Chapter 761: Migration city planning
In light of the recent incident, we have decided to install a bench-cum-costume box inside the hut. By placing it near the entrance, we aim to create a clear division between the interior, which is strictly off-limits, and the rest of the space, while also taking into consideration the feelings of the female slaves who desire a completely separate area for their activities. ……But you might say that’s just your preference, but in fact, many of the senior female slaves have expressed such a desire.
“It’s a 『Flying Bedroom』 that we separated from the carriage so we can travel while having sex with Andy”
“If you want a normal trip, just use the carriage. This is meant for 『That kind』 of trip”
Anzeros and Aurora nod in agreement, but I was thinking of a wider range of uses. Something like a mobile base. ……But since it’s specifically designed for transporting dragons, wouldn’t it be better to just fly to the nearest inn if you want to use it as a regular lodging facility? I hesitantly pointed this out to Leda, but I couldn’t argue too loudly. Also, 『Flying Bedroom』 had somehow become a proper noun referring to that little hut. I thought it lacked taste and class, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything because it would have sounded lame to announce such a wonderful code name at this point. It’s difficult to prevent nicknames like this from becoming established once they’ve taken root. I decided to make a long-term plan to come up with a better name to use as a code word once it has become established. Until then, I’ll take my time and think of a good name.
While I was holed up, there were a few things that progressed.
First, the flying dragon service arrived. An agreement had been reached between the Celesta leadership and Trot´s Royal Palace, and a plan for the relocation of the Kalwin residents had been submitted by urban designers from the Royal Capital University. They requested that we verify the plan against the actual terrain, conduct geological surveys, and prepare for construction starting next year. The task was entrusted to Dianne, with a recommendation from Minister Ashton. It is already too late in the summer to begin actual construction work. Snow will accumulate in the Polka area in a few months, so even if workers are recruited from central Trot and sent here, there will only be a few weeks of work before time runs out. …..Under normal circumstances.
“Maia, Emma. If Andy gives the order to begin city construction, how many dragons can we mobilize?”
The two replied to Dianne’s question.
“From our palace, we can definitely get six or seven to move. My mother, Juline, and my great-uncle, for example”
“From Crystal Palace, we can get 50 if you ask them directly”
“Mu……”
Maia glared sideways, and Emma looked a little smug. But still.
“Fifty is definitely too many”
“The more hands, the faster it’ll go, right?”
“To be honest, even our four are more than enough. But during the work, it’ll be difficult for the others to travel long distances, so it would be helpful if we could have enough to replace them”
Dianne plans to use dragons to quickly build the city. The construction of the Renfangas fortress was a good test case. Even if we leave house construction to human labor, there are many tasks like land preparation, flood control, well-digging, and land reclamation that dragons can handle in advance. However, even if we’re talking about building a city that can house tens of thousands of people, the sight of 50 dragons over 40 meters tall crammed together and writhing around……I really don’t want to see that. With that kind of labor force, the town could be built in a matter of days, but if someone unrelated happened to see it, it might look like the end of the world.
“Come on, Andy wouldn’t just use that kind of mobilization power casually. Even if Andy had no such intention, the fear of dragons would cause another war”
“But since he can actually do it, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to show off his authority as the lord……”
“Andy is not a man who wants dragons to be a source of unrest. Try to understand”
Nodding, Emma still thinks that dragons have a strange sensibility. Dragons like Laila, who are naturally considerate, are rare. It’s probably because Emma is still young and resents being looked down on.
“……Well, even the four we keep directly are enough of a threat to the nation”
Dianne scratches her head and mutters under her breath. ……Yes. I’m numb, but she’s right. Even little Sahul alone is enough to cause the army to panic. I’ll make sure to remain cautious in the future. Yes.
Speaking of which, some of the Kalwin residents have already started appearing in Polka. It feels like a lot of time has passed since the battle with Rainer ended, and they’ve been recovering, visiting Celesta and Lapal, and reconciling with Shario and the others, but it’s still only the summer after that battle at the end of spring. They’re cautiously exploring a city with a completely different culture (from their perspective), trying to make friends despite the language barrier, and feeling their bodies, which were once worn down by poverty and hard labor, being healed as if they were being reborn. It’s the same with Lady—seeing the patients in terrible condition being healed by the miraculous spring, realizing how high their physical performance is now that they’re healthy, and being amazed by how good they look when they’re in good shape is both enjoyable and heartwarming to watch. The first group I brought was a dozen or so people with severe physical disabilities, but even among the homeless in Trot, they were unusually dirty and unhealthy. Now, they’ve all transformed into healthy, presentable individuals. Some who I thought were frail, dying old men turned out to be ordinary middle-aged men in their 30s after being treated, washed, and having their beards and hair trimmed. Similarly, a woman I assumed to be an unkempt old lady emerged as a fairly attractive woman around my age after treatment. It really made me realize how important health and cleanliness are. I also marveled at Neia, who, thanks to her elven blood, had retained her delicate beauty even in such harsh conditions.
“Hello, everyone”
“Neia-sama!”
“Is it really okay for us to be treated so well? This place is like paradise”
When they spot Neia, the Kalwin people gather around her in a crowd, chatting away in Kalwin language. They live their lives in a constant state of bliss, and some of them even doubt whether they’re still alive.
“Just as Smithson-san said, didn’t you all work hard? That’s why you’re happy now”
“Are we the only ones getting this treatment? Or will all our friends get the same?”
“I know it’s not good to be too greedy, but I’m scared to go back to the valley”
“We’re like royalty, aren’t we?”
A healthy body equals royalty. That’s how they see it.
“Plus, we have these nice houses, nice clothes……delicious food, delicious wine, we’ll have to forget all of that when we go back”
“Wine is delicious, isn’t it? I can see why Smithson-san said that”
……Well, that’s the catch, isn’t it? I nod in agreement, eavesdropping from behind a wall a short distance away. Kalwin’s land reform isn’t going to be easy. The technology is being shared freely, and things are improving steadily compared to before, but the quality of what they can get here—especially cloth and wine—is top-notch even by domestic standards, thanks to the elves. Catching up to that level would take decades, no matter how hard they try. It might be cruel to let them go back with such a good life. ……At that moment, Neia smiled.
“Actually, whether you return to the valley or not……is up to you”
“Eh?”
“Of course, you’ll have to return for now. But Dianme and the others are working hard to make it possible for you to move here again later. We’d like you to try to convince your friends in the valley to come here too”
“Eh……emm”
“When they see how beautiful everyone has become, others will believe that Smithson-san’s words were not lies. ……Everyone is still holding on to the days when the king was here. Some may not even realize that the king is gone. They know nothing of the real outside world and have given up on the idea that good things will ever happen to them. There are many people who are afraid of change”
……I see. Come to think of it, that’s right. Kalwin people were so blinded and brainwashed. Those who came from the craftsmen’s village and could believe in us were still better off. There must be many other Kalwin people we’ve never even come into contact with. The city Dianne is going to build will be a place that accepts all of them. But as Irina once said, there will inevitably be those who see us as invaders and conquerors. As long as we believe we are not such beings, we cannot force them to come with us. Those who have been blinded and deafened, left behind by the tide of history, need to be given the chance to choose for themselves. No matter how much we try to persuade them or invite them here, there may be few who will believe us and choose to immigrate. Even if they suffered so much, the option of 「Nothing needs to change, let things stay as they are」 is simply too sweet.
“……Even if it’s such a painful place, one’s hometown is hard to leave. I’ve decided to follow Smithson-san, but……sometimes I still feel that returning to the path I walked with Faria is the right thing to do. Memories bind people that strongly. ……So please, keep persuading the other valley dwellers. There’s a wonderful future here too, and seeking it isn’t betrayal”
Told to persuade Dianne, and having overcome her own struggles, Neia must have woven these words together. In places I don’t know, everyone is walking their own path, struggling with their own problems……. I sneak a glance at her and them, thinking about their feelings. A blank future sounds nice, but for them, it’s truly uncertain, with no flow imaginable—yet it’s the path they must choose. How can I convince them that this is a happy future?
“In the end, we have to set an example”
“Wa”
When I looked back, I saw Dianne.
“They really don’t know anything about us. ……Then we have no choice but to show them. Make Neia and Beatrice happy, and affirm that this is the right way to live. That will become a guideline for their new way of life”
“……Ah, well……in my case, you know. I have too many wives, so it lacks persuasiveness”
“They don’t know about marriage. They’ll learn now. They can follow your example and have many wives. Eventually, the law will adapt to that”
“……I still feel like we shouldn’t make them copy us”
Even I have to admit, I’ve ended up living a life that’s really not worth emulating.