--It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new building.

　There were many opinions about renting an existing building and building on the outskirts of town, but the final plan was decided before the date for the investiture ceremony was set, and the work was to be done while we were in the capital.

The result of that is now spread out before our eyes.

''Oh no, we've taken the plunge, haven't we?

　Garnett sounds impressed as he looks around the construction site.

　A wooded slope connecting Green Hollow Town and the 'Sundial Forest'.

　Along that road, which is also adjacent to the White Wolf Shop, the construction of the White Wolf Knights' base is underway.

　The method chosen after the discussion was to clear the forest and build a new building.

　Right now, the trees were cut down and part of the forest was cut down, and the wood generated as a byproduct was also utilized, and the equipment and buildings needed for the base were just beginning to be built.

　This is the best place to be in terms of location due to the relationship between the city and the dungeons, both of which are linked to the city and the dungeons.

　The disadvantage, the increased cost of money and time, was estimated to be within the range of acceptable and unavoidable.

''Isn't it convenient to be close to the store (house)?　It's too much trouble to walk far every time.
It's not like it's right next door or anything.
You are bothering me, you know. It's good in moderation. In moderation.

　While exchanging such conversations with Garnett, he observed the Green Hollow craftsmen as they worked.

　When it comes to putting all the buildings needed for a base of operations together in one place, we need to prepare a reasonably large, flat area of land.

　We have found a place that fits the requirements properly, but as expected, it can't be in the immediate vicinity, and there is some distance left that we have to walk to.

　Well, it's true that, as Garnett said, it might be hard to feel comfortable in many ways when your workplace as a knightly order is nearby.

''By the way, White Wolf's. You built the Hollow Bottom Fortress before, couldn't you take apart a building somewhere and fix it with your [restoration]?
''Just finding the right building is a challenge. The last time, the Golden Fang Knights were able to quickly find the right building for us. And it's also good for the economy of the town.
Wrong.

　As we did so, one of the craftsmen came over to us and asked me for confirmation on the building policy as he unfolded the blueprints for the site.

He said, "Mr. White Wolf. Are you sure this guy is the first priority in the order in which the building will be finished?
Yeah, can you do that?　Make it a priority if you can.
Yes, sir. I'll make sure the interior is spotless.

　Garnett tugs lightly on the hem of my clothes after the craftsman walks away.

'What was that you were talking about earlier?'
This is where the Duke of Kingswell's material will be transferred from the archives. I want to receive it as soon as possible so we can start deciphering it.
I see. I see. That's the only place I should be able to get a head start on the other functions of the base.
'Send a request to the guild shortly before the material arrives at ......, and maybe the mark will arrive around that time, so as soon as it's ready, quickly.

　In addition to the start of the construction of the base, there was another progress towards the launch of the White Wolf Knights.

　That is, Mark has agreed to send me to Green Hollow.

　Just after I returned to Green Hollow, I received a letter from Sir Justin, the leader of the Purple Jade Division, informing me that he would send Mark to Green Hollow as soon as he was ready to be dispatched.

　Probably the reason for the decision was the existence of various objects and people related to the Eastern Continent.

　Sakura, a swordsman and priestess of the East, and Nagi, who has acquired a special crafting technique called ninja.

　Based on the information he obtained from them, he created several Eastern-style weapons, armor and magical tools.

　And the existence of an Eastern adventurer who was said to have hid in the Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss in the past, and a memoir in the Imperial language that he had left behind.

　Perhaps all of these must have piqued Mark's intellectual curiosity and overturned his profit and loss account.

'At ......, where is your brother Teme going to let you stay until your quarters are completed?'

　Garnett suddenly lowers his voice and looks up at me with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes.

　It's a look that can instantly switch to an accusatory attitude depending on the answer.

　I know exactly what you mean.
　We have a few spare rooms in the residential part of our shop, and I'm asking if you intend to let us stay in them.

　Of course, if I answer that I'm going to stay there, I'm going to immediately rebel.

'There are plenty of inns in town, and I'm going to ask you to rent a room somewhere else for the time being.
Okay, then.

　Garnett didn't even ask me why I made that decision and simply dropped the pursuit.

　I didn't answer because he didn't ask, but there were three reasons why I didn't consider letting Mark stay at our house.

　The first is that I thought it would be an uncomfortable proposition for Mark to stay at his brother's house, which he hates.

　The second reason is that, again, it would be risky to welcome a roommate who doesn't know what's going on, considering that Garnett's gender is kept secret.

　And the last one is because I didn't want a third party to casually intervene in the life I was leading with Garnett - I don't think I would have mentioned the third reason alone, even if I had been asked why.

'Well, and--'

　Just as we were about to leave as we had nothing to do, a familiar, strong man wandered over to our side.

'Odd, Luke!
Travis. What's so weird about me being on a building site?
Haha, I see that too!

　Laughing vigorously, Travis slaps me on the shoulder.

　Suddenly, a nasty topic flashed through my mind, so I decided to throw it into the mix with the chatter.

'You were there for the ordination ceremony too, weren't you?　For that, I didn't see you in King's Landing: ...... Did you have something else to do?
Umm ...... hmm, well, sort of.

　Travis bluntly slurred his words.

　I piled on more statements, guessing it was still as I imagined.

The first thing that comes to mind is that our Leila hasn't been seen since after the investiture ceremony. It's not a problem, since she was properly joined up with us when we left, but ...... do you know anything about it?
I don't know!　I don't know!　Don't ask me that!

　The inability to make a natural denial here is very Travis-like indeed.

　Garnett also let out a voice next to me, "Ah ......" as if he had figured something out.

　I could have pursued the matter further, but I felt it would have been rude to Leila to go any further, so I decided to end my teasing of Travis in an appropriate place.