第１６０２堀：ワクワクする町作り (Part2)
"Eh?"
The sheer unexpectedness of the remark leaves us stunned. Amidst our collective shock, Prol remains remarkably composed.
"Well, I had anticipated that such a day would eventually arrive. Given my responsibilities in the Resident and Information Departments, and my involvement in the town's administration, it would be difficult for Orelia, Hovis, Yayui, and Ryushi to remain entirely detached from such matters."
"Wow, does that mean I get to help build the town, too?"
Unlike the three of us, Ryushi seems genuinely delighted at the prospect of participating in the town's development.
"Ryushi, you have an interest in this sort of thing?"
"Yes, I do. Back in my village, I used to think about how much better things would be if we just had certain facilities, which often led to arguments with the village chief. That’s when I started digging and found out they were skimming off the taxes we were paying..."
"I see. Well, we can discuss that another time. For now, let’s focus on the town."
"You're right. I’d much rather help build a proper town than deal with that wretched village."
I see. So that’s what happened. That explains the conflict and why she ended up in such a state... though, looking at it now, it’s clear the village chief was the one who went too far.
"Right. Having enthusiasm is a good thing. Besides, this is a first for all of you, so feel free to experiment. That goes for you too, Orelia, Hovis, and Yayui. Failure is the mother of success, after all."
"Yes!"
Once he puts it that way, we can hardly refuse. In fact, speaking for myself, I find that I’m actually quite excited about the prospect of building a town, much like Ryushi.
"Alright then, Ratz, as our resident expert, how should we proceed?"
"Haha, you really have a way of setting the tone, Yuki. First, we’ll need a whiteboard, and we should also appoint a scribe. Keeping records is vital, after all."
"In that case, I shall take on that role."
Orelia raises her hand. Yes, she is certainly the most qualified when it comes to meticulous record-keeping. Prol raises her hand as well.
"Then I shall assist her. That way, both Orelia and I will still have time to voice our opinions."
"Excellent. Now, as for the location..."
"Right here will do. Everyone is eager to get started. By the way, how are your usual duties coming along?"
"Oh, I’ve already finished mine and was just about to start sifting through the intelligence from the Dark Guild," I reply. It seems everyone else is in the same boat.
It appears we’ve all managed to complete our morning tasks as usual. The workflow Prol suggested has truly become second nature to us.
"Good. Let’s save the Dark Guild intelligence review for the last hour of the day, and dedicate everything else to the town project."
"That gives us three hours, then. Let’s get to it."
As Yuki gives the order, Ratz immediately stands before the whiteboard, pen in hand.
"Alright, let’s list what we have so far. Sisua, Sona, and Yuki—are you ready?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"First, let’s confirm the overall flow. Yuki, if you would."
"Understood."
Yuki hands Ratz the document detailing the progression of the port town project.
"Hmm, hmm. Let’s keep it broad for now."
"Yeah, if we wrote down every detail, we’d run out of whiteboard space in no time."
Ratz nods, using the document as a guide to sketch out the process:
1. Land selection and surveying
2. Determining the locations for the town and port
3. Determining the scale of the town and port
4. Construction
5. Relocation of residents
6. Commencement of port town operations
It feels a bit too simplified, but I have to admit, trying to map out every minute detail right now would be impossible.
"Sisua and Sona have already handled steps one through three. They’ve accounted for potential disasters and the like, so there’s little room for us to intervene there. Of course, they will still need to provide us with an explanation."
"True. Since only Ratz and I know the specifics of that, it’s best they brief the rest of you."
"Yes, understood."
"Then, let’s hear it."
With that, we begin to deliberate on the town's development, guided by the explanations from Sisua and Sona. Undertaking something of this magnitude is exhausting, certainly, but it’s also undeniably thrilling.
It’s just like those town-building games—SimCity, back in the day. Or perhaps, in this day and age, something like Cities: Skylines?