Built It! I Built the Church!

And so the church was built. Overnight.

Through the hands of the mysterious construction mage Narikin, a perfect church was completed.

The chapel has seating prepared for sixty people. Eventually, all those seats will be filled with believers sleeping and drooling.

The stained glass that lets warm light flood in depicts a white futon. This too is quite the masterpiece.

I can't draw human faces, but I managed this. Yeah, it maybe sort of kind of doesn't not look like a futon, but surely people will understand it's a futon. I mean, from any angle, it clearly looks like a futon, right?

By the way, I built it between the tunnel and the inn. It's also reasonably close to the residential area.

With this prime location, not only villagers but also passing merchants will surely come to worship.

"Alright."

"Oh Kehma, you already built the church? Did you pull an all-nighter?"

"Ooh, Rokuko. I told you to call me Narikin when I'm wearing this mask… Well, whatever. Look at this, the Beddhism Church. Pretty impressive, huh? Hahaha."

"Okay, okay, I'll give you a lap pillow, so let's take a nap for now."

"Huh? What are you… hey, stop pulling me. Oh, but a lap pillow, that could be material for the scriptures. Alright, I'm counting on you, Rokuko."

And so I removed my mask and rested my accidentally-stayed-up-all-night sleep-deprived head on Rokuko's lap pillow.

…

When I woke up in the private room space I'd built inside the church, I reflected a little.

Also, why am I still being given a lap pillow by Rokuko with her patting my head saying "there, there"? Haku-san is going to kill me.

"Kehma, has your head cooled down? I thought you were still sane when you said you'd build a church, but were you perhaps already sleep-deprived?"

"… No, I don't think so."

"Then it's a good thing I made you sleep before things got serious. Heh heh heh, nice assist, me."

No no, even when I'm sleep-deprived, nothing serious has ever happened… right?

Anyway, I sat up. I felt a bit reluctant to leave Rokuko's lap pillow, but…

"Well, uh, thanks, Rokuko. I'm back to normal now."

"You're welcome. So, what are you going to do? Sally came to greet me yesterday too."

"Let's see… For now, Sally-san insists it's a vacation, so we won't pry and just leave her be. Shikina stays as-is too. As for Maiodoru… yeah, status quo there as well. So, shall we spread Beddhism?"

"… Well, none of those seem particularly urgent."

Right, there's lots of troublesome stuff, but I think it can all be left alone for now. I want to sleep.

"So, about spreading it. Got any good ideas? Like, followers of Beddhism get discounted tunnel tolls."

"If you did that, it would reveal that Beddhism and the tunnel dungeon are connected. Do you need more sleep?"

Rokuko patted her lap… Yeah, good point.

Also, Rokuko, you've really gotten smarter recently. At this rate, you'll be called a sage by next year, won't you?

And you've started accurately targeting my preferences… clever.

"Then how about a free pudding as a service when believers stay at the inn?"

"That sounds good. Though it might cause a rush. By the way, is there a conversion ceremony?"

"Ahh… nope, that would be a hassle. Let's just have them say 'I am a Beddhist' and that'll be enough. We'll sell coins with holes in them as the holy symbol to those who want them."

"How casual."

"I mean, it's a hassle… I'd rather sleep than do something like that."

By the way, the holed coins will be one copper for a copper version. Five copper for an iron one, one silver for a silver one, and one gold for a gold one. Use them as charms for peaceful sleep.

Also, strings and chains sold separately. Besides making them into necklaces, you could also use them as keychains or straps.

"These coins are blank, aren't they?"

"I couldn't think of a design… Right, individual believers can carve or draw whatever they want to dream about on them."

"Is that okay?"

"I'm basically the rules, so anything goes. If you have any requests, I'll accept them while the offer stands."

"It's not quite a request, but may I ask one thing?"

"Sure, what?"

"This church, who's going to manage it? You're just going to sleep and ignore it, aren't you, Kehma?"

…

Crap!! I completely forgot. Even if I build the building, it's useless without someone to mind the shop… I mean, without a caretaker! Like a monk or a sister or a brother, that kind of person!

"Haah, judging by that look, you didn't think about it at all, did you? Well, it's nothing that can't be solved by summoning a monster."

"R-Right. I just need to summon a monster that can pass as human."

"But isn't this a waste of money, Kehma?"

"… Yes, it's a waste of money."

"You know, I've been thinking lately. Even though you're the Dungeon Master, you won't let me use DP freely, yet you're the only one who gets to waste it however you want. How's that fair?"

Ugh, it's true that I've only been giving Rokuko pocket money levels of DP. Though Rokuko does have pocket money from Haku-san's tips, and I haven't really been using that much DP either, but…

"So, try solving this while using as little DP as possible. You can use up to 1000 DP. If you can manage it, let's see… I'll lend the Divine Comforter to this church as its sacred object."

"Oh, you sure?"

"You were planning to borrow it for prestige anyway, right? It's fine to use it during the daytime."

If I hang it on a clothesline under the light streaming through the stained glass, it'll look divine even though it's really just airing out a futon.

"Alright, I'm in."

"Then I'll put a restriction on the DP you can use from now on. If you use more than 1000 DP before you solve this, you lose. And if you go over—let's see, how about you have to do one thing I say, anything at all?"

"Got it, as long as it's not unreasonable."

"Fufu, I'm looking forward to it."

Rokuko smiled.

"No wishing for more wishes or anything like that."

"… That was an option? You really are a genius, Kehma."

I feel like I was led into that, but whatever.

I opened the menu and fiddled with the DP display… Separating it from the dungeon management DP, aaand… remaining 1000 DP. Menu-san has all sorts of handy little features like this.

"I'm ready."

"Let me see… yep, perfect. Do your best, Kehma. Though it's fine if you don't, you know?"

"What, it's no big deal."

Heh heh heh, I'll definitely borrow the Divine Comforter. For the sake of Beddhism!

Just as I renewed my determination, there was a knock on the door.

"Goshujin-sama, ya awake!? We got a problem!"

"Hmm? Ichika? What's wrong?"

She must have rushed here. Having entered the room, Ichika was slightly out of breath.

"Shikina smashed that magic drug Tsuia's Ojou-sama brought, and now they're havin' a row! Do somethin' about it!"

… Ughwaa.