza stabs several nails into the ground. Extending the nails, she carried her body. Just like a bamboo shot that’s grown in an instant, she lifts herself up atop the wall with a squeaking from her nails, and jumps on the roof from there.
“Zeme-chan, Ado-chan, you’re so slow! Luluhu～～un♪ Emissary-sama is strong, yay♪ Emissary-sama is cool, yay♪ Nhuhuhu～un hu～un♪ Children, this way♪”
Standing on the edge of the new roof, Catiza sang a weird song.
“Ugh, if Alray-dono was here, I might be able to get up there, but…”
“No, His Excellency’s gate is big. I wonder whether Hueremy-dono and Alray-dono would be actually able to get on top of the roof with us.”
The Burning Knights discussed while watching Catiza. Or rather, just what the hell is that song.
It’s oddly embarrassing…
Suddenly, the children also began to squeal.
“Waaaah, it’s Ca-chan’s soooong!”
“Goblin hunt? I want to see her caterpillar form～～”
“Let’s go all the way to the Plemos Basin since Arry and Taack are here as well!”
“Yep, that might be a great idea too! Oh, hey, hey, look! It’s a new gate!”
“You’re right. Ah, there’s pictures of us over here!”
“Waaah～”
Arry and Taack mingled with the other children. Meanwhile, Catiza summoned one bonefish after the other on the roof. Then she jumped on top of an especially big bonefish, and began to fly while sitting on it. The other bonefish followed her around like bees would follow their queen.
While loudly singing, “Huhuhun♪ Bones, bones, I love you♪ Bonies♪”, she had the fish move as if to surround the children. Then the fish fell apart into separate bones. Moreover, those bones spread out to each and every child, turning into small bone armors that covered the children.
What’s that…? Catiza’s new skill? Just when did she come up with something like that…?
“Ado-chan, Zeme-chan, we’re going ahead, okay? Advance♪” Catiza announces and leaves the gate together with the children.
“Wait, Catiza-dono. See you later, Your Excellency. If I spot those orcs, I shall annihilate them!”
“I am off!”
“Sure, I’m counting on you guys.”
“――Catiza-dono! Let us ride those demonic bonefish as well!”
After bowing at me, the Burning Knights passed through the new gate. They ran through the rocky area continuing after the gate with lumbering footsteps, chasing after Catiza and the children.
Now then, I guess I’ll go back to my house and exchange some blood messages with someone while smoking a magic cigarette.