Chapter 291: After the Sandstorm Passed |
The sandstorm that attacked our base lasted for five days. During this time, several problems naturally arose. The most significant issue was the stress caused by the feeling of being trapped.
Although we knew we couldn’t go outside, the inability to do so became a source of stress. Irritations led to arguments among those living in the same house, and I spent my days mediating disputes and handling various issues.
Another common hardship was related to the toilets. The feces and urine were supposed to fertilize the fields, so there were designated toilets for men and women set up in several places. Until now, the desert climate had quickly dried them out, so odors were not a problem.
However, during the sandstorm, we couldn’t go outside. Thus, we dug deep holes in the corners of each house to use as toilets… But the smell wafting from these became a torment to everyone. The odor grew stronger each day and had the sandstorm lasted any longer, my nose might have become crooked.
“Ah! The sun is wonderful! But, it’s really too hot!”
When the roar of the sandstorm subsided, and we were convinced that we had survived it, we removed the blocks that had sealed the entrance and stepped out into the open. It was noon, and the heat outside was still intense enough to scorch the skin.
However, the relief of being able to go outside seemed to outweigh the heat. Those who usually could only be active at night due to the temperature were now out in the sunlight, and although they winced in the heat, they still took deep breaths of the outdoor air.
“I think we need to be prepared with the thought that the sandstorm will last for at least five days.”
“Yes, we need to set up a better environment to wait it out. There’s a lot to do.”
First, we decided to inspect the houses that had sheltered us from the sandstorm. Naturally, the makeshift toilets we had dug inside needed to be promptly filled in, but more urgently, we needed to check if the houses had sustained any damage from the storm.
If there were any cracks in the blocks, we would have to change our building methods. A house that could be damaged by just one sandstorm was too dangerous to live in.
“Tigar, Gora, Linardo, how did it look?”
“A bit worn down here and there, but no cracks at all.”
“I tapped around a bit too; I didn’t hear any strange noises. Seems all right for now.”
“Actually, the edges of the blocks have rounded off; might even be safer against injuries now?”
When we divided up to inspect each house, we concluded that there were no problems. Although the surface of each house had been scratched by the sandstorm, there were no cracked blocks, nor did it appear that any blocks had been completely dislodged. It was a great relief, at least for the time being.
Well, after being hit by a sandstorm several times, or perhaps dozens of times, the structures would inevitably deteriorate. However, with regular repairs, they should withstand further damage. It didn’t seem necessary to fundamentally change the construction methods.
“Rounded corners, huh? Would it be better to build houses in a more circular shape from the start?”
“No, that sounds difficult, doesn’t it? At least, it seems impossible for us.”
“The chief is right, boss. We can handle physical labor just fine, but construction is a whole different field.”
If the sandstorm acts like sandpaper and rounds the corners, it would make sense to build structures with more rounded shapes from the start. This naive thought of mine was quickly dismissed by Tigar and Gora. While they were confident in their physical strength as demons, they were certainly not carpenters. Their practical experience of stacking blocks had deeply ingrained in them the impracticality of such an idea.
Without the knowledge to build functional houses or the skills to assemble them, we had no choice but to continue constructing rectangular houses by simply stacking blocks just like we had done before.
There was nothing to be done about it… No, wait. Skills should be acquired through practice and repeated construction. If that was the case, couldn’t we somehow manage with just the knowledge and blueprints?
And I knew someone who was unrivaled in knowledge. Could I not get some ingenious solution from that “person”?
“Lappy.”
“What is it, big brother?”
“There’s something I want to ask Acht.”
“Okay, got it.”
Lappy who was standing next to me took Acht, who was in the form of a hair ornament, and brought him closer to the palm of her hand. Acht immediately turned into his favorite shape, a small bird, and stared at me intently.
“Acht. I have a question to ask Aiwass through you.”
[Hmm, what might that be?]
“”””””!?!?!?””””””
When I asked my question, Acht’s eyes glowed blue, and suddenly the figure of Aiwass was depicted in a similar blue light in the air. The refined face and the sharp, wise eyes filled with accumulated knowledge were unforgettable.
Since it was just his image, I felt no more than a sense of nostalgia, but if it had been the real thing, I would surely have felt the pressure of being in the presence of someone overwhelmingly superior. However, what was in front of me was just an image. Since Zwei had shown me holographic images of the continent before, I wasn’t particularly disturbed.
But my comrades reacted differently. Even Marcellus, Decius, Asumi and Lorentz, who probably had more knowledge than us, stared with wide-open eyes. The only exception was Mika, who respectfully bowed his head.
“It’s been a while, Aiwass.”
[You look well, which is good to see. It seems you’ve arrived in the desert.]
“That’s true, but… it sounds as though you are hearing this for the first time.”
[Actually, it’s because I learned about it for the first time. Acht is fickle, you see. He only reports to me when he feels like it or when I ask him directly.]
I hadn’t known Acht to be like this. Both Lappy and I had found him quite obliging whenever we asked for something; I had thought of him as more dutiful than fickle.
But Acht seemed to be upset with Aiwass’s comments and chirped in protest unusually. But Aiwas coolly ignored those protests. He was such a ruthless man.
“So that was it. I didn’t know.”
[It’s only natural since you had no way of knowing. Did you need something from me?]
“Ah, yes, that’s right. Actually…”
I openly told Aiwas about how I had arrived in the desert and that I had no knowledge or skills in architecture. I asked if he had any advice or clever ideas to offer with that in mind.
[I see… then I shall send some helpers.]
“Helpers?”
[Sechs and Sieben. You remember them, right?]
I nodded my head at Aiwass’s reminder. Sechs and Sieben were Luminous Crystalline Life Forms like Acht. Both had humanoid shapes though; Sechs was bulky and powerful, while Sieben had six arms.
They had been dealing with the body of the Sea Emperor Whale that had swallowed me and which I had poisoned from the inside. Given their physique and efficiency, it was logical to assume that they were assigned to physical labor. Their help would be worth a hundred men.
“Those two, huh? Thank you.”
[No, it’s actually my oversight for missing something that should have been obvious. There was no way an architect would conveniently follow you to an uninhabited desert.]
Aiwass shook his head in self-mockery. Apart from the members of the Special Operations unit, the only others who accompanied us were Chirik and other war orphans who had nowhere else to go, Chris, who was supposed to take care of us, and Lorentz. No one else was present. In fact, no one but Lorentz would willingly travel to a barren desert.
It seemed like he was mocking himself for not having anticipated this, but it had been my responsibility to create a base for him. The fault lay with me for not having arranged it.
“I’m the one to blame for not making the arrangements. Please don’t apologize.”
[Then let’s agree that we were both at fault. Then I’ll have Drai send both of them. They should arrive…in about ten days; they have other duties assigned to them.]
“Understood. I’ll wait.”
After nodding once in response to my answer, Aiwass’s image disappeared. With that, the most pressing architectural problem seemed to be solved. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though Aiwass’s image had disappeared, the surroundings fell eerily silent. Was the conversation that shocking? It was just a conversation, after all…
“What’s wrong?”
“Wh-What do you mean, ‘what’s wrong’!? What was that just now!?”
“That was Aiwass, the benefactor who saved me. He’s also the creator of Acht.”
“No, not that! I mean… how should I put this?”
“Are you talking about the hologram? That’s a technique that manipulates light to project images of people and objects. It seems Aiwass has mastered that technique.”
My explanation seemed to both surprise and somewhat satisfy Tigar and the others. It appeared that the technique Aiwass was using was too advanced for them to fully grasp. Once they understood the basic mechanism, they were either overwhelmed by its effect or deeply fascinated by it.
Surely, those of the latter kind would be suited for research roles. Naturally, Chirik was among them. Perhaps I should recommend him to Aiwass?
“No, the earlier thing was amazing, but there are more important matters to attend to right now!”
“Important matters?”
“The fields! We need to check on the fields!”
“Wait! Woodsorrel!”
Though all thoughts were drawn to Aiwass’s sudden appearance, Woodsorrel’s point was valid. The farm we had worked so hard to build could have been damaged by the sandstorm. It was even possible that everything had been destroyed. We had to hurry and check it out.