Chapter 33: The Great Western Albion Continent is Peaceful Today As Well! (8)

Beside the lake in Abel Forest.

I sit at the table brought for a comfortable tea time and lift my teacup.

First, I savor the aroma, then take a small sip, and the characteristic bitterness stimulates my tongue.

However, the bitterness of the black tea didn’t feel too strong.

Thanks to mixing it with milk, its smoothness blended appropriately, creating a very suitable taste.

“Heehee.”

When the savoury, bitter taste still lingered.

I took a bite of a tea time dessert with my lips, and an exquisite sweetness spread.

Just as sweet pastries always accompany black tea, bitterness and sweetness make a very good match.

Considering that throughout history, sweetness has symbolized happiness and bitterness has symbolized pain.

I realize that the saying ‘happiness comes after pain’ isn’t entirely wrong.

I rinse the lingering stickiness in my mouth with black tea once more.

Clink, I place the teacup on its saucer and gaze at the scenery before me.

A vast, magnificent field of medicinal herbs stretches out.

There are common medicinal herbs and antidotes, but most are gunpowder herbs planted to manufacture industrial explosives.

“……I did point out the issue of material supply.”

Dad, sitting opposite me at the table, also gazes at the herb field, following my lead.

Though he appeared nonchalant on the outside, it was obvious he was incredibly proud of his genius daughter’s business acumen on the inside.

I thought he might pat my head as usual, but perhaps because his subordinates were present and many eyes were watching, he seemed a little embarrassed.

“Once the railway connecting the center of the continent vertically is completed, moving the materials here to Lunden will be no problem at all!”

The first task, material supply, was solved.

What should have been the first task, manufacturing bombs—with sufficient marketability—was easily productized with existing knowledge and the help of magitech engineers, so it wasn’t much of a task.

If the central railway currently being built by the Cheyenne Railway Company is completed, the distribution line will also be resolved.

‘Wow. Amazing.’

‘Did you really plan all that and build an herb field in Abel Forest?’

‘…No.’

‘To be honest, it just happened to work out well by chance….’

‘There’s no way there would be space for such a large herb field in the capital, Lunden, which is already packed with buildings, right?’

Space aside, above all, the environment doesn’t support it.

They can barely grow in our mansion, which has environmental magic that purifies the air.

To cultivate fresh grass, and in large quantities at that, in the middle of a city thick with pale blue smoke?

That’s utter nonsense.

Anyway, the material supply was resolved in this manner.

What remains now is… employees to manufacture industrial explosives, I suppose.

Naturally, I’ll also need people to manage this vast herb field in my stead and handle transportation to

Lunden, where the main office building will be constructed.

Well, for that, there are the villagers.

If I, the village’s benefactor, recruit workers, I should be able to easily secure that much manpower.

“So now, are you going to invest in your cute daughter?”

Dad?

As I asked, Dad let out a short sigh, as if he couldn’t help it.

“I’ll think about it.”

Unlike his cold refusal at first, a very positive answer returns.

With this, the salaries for the employees I’ll be hiring and the business expenses are also resolved!

There’s still considerable time before the central railway is completed, so it’s not too late to prepare slowly.

And the moment the railway is completed…!

By having the Cheyenne Railway Company, which will draw all attention, talk about my bombs, it will create an enormous advertising effect!?

Even I had to admit, it was a truly perfect business plan.

“By the way, Dad. This treehouse here, isn’t it incredibly well-built?”

After the pleasant tea time between father and daughter ended.

I take Dad’s hand and lead him to show the wild-living facilities I personally made.

The first thing I showed him was my masterpiece, the treehouse!

However, perhaps because I built it to my height, Dad can’t straighten his back inside.

‘Hmm, I thought I built it quite large, though….’

“This is where I put potions, and this is the secret storeroom where I keep valuables! Oh, and here is….”

“…….”

Dad, who rarely shows much change in expression.

But this time, he seemed half bewildered and half surprised as he leisurely looked around the inside of the treehouse.

‘By the way, Dad’s bent back looks very uncomfortable.’

‘It seems best to explain briefly and get out quickly.’

“This is the smithy I made! I made it by diligently gathering and piling up mud!”

“Lin, you did all of this?”

“Yes!”

Going outside, I consecutively show him the outdoor warehouse and the small smithy I used when making the pipe cannon.

Dad was so impressed that he was at a loss for words.

Everything was going according to plan.

That’s right.

There was a specific reason why I was showing Dad these wild facilities one by one.

There was also the simple desire to boast about my achievements and to have him pat my head with a word of praise.

But the real reason was that I wanted to show him that even though I might look like a mere child, I could actually manage well on my own.

“Hehet. How is it? Aren’t I amazing?”

“…….”

Dad looks at my face.

Dad, seeing my expression full of rightful confidence.

‘How about it. You can’t help but praise me, right?’

I thought he might finally pat my head as usual, but Dad knelt down and hugged me tightly.

“…Dad?”

The hug lasted longer than I expected.

I wasn’t sure why Dad was suddenly acting this way, but at least it didn’t seem like a hug of praise.

‘Ah. Perhaps he mistakenly thinks I suffered immensely in the wild?’

‘Except for the first few days, I lived comfortably thanks to my dolls and our puppies….’

Since he kept hugging me for a long time, I told him it was alright now and patted his head.

Then Dad stood up again and, with a smile, returned the gesture he had received to me.

“Why did you choose this forest?”

After some time had passed.

Dad, who had been meticulously observing the herb field and the surrounding forest, posed a question.

“There would have been plenty of fields to grow medicinal herbs without having to come all the way into a forest like this.”

Dad’s question was reasonable.

The gunpowder herbs I use for bombs are native to Abel Forest, but like ordinary plants, they grow well in any soil.

In fact, they grew very well in the mansion garden.

Above all, Abel Forest was a place that reminded me of past near-death experiences.

If asked whether I wanted to return or not, it naturally corresponded to the place I least wanted to return to.

“…Would you mind following me for a moment?”

Nevertheless.

The reason I insisted on this Abel Forest.

The reason for clearing the trees between this hideout and the village to cultivate the land.

It wasn’t simply to earn money, nor solely for business.

Together with Dad, I arrive at the grave where an alchemist is buried.

The wooden cross stuck in the grave still has the cloak he was wearing draped over it.

As I briefly explain about ‘him,’ who helped me survive, Dad also pays his respects and expresses his condolences at his grave.

“The potions I’ve made so far, actually, weren’t thought up by me, but entirely by this person.”

He, created them with the wish that the potions he made would save the lives of many adventurers.

Both the healing potions that mend wounds and the explosive potions that vanquish monsters.

If so, for me, whose life was saved thanks to his notes.

Wouldn’t it be my duty to fulfill his wish, his lifelong desire?

At least, that’s what I think.

“Once the railway is completed and my bombs become known to the world. The existence of this herb field will inevitably be revealed as well.”

“…….”

“This forest contains diverse and abundant alchemical ingredients. Such rumors will begin to circulate.”

In the near future.

When the transcontinental railway is constructed and the path to the westernmost end opens, countless people will rush forth, harbouring dreams of striking it rich.

The problem is, that dream ticket is collateralised by their lives.

I know.

How many people will lose their lives in the dungeons at the westernmost end…

But a person’s dream cannot be easily stopped.

Rather, the more you try to stop it, the more likely it is to rebound and surge forth even greater.

“Above all, the giant magestones and expensive treasures from the airship I rode, which must be scattered somewhere in this forest.”

Even if that is an already determined future.

I will strive to make it flow in the best possible direction, somehow.

Then how?

How can I save even one more life?

The method was surprisingly simple.

“That information. If I remind people of it through newspapers at the appropriate time.”

“……All sorts of adventurers will flock here.”

“That’s right.”

Give them a vaccination, that’s what I’ll do.

Dungeons pouring out at the westernmost end.

Monsters swarming inside the dungeons.

And though there’s only the difference between outdoors and underground.

Abel Forest, with almost similar conditions yet relatively less danger, was the optimal vaccine.

It means that as the railway leading to the west end is constructed,

And as the central railway, soon to be completed, is built,

Many people, taking my company building, whose great success is guaranteed, as evidence, will come to this forest to dig for gold coins and accumulate quality experience.

“…Will you, allow it?”

Of course, for such a plan,

Dad’s official announcement that the fragments of the crashed airship would be given to the first person to discover them was absolutely necessary.

To achieve this…

I am prepared to act as cute as possible towards Dad…!

“Yes. Do as you wish.”

…Huh?

‘He’s allowing it more easily than I thought…?’

I thought it wouldn’t be easy to get permission since Dad, though warm to me, his daughter, is primarily a villain.

No, perhaps he’s readily agreeing because it’s a request from his dearly cherished daughter.

“Have you decided on the name of the company you will create?”

“Yes.”

With Dad’s permission, which was the biggest hurdle, secured,

Now, all I have to do is steadily move forward.

Dad asks what name I will give the company I’m about to create.

The name of the company I will create was already decided when I learned ‘his’ name.

Raphael Incorporated.

Buried before my eyes,

Written in the same handwriting as the script in the notes an alchemist had cherished.

It was a name taken from an old alchemy book discovered in the library.