Chapter 1-5

The population decreased again.
The servants finish their fixed-schedule report and then leave in a haste.
“There’s nothing better than tranquility and peace,” Father said without a worry.
“Indeed,” Mom said in agreement.

Last month, I asked about increasing the land reclamation with low hopes, but my request was instantly rejected.
As expected, the life of the Helan territory is its beauty. To get rid of that would be losing Helan’s ident.i.ty itself.

At this rate, we’ll be losing our population one-sidedly.

I tried asking Moran-jii, but he gave the reply of, “Hmm, in the past this territory’s strength was in tourism, though,” which didn’t help at all.
“By the way, did you finish reading the first magic tome?”
“Yeah, I of course succeeded in the change of property, along with the application of such and the creation of vegetation.”
“Well then, here’s the second tome.”
The author is as expected, Chris Helan. Just who is this guy?

Lately, I’ve been having a sword instructor come to visit the house. During training, I was able to able to focus and get rid of all irrelevant thoughts.

As this point it is expected, but Kururi’s improvement is fast. Hmm, it’s a mystery how he was able to get so fat in the game.

“Lately, there have been mysterious sounds coming from the ground within the territory.”
I received such a troubling consultation from the population. My father, Toral Helan, seems to have no intention of dealing with this issue at all.
I had only listened to their plight with a slight interest, but ended up inspecting the problem on a whim.
Upon arriving at the location of the problem, there was certainly an odd sound coming from the ground.
There being a slight vibration in the ground seems to be another reason for their worries.

“About a year ago, it suddenly became like this. Out of luck, it happened away from the village, so there has been no damage at this point.”
Getting rid of the population’s dissatisfaction and worries is an important job. Also, this will likely connect to avoiding falling into ruin in the future.

After investigating with the population for one or two hours, I suddenly realized something.
Wait, isn’t this a hot spring?

The source should be flowing underneath this spot. I heard that there were several similar spots within the territory. Perhaps, the sound is coming from all of the locations the source is flowing under.

I went ahead and took some money from my parents and hired around thirty workers.
I, myself, also grabbed a shovel and started working.
In front of the feudal lord’s son, everyone was unable to slack off and the job proceeded with a good efficiency.

“Uwah, hot.”
In the middle of working, one person’s voice attracted everyone’s attention. It looks like some hot water that spouted out of the ground got on his body.
At that moment, the ground shook with a large force and the sound coming from the spring became louder.

“Everyone, run!!”
At the sound of my voice, everyone ran away at once.
At a hair’s breadth, the source burst out and a large, natural water fountain rose up.
As I thought, it was a hot spring.

Everyone stood stock-still from shock, but it quickly changed to a festival mood. After the fountain settles down, a natural hot spring is made and the surrounding flower garden put on a s.h.i.+ne from the water.
To soak in the hot spring while observing the surrounding flower garden would give a feeling of extreme bliss.

I received a report after heading home, but apparently the depression was stimulated and all of the locations of the hot spring source within the territory burst out, and in one breath over ten hot springs were formed.
It’s this.
This is it.
This is the key to the revival of the Helan territory!

“Father! The time for us to increase our visitors by using our territory’s hot spring has come. Let us immediately start maintenance for calling customers into our hot spring!”
“Hot spring, huh. It seems one sprung up. Can just a hot spring turn into a selling point, Kururi?”
“I tried entering and thought such. That scenery of overlooking a flower garden will certainly pull people in!!”
“Eh, but a hot spring, huh.
Razan territory has gems, almost all skilled soldiers of the king’s army come from Tarisuma territory. I’d like a cool selling point like that.”
“Hot springs are the greatest, aren’t they!?
Listen, father. Next month, make an appeal at the first prince’s birthday party for our territory’s hot springs. Call all the n.o.bles you can to this land.”
“Hmmm, I-I understand so let’s stop this discussion.”
“To start off, please give me money for maintenance.”
“I understand, I understand, so don’t press your father so much. You’ll make it hard to breathe.”
“Ah, sorry. It seems I really pressured you without noticing it.”

In this way, I was left to maintaining the hot springs.
Looking at my father, I can’t hope for much from him after all.
Alright, I will also go to the party and spread propaganda!
… Now that I think of it, I’ve never been to such a party. Hm, I wonder if I can mix in properly.
Also, the first prince is Arc Kudan, of the same age.
Gensou Academy’s symbolic capture target, huh? Is it fine with me to interact with him?
I’m a little worried.

“You’re losing your concentration,” I was chastised by my sword instructor, Reel-sensei.
“Sorry.”
“I don’t know what this is about, but please share it with me. I believe that way you would be able to concentrate.” As expected of a female teacher, the amount of kindness is different.
“Next month, I’ll be attending the birthday party of the first prince, but that guy has the feeling of putting on cool air which I don’t really like.”
“By that guy, you mean the first prince?”
“Yeah, somehow it’s like he’s a type of person that I can’t come to like.”
“You seem awfully close though. If Kururi-sama were to give a little leeway, I think you’d be able to become friends.”
“Is that so. I’m still worried, though.”
“Well then, why don’t you try giving him a present?”
“Ah, that’s a good idea.”

I end my training in the sword and immediately entered the smithy. Giving a large sword is no good, so I suppose I should make a short sword for self defense.
I started making it at once.
After leaving master’s place I had basically continued practicing every day.
The finished short sword ended up being a great piece.
“Alright, At this level I’d even like to keep it for myself.”