Chapter 457 - The New Recruit (Large)
It’s not limited to crafting, but when it comes to any task, having the right knowledge and know-how makes a world of difference, not just in the final quality but, more importantly, in the speed of progress.
Under the direction of Mr. Oaks, our newly appointed temporary foreman, various structures were assembled with a fluid efficiency. I spent my time sometimes observing, sometimes helping… and I truly wanted to praise my past self for not just settling on doing it all myself haphazardly.
An angular defensive wall made of massive logs, designed not to repel enemy attacks but to guide them. A watchtower built in the center of the base. And even multiple new relic storehouses, built both to reinforce the guidance system and to serve as decoys to disperse risk—
Coming up with the ideas themselves probably wasn't difficult. But to have roughly completed all of that before sunset was, without a doubt, thanks to our “foreman.”
About six hours after we started, our “base,” which until now had been a makeshift affair, had been transformed into an imposing stronghold. The visible walls provided a clear sense of security.
In fact, undertaking this large-scale “construction” project allowed me to experience the unreality—the fantasy—of it all in a new and powerful way, and I genuinely enjoyed it. From leveling the uneven ground as we pleased to the sheer absurdity of completing tasks with manpower that would normally require heavy machinery.
It was a different kind of unreality from the obvious fantasy of dashing across the ground, soaring through the air, and brandishing swords and magic. This was an extension of a real-world activity, construction, which created its own unique sense of dissonance.
Yes, it was quite an interesting experience—or so I thought, as the base improvements reached a temporary conclusion. The construction team and the four of us from the base detail, myself included, were taking a pleasant break when it happened.
Literally bursting in like an avalanche, the recon team returned earlier than expected. They wore uniformly proud expressions, and they had a massive “trophy” in tow.
Which is to say…
"Whoa… you're kidding me."
"Well, well… looking at it like this, it's surprisingly…"
"C-Cute, maybe…?"
There was Tetsu-san, watching with admiration from a step back, while Nononia and I approached it, which was standing there docilely, each letting out a sigh of wonder.
What stood… no, what was before our collective gaze was a beast of compacted starlight.
In other words, it was none other than a [Stardust Beast] that they had successfully “tamed.”
Trusting the words of its “master”—the giant hammer user Rizenon, with whom I had exchanged words during last night's defensive battle—that it was safe to touch, I gently placed a hand on its massive body.
It was the same type of creature I had fought last night. The great boar, standing over three meters tall, simply accepted my touch with complete obedience.
"It really is calm… Is it like this with everyone, not just its master?"
"It is now. At first, it went wild if anyone but me tried to touch it, so I had to calm it down, telling it to relax, that we were allies… and now it's like this. It actually listens pretty well."
Though he added that it might just be this one's personality.
"Huh…"
Well now, I see, this is… I see.
"Can it fight?"
"It can fight alongside me. But it's not very strong right now. Even though it listens, it's not smart enough to coordinate with me on the fly… and its stats seem to have dropped since before it was tamed. A pack of wolves took it down pretty easily."
"Took it down? You mean—"
"It died, yeah. Went poof—but as long as I pay the MP cost, it's back like this. It's a summon-type, so I can bring it out or put it away freely with MP. There's also a continuous cost while it's summoned."
"How much is the cost?"
"It's fairly heavy. But that might have something to do with its size."
Though he said it wasn't strong, Rizenon casually patted the body of the incredibly imposing [Stardust Beast].
It clearly recognized him as its master. As if showing affection, the great boar bounced its massive body up and down.
"Ah, cu—"
Nia's involuntary whisper perfectly echoed my own thoughts. Although it was still an unnervingly mysterious creature, now that one had been brought into our fold…
Giving it the form of an “animal” is just unfair.
"So, how did you end up 'taming' it anyway?"
"Me too, me too!" Nono-san chirped, reaching out for the cute-despite-its-size boar, then popped her head out to ask with keen interest.
"W-Well, unfortunately, I have no proof. But I do have a theory, if you'd like to hear it."
Both Nono-san and I try to be friendly, but it’s only natural that things change when dealing with a member of the opposite sex (who is also beautiful).
Rizenon, one of the more frank and easygoing members of our group, was momentarily taken aback, his words catching in his throat and his eyes darting away—
"Ohoho. I'm very interested. Tell me everything!"
In contrast, the ever-forward Lady of Colorful Beauty closed the distance, her excitement unabated. I couldn't help but notice a hint of playful mischief in her profile…
Well, the guy seems happy enough, so it's probably best to just let them be.
Pleasant Companion #1.
A little short. Please forgive me, as the next one will probably be long.