“Are you planning to live here?”
The hero changes the subject, seeming to have given up on the matter of the tanuki.
“The scenery is nice, but I haven’t done anything with this place yet, and there’s no specific reason for me to stay here. If it’s a bother, I can move.”
I’d prefer a place where neither humans nor demons would come. Less hassle that way.
“To the north of here, no humans, nor demons, live. The mana concentration is so high that even those who have become demons can’t maintain their consciousness here, and it’s mostly overrun by spirits and magical beasts…”
He stops speaking, glancing at me.
Looks like that won’t be a problem for me!
“For me to come this far, I had to make certain preparations and had a time limit. But with the [Saint’s] power now, it seems… balanced, and I’m no longer affected.”
So until now, he couldn’t counteract the dense mana even with a holy mark, and it seems he was being worn down by it—or perhaps he used a barrier device. Short-term stays might be fine, but it’d turn him into a demon over time.
Is the extra power from the [Saint] making this mana tolerable? Hmm, maybe I should venture further in?
“I rarely come here either. Staying there was a gamble—either I’d gain extraordinary resilience or lose my mind. Seems I’ve adjusted now.”
The tanuki seems to have powered up as well. Short legs, round body and all.
“Yuhi, have you no doubts about your current appearance?”
“…”
The hero’s question leaves the tanuki silent.
It’s fine, honestly. Being soft and round suits a tanuki.
Regardless of the hero, a harsh environment wouldn’t be good for a tanuki. No lazy days to spend together. I suppose this area will do.
“Alright then, I’ll set up a base around here.”
Guess I’ll start with dismantling the old house.
The food’s already stone cold, so might as well give up on it. The fat on the retort-packaged meat has solidified into a white lump, and honestly, it’s inedible cold. Maybe if I warm it up again and eat it over hot rice later?
“By the way, tanuki, have you eaten? Would you prefer something like dog food? Or can you eat human food since you can take human form?”
Since he was human before becoming a magical creature, he might prefer human food, but what about a tanuki’s health?
“Mana will suffice.”
The tanuki mutters softly.
“Make it human food, please. Dog food with mana, even if it’s fine for Yuhi, wouldn’t work for me.”
The hero presses his forehead with his pale fingers.
I thought he didn’t need food, but it seems he does eat. Guess dog food is a no-go.
“Alright then, I’ll start working. Just relax and have a biscuit.”
Now that he’s gained the [Saint’s] power, his wounds seem healed, but with his short arms and legs, the tanuki can’t really help.
I set him down by my bag and hand him a stick-shaped biscuit, slightly salty and filling. I’d like to head to town before we run out of regular food.
I’ll finish one room first, set up a teleportation device, and take my time with the rest later.
“Hey, wolf-kun, can you arrange a ride to town for me in about five days? Alright, dismissed.”
As I turned to leave, I noticed the boy and wolf-kun, who had been tense, relax visibly as if relieved. Was it my face? Sorry about that.
Let’s start by collecting unneeded fittings. Just have to toss them into a separate space, so it shouldn’t take long.
“Allow me to assist,” the hero says, taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves.
“…Could you break down that wall?”
Honestly, as much as the hero’s presence might feel bothersome for someone who prefers taking it easy, I could use the help.
Until my lounging palace is complete, any extra help is welcome. Plus, a meticulous partner can be great to work with, as long as he doesn’t push his neatness onto me!
“The wall seems to contain a fair amount of mana,” he notes.
“It’ll be easier to store once it’s broken away from the building. Could you separate the materials if possible?”
I’ll figure out what to use it for later.
As the soil crumbles, bamboo framework becomes visible.
“Understood,” he says, nodding, and begins breaking down the wall.
With a single swipe of his sword, cleanly done.
The hero seems pretty good at demolition! But please, don’t get carried away and destroy everything. Given his skill, I’m sure he’ll be careful… though he’s left no soil on the pillars. Alright, you don’t have to be that precise… or maybe he’d hate anything less.
“Hmm? What’s up, tanuki?”
While watching the hero’s neat destruction, the tanuki approaches me.
“Are you here to help too?”
With those short limbs, probably not. Maybe he can fill the holes the hero’s been making in the ground?
“Lord Yuhi! Allow me to help!”
The boy comes over as well.
And wolf-kun, watching from behind! Does this count as child or animal labor? Should I go by actual age instead of appearance? Different species have different growth stages, after all.
“Alright then, could you remove the thatch from the roof? I’ll need to replace it later. If that’s not possible, you could also hunt nearby magical beasts—I’d appreciate the materials. I’ll leave the decision to the tanuki.”
The wolf-kun seemed to scare off the small magical creatures, so it should be manageable, right? I’m not sure how strong he is, so pick whichever task is easier. The tanuki is a tanuki demon lord, so he should be good at giving orders.
Oh, but don’t wander into the traps I’ve set up, okay?
