"This—!"
"Amazing! We can live here starting today?"
"Incredible! Demon Lord! Amazing!"
The orcs raised their voices in joy upon seeing the eleven newly built houses.
I had explained there were no beds, but seeing them this happy made it all worthwhile.
They mentioned families too, so while all eleven units wouldn't be filled immediately, I figured the extras could be used when new residents arrived.
I knew it was a bit of an inconvenience, but I built a separate public bathhouse. The one from yesterday was just for me and my group.
The orcs' work was, essentially, odd jobs. They cleaned up impurities caught in the water purification plant's fence, which also helped secure food supplies.
Next came the salt collection. If the room wasn't emptied four times a day, the moisture in the salt wouldn't fully evaporate. The collected salt was stored in earthenware jars and transported to a dedicated warehouse—which just meant a warehouse that was dedicated. Honestly, explaining it was a pain.
Now then, evening was approaching.
I still had two more things to get done today.
Well, one of them would be quick, so I'd get that out of the way first.
After consulting with Andre, I had a simple job—just a little dungeon manipulation.
"This should work."
"Yes. An excellent idea, Sir—increasing dungeon difficulty while reducing costs."
"Ah, stop it."
Andre seemed to be in a good mood too. That guy always perked up when I came up with dungeon ideas.
The second task would take time.
Honestly, there was no way I'd finish it today.
I took up my hammer and entered the forge. First, I'd start with something simple, maybe a small knife.
I lit the furnace and brought out some iron for processing.
The iron I'd summoned using my smartphone's power was workable.
Why was iron available when even water wouldn't solidify? Apparently, when I overwrote space to create a dungeon, any materials present in that space got automatically stockpiled.
I extracted iron sand from that stockpile, melted it down, and processed it into tamahagane steel1.
Come to think of it, there was a mountain not too far away—about 120 kilometers, give or take. It was beyond the Great Wall Labyrinth, so it was outside the dungeon, but maybe I could absorb it later. For the ore.
The knife was completed without issue.
I made a sheath from the leather the orcs had given me, and it looked like a proper knife.
Next, I prepared a sword.
I couldn't imagine anyone actually using swords in combat—they were more of a backup anyway.
I strapped the finished blade to my belt. The curved blade hanging at my side in a leather sheath—it almost made me look like a samurai.
Now, I still had materials left. Time to make Paimon's weapon.
Since she had a club skill, a staff would be ideal. About two meters long, matching her height.
A simple hexagonal staff. One end was slightly thinner, the other slightly thicker, so even with the iron construction it would flex quite a bit when swung with full force.
"How is it?"
"Amazing! It's incredible, Kiasu-sama! It's so easy to use! It's heavier than my old one, but it handles way better!"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Just as I expected."
Paimon was thrilled. "Kiasu-sama, are you using a sword? That's quite a curved one, isn't it?"
"Ah, this?" I drew the sword from the leather sheath at my side.
"It's a strange sword," Paimon said, examining the blade with interest. "I've never seen one shaped like this before."
The sword I held was drastically curved.
Not on the spine—on the edge.
Drastically.
The shape was closer to a sickle.
"It's called a shotel—a curved sword originally from Ethiopia. Its usage is to strike from outside the enemy's field of vision while staying behind a shield. Even in my original world, it's considered a rare and unusual sword."
My useless trivia had Paimon tilting her head. Well, I guessed "Ethiopia" didn't mean anything to her.
This sword was great for fighting while wielding a shield—and for fighting against opponents who had shields.
It was a very practical weapon.
"By the way, Kiasu-sama?"
"What?"
"It's already midnight, but when exactly are we going to take a bath together?"
When I stepped out of the forge, the sky was beginning to lighten.
Summary:
The protagonist Kiasu demonstrates his competence by building housing, establishing work systems, and crafting weapons for his followers. His thoughtful preparation for future residents and practical infrastructure planning reveals a methodical and caring leadership style. The chapter culminates in Paimon's surprising question about bathing together, which Kiasu completely misses due to his all-night forging session. The unresolved romantic tension hangs in the air as dawn breaks.
Trivia:
Kiasu built 11 houses but only some will be occupied immediately, with extras reserved for future residents.
The public bathhouse is separate from Kiasu's private one built yesterday.
Orc labor involves cleaning water purification filters and collecting salt, which also provides food.
Salt collection requires emptying the room four times daily for proper moisture evaporation.
Kiasu's smartphone power allows material stockpiling when overwriting space to create dungeon areas.
The mountain 120 kilometers away beyond the Great Wall Labyrinth could potentially be absorbed for ore.
The shotel's curve is on the blade edge, not the spine, resembling a sickle.
Paimon's club skill made a staff the logical weapon choice for her.
The hexagonal staff is designed to flex when swung with full force.
Kiasu worked through the entire night without realizing the time.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Traditional Japanese steel produced from iron sand in a tatara furnace. The term carries historical and cultural significance in Japanese sword-making, evoking images of master craftsmen and legendary blades. The translation retains the Japanese term to preserve this cultural weight rather than using a generic term like "high-quality steel."
Notes:
• Andre - A demon of the sixty-fifth rank in Solomon's seventy-two demons, appearing in the form of a peacock. Acts as a conductor of sophistry and a support interface for the dungeon master. Bestows knowledge of surveying, astronomy, and geometry. Displays a formal, refined demeanor with hidden warmth and genuine concern for her master's safety, though she expresses frustration through sharp lecturing. Colleague of the narrator. Speaks to the Demon Lord without fear. Blunt and sarcastic. Uses insults casually but reveals underlying care through actions. Functions as the straight-man tsukkomi character. The protagonist's smartphone companion who serves as both advisor and voice of reason. Speaks with polite, respectful deference while occasionally expressing exasperation at the master's priorities. Questions the safety of dungeon designs and serves as a grounding presence to the protagonist's whims.
• Paimon - An orphaned, shy ogre companion serving Amduskias with deep deference. Appearing as a 190cm tall, handsome female with an ash-gray body, a single jet-black horn, golden eyes, and a voluptuous yet muscular build, she mimics the protagonist's posture. Knowledgeable and polite, she acts as a guide on local threats and monsters, often stammering nervously while providing essential supplies and information.
• Kiasu - Job: Dungeon Master; Relationship: Master to Paimon; Item/Magic: Smartphone with Creation ability; Note: Zero years old, self-deprecating, clings to civilized lifestyle.