Chapter 14

The next day.

The tanuki woke up.

“Are you okay, tanuki?”

Although weak, I had kept healing magic on it for almost the entire night, so I don’t think its condition has worsened.

“…”

The tanuki looks up at me, appearing very displeased.

It can’t thrash around because of its condition and the familiar’s collar. Or is it just sleepy? It can sleep if it wants.

For now, I carry the tanuki, wrapped in a towel, to a place where it won’t be in the way. I place a bowl of water by its pillow (?).

What does the tanuki eat? Is it omnivorous? No, it’s a monster; is it okay to just use the magical essence from this area? The fact that it was digging in the mud was because that spot had a high concentration of magical essence.

Now, let’s check the house.

The walls look like sand walls mixed with paint, probably. The white plaster remains. It’s white, or rather, something faded and stained.

The tatami mats are still there, but they’re worn out and frayed, and there are some burn marks.

The kitchen area looks pretty empty. The floor was probably covered with some kind of flooring sheet? Well, it’s not there now.

The areas where the floor is missing will need to be replaced with boards, and I’ll have to repaint the walls. I’d also like to replace the tatami mats.

For now, I’ll need to secure the missing materials by dismantling this dilapidated old house. Dismantling it—while breaking or cutting would be one thing, it’s not really feasible, is it? I have strength, so I could do it if I take my time.

I’d rather not do labor.

Should I catch some monsters first and have them become my familiars? But first, I need to make the collar for them. …I guess I’ll need to gather the missing materials first. The materials I lack are usually obtained by defeating monsters.

First, I should make traps to defeat the monsters—and then I realize I have no means to set them up. It’s quite tough being all the way up in these mountains without any help. The tanuki isn’t in its prime, and its limbs are short.

This is a problem.

…It can’t be helped since I ended up using magical tools unexpectedly. After all, it is a tanuki.

I resign myself to working. I came here because I can get things done if I try. I really don’t want to.

What’s the first thing I should do?—The goal is to create a house where I can live and install magical tools for transportation. And to install counterpart magical tools in town.

For now, the house is good as it is. Continuing from yesterday, the old house is in decent condition to serve as temporary housing. I have the magical tools for transportation.

The problem is how to get back to town. The tanuki has short legs and can’t carry me.

The collar for the familiar is really the bottleneck here. It is a collar, after all.

Defeating monsters is the plan. I intended to make traps with the tools and materials I currently have, so that’s fine. But I’m unsure if there are any monsters nearby that can provide materials for the familiar’s collar.

I might as well set traps and patiently wait while maintaining the old house.

Using the potion-making tools that Arisa gave me as a farewell gift, I’ll make a monster lure and a confusion potion. The confusion potion is easy to make since I have a variety of materials. The land overflowing with magical essence has an abundance of dangerous herbs.

Making the monster lure is also simple. However, since it attracts monsters, I have to be careful where I place it. I have magical tools set up for barriers, but the monster lure is made from materials gathered in this area rich in magical essence, which is incredibly risky.

So, I’ll make it halfway and adjust it so that the two combined will have a greater effect. As the one bestowing the magic, I can do this even if I really don’t want to work.

—Now, the problem is the tanuki.

“What do you want to do, tanuki? It would be safer if you came with me, but would the bumps hurt? Or should you wait here within the barrier?”

I check the tanuki’s intentions and place the bag nearby.

The barrier magical tool continues to work even when I’m away, but it becomes very weak. Monsters can also fight each other, and depending on the species, they might even kill each other, so it’s dangerous if they find us.

It’s safer to stick together and stay hidden under the effect of the invisibility, but moving around will definitely cause bumps. The wolf was large, but the tanuki or the bag is within the range.

Moving sluggishly and sticking its face into the bag, the tanuki stops moving. It only moves a minimum amount.

I pick it up, wrap it in a towel again, and put it back in the bag.

I walk while healing the tanuki. Despite being filled with magical essence, the surroundings are a beautiful landscape. For now, I’ll walk back and forth until noon to search for a good place.

I choose a shallow valley or a hollow spot where the smell of the potion will build up. Within that, I look for a spot where animals can climb.

The monsters have heightened physical abilities, so they can probably climb steep slopes, but still.

I concoct the monster lure and set it in the hollow. As a faint mist starts to emerge, I step away from the hollow.

“Stay away because it’s dangerous, tanuki.”

If it catches a whiff, it will be drawn to the strong source of the scent.

The speed at which the mist spreads increases rapidly, filling the hollow. The monster lure drifts out from the hollow. It flows like a heavy smoke, going to the lower area.

After witnessing that, I toss the confusion potion into the hollow, completing the trap. I hope for them to fight each other. They’d better not come to the construction site!

On my way back to the construction site, I find wild garlic growing along a riverbank. The tanuki is all fluffy with winter fur, but this area seems to be transitioning from spring to summer.

I let the tanuki drink some water and take a break. While sitting, I pull wild garlic within reach. The soft, slightly damp soil easily releases the wild garlic.

…I brought miso, soy sauce, and salt, but I don’t have any vinegar? What else can you eat wild garlic with besides vinegar miso? I can’t make tempura since I don’t have enough oil! Since it resembles green onions, can I stir-fry it?

For now, I harvested them, but I head back with a lot of questions. Along the way, I saw a few monsters, but I got home without any issues.

I washed the wild garlic in the stream, but it still retains the magical essence. With the ability of [Enhancer], I could extract the wild garlic’s magical power… but there’s no need for that. I’m fine with this level of magical essence. I mean, I am technically the Demon King from the start.

I open a can of miso-flavored pork belly and stir-fry it with the wild garlic. I’ll eat the black seeds too, but I want to eat other things as well!!!

Hmm. The flavor that was a bit too rich with just the can is now nicely balanced.

The tanuki lifts its face slightly.

“Do you want to eat some too, tanuki? Or is it okay for you to eat? Since you’re a monster, is it fine?”

Is it really okay based on the tanuki’s judgment? Or is it not?

“Who are you?”

A sudden voice of a third party.