Chapter 99: Give the Dwarf Artisan Some Headpats - 2
There is a saying that praise can make even a whale dance.
It meant that praise could have a tremendous effect on people.
"So, after being praised a few times, she picked up a hammer and repaired the entire house?"
"Yes. I got carried away too..."
Isabelle repeatedly bowed her head in apology, looking ashamed.
"I’m sorry. I caused trouble for such an important guest because of me."
"It’s all right. She’ll wake up after resting for a while, so there’s no need to worry."
Brina had fainted because she had overused Arcanon, a dwarf relic.
No matter how ridiculously overpowered an item it was, it was not a magic hammer that could display its power without a price.
‘It consumed the wearer’s stamina, if I remember right.’
Excessive use could endanger her life, but she did not seem to be in that bad a condition right now.
"I never thought the day would come when I’d use this."
I took out the restorative tonic Aurora had given me.
I had accepted it in case I got tired, but with my high stamina stat, I had never once had occasion to use it.
"Excuse me for a moment."
I poured the tonic into Brina’s mouth.
Perhaps because of its bitter taste, her face gradually scrunched up.
‘Still, I never thought a few words of praise would make her work herself this hard.’
Maybe Isabelle had a talent for making others work by praising them.
Or maybe not.
"Ugh, it tastes awful."
"You’re awake."
"W-what? Did I faint?"
"Yes. You overexerted yourself."
"I have shown the homeowner an unsightly display."
"It’s fine. If anything, I’m simply grateful that you repaired the house."
"It was nothing. I repaired it because I was bored, so do not concern yourself with it."
Smiling at her somewhat tsundere-like remark, I asked,
"Can you stand?"
"Thank you."
When I held out my hand, Brina took it without hesitation.
The boldness characteristic of dwarves stood out clearly in her demeanor.
"There is something I would like to discuss with you regarding hot springs."
"Could it be that you know of the Moonshadow Hot Spring?"
I knew it well.
I even knew where she would build the hot spring.
‘Though that happens much later.’
Brina also appeared in [A Country Village’s Circumstances], but she had not even been able to attempt her dream of developing a hot spring.
After the Church withdrew, Entiel Village had become extremely closed off.
‘She could only try after the labyrinth city was established, at the very least.’
Of course, I had no intention whatsoever of waiting until then.
The village was already practically mine, and if I wanted to make Brina one of my people, the hot spring development she dreamed of had to succeed.
"I have heard the legend of the Moonshadow Hot Spring. I understand it relieves fatigue, heals injuries, and even has beautifying effects."
"And liquor brewed with its cloud spring water is said to offer a heavenly taste."
"...I do not know about that last part."
True to her dwarven nature, Brina was fond of alcohol.
She continued explaining the Moonshadow Hot Spring.
"Many dwarves, myself included, have sought the Moonshadow Hot Spring, but none have succeeded so far. The reason is that its requirements are exceedingly demanding."
"I see."
I did not particularly want to hear it, but unlike in a game, I could not skip Brina’s explanation, so I had no choice but to listen.
To summarize, the purest holy water had to be heated by geothermal heat from land dense with mana. On top of that, the location of the hot spring had to align harmoniously with the moonlight for the legendary Moonshadow Hot Spring to be created.
‘You meet all those difficult conditions, and all you get is better-tasting liquor?’
It was utterly absurd, but take alcohol away from a dwarf and all that remained was a corpse, so I let it slide.
"Recently, I heard that there is holy water in the lands at the far eastern edge."
"Ah, you mean Angel’s Rest."
"Oh? You know something! Tell me the details!"
Brina grabbed my shoulders and demanded an answer.
Because of a dwarf’s characteristically small stature, it felt as though she could barely reach them.
‘Angel’s Rest really does come in useful everywhere.’
It had effects similar to an elixir and could produce holy water in massive quantities.
And now, of all things, it was being used as hot spring water.
It felt like wringing every last bit of flavor out of an old soup bone.
"It will be a somewhat long story."
I explained Angel’s Rest to Brina.
"A lake, you say? Hehe, I have finally found it. You have become my guidepost!"
Overjoyed, Brina threw her arms around me.
Because of our height difference, her breasts pressed against my waist.
This was a little dangerous, wasn’t it?
"If you need it, I can guide you to the lake."
"That will not be necessary. If my prediction is correct, the lake’s water should flow into the underground water system and be heated by geothermal heat."
"Then we need only find land dense with mana now."
"There is no need. The mana density of this land is quite high, so we need only dig for a hot spring somewhere in this area."
"Then all that remains is to find a place with good moonlight."
"Indeed. I worry whether the people of this area will readily permit it."
"I can take care of that."
"Can you truly?"
"I have a fair amount of influence in this village, despite appearances."
I had already purchased village land through the village chief.
I was planning to build an inn there, so adding a hot spring would not pose a problem.
"Thank you. I wish to repay you somehow. Is there anything you desire? I will make you anything."
Brina took both my hands and gazed at me affectionately.
Her gratitude came through so strongly that she looked ready to offer up even her virginity if I asked.
‘From her perspective, thanks to me, her problems are being solved one after another.’
That did not mean I was stupid enough to ask her to have sex with me.
"Rather than that, how about we make a deal?"
"A deal?"
"Yes. I was planning to build an inn, and I would like to operate it alongside the hot spring."
"An inn... Can you explain in greater detail?"
True to both her identity as an artisan and as a princess of a nation, Brina first examined the business plan.
"That is why the village needs an inn exclusively for women."
I gave Brina a brief explanation, focusing only on the important points.
"Hmm, an inn exclusively for women... That does not sound bad."
"Really?"
"If anything, I should be the one asking you. It would let me share the legendary hot spring I discovered with everyone."
Brina’s first thought was to share the legendary hot spring she had worked so hard to find.
As expected, unlike fucking humans, she was a dwarf princess who practiced noblesse oblige.
"Thank you."
"No thanks are necessary. From now on, we are comrades who will work together."
"Comrades... Understood. Then what should I call you from now on?"
"Simply call me Brina. I will call you Ian as well."
"Understood, Brina."
And so, Brina and I began as comrades.
It was faster progress than I had expected.
"Let us begin work at once. I will lend you my tools."
"Brina, rest for today."
"Why?"
"Have you forgotten that you just fainted? At this rate, you’ll really die."
The witch’s restorative tonic was effective, but it was not a cure-all.
For Brina’s health, she needed to rest today.
Of course, calming a dwarf—a race that loved labor—was not easy.
◆
Unlike humans, who considered labor lowly, dwarves regarded labor as sacred, and the higher one’s status, the more likely one was to handle fieldwork personally.
Human nobles would occasionally put dwarves in charge of a worksite, but from a dwarf’s perspective, that was practically being treated with respect.
It was like the relationship between cats and rabbits: each side mistakenly believed the other was treating them well.
However, because of this difference in perspective, humans and dwarves could not easily become close.
‘It is only natural that those in high positions should be close to the worksite, yet human nobles keep their distance from it.’
As royalty, Brina could not understand the culture of human nobles who did not wish to work.
They called themselves nobles but did nothing except exploit the people, and the people accepted it as natural.
‘The culture of other races is difficult indeed.’
In that sense, Brina found the man named Ian fascinating.
"Ian, have you finished surveying that area?"
"I have already completed it."
"Well done. This time, I shall survey over here."
Judging by his speech and bearing, he was unquestionably a nobleman, yet he was more accustomed to fieldwork than anyone.
He even kept pace with a dwarf’s labor.
And not just any dwarf, but a royal dwarf hardened by years of work in the field.
‘The more I see of this man, the more appealing he becomes.’
When dwarves chose a mate, the thing they cared about most was labor capacity.
How much one could work and how skilled one was served as the measure of attractiveness.
Ian was brilliant and quickly learned the tricks of the trade, but compared to a dwarf, he still lacked skill.
"Ian, you should rest for a while."
"I’m fine. I’ll keep digging, so Brina, you should rest."
"You truly are remarkable."
However, Ian possessed overwhelming stamina.
Even Brina, whose endurance was exceptional among dwarves, could not compare to him.
Ian worked without rest, as though his stamina were limitless.
To a dwarf, that was an immensely attractive quality.
‘Untiring stamina... How very desirable.’
If Ian had been a dwarf, Brina would have expressed her interest, but regrettably, he was human.
Since children could not be born between different races, Brina put those feelings aside.
"I will not be outdone either."
Having finished her rest, Brina retied her disheveled hair and stood beside Ian.
"You may rest a little longer."
"If I let you work alone, it would wound a dwarf’s pride."
"I see. Hm?"
Brina tilted her head at Ian’s gaze.
He was staring intently at her armpit.
"Is there some problem?"
"Your armpit looks like a pussy."
"W-what did you say?!"
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