Chapter 311 The Castle
As thanks from the owner of the inn for the deep well pump, they treated Jin and the others to a wonderful dinner.
The owner’s amazement was quite troublesome for Jin, as he came requesting Jin for pumps for kitchen use, wash use and even face-wash use.
Reinhart, who felt that things would go out of control at this rate sat down with Jin after dinner and discussed about transferring the control rights of the pump to the Magi Engineer Guild.
And they came up with two conditions.
Firstly, they would teach this technique to the Magi Engineer guild of this town.
And secondly, as soon as they do that, they will not monopolize this technique.
And that very night, the guild master of the Hatata city came to visit them.
“I am Kots Rodoit. Jin-dono, nice to meet you. Reinhart-sama, I have heard many rumours about you.”
“Nice to meet you. As we don’t have much time, let’s start right away.”
Saying that, this time, Jin built a pump using the bronze the guild provided.
“Hohoh, that’s a very interesting structure.”
As expected of the guild master, his skills as a magi engineer were quite high.
“I see. The essential parts are the cylinder and the piston, am I correct?”
“That’s right. At the very least, it would be good to harden the sliding portions and then coat them with adamant.i.te. If that’s not possible, routined check-ups and maintenance will be needed.”
“I understand. However, adamant.i.te is out of the question so I will make do with just hardening.”
He made Kots Rodoit make a pump as well and as he was able to make it without any problems, Jin was quite impressed.
Later when he asked Reinhart, he got to know that the guild master was one of the top ten magi engineer of Shouro kingdom, which Jin could agree to.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Whew, Jin, great work!”
As Kots Rodoit also helped out, they were done installing pumps to all the wells in the inn by 1 am at midnight.
As one would expect, even Reinhart looked exhausted and so after speaking to Jin about such, he disappeared to his room. Jin was also tired. But when he was just about to enter his room, he was stopped by Matheus’ call.
“Jin-dono, great work today. It was quite frustrating for me, to not be able to do anything but watch.”
He went on expressing his thoughts out as such.
“Well then, please take a good long rest.”
“Thank you. Good night.”
Jin also replied, and this time went inside his room.
“Father, great work today.”
Reiko also said the same.
“Ah, you too. I couldn’t receive reports from Laojun, were there developments?”
To Jin’s question, Reiko answered,
“Yes, Lock-san and 4 others have safely reached the rest hut.”
“Ohh, glad to hear that.”
“Yes, Land R and S spotted them while returning to the village and guarded them in secret till the village.”
“Hmm, that’s fine. That was good of them.”
Jin was also relieved to know that the people who were enlisted as soldiers returned safely.
“And, it seems the castle has also been completed.”
“Ohh, I see.”
Jin was happy.
“Ah, I am tired today so maybe I will return tomorrow night.”
“Yes.”
As Jin was exhausted, after knowing that there were no more reports, he lied down and slept soundly till morning.
＊ ＊ ＊
“What?! The highway has been fixed overnight?!”
“Yes, it seems like ‘Nostalgia’ or some organization worked during the night.”
“Again Nostalgia, eh… How very annoying…”
And then, silence continued for a while.
“…Buy up the salt.”
“Yes?”
“Kaina village can’t harvest salt. The merchants take it there. Buy it all at a village on the way.”
“I hear that merchants are all about trust. Will they really sell all of it?”
“It’s fine if you leave a bit. Pay 3 times if necessary. Threaten them too.”
“…Understood.”
“However, don’t dare put my name out there.”
Deneb 29, who was on Earl Walter all time, was listening without rest.
＊ ＊ ＊
“To think Jin-san has Kaina village as a leasehold land…”
Rishia muttered, while brushing her hair on top of her bed.
What she had heard from Gloria was unofficial but she got to listen to the story first hand from the prime minister today.
“As I thought, there’s no mistaking that it’s Jin-san.”
After hearing the story, Rishia had reaffirmed that the Jin who introduced himself as the Honorary Magi craftsman of Egelia kingdom was the young man she knew.
“I see. If that’s so, then it’s convenient. Farheight, from today, you are relieved from your duties as a relief knight and are to head to Kaina village as a messenger.”
“A messenger, you say?”
“Yes. As an amba.s.sador of our country. If it’s you, whose face Jin-dono knows, it would probably leave a good impression on him. Prepare lodging houses by yourself. I will grant more than enough fund. I will send a person to explain the details to you afterwards.”
“Understood.”
Rishia, who couldn’t meet Jin even after crossing paths, was shouting at her heart out of joy at the thought of meeting him officially.
“As you are heading towards Kaina village, I was thinking of appointing a guard-c.u.m-attendant to you, do you have anyone in mind?”
The prime minister asked, to which Rishia replied, ‘Not particularly’.
“I understand. Then we shall decide it by ourselves. Plan the departure the day after tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
＊ ＊ ＊
On the other hand, on the 9th of May in Kaina village,
“What is this, this building?”
Such a voice had leaked from Lock. As he had just returned, he didn’t know the whole story yet.
“Seems to be Jin’s castle.”
Looking at the castle tower situated near the Herme river, the Kaina villagers were whispering to each other.
“Hou, so the castle’s at Jin’s country looks like this, eh?”
On top of the stone walls were white tiled roof. It was 6 stories high with two underground floors. Matsumoto Castle resembled it closest.
A gold Sachihoko was on the top alongside a lightning rod for safety reasons.
“H-h-h-how can s-such a big building be built in such a short amount of time?!!!”
“What’s up with him?”
Seeing Barou scream about all confused, Lock asked.
“Ahh, you wouldn’t know. He’s a guest Jin brought, called Barou.”
“I see, he doesn’t know Jin that well, huh.”
Compared to the Kaina villagers, who were far from being agitated, Barou couldn’t hide his bewilderment. However, on the other hand, Belle was already used to it.
“Jin-san really is amazing, huh! He made such an amazing structure in such a short time, after all.”
“Hm. Jin-nii is using a lot of golems who can do stuff like this. If he just orders them, stuff like these are easily done.”
Elsa explained, as she knew the situation to a certain extent.
Seeing as how more than half of the village had gathered there, taking the opportunity, the chief started explaining it to them.
“Everyone, please listen carefully. After achieving a lot at the capital, Jin acquired this Kaina village as a leasehold land… well, you could say he borrowed this land for the next 50 years.”
While choosing easier to understand phrases, Gibbeck continued his explanation.
“Well, you can think of him as a temporary feudal lord. And so, Jin built this for official work.”
As the magistrate, the chief had been briefed about the situation from Jin’s proxy, Butler A.
“He will normally live at the house he built at Martha’s place and will do the village’s management work here. There’s also a food storage room underground so it can also be used as a shelter in emergencies.”
“Ohhh! As expected of Jin!”
Someone exclaimed.
“Although, I will be continuing my work of the village chief as the magistrate so not much will change.”
As a result of consulting with Gibbeck, it was decided that Jin will take about 1 percent of the tax, equalling to about 50,000 toll.
“Do you have any questions?”
“Oh, what should we call Jin from now on? Feudal lord-sama, or Jin-sama or something?”
Lock asked the question.
“Jin said to treat him like you always did.”
“Haha, that’s very Jin-like.”
In the clear sky above Kaina village, Lock’s laugh resounded.