A method of building without using nails.
That’s…
「「「Stacking wood on wood?」」」
「That’s right」
The building materials are cut to create some bumps and they fit together like a puzzle.
That way, we can connect the trees without using nails.
I demonstrated by using a chunk of wood we won’t use.
「Like this」
「「Oooh!!」」
Everyone’s impressed.
Some of them are even applauding.
It’s Yoshiokada.
He’s doing a standing ovation by himself.
Others are just standing.
「The most important part when building this way is the blueprint. We have to think of a way to cut it all so the building materials would fit together perfectly. Some of you may even face the need to merge three or more wood. You have to change the dents, or even need to make holes
It’s only in construction with no nails that carefully crafted blueprints shine.
Yoshiokada’s blueprints are good, they’re perfect for this method of construction.
「This time, we’re making a small raised-floor house. Just add some bumps to the blueprints and we should be able to complete it before dusk」
Now they’re buzzing.
Their eyes are all shining, they’re excited.
「Yoshiokada and I will revise the blueprints. We should be able to do it in an hour. Meanwhile, the girls, please split up and cut down the trees. The boys will carry the lumber stored in the hideout. We’re going to build it near the pasture or the fields so carry it over there」
After giving out a few brief instructions, I started to revise the blueprints.
◇
「Okay, now that’s the last one」
「We’re able to do it smoothly thanks to Shinomiya-san, over」
「Next time you have to make it yourself」
「Yes, over!」
Yoshiokada finished revising the blueprints with my supervision.
The new blueprints show the detailed bumps on all the building materials.
「Still…」
I turn my attention to the tool Yoshiokada uses to draw blueprints.
「Whoever came up with the ruler is a genius」
It’s a modern tool that made this work extremely efficient.
That’s the ruler.
The use of a ruler, for measuring length, is quite important.
We could make builds with extreme precision with this.
「Good, we first need to process all the wood following the blueprints.」
After we finished revising the blueprints, we proceeded to the proposed building site.
The building team is all here, except for the Asakura sisters and Sofia.
「We’ll split the labor and get this done!!」
「「「Ooh!!」」」
Finally, the real building work began.
◇
I felt as soon as we started working.
I unconsciously mutter the feeling to myself.
「Blueprints are the best」
Everyone nodded.
「It’s comfortable to work with」Says Arisa
She’s right.
You can just take a look at the blueprints and work with them, you don’t have to think about anything else.
All you have to do is the process and assemble it as it’s written.
You can stop your brain and just do the work, which makes it more efficient.
「Processing is done. Assembling is next」
It felt good to do work
Click, click, click, the materials fit in.
「This is like a puzzle!」
Mana says, and the observing monkey army nodded and clapped wildly.
The monkey army’s face says that “Mana-sama’s right”
I wondered, how can a monkey know what a puzzle is? I didn’t say that though.
「Shinomiya-kun, it doesn’t seem that these are needed this time」
The Asakura sisters and Sofia arrived just as the work was reaching the final stage.
They’re making cloth to hang over the building materials in case it rains.
However, our work is about to finish.
The building was near completion and the materials not needed have returned to the hideout already.
We’re going to be building a lot of stuff in the future so we’ll be able to use it then.
Nobody bothered since the main use of it is for the future.
The Asakura sisters and Sofia were planning to do the same.
「Now we’re done! Muscle!」
Muscle puts the last building material and the work is done.
As the sun began to set, a little before 7PM. The house was finally completed.
「Ooh, that’s a splendid house」
Amane returns at great timing.
She looked at the finished raised-floor house and is impressed.
「Wow, to think that we made this day in just a day」
Eri, the head chef, came over too.
Now everyone’s here.
「Fifty-four days into this world and we finally finished the house」
I muttered with deep emotions.
Hearing all that, Mana reacted.
「Finally?」
「More like “we just”」
Arisa continued.
「It’s amazing when you think about it,」 Karin said.
「It hasn’t been two months yet. I’ve only been on this team for about ten days.」
Shiori said.
Lastly, Mana speaks again.
「The first day I came to this world, I was eating wild vegetables and mushrooms with curry powder. But now, we’re eating egg rolls, miso soup, building houses, raising crops, and livestock. And that’s all in just 54 days. Hokage’s done all that in less than two months. Nobody else could’ve done so much in just 54 days, I promise you that」
「You’re making me blush」
I don’t overestimate myself.
I don’t intentionally think of myself as better.
I’m just a bit more suited to the environment.
Even so, hearing some praises makes me genuinely happy.
Above all, I feel some pride as their leader.
「As expected, choosing Hokage was the right one」
「The others are already crumbling apart」
Arisa said. Amane came to my side.
She then whispered to my ear without letting others hear.
「Sumeragi and Sasazaki’s moving now」
「!!」
The reason why she chose to whisper to my ear was probably out of consideration to the mood.
Their mood is celebrating the completion of the house.
Therefore, she’s careful not to upset others.
That means…
「We don’t need to take immediate action yet?」
I whispered back.
Amane nodded, saying “I think so”
As expected, there’s not much tension yet.
If so, there’s no need to worry about that for now.
「Is there no problem if we talk about it by tomorrow?」
「No problem」
「Okay」
We won’t tell everyone that Sumeragi and others are on the move.
So, I show a smile on my face for now.
「Who wants to spend the night in this freshly built house!」
「「「「Me!!」」」」
They all raise their hands.
Of course. Everyone laughed.
Then, after this…
「How about you do it in commemoration as our leader? Hokage」
Mana said.
Everyone then agreed.
I knew it would go to that.
「No, if that’s the case, then we’ll commemorate Yoshiokada’s work」
I gave Yoshiokada the right to spend the night at the house first.
「This is a house completed from Yoshiokada’s first blueprint. Basically, this is debut work」
Arisa poked fun saying “He’s a virgin though”
Yoshiokada says, “what’s wrong with being one? Over.” with a blushing face.
We all laughed about it and then we went on after they calmed down.
「This is a celebration so Yoshiokada would be a good choice. With the size of the house, we can fit in one or two more people with you. Who will you pick, Yoshiokada?」
「「「Ooh?!」」」
Everyone focused on who will Yoshiokada choose.
I’m pretending not to be curious but I am.
Will he shy away and say that he wants to be alone? Or will he choose someone?
Yoshiokada chose the latter. He decided to choose someone.
「Then, Hinako-san please! Over」
「Fueeh!? Hinako’s shocked.」
And it got noisy.
「Yoshiokada’s a Hinako fan!」 Arisa says
「You fell for Hinako-chan?」
Mana added.
「I’m curious too. I was sure that you were a fan of Arisa」
Shiori grins.
「Well, uhm」
Yoshiokada’s embarrassed.
Now he’s just a toy for the ladies.
I can’t watch any longer so I stopped them, saying “now you girls leave him alone”
「You girls don’t understand, Yoshiokada mustered his courage. It’s hard for the shadow characters like us you know. Don’t poke him too much」
「That’s right! Right!」
Tanaka joined in.
However, Eri’s “That’s how it is,” and they were in low spirits.
「U-Uhm, I-I’m sorry!」
Hinako apologized as soon as it became quiet.
「Fue?」
Yoshiokada’s the one who got stiff this time.
「U-Uhm, I have someone I’m into…so, I can’t be with you alone」
Hinako’s shyness has come forward after a long time.
I guess she’s embarrassed by the eyes around her.
「「「 ………… 」」」
The girls didn’t say anything.
They’re not speaking, but they’re grinning.
Then, their grinning eyes look at me.
「Well, it’s not good to have a man and a woman stay together with just the two of them」
Sofia took over the stalemate.
「Why don’t you spend some time with gentlemen instead?」
That line made the mood flow again
「T-Then…」
Yoshiokada’s new choice is…
「I have fear of heights!」
-Tanaka. And Kageyama too.