kscans

Chapter 457 - The New Recruit (Large)

It's not just about crafting; having know-how and experience makes a world of difference not only in the quality of the final product but also in the speed of progress.

Under the command of Oaks-shi, whom I had appointed as the temporary master carpenter, various structures were assembled with a fluid efficiency. I watched sometimes, helped out at others... and I truly wanted to praise my past self for not just settling for doing it myself.

A polygonal defensive wall made of giant logs, designed not to repel enemy attacks but to guide them. A watchtower built in the center of the base. And to reinforce the guiding concept, multiple new relic storage units were built to serve as 'decoys' and to disperse risk.

Coming up with the ideas themselves probably wasn't difficult. But to have managed all of that and still not have the sun set was undoubtedly thanks to our 'boss.'

About six hours after starting work. Our 'base,' which had been a makeshift affair until now, had transformed into a formidable sight, and the visible walls provided a clear sense of security.

In fact, embarking on this large-scale 'construction' project allowed me to experience the unreality of fantasy in a new and profound way, and it was just plain fun. Starting from leveling the uneven ground as we pleased, the absurdity of accomplishing tasks that would normally require heavy machinery by human power alone.

Unlike the clear unreality of running on the ground, flying through the sky, and brandishing swords and magic, the gap between reality and fantasy was all the more striking because it was an extension of the real-world activity of construction.

Man, that was an interesting experience—just as the base improvements had reached a tentative conclusion, and the construction team and the four of us in the base group were taking a pleasant break,

The investigation team, returning much earlier than expected, came back with a triumphant look on their faces, leading a massive 'spoil of war' behind them in a veritable avalanche.

That was because...

"Whoa... seriously?"

"Well, well... looking at it like this, it's surprisingly..."

"C-Cute, maybe...?"

I stood back a bit and watched with admiration alongside Tetsu-san, while Nono-Nia and I approached the docile creature and let out our own sounds of amazement.

What was... no, who was before us, was a beast of condensed starlight.

In other words, it was none other than a [Stardust Beast] that they had successfully 'Subjugated.'

Trusting the words of its 'master'—the giant hammer user Rizenon-shi, whom I had spoken with during last night's defensive battle—that it was safe to touch, I gently reached out to the towering beast.

It was the same type of creature I had fought during last night's defense. The giant boar, over three meters tall, simply accepted my hand with complete obedience.

"It's really calm... Is it like this with everyone, not just its master?"

"It became like this. At first, it would go wild if anyone other than me tried to touch it, so I had to calm it down and tell it to be still, that they were allies... and it became like this in no time. It listens pretty well."

It might just be this one's personality, though, he added.

"Huh..."

Man, I see. This is... I see.

"Can it fight?"

"We can fight together. But it's not very strong at the moment. Even though it listens, it's not smart enough to coordinate with us on the fly... Its stats seem to have dropped after being tamed, and it got taken out pretty easily by a pack of wolves."

"Taken out? Uh, you mean..."

"It died, yeah. Poof, gone—but as long as you pay the MP cost, it's back just like this. It's a summon-type, so you can also summon and dismiss it freely by consuming MP. And while it's summoned, there's a continuous cost."

"How much is the cost?"

"It's pretty heavy. But that might be due to its size or something."

Although he said it wasn't strong, Rizenon-shi casually patted the body of the [Stardust Beast], which looked incredibly reliable.

It must have clearly recognized him as its master. As if showing affection, the giant boar bounced its round body up and down.

"Ah, cu..."

I wholeheartedly agreed with the word that Nia had just unconsciously uttered. It was still an unknown entity, but now that it had become one of us...

The 'animal' form is just unfair.

"So, how did you 'Subjugate' it in the end?"

Nono-san, who had extended her own hand to the cute boar, saying, "Me too, me too!" popped her head out and asked with great interest.

"W-Well, unfortunately, I have no solid proof. But I have a guess, if that's okay."

While both Nono-san and I try to be friendly, it's natural for things to be different when talking to a beautiful woman.

Rizenon-shi, who was one of the most frank-speaking members of the group, was momentarily taken aback and averted his eyes—

"Ohohoho. I'm very interested. Tell me everything!"

The Artisan of Vibrant Hues pressed on, closing the distance with her usual high energy. I thought I saw a hint of mischief in her profile...

Well, the guy seemed happy about it, so it's probably best to just leave them be.

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Fun Companion Number One.

A little short. The next one will probably be long, so please forgive me.