Parting

Could it be that....

Sniffle~

<... >

Keugh!

Setting all jokes aside, it seems Hiiro had garnered quite a few admirers this time around, huh?

They were well aware of Hiiro's lack of social communication and looked genuinely saddened when they didn't see him for a few days.

All I could tell them was that he was resting at the moment and would be out pretty soon, but even I was unsure of the exact time he would wake up.

It was quite lonely without him, and it seemed I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

After a full day of naming, venturing into the jungle at night was akin to suicide for many of us. So, we wrapped things up and settled down for the night. Before resting and recovering my magicules for the next day, I made sure to check on Hiiro and the others.

***

The next day.

As soon as dawn broke, we began preparations for our move to our new habitat. We moved swiftly, determined to make the most of the daylight, for there was a lot of work ahead of us.

Our immediate task was to reach our destination safely and clear the area for temporary housing.

And this time, we had Kaijin and the three dwarven brothers with us, so I aimed to lay a solid foundation that would pose no problems when I eventually pursued my plan to transform it into a proper, full-fledged city with a functioning economy and system in place.

As our population would continue to grow in the distant future, which was all but inevitable given our sheer numbers, such preparations were quite necessary.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. We had our fair share of uncertainties, so We made sure to focus on one step at a time.

After traveling for a while, we finally arrived at our new home, the place that would shelter us from now on, Our New Horizon, Our Home.

I couldn't help but wish Hiiro was awake to witness this moment, this small step toward the vision I had in mind.

I was riding atop Ranga, with Hiiro beside me, still showing no signs of movement. Hikari, who probably wanted to be with Hiiro, took charge of looking after the females and children who moved between me, leading from the very front, and the other Hobgoblins, recently evolved under Rigurd's guidance.

There was a new addition to our units as well, known as the Goblin Riders, who would travel swiftly with the help of Tempest Wolves.

This team, led by Rigur, Rigurd's son, and consisting of Gobta, Gobzo, and a few others, seemed to have been formed just before our visit to the Dwargen Kingdom, so I wasn't entirely aware of it at the time. The Goblin Riders took up the rear to ensure there were no issues from behind.

Upon arriving at the new location, work commenced almost immediately.

I asked Rigurd to send a few skilled Hobgoblins to Myrd, the youngest of the dwarven brothers, so they could learn the art of proper construction.

The idea was to distribute this knowledge like branches spreading their twigs; once the skilled individuals learned the trade, they would pass it on to others, and so on.

Myrd was a crucial key to my plan, so I had a prior meeting with him, along with the other dwarves, Rigurd, and those skilled in their respective areas. We already had a clear plan for how things would unfold from the moment we arrived, so everyone assumed their selected roles and got to work without much fuss once I gave my approval.

Each person was assigned to groups based on their respective tasks.

Some focused on making clothing under Dord's leadership, others worked on housing guided by Myrd, while some concentrated on cleaning and digging the foundation, led by Kaijin. Rigurd took charge of temporary shelter construction, the Goblin Riders focused on hunting, and so forth.

My role was mainly to observe and provide instructions in case of unexpected challenges or issues.

However, it seemed that Myrd was particularly interested in my knowledge, especially regarding the city's layout and construction.

And I couldn't exactly say, "Oh, that? It's nothing. You see, I was a General Contractor in my previous life, so I know a bit about how to create a proper city system."

That would have left their jaws hanging in shock and create many unnecessary situations, that I wanted to avoid at the moment. So, I just skillfully dodged his question.