The Peerless Kobold - Chapter 66
“Thank you, Mr. Droopy ears. You’re really great at this.”
Grimer tied two ends of the wood together with ivy and pulled them apart to form a triangle-shaped rafter.[1] After making five pairs, they set it up in the tallest row of the three pseudo-torii.
Now it’s starting to look like a house!
I was also getting excited for some reason.
“How is this, Mr. Grimer?”
“That’s perfect Joseph, thanks.”
I was impressed. Beside me Joseph handed Grimer the roofing made of huge, dried leaves that he had been working on. Grimer used ivy to attach the roofing onto the roof’s framework.
We also made similar ones which were attached to the roof one by one. Finally, the bark, which Barrack peeled using a knife, was placed over the roof and secured.
“Guu, kuoa…” (Oooh, it’s the roof…)
“Now, let’s go at this steadily.”
The sky had gotten a little dark, but it posed no problem to the cat people who continued with their work as they could see well in the dark.
“Guu, guruouooh, gurua.” (What’s this? You’re still going at it, Chief?)
“Garuuo, guruao.” (Oh, you’re back, Buster.)
“Gaou, guuoaan?” (How did it go? Did you catch anything good?)
“Guoa, guruoah!!” (Yeah, we had a good catch today!!)
thump
Buster lowered the stag deer he hunted in front of Ax. After him, the other members of the hunting group gradually returned to the settlement with their successful kills.
“Guruu kuaouun, gurua.” (I’ll take care of cooking this, Boss.)
“Garua, guruuh!” (Then I’ll help out too!)
“Garuuuoah.” (I’ll carry this for you then.)
Knuckle, who was unskilled with his hands, carried the dead deer and slipped away with Lancer and my sister…
I’m going to leave the dinner preparations to my sister and the others, so what will come after the roof?
As I returned my gaze to the cat kin craftsmen, I saw that they had made a framework for the wall by cutting the flexible wood into appropriate lengths, and, making some appropriate incisions at the top, they split those lengthwise and tied them together with ivy. The mud made from soil, water, and the clay we harvested was generously spread onto the outer and inner side of the framework to make the dirt walls.
Right after the dirt wall was completed, Grimer went into a fit.
“Ga, garuoh!?” (Wha, what’s going on!?)
“Kuu!? Guruuh!!” (Eh!? What’s wrong!!)
While Smith and I looked at each other stunned, he smashed a section of the stone wall with a stone axe. We both looked at Grimer.
“Hmm? Oh, this? I’m building a fireplace because it gets cold in the forest at night. We’re not as warm and fluffy as you guys after all…”
I see so that’s what it was. With an expression that showed he did not understand, Smith tilted his head to one side, and I explained the situation to him. While I was at it, I also told him about the dangers of using fire.
“I’ll take care of making the chimney, so please do the interior, Mr. Grimer.”
“Roger that~”
Barrack skillfully heaped the clay mixture onto the wall to make a chimney on the outside, while Grimer created a fireplace using clay as the main material. Nearby, Joseph was making a simple bed out of bundles of wood and leaves.
“Is it complete?”
“Not yet. We need to build a fire in the house and let it dry while we smoke it and let the wood and dirt walls dry…”
Once inside the house, Grimer dug a hole in the center, threw in some crushed and dried leaves and hemp fibers, and took out the flint.
It seemed like dinner was finally ready, and my sister who went to call us stuck out her hands.
“Kyuuh, kuruaaan.” (Big brother, leave it to me.)
A small flame appeared at the tips of her fingers.
【Activated：Fox Fire】
【Effect：Lets the user create and control fireballs. ※Can be thrown】
“Woaoon…” (When did you…)
“Oh, the fox girl can use fire magic? Then, if you please.”
My sister lights a fire with a smug look on her face and burns Ax’s homemade firewood.
Looks like my chance to use the flint has decreased again…
After the cat people had dinner with us, they spent another night in my den since the building still needed more time to dry.
The following day, the finished building was covered with dry hay and the bed was also set up, creating the first house in the settlement.
However, the house could only shelter two people so going by seniority, it was decided that Grimer and Joseph would occupy it. Later on, Barrack who complained almost immediately, set out to make another house.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Triangle-shaped – the original says “への字型” or he no jikata, which translates to “shaped like the hiragana letter へ (he). “へ ” is pronounced like the “he” in “Hedwig”.
