Avalon is gradually developing.
　It started out as a 'glowing ground', a town that was laid out in sections, but it's already starting to look like a real town, with construction going on here and there.

It's amazing, Mr. Alec.
Hmm?

　Beside me, Angel, who had gone on a tour with me, murmured with a look of excitement on his face, as if to say, "It's a town where nothing was there before.

There was nothing here just a few minutes ago, and now it's a town.
The thing. Yeah, I know. It's kind of exciting.
"Yes!　More today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today. I knew that word, but that's exactly what it means, isn't it?

　Talk excitedly.
　I think I know the feeling.

　The expression is rather conventional, and everyone knows it refers to "growth" and "progress.
　But surprisingly few can feel it.

　If there is one, it is close to making a child, but some men do not feel it.
　There are those who are devoted to work and do not even notice it.

Angel, that's dangerous!
"What--Hey!

　After a delayed reaction, I grab Angier's hand and pull her close.
　She loses her balance and naturally falls into my embrace.

　Just as Angel was standing there, a wagon was passing by.
　The wagon is loaded with lumber.
　The biggest traffic in Avalon right now is building materials such as lumber and stones.

Thank you, Mr. Alec.
You're welcome.
"Huh?
What's going on?
"That Carriage ......

　Angier stretched out his finger and gave me a curious look.

　He pointed to the carriage, which had already arrived at its destination and was beginning to unload.
　The unloaded lumber is being brought into the completed building.

It's not going to be used to build a house.
I guess so.

　Nodded and looked around.
　Angier looked around with me as well.

　In Avalon, where there's a construction boom, here and there lumber and stones are piled up.
　It's all piled up outdoors, which is no surprise since it's under construction.

　On the other hand, the one Angier wondered about is unloading the lumber and bringing it into a building where construction is apparently complete.

What's it for?
Let's go for it.
"Yes!

　He nodded at Angel and went to the building where they were bringing in the lumber.

"May I have a word with you?
"I'm busy - you mean, Deputy Emperor!　Hurry!　You do not know that you are the Vice-Emperor and you are rude.

　I approached a man who looked like a foreman directing the lumber delivery.
　He didn't see me at first, but he was so intimidated that he kept bowing his head.

Never mind. I'd rather talk to you about it, but I'll talk to you later if you're busy.
"It's okay!　Ask me anything you want.
"Yeah. What are we doing here?　This lumber?
This is a sculpture guild, and we have a bunch of sculptors.
"I see.
That's right.

　I and Angier agreed.
　The Sculpture Guild, it's no wonder they bring in wood into the building.

"Well, houses are building up all the time nowadays, so we have to order more wood, but we'd be fighting over the materials.
Why?

　Angier looked at me curiously again, but I know why.
　If I knew it was the Sculpture Guild, I would know why.

Many houses have simple shrines, Angel. We'll worship our gods and ancestors. Stores had an altar to worship their gods of business.
"Oh, yes!　There it is!
That's what I mean. It's not essential, but it's like furniture.
Well, it's like a whole family now.
"Huh?

　I was mildly surprised.
　I knew there was a custom of decorating a family home with a family altar, but a family of one is too high a percentage.

　I asked the wise man's sword that he carries on his back.
　Well, it's not usually that high.

　The ratio of so-called 'sacred objects' such as a shrine is 70% in rural areas and about 30% in the city.

Why do people order them so much?


It's ......

　The man clammed up.
　His gaze swam and he looked embarrassed.
　Angier wondered again.

Something I'm not supposed to say.
"No!　It's not like that. ...... Oh, no, it's not without permission,
"......?

　I even started to wonder and tilted my head.

　The man scratched his cheeks, but then, with a look of resignation, he said, "Wait a minute.

"Wait a minute, sir.

　And then he walked into the building.

What's going on?
I think they're going to bring the real thing.
"I see.

　Just as Angier was convinced, the man reappeared.
　He held a baby-sized wooden statue that he could hold with his arms.
　The statue is--.

It's Master Alec.
Yeah, that's me.

　Angier and I wondered.
　The man looked embarrassed.

"We're inundated with orders for the Vice-Emperor's statue. And we have some experience making statues of the Vice-Emperor and Astaroth, so...
Okay, so that's what it was all about.
"That's great, Master Alec. It's going to be a while before you see Master Alec everywhere.
Yeah, I guess so.

　I smiled at him.
　Nothing, I was just sorry that you were making my statue without permission.

　I didn't care.
　As he said, it's a little late to be with Astaroth, since we've already placed statues of the gods here and there in various villages to receive his blessings.

　I'm not going to denounce you, but--

But since we are here, I'm going to take advantage of it.
"Huh?

　The pompous man.
　I reached out and touched the wooden statue in my shape.

　Using my power as a god, I put my strength into the statue.

　For a moment the statue flashed divinely.

What was that?
"A little spell
Thank you for your spell ...... in person, Vice Emperor!

　The man bows his head quickly.

"Bring the wood to me once tomorrow. I'll do it all for you.
"Thank you!

　The man kept lowering his head again and again as if he had become a grasshopper with rice.
　With that, Angier and I walked away.

"Master Alec, what did you do to it?
It's a spell.
"Not so.

　Angel smiled and said, "I mean, what exactly did you do?

"I mean, what exactly did you do?
Oh, that kind of . Yeah, I put my godlike powers, my godlike powers, into it. I put my godlike power, my divine power, into it, so it doesn't do much good.
You're right. But a divine power would be a literal statue of a god, wouldn't it?
"Haha, I guess so.

　Laughing with Angier, I resumed my tour of Avalon in the rush to build.

　After this, the statues of the gods, with the proclamation, "Personally cleansed by the Vice-Emperor," spread in one room over the whole family.
　I was busy with the material spell for a while.