Eri’s harboring feelings for me…I can’t believe that.
I never felt that I’ve been looked at that way before.
Well, she probably mentioned my name to shake Tanaka off.
She just said it out of the flow, she’s not serious.
「 I appreciate Shinomiya-dono’s concern, but that’s the reason why I don’t want you to comfort me. I’m still a man so I don’t want people to worry about me. Just leave me for a while 」
Tanaka stood up and then ran off to Arisa.
Arisa, who had been watching us from afar, was startled.
「 Nokotama-dono! Ns, Arisa-dono! Please teach this broken-hearted me about your secrets in fishing! Please! 」
Tanaka’s spreading his arms and shouts with a gleeful tone.
He’s completely revived from the conversation earlier.
But the truth is, he’s forcing himself to act cheerful.
「 Can’t do anything about that any further 」
I can’t do anything with Tanaka anymore.
So, I decided not to get involved more than that.
Haaa, human relations sure are troublesome.
◇
After that, our holiday ended without any events.
The next day is a Sunday so it’s another Holiday, but no events in this one either.
The only thing I could think of was indulging in pleasure with Meiko, who recovered from her period.
It was lunchtime when I had fun with Meiko and we did it inside the hideout.
In that unknown area further than the lake, and she squeezed me using her mouth and hand.
Of course, that was her suggestion.
She thanked me for letting her take it easy for the last few days to prioritize her recovery.
It’s just natural so I didn’t deserve the thanks, but I took what I can get.
I agreed with her and she squeezed me four times during the afternoon and evening.
I released on her mouth once, her face twice, and her breast once. Meiko’s swimming in my semen.
Then, time went to the next day.
Day 32. August 19, Monday.
It’s working day today, but there was no mood for work.
「 It’s about time, isn’t it? 」
Mana cuts in at the end of breakfast.
What’s “About time?” There’s no need to say, it’s already known.
「 It’s been a week since then 」
I said. Eri, who’s sitting next to me, nodded.
「 I hope Mizuno-kun’s fine, but… 」
Mizuno Eitarou left the hideout one week ago.
Making use of his triathlon skills, he went to the other island.
The person himself said that he plans to return in a week or two.
Therefore, if he’s safe, then he should return in one week.
「 We can’t do anything even if we worry, so I’ll assign two people to monitor the seas and the remaining can return to their work. 」
「 「 「 Roger! 」 」 」
I pray for Mizuno’s safety while giving instructions to our work today.
◇
Hinako and Arisa’s monitoring the seas.
Hinako’s menstruating since Saturday so it’s convenient.
Arisa’s fishing on the sea so that’s also convenient.
「 I want Kageyama to scout for a while, but it seems that Sumeragi is no longer a threat 」
I talk while near the river southwest of the Shinomiya cave.
Everyone’s here except for the sea watchers and Kageyama.
All of them have a bamboo tube and a stone hoe in their hands.
This hoe is just a common flat hoe, different from the ones with a branched tip.
「 And so, we’re going to lay the groundwork for sustainable life 」
「 What are we doing here? 」 Sofia asked.
「 We’re going to build a waterway 」
I used the hoe to dig near the river.
「 We dig up the soil here and make a long narrow hole. Then, we connect this hole to the river, and the water from the river will divert and flow through it 」
「 Then what are the bamboo tubes for? 」 Karin asked.
「 You put the bamboo in the hole you dug. Instead of the river water going directly to the soil, we want it to run on the bamboo tubes we set up. That way, we can carry clean river water 」
「 What are we going to do with river water? If it’s drinking water, then we have enough at the lake in the hideout? We’re going to use it for something else, right? 」
Mana said.
They’re becoming much smarter than they first came to this world.
Back then, they won’t even think that it will be used for something else.
I nodded saying, ‘exactly.’
「 We’re going to use these channels for crop cultivation 」
「 Crop cultivation?! 」
「 I feel like it’s going to be a lot of labor muscle!! 」
I nodded. Then looked at Eri.
「 If we start now, it’ll take a long time before we finish, but we’ll probably make it in time for winter 」
「 Make it in time? What are you planning Hokage-kun? 」
Eri’s hooked.
Her eyes are sparkling.
I said while smiling.
「 Japan’s staple food. Rice 」
「 「 「 「 Rice!! 」 」 」 」
Everyone shouted.
Even Amane, who usually is cold.
「 I never thought I could eat those again 」
「 Likewise, Amane. Aah, I never thought I could eat rice again!
「 I don’t know whether it can go smoothly, and so we have a mountain of things we have to do 」
We’ve gathered our ingredients from various places so far.
Whether it’s mushrooms, wild plants, fish, or wild boars.
However, from now on, we’re going to develop a stable crop for our place.
「 First, we’ll start with crops, but soon enough, I’m thinking of doing livestock too. Now that the threat of the Sumeragi team is gone, we don’t have to think of running away. We can expand our hideout in one go! 」
「 「 「 「 「 Ooooh!! 」 」 」 」 」
「 Now, we’re going to split the work into two.
Mana, Eri, Karin, Meiko, Yoshi Okada, make the waterway as explained earlier.
Flowing the river water was the last step, and so start making the waterway a bit further from the river. If you run out of bamboo tubes, then just dig the hole. Our destination is the hideout 」
「 「 「 Roger! 」 」 」
「 Tanaka, Takahashi, Sofia, and Amane will be logging. You can put down the hoe you brought in. Unlike the hoes sold in Japan, these will probably break during the process, so the waterway crew should use them 」
「 Then how do we cut down the bamboo? 」
「 I mean, how do we cut them down, Shinomiya Hokage? 」
Tanaka and Amane ask.
「 Use the bronze saw to cut them down. Those saws were made on my day off, and used to cut the bamboo grove to the east. It’s in a crate. Use them freely 」
「 What?! When did you make the saws? 」
「 When we were making a bath. I think that was two weeks ago? 」
「 You’ve been expecting this for quite some time, haven’t you? 」
「 Bamboo is an excellent material, whether or not we use it to build waterways. I knew that there would be a time where we cut them down so I just prepared for it 」
「 I knew it, we’re no match against Shinomiya-dono 」
Tanaka’s eyes moved quickly, catching Eri’s figure wielding a hoe for a moment.
「 Shinomiya Hokage, do you mind if I do it with my bare hands? 」
Amane asked.
「 Not really, but are you going to be okay? 」
「 Cutting bamboo is no problem with my hand strike 」
「 Are you a monster? 」
Before the discussion derails, I summarized.
「 That’s all the instructions. I’ll go back to the hideout and make more stuff we’re going to use in the future. Be careful of injuries and heat stroke, and I hope for the best for all of you 」
The waterway group and logging group started to move.
We finally embarked on a new age of technology. Agriculture!