Labyrinth Renovation – 026 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 26 – Leave it to me!

When I thought of a nobleman, I imagined someone who was imposing and full of confidence, but Papa-san was about the same height as Fiona, and he looked haggard, with his shoulders slumped and lacking in confidence.

"Maho. Didn't I tell you that I needed money? Ever since the dungeon was built, we've been paying for all sorts of things. Like the inns that were in front of the dungeon, or the roads."
"Oh, those."

Do you mean the group of buildings that no one seemed to be using……?

"Yeah. If there were lots of explorers coming to the dungeon, it would have worked out well. But it didn't go as we had hoped……"
"So, all you were left with was debt?”
"Yep."
"Who did you borrow it from? What do you think will happen if you don't return it?”
"……I think the bill will go to the government and we'll face revocation."
"Revocation…… does that mean you'll lose your noble status?”

It seems that they borrowed money by taking out a loan from a merchant, but the loan could be collected from the king if the nobleman in question did not pay.
Of course, the king would be furious if this happened, and the relevant noble would have their fiefdom confiscated. Apparently, the debt would be collected using the revenue from the fief.
So, they have to somehow return the money before that happens.

"Of course, we can't let that happen, so we have to make the money somehow, but the amount is quite large."
"How much more is still left?”

Fiona didn't know the exact amount, but according to Papa-san, it seems that they would have no choice but to sell off their land.
Furthermore, because this would only be a temporary fix, their future would ultimately be one of ruin.
It looks more serious than I thought.

"Father is kind, so he doesn't throw food away or collect taxes harshly. But if things continue like this, we might really be shut down."
"So that's why you were so excited when the magic stone appeared, Fiona."
"It's all my fault…… I was so excited about having a dungeon in our territory that I borrowed an amount of money I didn't know if we could pay back, so……"

Well, I suppose Papa-san was a bit careless, but there's no point in saying that now.

"Anyway, if you leave it to me, I'll manage somehow. In the end, it's all about money, isn't it?”
"But…… What can you do? I hate to say it, but that labyrinth is already a lost cause. And I think the orb at the very bottom has already been used, right? It will be impossible to attract people there from now on. After all, it would be better to give up and entrust it to the government…… If we entrust it to them, we might be able to gradually pay back the money with the dungeon profits."
"Hmm～. Don't worry. It's okay. It might take a little time, but you have the magic stone for now, so if you could just pay the interest, that would be fine. In short, it's all about making money by attracting people, right?”
"Wait a second, Maho. Taking on a challenge like that and conquering the labyrinth are two different things!? Didn't you see it just now? There are only a few explorers left who go into that dungeon, you know?”
"I know. If you had to choose, it would be easier to make the city prosper using the labyrinth rather than conquering it."
"Why are you so confident, Maho……?”

Because there's an endless supply at the hardware store.
What's more, there is a transfer monument that allows you to jump to any floor, as well as the item bag.
It's a sure win, a sure win.
The only problem is that we have to make sure we don't look suspicious.

"This is getting fun, Fiona! Leave it to me!”
"You're really positive and cool, Maho. I've got to learn from you……"
"Fufu, I've also promised to go to school with you, Fiona. We've got to clear up the family problems quickly!”
"I see…… School. We did promise, didn't we? Hehehe."
"That's how it is."

We'll develop the territory, attract customers to the dungeon, and then Fiona and I will go to school!
I don't know what kind of school it is or where it is, but Fiona and I are both 15 years old, which might be a fair age to go to school.
I'll have to hurry.

"Is that okay with you, Papa-san?”
"Pa-Papa-san…… No, if you really want to help, then……"
“Father, please. Maho knows a lot of things we don't know, and she has a lot of tools, so I think she can really do something about it. I believe in Maho. So, I want you to believe in her, too, Father."
"If you're insisting on it that much, Fiona…… Yeah. Could I trouble you with this, Maho-san?"
"Leave it to me. Of course, I'll be asking you to cooperate in various ways, right? There are limits to what I can do on my own."
"But of course. You are welcome to ask anyone in my household for help."

Normally, they wouldn't entrust a task like this to someone like me, but I guess they must be in a really tough spot. Or maybe just a shot in the dark? In any case, I guess you can't shake loose a sleeve you don't have.

It's helpful that I can borrow people. After all, no matter how many people you have, there will always be a shortage of manpower.
Also, there are probably things that I can only do using the name of the lord, so it's great that Papa-san gave me permission. I'm just a little girl, so I'm sure there will be a lot of things that don't go well.

After that, I was invited to a meal with Fiona's family.
A sumptuous meal was laid out on a large, single-piece table.
The plates were made of wood and pottery. Perhaps not much porcelain is in circulation.
The cups are made of ceramic, not glass. They had prepared wine for us to drink, but I remember Fiona saying before that wine was expensive and you could only drink it on special occasions.
Well, it's certainly a celebration that your daughter, who you thought was dead, has returned.

After hearing about the money problem, I realized that this table was put together with a lot of effort, and I felt a little apologetic. I should have brought some liquor from the hardware store.

Even so, this looks delicious.
The savory smell of the meat sizzling on the grill tickles my nostrils.
My mouth is watering! I feel like I could eat forever!

"……Maho, you don't have to force yourself to eat, okay? I'm the same…… I think I might've eaten a bit too much of that delicious food back there."
"No, no, no, this looks delicious! I'll eat like crazy, you know?"
"Really? I think it's quite different from the food in your world, Maho."

Fiona seemed to have a little misconception about the food at the Hardware Store, having eaten nothing but preserved foods and sweets.
We like to eat fresh food as a general rule.
Or rather, since we spent so much time together underground, you'd think we'd have almost the same sense of taste.

"Really, they all look delicious! Oh, are there any rules about table manners? I didn't receive that kind of education, so please forgive me if I make any awkward gestures, okay?”
"How can you say that? Maho, you're much more particular about manners than I am."

Maybe it's because when we ate in the dungeon, we made sure to wash our hands and say thanks. Well, it's not really a matter of manners, but…… oh well.

First and foremost, it's the meat. According to Ura-chan, the maid, the meat had just been butchered.
It's simply something that's been sprinkled with salt and herbs and baked in the oven, but it's something you definitely can't eat in the dungeon.
The fresh vegetable salad was also a delight. It was drizzled with oil that resembled olive oil, truly a meal fit for nobles.

"Mmm～～～～～! Delishus～～～～～!”
"It's been a while for me too…… it's delicious as always."
Fresh ingredients after a long time.
Both Fiona and I were very moved, and I even cried a little.
I don't have any problems with the food at the Hardware Store, but it's mainly things like preserved food.
Well, when it comes to sweets, I'm never short of them.

Thereafter, I was allowed to stay overnight, and the next morning.
I decided to go back into the dungeon.
I have to look after Pochi, Tama, Kaiser and Arrow. Or rather, I came out with a lot of enthusiasm, but I wonder if it's okay. I'm worried. I wonder if they're okay?