第１６０９堀：現場での作業 (Part1)
Chapter 1609: Fieldwork
Side: Yuki
"Hmm. Looking at this place, I can't help but feel a bit uneasy."
Sona murmured this while casting her gaze across the expanse.
Well, I understand the sentiment.
After all…
"There’s nothing here, is there? I can see that the land has been leveled, but aside from the view of the sea in the distance, it just looks like a barren wasteland."
As Rushi noted, we were standing on the site designated for the construction of the port town.
While we had drafted designs in advance, as I’d explained to Seraria and the others, we couldn't manage the infrastructure if we built everything at once.
The plan was to develop it gradually as people began to move in, which left us with a vast, empty stretch of exposed earth.
At the perimeter, a wall loomed.
Beyond it, I could see the forest, but as Rushi said, at a glance, it looked desolate.
For the record, the naval port was already capable of receiving ships.
That area was fully staffed, after all.
And more importantly, that sector fell under a different jurisdiction than ours.
While I could certainly offer input, it was only natural that the naval port be tailored to the needs of Deryu and her team.
Once the location was provided, they immediately began docking and organizing their facilities.
They had aircraft carriers and escort ships to consider, after all.
Having a dedicated space for maintenance, rest areas for the military personnel, and, above all, a solid ground for organizing intelligence and holding meetings was a godsend for them.
Well, since they treat sea monsters as subordinates, the difficulty of underwater maintenance is far lower here than it was on Earth.
As I was lost in these thoughts, Sisua, who had been checking the site against a map, turned toward me.
"Yuki-sama, we are ready to construct our workplace as planned."
"Right. I’ll leave it to you."
"Yes, leave it to me. Sona, Rushi, please step back. A building is about to appear there."
"Got it!"
"Understood."
The two of them quickly scurried away from the spot.
Prof and Orelia were there as well, though they weren't as restless; they were busy comparing the blueprints to the site, squinting to ensure everything matched up.
Once Sisua confirmed the area was clear, she activated "Dig-Dig-Woof." A flash of light erupted, and in an instant, a magnificent building stood before us.
"It’s absurd, no matter how many times I see it."
"Do you really think so, Yuki-sama?"
Prof asked, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Buildings are supposed to be built step by step. Even magic usually requires a process. Well, I suppose 'Dig-Dig-Woof' involves preparing the materials and designs before spending DP, so in a sense, it follows a process, but it’s still shocking."
"Indeed. It is truly a blessing from Luna-sama."
"Yeah. That much, I have to admit."
It was an undeniable fact.
Thanks to that, building a base took only a moment.
To an enemy, that must be nothing short of terrifying.
And we were the ones reaping the benefits.
"Anyway, putting that aside—Deryu, Jessica, how are the surroundings?"
I called out to the two who were keeping watch at a distance.
According to the data, there were no enemies, but in this line of work, you never know what kind of loopholes might exist. I figured I’d ask the two most proficient in combat.
"Hmm. I don't sense anything in particular."
"Agreed. Nothing is showing up on my detection, either. How about you, Yuki?"
"I’m not picking up anything within the town limits, either."
"Are there still some outside, then?"
"Yeah. A mix of small fry and some larger threats."
"…I think this every time, but isn't your detection range a bit broken?"
"Well, my detection is linked to the areas I’ve turned into dungeons. I extend my senses from there, so it’s basically an extra kilometer."
"No, a one-kilometer detection range is just plain wrong, you know?"
"Is it? In modern warfare, that’s a distance where you can’t really do much anyway."
That’s right—even if you detect a missile, if you can’t dodge or intercept it, that range is meaningless. It’s the kind of distance where by the time you realize something is approaching, it’s already hitting you.
"Er, I understand what you’re saying, Yuki, but that’s in the context of weapons."
"Exactly. You’re flesh and blood, Yuki."
"Whether it’s weapons or flesh and blood, having a wide detection range is convenient, so it’s not a problem. I’m researching it, so hopefully, there’ll be some progress—anyway, we’ve gotten off track. If there are no enemies, let’s head inside."
" " "Yes!" " "
With the area confirmed safe, I stepped into the freshly minted port office. A dim lobby stretched out before us.
"Ah, no electricity yet, huh?"
I flipped the switch, but there was no response.
"It seems the breaker hasn't been flipped."
"Where was that again?"
"I remember. Yuki-sama, please wait here."
"I’ll go with you."
Sisua and Prof said this before disappearing into the depths of the dim office.
Because of the sturdy construction, the back of the building was as dark as night.
Well, those two would be fine, and while we waited, I cast a "Light" spell to check our surroundings.
Man, magic—no, sorcery—is convenient.
The fact that my first instinct was to reach for my smartphone’s flashlight is just a habit of a Japanese person, or rather, an Earthling.
That said, the "Light" spell only illuminated an area about as bright as a standard lightbulb; it couldn't compare to a smartphone.
Anyway, that’s neither here nor there…
"Well, there don't seem to be any abnormalities, but Sona. Is it built according to the blueprints?"
"At a glance, yes. Though, there’s nothing here but tables and chairs."
As Sona said, it wasn't yet equipped to function as an office.
We hadn't prepared computers, printers, or stationery for paperwork yet.
The reason was simple: we hadn't hired the staff.
I’d discussed it with Seraria and the others the other day, and we decided that meetings for recruitment would be held in the Weed conference room. Once the staff was selected, they would handle the setup of this office and the necessary preparations.
It would be a waste of time to drag candidates all the way to the port town just for interviews.
Looking at it calmly, that was the obvious choice.
"That’ll be up to Sisua and Sona to interview for."
That’s right—the hiring would be decided by Sisua and Sona.
While I am the lord of the port town, my position requires me to be in many places at once, so these two deputies would be the ones running the town.
Therefore, they should choose subordinates they find easy to work with, rather than ones I might prefer.
Of course, the audit department, which would monitor whether the port town was being run properly, would be selected from the upper echelons of Weed, including myself and Seraria.