For two weeks, day after day, the buildings continued to be rebuilt. In a period much shorter than expected, the townscape was almost completed. This was all thanks to not only the Ceat Village Knights, Panamera’s Knights, and the Cayyenne Knights, but also the adventurers who worked hard to gather materials.
Good grief, what have they done?
Because of that, the genius young Viscount Van, who had just been given his title, ended up spending his days building houses from morning till night. And that was just for me, Van.
By the way, that was a high-level technique where I made a pun with "Van" and "evening."
"...Ugh, I’m tired."
Exhausted, I muttered in frustration, letting out a small groan.
"Good work."
Right beside me, Arte offered words of encouragement as she sat down in the chair. Meanwhile, Till gently poured warm tea into the cup placed on the table.
"Thank you."
I thanked the two of them, took the cup, and sipped the warm tea. As I enjoyed the rich fragrance and slightly sweet taste, I gazed at the view. The sun was setting, and the sky was gradually turning red. The sight of the reddish brick rooftops seemed almost otherworldly, as if the sky and the town were blending together.
As part of the unveiling of Cayen Castle’s completion, many of the residents had gathered on the table and chairs specially set up on the castle wall. Children clung to the walls, shouting in joy.
By the way, a raised platform had been created at the best spot directly above the castle gates, where Panamera, Zetros, and the rest of our group sat around the table. The street stretched straight toward the castle gates, lit by the setting sun, with perfectly aligned three-story buildings designed to match in appearance.
Though the city is new and clean, we aimed to make it feel as if it still held a sense of tradition and history. Thanks to widening the roads, we were also able to plant small street trees, which has been quite popular, and I’m happy about that.
"...What a magnificent townscape."
"Yes, such a beautiful town is hard to come by."
Thomas and Zetros also offered their wholehearted praise.
Honestly, it feels a little self-congratulatory, but I truly think we’ve created a wonderful view.
"...Well done, boy."
Suddenly, Panamera muttered quietly. Turning around, I saw her sitting gracefully, tea cup in hand, gazing at the town with a satisfied look on her face.
"We worked hard for it."
I answered with a wry smile, and Panamera nodded deeply.
"...This town has turned out even better than I expected. I look forward to bringing my parents here."
"Huh? Your parents?"
At Panamera’s nostalgic murmur, I couldn’t help but let out a surprised mental voice. Upon hearing it, her eyes narrowed sharply like a blade.
"...Of course, I have human parents. Is there a problem with that?"
She asked in a low voice, tinged with menace, making me instinctively straighten my back.
"N-No, there’s nothing like that."
"...Well, fine."
Panamera sighed and then turned her gaze back to the sunset, staring at Cayenne Castle. There was a somewhat sentimental air about her, and for some reason, I felt reluctant to speak.
It seemed Zetros and the others felt the same, as they silently watched Panamera with narrowed eyes, giving off a wistful vibe.
It’s truly rare. If she were in different clothes, she would look like a noble lady from a secluded mansion. I know I’ll never see Panamera in this mood again, so I need to burn this image into my mind while I can.
"...I feel a gaze filled with malice?"
"Ah!"
As if she had read my thoughts, Panamera muttered this, and I instinctively reacted, my face going red. With a slight grin, Panamera turned to look at me.
"Too honest, boy. Nobles must hide their emotions and thoughts."
But Panamera, when she’s angry, doesn’t she show it immediately? I thought that, but now wasn’t the time to argue back. I decided to just nod solemnly.
Seeing me, Panamera let out a quiet chuckle.
"Heh, well, fine. I’m in a good mood today."
With that, she spoke cheerfully, turning her face back toward the castle, her eyes moving toward the sky. The sun was slowly setting, and the sky was becoming darker. The deep orange mixed with dark blue, and stars began to twinkle in the darkened sky.
As the beautiful castle became just a silhouette, Panamera murmured quietly.
"This is a memorable day. Let’s enjoy the castle a bit longer."
Saying that, Panamera muttered something softly, then reached one hand toward the night sky. She snapped her fingers with her thumb and forefinger.
"Firefly."
The moment Panamera spoke those words, countless fireballs shot into the sky from her fingertips. The small flames, about the size of her fingers, ascended into the sky, creating a very magical sight.
"Wow…!"
The children’s cheers rang through the night sky.
The next moment, the fireballs that had risen high into the sky exploded, bursting into numerous orange flowers in the night sky.
The beautiful, powerful fire magic startled not just the children, but even the adults, and applause followed shortly after.
The sky turned red, and the view of the castle and the town became brighter once again.
"When I was a child, I created this magic to increase the stars in the night sky. It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but back then, I had a rather cute personality."
Panamera muttered with a self-deprecating smile.
I was struck by the impulse to make a retort, but in the end, the night sky had been beautifully decorated, and the residents were delighted, so I silently nodded in agreement.
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