“Tek here, I haven’t really spent much time around ships--even though I live within an hour walk from a Marina. Ships in another world look quite a bit cooler.”

 

There is a large river 100 meters away from the highway that we are currently following. It’s not visible right at this moment, because there is a hill obstructing our view, but in about 10 minutes it should become visible.

 

A large ship is currently going the same direction we are, so we might be able to see it.

 

This territory has a massive 800 kilometer long river which joins four of the cities, including Daregan and the Capital.

 

According to the traveler’s journal, this river is artificial--created by a large Empire that preceded the Shiga Kingdom.

 

I wonder if it was made with Magic, or giants and golems?

 

Well, calculating a bit, using my Magic, I could probably make a 2-3 kilometer long canal in a day--so it would be completed in around a year. Of course, my power seems to be much, much, stronger than normal Earth Mages. But if they had a large group, and a lot of Potions, it should be possible.

 

As expected of a fantasy world--even such a large construction sounds much easier than it would be on Earth.

 

The Oyugock Dukedom is vast--maybe large enough to house 10 small countries?

 

Just like the Muno Territory, however, most of this Dukedom consists of undeveloped mountains and forests--I wonder if there is any reason that they aren’t working on developments.

 

Even though the territory is vast, there are only seven major cities--resulting in a total population of around 720,000 people. 80% of which are Humans, while only 20% are Demi-Humans.

 

Strangely, the majority of the Demi-Humans are Ratmen--who are slaves.

 

Come to think of it, Baron Muno told me that he rarely saw Beastkin when he lived in the Dukedom.

 

As for other things of note: There are about 10 special enclaves that are similar to the self-governing dominion of the Dwarves in the Dukedom. Every one of them is similar is size as the Dwarves’ Territory. According to the traveler’s journal, there are sanctuaries for Featherkin, and Beast-Head people in the territory.

 

As one final check, I quickly search for reincarnated or transported people, and I’m relieved that there doesn’t seem to be any.

 

***

Today, I am driving the wagon, after a long time. Pochi and Tama are sitting by my sides, leaning against me while blowing into something seem to be reed flutes as hard as they can. Mia was trying to instruct them how to play earlier, and they have definitely improved, but they still aren’t very good.

 

Liza has moved her horse closer to the wagon, it seems that she’s found something, “Master, please look over there. There is something on the other side of the forest.”

 

I look where Liza is pointing, all I can see is the ship’s sail, occasionally poking out from between the trees. Since the trees are growing on lower terrain, the sail could be seen between them--unfortunately, we can’t see the river yet.

 

“That’s a ship’s sail. There’s a massive river beyond the forest.”

 

“Pipoo?”

“Pupuro.”

 

Tama and Pochi, with the reed flutes still pressed to their mouths, produce strange sounds.

 

Since I can predict what they would do next, I manage to catch Pochi as she’s about to clamber up onto the top of the wagon. I don’t manage to catch Tama, but all she does is try to climb up me, “Ship?”

 

Liza rolls her eyes and wraps an arm around Tama’s slim waist, pulling her onto the horse in front of her.

 

“I want to see.” Pochi seems to have realized that I won’t let her climb on top of the wagon, she looks up at me with wide eyes.

 

“You will see it in a few minutes,” I smile down at her and pull her into my lap.

 

She leans back and acts docile.

 

But, Mia climbs up over the board to stand on the bench and peer over.

 

With a sigh, I move Pochi over onto one of my legs, and pulls Mia down onto my lap as well. There is a proud look in her eyes--maybe she had this planned.

 

Before long, the river comes into view.

 

A very large sailing ship is advancing along in the same direction as us. But, since it’s traveling downstream, it’s moving faster than us.

 

Tama, who’s still riding on the horse, sitting in front of Liza, begins waving at the ship. Since we still aren’t very close to the river, I didn’t think that anyone could see us.

 

“Over there, person waves.” Pochi says, waving her hands at the ship too.

 

“They can see us? I wonder if the one over there is a Beastkin too?” Arisa mutters quietly to herself.

 

Mia is strangely still--she is leaning back against me and just looking at the ship.

 

“Bird?”

“Bird-Head.”

 

Pochi and Tama are waving their hands, until the ship disappears behind the trees in the distance.

 

***

Our camping location tonight is near a tributary, which flows out from the large river. There are designated camping grounds on both sides of the tributary, we took one on the other side. Normally, there would be a fishing village, or the likes in this kind of play--but there’s only an abandoned village with no one inside.

 

When I checked on the map, I could imagine the cause of the village’s abandonment. There is a group of Monsters that live near the basin that is 15 kilometers upstream. Their levels are between 26 and 29, they are called Hard Newts, and have an Acid Breath special attack. There are nine of them.

 

Since I want to harvest some of the interesting crystals in the cave, I’ll go see it tomorrow morning, or tonight.

 

I give Pochi and Tama some harpoons, and baskets, so that they can catch small fish and shellfish in the river.

 

“Big catch?”

“Big catch.”

 

Pochi and Tama came back earlier than I expected, and they have a large quantity of shellfish that look like clams inside the basket that Pochi is happily showing me. There are a lot of palm-sized crabs and shrimps in the bucket that Tama shows me.

 

I praise both the girls, patting their hair and ears.

 

***

Now then, I will leave the meal’s preparation to Lulu.

 

I will make something that we need on the bank that faces the river--a large bath, which I use Mud Wall to create it, before hardening it with Hard Clay.

 

I made sure that the size was large enough so that everyone can fit in it.

 

I use Sky Drive and inhuman Stats, and a large barrel, to carry water from the water and fill the bath--then I warm it using Forge, and stop at a reasonable temperature. Since I use Forge fairly often, to start the fire for cooking, or to heat stones to dry clothing, I have mastered the regulation of the temperature--which is why I use it so often, I’m pretty sure it will come in use.

 

Everyone is pleased when I tell them about the bath--though Mara seems to be in shock. Apparently she had been watching me, and I had forgotten that I hadn’t explained my abilities to her.

 

“Master, I’m applying for the duty of washing your back,” Nana says with imploring eyes.

 

Which starts off a cascade of all the girls, other than Mara, saying that they want to.

 

“Master’s back, I, I’ll clean it.” Lulu spoke out.

“While it’s presumptuous of me, I will wash it.” Liza spoke with a calm face, and her tail thumped the ground.

 

“Tama will do it!”

“Pochi will wash.”

 

This happened every time we bathed together--we sorted out an order when we were in Baron Muno’s castle, but we may need to remake it out here too.

 

The girls knew that all of them couldn’t, but they still offered the service.

 

As usual, they all disrobe, and help me remove my clothing--I had offered Mara to have a bath after us, because she seemed too uncomfortable, she agreed.

 

When I enter the bath, for some reason the girls wait for me to enter first, I lean against the wall and look up at the sky.

 

As I relax, the girls begin to enter.

 

I hear the splashes, and my body feels heavier. I look down and see that it’s Mia. She is sitting on my lap, submerged up to her abundant chest, facing me with a flushed face--with a pleased noise, she turns around and leans her back against me.

 

I had been surprised the first time she had entered the bath with us calmly, but she explained that there is a joint bath in the Elven Village.

 

She squirms a bit, and firmly places her head under mine, my chin resting on top of it.

 

Pochi and Tama enter next, beginning to play in the water, washing each other--it really is a nice sight, all that jiggling, and squirming, and partially obscured bits slipping in and out of sight.

 

Arisa jumps in and leans against me, she is staring at the two Beastkin girls--after a few seconds, she begins muttering to herself, scheming something.

 

Nana sits across from me, her generous assets floating in the water. As usual, she pushes them down and watches them float up again--she seems to really like doing that.

 

Yep, Mia is of a similar size to Nana--only slightly smaller--and both are a little bigger than Tama and Pochi.

 

Lulu, with slightly pink cheeks, sits at my other side, snuggling up against me.

 

Liza enters, moving over to Tama and Pochi, calming them down, and making sure they clean themselves properly. I had chosen Liza to clean my back, so the other girls happily settled in--well, Mai sounded displeased when I moved and allowed Liza to clean me, she didn’t only clean my back, which caused even more of a ruckus.

 

Sitting back against the wall once I am clean, my gaze meets Nana’s. I remember the first time we all bathed together:

 

“Master, I’ve discovered a serious matter! I request confirmation.” Nana had called out to me, drawing my attention away from Arisa, who had been ‘playing with’ Lulu.

 

When I looked over, I saw--

 

“Breasts float in water! Furthermore they’re soft, and somehow cute.” There’s the figure of a beautiful, naked woman, who’s breasts float in the hot water as she happily pokes them.

 

Nana can be adorable.

 

And after that day, Nana began to study Water Magic, with Mia instructing her. Since she seems so happy with floating breasts, I wonder if she would make some kind of water dress.

 

Back to the present, we all finish our time in the bath with a lot of fun. Liza likes bathing the most, she just lays in the hot water with a very pleased expression--until it gets cold.