Now then, let’s begin.

The snow country’s hot spring plan -no wait, the big step to revitalize Kaleneon.

Just in case, I went around the hot springs of Lorel and learned about the special traits of the places where hot springs might come out of.

If I search for similar places in Kaleneon and dig a hole there, hot springs should come out.

An unexpected guest is also cooperating, so it is just a matter of time before it succeeds.

“Fuhahaha, it is truly cold! It tenses the body, right Waka-sama?”

He is laughing it off, so I don’t know how cold he actually feels.

Special guest number 1, Neptune Serwhale-san was lively, even within the blizzard.

It seems like he has had experience in the north sea, so this cold should be nothing for him.

Is what I thought but…

“Impossible. This cold is simply impossible. I can’t move anymore; I can’t feel anything. I am dying~uuh~.”

In contrast to Serwhale-san that is practically naked, there’s one girl that is wrapped up in layers of clothing and yet, is sitting down and trembling heavily.

This one here supposedly lived in quite the northern parts of this place though.

“Levi, you are exaggerating. In the first place, you guys live in the sea in winter, so the cold in the land shouldn’t be such a big deal, right?” (Makoto)

If normal people were to jump into the sea in winter, their bodies wouldn’t be able to stand it.

And she is living in a place like that, so her feeling cold in land looked strange to me.

“Waka-sama, excuse me for interjecting, but this place is quite cold. On top of that, the wind here is also strong. I think it would be harsh for most of the sea races.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san does a follow-up for Levi.

Is that true?

I look at Levi once again, and as if denying my words completely, she nods her head up and down.

Eh?

“Is that so? I thought that if the sea race lives in the north, they would be fine with the cold. And when I said there would be somewhat strong mamonos, Levi-san, you were the one who said that you wanted to come.” (Makoto)

When the talk about hot springs came out, I went to do a preview in Lorel, and after that, I returned to Asora where I coincidentally met up with the Neptunes and the other sea races who had come to the town, and from there, it ended up with the talk about hot springs.

At that time, Serwhale-san said that there’s a place where the temperature is increased because of things like the eruptions of submarine volcanoes, and so, they ended up accompanying me to Kaleneon.

He said that within the Neptunes, there’s people that ‘bath’ in the warmed waters.

Bathing when already inside water, I don’t understand that sensation.

It seemed like the battle-junky Scylla, Levi, was interested in the mamonos at the blizzard regions, so she came with us, but…Levi, who was the most vigorous one when we were leaving from Asora, was now the most weakened one. The reason being that it is cold.

“This is impossible~. Fighting in a place like this is suicidal. I want to go back. I seriously want to go home, Waka-sama~.” (Levi)

She is a goner.

I return Levi, who was trembling inside her blanket, to Asora.

Hm, I have found an unexpected weak point.

“If I was lacking a bit more training, I might have turned out that way too. If there’s a fight in the northern lands, it might become fatal. I have earned a nice experience.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san doesn’t seem like he wants to return.

Actually, he looks fine.

“Then, let’s go.” (Makoto)

Resuming our search for hotsprings, I speak out.

But Serwhale-san looks at me and nods as if in admiration.

“…Ehm, is there something wrong?” (Makoto)

“No, I was just impressed. As expected of our master, is what I thought. Even in cold of this level, you are able to move like normal.” (Serwhale)

“Serwhale-san as well, you are totally different from Levi.” (Makoto)

“Me? By nature, we people that live in the sea have the ability to adjust our temperature. But Waka-sama is different. Even though you should be unable to live underwater, you can act in water like normal, and in land, no matter if it is hot or cold, you are able to advance without caring about it. On top of that, if the opponent is in the sky, you are able to reach all the way up there. You are already unrivaled; able to accommodate to any terrain.” (Serwhale)

Land, sea, and air; I have already reached S class when dealing with those.

No wait, that’s not it.

When talking about terrain adaptability, I feel like I am being treated as a hyuman-shaped weapon.

“I am forcing myself by using magic after all.” (Makoto)

“If it’s Waka-sama, you would most likely be able to move freely in the starry sky sea as well. For us Neptunes, there’s a legend that says that when you continue to train yourself, you will become a hero that can even adapt to the starry sky sea.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san retorted to me with a joking tone mixed in it.

Serwhale-san, what a scary person.

“Ahaha, but I was also surprised. To think that a race of the sea would be weak against cold.” (Makoto)

While climbing a mountain in Kaleneon which I have gone to for a decent amount of times, we do idle talk.

It is not a mountain of incredible height, but it is a volcano.

It resembles the underground space I saw in the Lorel hot springs with the magma and the arrangement of the water vein, so I think I can expect quite a bit from it.

“Fumu…It is not only in cold. The races that live in water are weak to the changes in temperature by foundation.” (Serwhale)

“Is that so?” (Makoto)

“Even if we talk about the sea of winter, it is more normal that the water temperature is higher than that of the outside. Just like how people like to play in the sea and rivers at summer, the water is colder than the outside. The temperature change of the water is more stable, and the difference in high and lows is not that big.” (Serwhale)

“…That’s true.” (Makoto)

Putting an example, Serwhale-san makes it easier to understand.

I feel like instead of going into a detailed explanation, he is putting it all together in a way that it can be understood as a whole.

“It is the same with the frozen river you saw just now. Below it, there’s water flowing. The surface is the part of the water that has touched the air and froze, but in the bottom part, the fish and living beings are still continuing with their lifestyle. Of course, it is warmer than the place we are walking in right now.” (Serwhale)

“No matter if you live in the seas of the north, it doesn’t mean that you have adapted to the cold of the north’s land huh. You are saying that the temperature inside the water is easier to live in?” (Makoto)

“Yes. There’s a thick cover of ice on the river; the mountains will be dyed in pure white, and the blizzard will not stop. In that kind of place, it is not an environment that people living underwater would be able to endure. And in reality, the sea races that are participating in the Asora ranking are all suffering by the fire and ice magic.” (Serwhale)

Inside the water huh.

I have learned something new.

“Thanks for the lesson. I was thinking lightly of it, thinking that you guys would be fine since you live inside the water. Ah, it should be around here. Serwhale-san, how is it?” (Makoto)

“Being able to advance without getting lost within this field of vision, as expected of Waka-sama. Please wait for a bit. Hm, it is certainly true that I feel the slight presence of a bath from below here.” (Serwhale)

It is a bit sad that for Neptunes, hot springs equal baths, but I was a bit happy knowing that there’s a race that knows of its existence.

It seems like the other sea races found it dangerous to get close to it, so there’s a lot of races that don’t know of submarine volcanoes and hot springs.

The races living at the shore were also in a similar situation.

The eldwas may have known of it, but it seems like they didn’t think of taking a bath in it.

Anyways, I have received the confirmation of Serwhale-san.

Now there’s only the digging left.

“Now then, let’s try digging. Ah, a guest.” (Makoto)

“Good grief. If Levi had endured for a bit more…no, looking at that state of hers, I don’t think she would have been able to move at all.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san makes a bitter smile.

And then, he slowly takes his stance.

He points forward his trident that surpasses his height.

The numbers are three.

The hot spring challenge is waiting for me, so I don’t mind dealing with them myself.

But even if I say that, they are not enemies I have to bring out Azusa to deal with.

It seems like they are just simple mamonos living in this mountain.

It should be fine with Brid.

“Waka-sama, please leave it to me.” (Serwhale)

Maybe Serwhale-san noticed my movements, he told me not to act.

Well, this person doesn’t seem like he would lose, so I can tell that it would be fine.

When I cancel my Brid, he thanked me.

Can’t be helped. Let’s just do the preparations for digging.

I am simply taking out the tools of the Elder Dwarfs though.

“If you are going to camouflage, do it in a harder to perceive way!” (Serwhale)

The white beast that was poking out its head from the snow and camouflaged in it, was turned to shreds.

Instead of camouflage, it felt like its body had melded with the snow, but…well, for him, something like this is a small deal.

Blue blood and pieces of meat are scattered around.

A headbutt huh.

Even though he has no horn on his head, that headbutt had impressive power.

There’s nothing left of that mamono’s original form.

Next, Serwhale-san thrusts his spear to the right.

He said that the field of vision was bad, and yet, he has a perfect grasp of his opponent’s location.

The spear of Serwhale-san moved as if it was gravitating towards the bird-like mamono that had made a nosedive from the sky.

Being skewered from head to torso, the bird of notable size explodes from the inside and this one also didn’t maintain its original form.

Truly simple and strong.

There’s one who ignored him and plunged at me.

It is fast.

This way of moving, a snake?

“How pretentious!” (Serwhale)

But the movements of the snake stopped.

Ah, the place that seems to be its tail has been pierced by the spear.

And then, I think I heard something resembling a tremor, and…

At the side of the snake, there’s a whale.

“Hah!!”

His fist pulverizes the head of the wriggling snake.

Serwhale-san, even if you left your spear behind, it would have still been fine.

“Splendid job.” (Makoto)

“No, as expected, when it comes to land and on top of that being cold, my movements and senses get duller. I will try even harder in my training.” (Serwhale)

That’s considered duller?

It was a total smashing though.

The mamonos around this area are supposed to be relatively strong, but it seems they were no enemies in the face of a Neptune.

“I see. Then I will be digging so I am counting on you to keep and eye o–ooout?!” (Makoto)

A spiralling spear.

Well, only the pointed part of the spear is a drill though.

I used the spear that was given to me, set it properly right down, and the instant I pour magic power into it…it suddenly began spinning!

No well, I can understand that it spins, since I could tell that from its shape, but I thought it would only be the drill part that would be spinning!

Even the handle part was spinning, moreover, it is spinning with such speed that even I am spinning!!

“Waka-sama?!” (Serwhale)

“I am fiiineee~~~ probably!” (Makoto)

I just have to let go of it.

I could understand that in my head, I could understand, but because of the centrifugal force, it felt like I was being pulled from the outside, and my body reflexively gripped the handle harder.

I can’t explain the reason for my reflexive movement.

For some reason, I was still holding it.

Also, as long as the drill part is not the only part that is spinning, I thought for a second that if we left it to brute force when trying to stop it, it might break.

“U-Uwaa!”

The drill that has wedged into the ground was scattering earth in a grand manner while increasing its speed and going deeper underground.

The voice of Serwhale-san is already far and I can’t hear it.

I use the Magic Armor to block the earth and stones that were spouting forth as the spinning continues to increase in speed and digs underground at lightning speed.

Aside from my eyes spinning around, there’s no real problem, but as expected, I can’t just advance underground until the end of times.

I steel myself and release my hands from the handle.

The spear that was spinning for a while more, had stopped moving by the time I recovered my balance. It settled down, stuck into the ground.

It was an incredible attraction.

For now, I try checking upwards.

“I have dug pretty far~. If it doesn’t work after digging so much, this place is a failure huh.” (Makoto)

It had surpassed the planned profundity by a lot.

But when I confirmed with Sakai, I was supposed to have plunged onto the hot spring before reaching this depth though.

“Could it be, I missed the mark? It is possible. I didn’t know what was happening in the middle of that, so it is possible that the trajectory shifted at some point in time.” (Makoto)

Within the damp and humid atmosphere, I imagine a lot of scenarios.

Of course, I was also determined in having them remodel this spear so it only spins at the tip.

“For now let’s get out of here. If I make some footholds, I should be able to jump out… Wait, humid atmosphere? Damp?” (Makoto)

Ah.

As I was looking up, I suddenly realized.

That this place is actually the correct one, but me being here is pretty bad.

As if confirming me this, the place where I was looking up at, the left side of the earth wall swelled up in an unnatural manner.

Right after, it crumbled.

A massive amount of water -no, boiling water, ended up falling right down at me.

“That was dangerous. It looks like it has quite the high temperature. Seems like it would be hard to enter this water in its current state. Seriously, it is great that I have this Magic Armor.” (Makoto)

The seething boiling water began to fill up the place.

I let my body be pushed by the boiling water, and I float along with it.

If I had been bathed in it with my flesh, I would have received burns, or more like, it would have been a matter of life and death. While feeling indebtedness to my own power, I felt relieved that the first step has been successful.

I jump out one step before the water, and land safely.

“…To think that…you would dig it out at your first try… I am filled in awe. So even in places like this, baths can come out. Welcome back, Waka-sama.” (Serwhale)

“That’s not a bath, it is a hot spring. It seems it was a place with more hot water than I thought. It might be hard to make a path.” (Makoto)

“If you are not in a hurry, you can let it accumulate over there. Since the stream is far away from the town, it should be fine to just leave it as it is. It doesn’t confluence with the rivers of the surroundings after all.” (Serwhale)

“I see. You have made a place to let it accumulate. Thank you.” (Makoto)

When I check, I could see that there’s a bowl-shaped place below.

The hot water was beginning to flow into it.

“Waka-sama was digging, so I thought that it would be good to be ready for it just in case. Fortunately, it was a soft rocky area, so it only needed a few pokes.” (Serwhale)

Did he use his fists, or maybe his head?

He spoke in a way that didn’t feel as if he used his spear, but it scared me to confirm it.

As I thought, Serwhale-san has no need for a spear.

It is quite a few distance away from the town, but I have obtained the hot spring.

The construction related work for this can be done later, so in the future, this can be dubbed as hot spring number 1 of Kaleneon.

And so now, about the town…

Within the blizzard that continues as always, I call the Mist Gate to teleport to the town while I thought of a way to melt the snow of the town with the warm water.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Outskirts of Kaleneon.

In the snow field that at a glance looks like there’s nothing, there’s Serwhale-san, a number of Eldwas, Eva, and me.

Ruria caught a cold huh.

How to say this, I lately have been having bad timings and have not been able to meet with Ruria that much.

Shiki and Mio have been talking quite a bit about her though.

This time there’s no real need to force her to come, so I just entrusted the medicine to Eva-san.

“Uhm, what did you say just now?”

“Like I said, I have obtained a prospect hot spring. The construction work can’t be done immediately, but for now I have dug it up, so there’s boiling water gushing out from the mountain.” (Makoto)

“Uhm, you climbed a mountain that has nonstop blizzards and dug up a hole?”

“That’s right. Eva, you were the one who said it was fine to do whatever I wanted in that place since there’s no one living there yet and it is far from the town too, right?” (Makoto)

“That’s true, but to go digging holes in a place where the mamonos have not been dealt with at all, and finish the job at that same day. That’s just…” (Eva)

“The mamonos are not stupid, Eva-dono. Most of the fellows there understood their lack of ability and curled their tails. There were a few who attacked us, maybe because they were hungry or because they were stupid, but there were no problems.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san responded to Eva.

The two of them have already introduced themselves.

Eva-san is already okay with whatever comes out from the Kuzunoha Company, so she simply accepted Serwhale-san with sunken eyes.

As expected, you would imagine whales to be bigger than this, right?

“That’s… Serwhale-san did it?” (Eva)

“It was something that even I was plenty enough to deal with.” (Serwhale)

Serwhale-san nods and affirms it.

The dwarfs that were at the side seem to be in admiration as well.

“That’s impressive-ja. In that blizzard, the field of view is bad and the mamonos are in an advantage after all. From what I have heard, there’s a Snow Lion that melds in the snow and nullifies physical attacks; Icicle Flams that attack you with precision; and there’s also the Cyclop Serpent that swims in the snow without creating any sound. Those are dangerous mamonos that live in the mountains of this area. It seems like you were able to proceed without encountering them, but in the volcano that is filled with difficulties, that’s quite impressive.”

“If you encounter those for the first time, it just ends up in checkmate after all. But well, you are truly worthy of being at the side of Waka-sama.”

“I am grateful. It must be thanks to this spear that I have received from your comrades. It was a fortune that we didn’t encounter such terrifying enemies.” (Serwhale)

…I think we literally encountered those three.

This is just a supposition, but I think that those guys didn’t have worthy opponents, so they felt like they were the kings around these parts and attacked us who were in their territory.

I did catch their figures with Sakai and they fit the description.

Ah, so the one that was turned to minces first was the lion that attacked us in the demon race territory?

It is certainly true that at that time its body seemed to be made out of snow and it felt like it was nullifying the attacks of the weapons.

Even when it looked like it was defeated, it soon stood back up and attacked again after all.

In front of Serwhale-san, it was instant death huh.

I give out a prayer to the three kings(maybe) of that mountain.

The dwarfs and Serwhale-san were talking about topics of weapons and fighting, and were getting fired up.

“And so, I will try to draw the hot spring to the town by this winter. And in the meantime…” (Makoto)

“Yes.”

“This place is a reservoir that has been frozen and can’t be used, right?” (Makoto)

I point out at the snow field that is in front of me.

Eva nods.

“Since it is slightly distanced from the town, the maintenance has been delayed too. It is currently unavailable for us.” (Eva)

“Then that’s perfect. For now, I will be melting it.” (Makoto)

I create a number of fireballs and throw them.

Obviously, the snow and ice melts and the snow field returned to being a pond.

Hmph~, its size is around this much huh.

It is appropriate to use as experiment.

“If Waka-sama were to come here everyday, the snow problem would be resolved though. If you were to come five to six times a day to melt the snow in the surroundings, it would be perfect.”

That would be harsh.

Wouldn’t it take around 30 minutes each time?

“If not for Raidou-sensei, we would need several magicians and adventurers and it would take around half a day; something that you have accomplished in just a couple seconds. Fuh~.” (Eva)

That last sigh was heartrending, Eva.

Now then, let’s try the second step.

The hot spring digging went well, so I hope this one goes well too.

I take out one crimson ring from my pocket.

A scrapped Draupnir that is being managed by the Elder Dwarfs.

Lately, the amount of times it turns completely red in a day’s time has increased so much that they have accumulated quite a bit.

It seems like Ema has thought of an incredible way to dispose of them, but if this matter goes as I want it to, I plan on utilizing it as one of the methods to dispose of them.

“That is…a Draupnir.”

The dwarf looks in surprise at the ring with his brows furrowed.

It would be a different case if it were white, but a red one is not something that one would normally walk around with.

Eva-san was watching over the situation with hard to understand feelings, and Serwhale-san was looking with interest.

I have the Draupnir in my hand float slightly upwards, and on top of that, I add my magic power into the stored up magic power inside of it to set it up.

I make it so that the ring itself has a simple magic constantly activated.

The outward appearance of the ring that looks as if it was made by the iron of smelting furnaces, was clad in a vivid red.

Yup yup.

With this, it probably can be used as a heat generating tool.

“Well then, just in case, prepare something to defend yourselfs with. I think it will be fine though. I will cover Eva; Serwhale-san, I leave the dwarfs to you.” (Makoto)

“…Understood.” (Serwhale)

For some reason, Serwhale-san makes a serious expression as he has the dwarfs step back and takes a formation where he is at the front of them.

I guard Eva-san by enclosing her in the arm of my Magic Armor.

Now then…

“Here I go~~~” (Makoto)

“?!!!”

The tension of Serwhale-san increases in an instant.

Why?

While thinking it was strange, I release the magma colored ring to the pond which I thought needed at least this much heat since it is in a place of constant cold.

?!

The ring that left my hand, for some reason, had increased in output by a lot and shone in an instant?!

The moment that ring touched the water surface, it made an incredible sound.

I don’t know what was happening, but anyways, it was an incredible sound.

My vision had turned pure white, and I couldn’t tell right from left.

This is strange.

I estimated the water to boil.

I even thought that maybe it would splash around as well.

But the result was clearly different from what I imagined.

“Just what is…” (Makoto)

After a while, silence returns to the surroundings.

Checking that Eva-san, the dwarfs, and Serwhale-san were okay, I slowly look at the pond.

Because of the vapour that coursed through the surroundings like a hot gale, the snow had completely melted and the light brown ground was exposed.

Speaking of the reservoir…the outer circumference had been shaved off in a pretty forceful manner, and the water inside was gone.

And the ground at that place was dyed in deep red.

It felt like lava.

Oh?

That ring, did I enhance it way too much?

Leaving aside the joking, did I go too far even when it was going to be used for winter?

I don’t know the reason for the explosion, but because of it, the water was all blown up and the ring was fallen there.

It seems like it wasn’t blown into pieces even when it exploded.

And so, the heat that it emitted has melted the ground huh.

I can tell that the ring is floating at the surface of the lava, but…

When taking into account the sudden change in state, it feels kind of unstable.

“…”

I was worried about Eva who’s the one with the lowest fighting power here, and I once again look at her.

As expected of the person that is in charge of a country, she is a firm one.

Her mouth was a straight line, and her face didn’t show surprise.

“It wasn’t an experiment that was supposed to explode though~ Hahaha.” (Makoto)

“…”

I tried to laugh away this complicated atmosphere, but there was no reaction.

This is bad. Did I anger her?

“At any rate, what was that just now?” (Makoto)

“…It is a pretty natural occurrence when throwing a mass of high heated metal to a water surface, Waka-sama.” (Serwhale)

I was attacked by common sense again huh.

There was also the vegetable that emitted heat, that’s just unreasonable.

Serwhale-san answers my question that wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, with a slightly tense expression.

…So he was able to predict it would end this way, and that’s why he was nervous huh.

“I-Is that so? So you were able to predict it.” (Makoto)

“In the middle of it, it was controlled to a certain extent, so I thought it would be okay, but…it was good that I was mentally prepared for it.” (Serwhale)

So when it was in my hands, it was still in a state where it could go well?

Tentatively speaking, I wanted that ring to emit heat moderately until its magic power ran out, and change the water that flows in this pond into hot water.

And with the already existing waterways, it would provide warm water in this winter, but…it has ended in a splendid failure.

It actually created great damage by destroying one reservoir.

Let’s fix this as we work on the hot spring project.

“Eva, I’m sorry. As you can see, it was a failure. I will find a way to fix it, and I will ask about countermeasures for the cold and the snow, so…” (Makoto)

“…”

“…Eva?” (Makoto)

Her state is strange.

Or more like, her eyes have not moved for a while now.

“Excuse me.”

A dwarf approaches Eva and rudely pokes her face with the tip of his hammer.

Even if your height is lacking, doing that to a woman is just rude.

Eva would get angry as well.

But not only did she not get angry, she didn’t show any sort of reaction.

Eh?

“It seems she lost consciousness from that explosion just now. It was an explosion that astonished even us, so it can’t be helped.”

Let’s do something about Kaleneon.

Bringing her all the way here and making her faint from an explosion, only to deteriorate the situation; that just makes me feel way too bad.

It would be good to ask Zef how to manage a northern land when I meet with him.

It seems like the demon race didn’t develop Kaleneon properly, but they were at least able to maintain it as a fortress.

Looking at the fainted Eva who was looking straight to the front, I seriously thought of this.

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