Karisoto Ward

"… It's hard to believe this was a forest just a little while ago."

Niku was making her rounds through a newly developed area that was rapidly taking shape. This section, close to the wall, was already lined with neat rows of square, two or three-story buildings.

It didn't have an official name yet, but since Soto had created it, everyone called it the Karisoto Ward.

While her beloved Master and Mistress were away on a trip, their daughter—Soto, who was also Niku's current master—had led Golen Village through a period of remarkable growth.

And not just ordinary growth—tremendous growth. The land secured within the outer wall had expanded to the point where it could be considered a full-fledged town, with stone-paved roads already in place.

Buildings, especially residences, were springing up at a goblin-like pace thanks to Soto's new construction techniques.

Amazingly, homes could now be built in just one-tenth the time it used to take.

The downside? Wild scenes of Misha and Amelia running around inside the wall carrying live Treants, along with Basilisks and Slimes. But that was its own kind of spectacle.

Moreover, Soto's construction method wasn't just about treantstone and slimecrete—it also involved a standardized floorplan perfectly suited for the method. The buildings, nicknamed "Tofu Houses", were simple, square structures with only stairs and floors for two or three levels, leaving walls and interiors to be customized by future occupants. This was known as the "Tofu Construction Method".

… Niku had secretly overheard Soto say, "You know how in dungeon labyrinth areas the walls shift and the layout changes? I used that for inspiration."

While inspecting the new district in Golen Village, Niku suddenly caught a familiar scent.

Soto's scent. She peeked into the window of the building the smell came from—and there Soto was.

"Soto-sama?"

"Eep!? Oh—it's just you, Niku onee-chan!"

Soto slid the window open with a creak and invited Niku in. Niku took her up on the offer and entered through the window.

Inside, the building was already furnished and walled—it was clearly Soto's personal hideout.

… Though her true hideout was actually the [Storage] dungeon. This was more of a villa-style hideaway outside that.

"Soto-sama, what are you doing here?"

"This is my secret base. Don't tell Mama or Papa, okay?"

Niku nodded solemnly.

"And actually, I was doing homework. I'm calling this Tofu Construction project part of my 'High-Speed Town Development Experiment'. If I submit a report to Haku oba-sama, she gives me an allowance."

"I see."

"Personally, I'd rather get socks than money, but money's important too."

"That's true."

Niku wasn't entirely sure she understood anything beyond the allowance part, but she nodded sagely anyway.

Soto, of course, noticed this and elaborated.

"Basically, just by writing this, Haku oba-sama covers all the Slime costs and Basilisk rental fees. It's a pretty sweet deal."

"?"

"In short, all the expenses for building the walls and setting up the district are being paid by Haku oba-sama."

"… That sounds kind of outrageous."

Even Niku could grasp that creating an entire town couldn't be funded with pocket money or some small sum.

"Well, if it works out, Haku oba-sama stands to profit even more, so it's effectively free for her. This house, too—it was originally a materials storage shed. I got it for free and remodeled it. We match now!"

"I… see?"

It was indeed a former storage building, now a square Tofu House like the others, almost as if stripped of individuality to avoid standing out.

Come to think of it, the old storage house had a basement, didn't it? But there was no staircase in sight.

"Hm? Niku onee-chan, something wrong?"

"There's something odd about that wall. Isn't this room a bit smaller than it looked from the outside? And there's no window over there, either."

"Ah—that's just because I packed it with soundproofing material. You know, to block out all the construction noise. Oh, and Tofu Houses don't come with windows on that side—just on the other sides."

Soto looked away as she said this.

When she was hiding something, Soto never met Niku's eyes.

"Did you do something you'd get in trouble with Master for? Or… are you doing something now?"

"I maaaybe made the village a bit too big!"

"Please look at me, Soto-sama."

Unable to defy her Master Niku's command, Soto met her eyes.

"… …"

"W-What is it…? Are you falling even more in love with me?"

"… …"

"Uu… Ugh…"

"… …"

"Okay, okay, fine! I—I didn't do that many bad things!"

"So you did some."

"… Uuuu."

Soto drooped like a wilting flower. If she had a dog tail like Niku's, it would've been drooping miserably.

"By the way, what about the basement?"

"B-Basement? W-Who knows what you mean!"

"I see. Then you won't mind if I pull up these floorboards and start digging a hole?"

"I will mind!? Please don't destroy the house, Niku onee-chan!?"

That was a fair point, so Niku stopped.

"More importantly, onee-chan, there's some skewered grilled meat from the food stall Ichika was supervising. Want some?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then here you go. Say aaah~"

"Aaah~"

Niku eagerly chomped into the skewer Soto held out, in more ways than one.

Wagging her ears and tail, she munched happily on the grilled meat.

"Is it good?"

"Yes, it's delicious."

"Great! Then you have to keep this house a secret from Papa and Mama. Promise, okay?"

"… What exactly are you hiding?"

"It's a secret! I'm hiding a secret, so don't pry! Please!"

Since Soto bowed her head to her, Niku had no choice but to accept.

Niku stopped pressing for answers.

"Alright, I won't pry any further."

Still, she did feel it was something she should report to her Master once they returned. About the secret hideout, at least.

After all, Niku was a proud slave. And when it came to command hierarchy, her Master's word always came first.