Chapter 6 : Town Planning – 3I chose [Community Building] from the bottom of the [Town data] command. The [Community Building] command was the command to simplify the troublesome work of creating buildings one by one.
When the 3D map of the area surrounding the stronghold appeared before my eyes, it was accompanied by a notification.
《Starting the simulation. Please choose the range.》
In accordance to the navigation, I selected a range of five hundred square meters past the stronghold stonewalls with my finger. Two options appeared before me.
BuildingFacilities
The [Building] command was properly divided into several blocks that were suitable to build a house. Furthermore, with [Facilities], I could build a sewer and extend it near the river.
Oops, I shouldn’t forget about restrooms.
I heard that the town of Edo at that time was the cleanest city even if you compared it to the whole world.
The reason was because restrooms were installed in various places.
I operated the screen with my finger, and installed restrooms in various places in the town.
Besides making wells and bathrooms, I also built a main road at the center of the town, and built inns and stores around it.
Finally, I widened the range of the town a little bit, and built a stone wall that was five meters tall to enclose the town.
“Like this…” I mumbled.
After much trial and error, I was finally able to complete the town’s blueprint.
North
↑
West ← → East
↓
South
│ ││ │
│⑯ 15 ◎││◎ 14 ⑬│
門12 11 ◎││◎ 10 ９ 門
│８ ７ ◎││◎ ６ ５ │
│４ ３ ◎││◎ ２ １ │
◎……a Store or Inn.
⑬⑯……Vacant lot.
自宅 : Home
The town, with the exception of the main street, was split into sixteen districts. The thirteenth and sixteenth districts were reserved for potential future use, so I just left them as vacant lots.
Each district has the size of one hundred square meters. Furthermore, the districts were divided into eight parts, and hold a total of forty-seven units of houses.
│ 大家 ● 家‖家 家 ● 家 │
│家 家 ○ 家‖家 家 ○ 家 │
│家 家 ● 家‖家 家 ● 家 │
│家 家 ○ 家‖家 家 ○ 家 │
│家 家 ● 家‖家 家 ● 家 │
│家 家 ○ 家‖家 家 ○ 家 │
│家 家 ● 家‖家 家 ● 家 │
│家 家 ○ 家‖家 家 ○ 家 │
大家……This is the place where there representative of the district lives.
＝‖…… Road
○…… Well, Bathroom
…… Toilet
One district was divided into eight divisions, in which a well, a bathroom and a toilet is provided for every six houses.
The size of one single-storey house was sixteen tsubo (approximately fifty-three square meters) on a piece of land that’s about one hundred square meters.
I didn’t want to repeat the same mistake as the incident where Edo was damaged by the great fire because it was too crowded. That’s why it’s important to have a well-planned out town to prevent the spread of fire.
Furthermore, although it costs money, the structure of each house was built using roof tiles and earthen mud. I made it like a j.a.panese storehouse because it has a good reputation of being fireproof. Also, the roof tiles hardly require any maintenance, so you can trust its durability.
With this, the simulation ended. The total expense was 30,153,200,000 yen in spite of it being a small town with six hundred and fifty-eight houses in it. Not to mention, the stone walls, and houses… Even the sewer cost a lot of money.
With the amount of funds I have on hand, it would be impossible to make a town much bigger than this. However, if the town was to be made any smaller, it would feel unsatisfactory.
After a little bit of thought, I decided to touch the [Complete] b.u.t.ton at the corner of the screen.
[Do you want to buy this town?] [Yes/No]
I chose [Yes] with a trembling finger.
After that, I could hear a loud rumbling sound outside of the house.
I ended up buying it. It was a huge spending of 30 billion yen.
The remaining funds were around 50 billion yen. From the initial fund of 100 billion yen, only half of it was left now.
However, it is already too late to regret it.
I purchased a 38 thousand yen beef bowl(Listing Price 380 yen) and had a late lunch while waiting for the town to be completed.
[TL: This guy didn’t have any sense of urgency at all.]
[ED: He’s a spendthrift!]
Several hours later…
After eating my meal, I lied down on the sofa while reading a magazine leisurely, until I heard the rumbling from outside stop.
I immediately left the house to see the town.
“Ooo… So this is my town…” My voice full of admiration leaked out.
Various buildings were spread out from the outskirts of the castle. It looked slightly like a scene from the old days.
I gulped audibly as I continued looking.
This town right in front of my eyes was the town that I’ve built. Even though I am not a G.o.d, I feel like I have become something special.
Well then, let’s look around the town right away.
First was the private house.
Umu, it was white. It was styled after a storehouse and used a type of white stone as the main material, and was plastered with mortar as the finishing touch. Because of the white walls and tiled roofs, the house’s atmosphere turned out to be more like the Meiji Era instead of the Edo Era.
However, I don’t have any complaints.
When I entered the private house, there was the earthen room near the front door that could be called a kitchen with a stove installed there. From the front door, there’s also an alcove at the back which contained two rooms where light can shine in from the window.
[TL: Maybe it is something like this ]
Next, I went to the public places.
First was the hand-pump well and washing area. Here is where the wastewater pa.s.ses through the drainage system via a gutter. There was also a dug out ditch enclosed by a wooden border, and lidded with wood again on top of it.
This sewage system was installed throughout the town, and eventually gathers all the waste and sends it to the river outside of the town through the bottom of the gate.
The sewage ditch that came from the town was made to be wide so that it will not clog. Since it was made from stone, it won’t break easily either. But, the sewer was only used for wastewater, and not human waste.
I mean, if human waste was discharged into a sealed room like the sewer, the town will stink and an epidemic might occur.
The next one is the restroom.
It was a small hut with four stalls in it. The stalls were divided into two, two stalls with urinals and another two with lavatories.
The stalls with latrines are quite dark, so it will be dangerous if you lose your footing. Thus, when it’s nighttime, you’ll need to be especially careful.
However, because there was no sewer for the restrooms, you’ll need to scoop waste out using a ladle and put it into the bucket, and throw it far away. When residents come to this town, I intend for them to dig a hole far away from the river and bury the waste there.
In addition, the bathroom was a public one of around eight tatami mats in size. They even have goemon bathtubs inside.
[TL: For those who was curious about goemon bathtub]
When I go pa.s.s the residential area into the main street, stores and inns were built on the right and left of the twenty meter wide main street.
Umu, this scenery is indeed beautiful.
Like this, when I looked around the whole town, I thought that the ordinary Edo town was amazing.
Anyway, I have built my home, and have also already built a town. With this, I don’t have anything to do anymore.
Later, what should I do for the residents who will settle down here..? I intend to make a future plan while reviewing the present status.
When I think about it carefully, I have already built such an outrageous town without much consideration.
No, I intend to reflect on it.
However, in this absurd situation, I need to retain some composure. To erase my loneliness and uneasiness, I used the skill [The Ability to make town].
That is why, from now on, I need to think more about it in the future, or so I thought while returning back to my home.
While sitting on the sofa, I opened the notebook on the desk and groaned as I held a mechanic pencil in one hand. On the notebook, I wrote [Purpose] of living in another world, [Long term Aim], and [Short term Aim].
First is [Purpose]: To live a peaceful life in another world.
Next would be [Long Term Aim]: To gather funds to make use of the ability to the maximum.
Finally, the [Short Term Aim]: To earn money from the tax from the townspeople.
To conclude [Short Term Aim] and putting it in action…
Umu. how do I get residents? In the first place, where is this place? Is it part of some country, or it is a land without people?
If this place is part of a country, how should I deal with the feudal lord? Do I submit to them, negotiate, or should I… Resist?
Well, there is a [Military Affairs] section in the [Merchandise Catalog]. In the Edo era, matchlock guns already exist. If I have money, I can even buy a tank.
『Awoken from sleep by Jokisen Tea, with only four cups of it, one can’t sleep even at night.』
Jokisen can mean steam-powered ship, while four cups can mean four ships. This was from a piece of j.a.panese Cla.s.sic Poetry which described the fear of the shogunate when the Americans forced j.a.pan to open herself to the world with only four steamships.
It was the so-called Gunboat Diplomacy.
[TL:Yeah I have some difficult at this part so I just write what I read on the google. If you want more detail on it you can google it]
If this world is like the European Middle Ages, then I may be able to do the same thing as what the j.a.panese Cla.s.sic Poetry described.
However, the existence of magic was disturbing. I myself don’t like nor want to act like a barbarian.
[TL: Basicly he didn’t want to act with violence.]
Hah, I can’t collect my thoughts…
If there is no one in this land, then residents aren’t needed. So, should I just live leisurely here?
But, what should I do if there are disasters like earthquakes, typhoons, thunder, volcanic eruptions, or tsunami? It’s not like j.a.pan where your life will be guaranteed when there is disaster.
I can only rely on myself. As expected, I want residents if that time comes. It’s the power of united people.
If there’s a town nearby, maybe I can find an orphan or a slave as a candidate to be a resident? Or should I just negotiate with the feudal lord and let them transfer residents here?
Urghh, so complicated…
Hahh… Are there no suffering people who are in need of a place to live popping out of nowhere?
Nevertheless, I believe in what the G.o.d said; [I will sent you to the place where you can build your life from the ground]. So, even if I don’t do anything, it will just happen naturally.
No, I need to have a minimum foundation first at least. However, I think that I’ve already fulfilled the minimum foundation.
Hmmm….
While letting my mind run in circles, I began a staring contest with the notebook and the mechanical pencil in my hands for the whole day.
The conclusion I got was this – tomorrow, I will start to investigate the area around here.
____ Just like this, day turned into night.
When it was night, I entered my bed.
The first night in another world was too quiet. This silence made me feel like I was the only one in this world.
Even though I was wrapped inside my futon, I still feel cold, but it was not because of the temperature.
I didn’t turn off the electricity. Even though it was only a light, I wanted to indulge in modern civilization.
Whatever it is, I wasn’t able to sleep.
The watch on my arm indicated that it was already past 0:00 am.
However, I don’t know if this world has the same twenty-four hour system as earth, so it might not necessarily be true.
When I tried to close my eyes to sleep, I suddenly had a thought.
Where did everyone go?
Frankly speaking, I am considered blessed because I can go to bed while being surrounded by stuff from the modern civilization.
But, how about them?
Did they arrive at a human’s dwelling?
Did they have a proper meal?
Are they sleeping in a place with a roof?
____Will they feel… lonely?
Thinking about that made me feel so stupid and filled with self-depreciation. Even when I was able to live in such a modern house, I was tormented by sentiment to the point of feeling my chest tighten.
It must be tough for them.
“Do your best.” I murmured while closing my eyes.
…But, because I couldn’t sleep as expected, I got up and stayed up late watching a comedy movie.