Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

Poolside.

On the beach chairs that Doraim and Domaim had been using yesterday, Youko, who had fully enjoyed swimming, and Hitoe, who was exhausted from swimming too much, were lying side by side.

Yeah, the tinted glasses (sunglasses) look good on both of them.

Though they might be a little too big for Hitoe.

For now, I will go get some iced tea, so make sure to stay hydrated.

Food?

Today is another buffet-style setup, so it is probably more fun to go pick your own food.

There is a wide variety lined up, so you can take only the things you like.

Ah, there is udon too.

Both hot and cold versions.

The toppings are free as well, so Youko can pile on as much fried topping as she wants.

「Then let us go, Hitoe」

Called by Youko, Hitoe transformed into her little fox form and climbed onto Youko’s head.

「Village Chief, you should come as well」

Yeah, sounds good.

I enjoyed the meal together with Youko and Hitoe.

-0-

Even though the pool had been opened, Loo, Tier, and the mountain elves still had not shown up.

That was because they were still making parts for the Tracking Cargo Cart in the workshop.

When I went to check on them at the workshop, Loo and the others were still hard at work.

They looked pretty exhausted… huh?

They still looked tired, but somehow seemed more energetic than before.

When I asked why, they explained that using the Magic Iron Alloy Domaim had brought for part of the components had drastically improved production efficiency, to the point where not only did meeting their quotas now seem possible, but even significantly shortening the work period had become realistic.

So that is probably why Bell had said earlier that Loo and the others should be called away from work.

She must have already known this would happen.

I should thank Bell again later.

Still, using large magic stones along with valuable Magic Iron Alloy is going to make the selling price outrageous, is it not?

「I am not thinking about that part」

Huh?

「The magic stones cannot be helped, but as long as we keep quiet about the Magic Iron Alloy, no one will know, so we are not factoring it into the price」

……

Is that really okay?

「It is fine」

She said it decisively.

W-Well, the batch we received this time was free anyway.

So I suppose it is fine.

Still, producing Tracking Cargo Carts is important, but relaxing is important too.

Especially now that the schedule has become less demanding.

Make sure to take breaks once in a while.

And do not rely on World Tree leaves.

「We know already」

「However, now is the time when we should push ourselves」

「We endure today’s hell so tomorrow can be easier」

Loo and the others focused back on their work.

I had hoped I might be able to invite them to the pool, but it did not seem like that kind of atmosphere.

Hmm.

Maybe I should force them to take a break once the timing feels right.

-0-

Another day.

At the pool, Bell and Yoru were swimming fiercely, almost as if they were competing against each other.

Beside them, Klim swam leisurely with an air of complete indifference.

Still, it looked like all three of them were enjoying themselves, which was good to see.

When Bell and the others climbed out of the pool, I handed them towels and spoke to them.

First, I complimented the swimsuits the three of them were wearing.

It was not because of any ulterior motive.

The swimsuits they had on were Zabuton’s newest creations.

Good things deserve praise, otherwise Zabuton would just keep pushing herself even harder.

And honestly, the sporty one-piece swimsuits suited Bell, Yoru, and Klim very well.

「It is impressive how they do not look plain despite the simple color separation. They are durable, yet still flexible, and they dry quickly」

「They are not see-through even when wet, so the functionality is perfect」

「Bell-san. I do not think you should be stretching your swimsuit in front of a man. And Yoru, you probably should not talk about transparency in front of a man either」

Yeah, that is true.

Klim is right.

You should remember to be modest.

「Oh, Village Chief!」

Yoru suddenly stepped in front of me as if she had just remembered something.

Too close, too close, too close.

Do not forget you are in a swimsuit right now.

「That is not important!」

You mean the pilot suit issue?

It is fine.

I remember properly.

I have not forgotten.

But Zabuton already reproduced the pilot suit for us, right?

As long as we can recreate the functions the pilot suit needs, there is no reason to rush out and get another one.

Ah, well, the problem is that Loo, who I asked to work on reproducing those functions, has been completely occupied with the Tracking Cargo Cart project, so no progress has been made yet.

Well, well.

It should not be much longer before the Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machinery (Arti-Horse) and related items that Rana-san transferred to us arrive.

There might even be a pilot suit among them.

At worst, if we transfer the functions from the current pilot suit into the pilot suit Zabuton reproduced, Yoru should be able to wear it too.

So there is no need to rush.

I calmed Yoru down like that, then turned toward Bell.

Bell, thank you.

I thanked her for the Magic Iron Alloy making Loo and the others’ work far more efficient.

「……Eh?」

Hm?

「Umm, by Magic Iron Alloy, you mean the material used for that golem, right?」

That is right, but…

Ah, now that I think about it, Tier did say it had many different names.

Was Magic Iron Alloy just not a familiar name to Bell?

「No, calling it Magic Iron Alloy is perfectly fine. It is just that… umm… that was not the use we had originally imagined for it」

Really?

「Yes. Like Tier-san demonstrated, it is an ideal material for making golems」

Seems that way.

「Because it can be shaped with great precision, it allows the creation of golems capable of delicate tasks」

Ahh, even if it was only the exterior, the fact that they could recreate the Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machinery that accurately does mean it could probably be used to make golems capable of fine, detailed work if designed properly.

「Exactly. So rather than using that material to make parts directly, I thought it might be easier to use that material to create golems that make the parts」

………………………………………………!

That never even crossed my mind!

Bell, are you a genius!?

「No, in the era when we were born, that was the standard approach」

No, no, this really helps a lot.

I need to tell Loo and the others…

……

Hmm, though it feels awkward to tell the hardworking Loo and the others that there was actually an easier method all along.

No, no, this is not the time to hesitate.

I should tell them as quickly as possible.

Yeah.

That is definitely the right thing to do.

Though Loo and the others might scream when they hear it.

W-Well, there is also the possibility those will be screams of joy.

-0-

A little later.

Scream loud enough to echo throughout the entire village could be heard.

And it was very clearly screams of sorrow.

-0-

Five days later.

Loo, Tier, and the mountain elves finally appeared at the poolside.

They could not hide their exhaustion, but they also had the expressions of people who had successfully finished what needed to be done.

Umm, let us avoid swimming in the deep area for now, alright?

You might end up falling asleep from exhaustion while swimming.

Safety first.

Look, those beach chairs over there are open.

Just relax, lie back, and watch the children having fun.

What would you like to drink?

I can bring it for you.

No need to hold back and be polite.

Oh, and Loo, that separate-type swimsuit looks great on you.

The pareo is a nice touch.

Tier went with a one-piece type, huh.

It suits you too.

The large opening on the back is so you can let your wings out, right?

The mountain elves, meanwhile, clearly prioritized functionality.

Their swimsuits are separate-type as well, but they resemble competitive swimwear that covers all the way to the neck, making them look ideal for swimming.

Even so, the mountain elves are not especially fast swimmers.

Before coming to Big Tree Village, they lived in the mountains, after all.

Though this place is basically mountainous too.

Well, as long as they enjoy themselves without overdoing it, that is what matters.

Ah, and of course, the mountain elves look good in their swimsuits too.

…Do not say that sounded like an afterthought.

-0-

By the way, aside from the lizardmen, the race most naturally skilled at swimming would be the beastkin.

Of course, there are individual differences, but overall they are good swimmers.

The beastkin living in Big Tree Village are originally from Howling Village, which is also a mountain settlement.

So what makes them different from the mountain elves?

Physical strength, perhaps?

Though mountain elves are not lacking in stamina either.

……

Ah, mountain elves.

It is fine if you want to attach strange devices to your swimsuits, but only activate them when nobody else is nearby.

Those look suspiciously like propulsion devices (propellers).

And make sure you properly check the safety measures beforehand.

Do not drown yourselves, alright?