Chapter 120

Boss and Co.
"Advance, Mr. Coote!"

Upon leaving Mari's café, Mr. Coote transformed into a large dog-sized form, allowing me to ride on his back. He took off running immediately. Alicia's presence as a guard? Well, it doesn't matter; we're on the move. In the bustling capital, we can’t run at full speed anyway.

Since I'm slow on foot, Mr. Coote is my primary mode of transportation.

"We're heading to the Carpenters’ Guild."

"Understood."

I relayed our destination to Alicia, who was running alongside us. There's no time to waste; I need to deliver the task quickly. The foreman might take on another job if I delay. While their skills are exceptional, the capital's size and population limit the space for new construction. As a result, they often rely on rebuilding or maintenance work. Still, that’s not enough to keep them occupied. I’ll bring them a massive workload—don’t overwork yourselves!

"Excuse me~!"

I pushed open the guild's door energetically. However, the lively buzz inside the guild meant no one paid me any attention. The hall was packed with craftsmen looking for jobs at the reception desk and others noisily enjoying the adjacent tavern. I navigated through the crowd, heading for my destination. The tavern had its unspoken rules, where seating arrangements followed a sort of hierarchy akin to guild ranks. I made my way to the "upper seat," a table at the far end.

"Long time no see, Lawrence."

Seated at the table were a few older men with flushed faces, drinking away. Among them was Lawrence, a master carpenter.

"Well, if it isn't the princess herself! What brings you here? Aren't you in a position where you can't just drop by? Someone’s gonna scold you."

Guilds and similar establishments are typically filled with rough personalities, so I’ve been prohibited from entering until now. The same goes for slums and certain other areas. Even the Adventurers’ Guild is off-limits unless I conceal my identity.

Come to think of it, I haven’t done any adventuring since the "granddaughter incident." Whenever I try, something like a stampede or an underground dungeon issue gets in the way.

Maybe I’ll explore a dungeon soon and score some treasures.

"I brought a job."

I pointed my dragon staff at Lawrence and cast a detoxification spell—it works on drunkenness too.

"Thanks. So, what’s the job? As long as you pay, we’ll build anything."

"I need two villages constructed urgently. Specifically, within two months."

"That's impossible. Even if we're free, taking craftsmen out of the capital and transporting materials would take too much time. And two months? Are you overestimating us?"

Well, that's the expected response.

"What if I help? I’ll handle transporting materials and workers. I can also lay the groundwork for buildings with magic. Here’s your payment."

With a clap of my hands, Alicia brought over a heavy leather bag and placed it on the table. Lawrence, looking skeptical, opened the bag… revealing a large amount of platinum coins.

"Whoa, this is too much. Even a tenth of this would be plenty."

"Work in three shifts, eight hours each, around the clock. I’ll provide lighting and even shield the villages from rain if necessary."

"Are you serious? Even so, it’s too much money."

I’m not in a position to waste time. The faster the villages are built, the better. I can’t keep fussing over Marza’s village forever. I also need to develop the forest area to establish facilities that can operate independently of my presence. Realistically, two months is the maximum timeframe I can allocate. After that, I’ll need to prepare for my father’s birthday.

If I can secure synthetic rubber, I can finish *that* project I’ve stored in my old room.

"Lawrence, you said business has been slow recently, right? So, others must be idle too. I’ll hire everyone. Leave the selection of workers to you, but make sure the wages are distributed fairly among the craftsmen."

This money is mine, so there’s no issue. If craftsmen earn money, it’ll circulate in the economy. It’s a form of national-scale money laundering using my funds, which will eventually return to the country as taxes.

"Alright, if you’re paying, you’re a valued client. Hey, spread the word to everyone in the capital!"

"Got it, Boss."

Lawrence sent a young apprentice, who had been sipping a drink at the edge of the room, to deliver the message.

Before long, people of all ages, from peers to older craftsmen, began gathering. Among them were familiar faces, but overall, this looked like the capital’s *all-star* lineup of carpenters. It seemed like almost every carpenter in the city had shown up.

"Hey, Lawrence. Are you spouting nonsense about getting a job directly from the princess?"

"No way the princess would come to a place like this. And with a bag full of platinum coins? Stop joking!"

Amused, Lawrence had me hiding behind him. It wasn’t my idea—he thought it would be funny.

"But it’s true."

""""Wha– Princess?!""""

It was getting troublesome, so I stepped out immediately. I don’t prank angry people; I stick to those like Alicia or Father. Sometimes others, too, but only within acceptable limits. The trick to pranking is staying just shy of getting scolded. Combine that with accomplishing something noteworthy, and you’ll earn a carefree life. Since I’ve been dubbed a saint lately, maybe I could up my pranking game... No, Mother’s patience might snap if I go too far, so I’ll hold off for now.

"The job is real. The deadline is two months, and I need two villages built. I’ll handle transporting necessary materials and personnel, as well as laying the groundwork for buildings, fields, and waterways. Your task is to handle the construction of homes and other infrastructure. I’ve entrusted the payment to Lawrence, so coordinate with him. It should be more than sufficient."

"I told you, it’s too much."

"There’s no way we can make this deadline!"

"Hold on, this pay is outrageous!"

The gathered craftsmen began discussing fervently. I want the villages built as quickly as possible. By offering an extravagant sum and gathering as many skilled workers as possible, I can make it happen. Using pre-cut materials to assemble structures on-site would speed up the process. Supplementing with magic tools for physical enhancement and deploying a large number of golems further reduced opposition.

"With that, it might actually be feasible—especially with the princess involved."

"Yeah! She can make anything happen!"

"Exactly! This is our chance to rake it in."

Only two foremen declined the offer. Those who accepted immediately began placing requests at the guild to recruit any idle craftsmen. Meanwhile, I sent envoys to several trading companies to procure materials. Everyone’s happy—nobody loses. They’ll gladly work hard if they receive fair compensation for their efforts.

---

Lawrence’s Point of View
I’m bored. There’s been little work lately. The main reason is that this kingdom’s capital is too small. There’s no space left to build houses anywhere. Sure, there’s work for repairs and rebuilding homes, but it’s uninspiring. It’s just enough to keep my apprentices fed.

I want to take on bigger projects—like building bridges, castles, or city walls. Those are the kinds of jobs I love: working until I’m completely exhausted and then enjoying a drink afterward.

But all I’ve got lately are trivial jobs I can’t get excited about. At this rate, my skills will go rusty.

"I got a job for you."

As I was drinking at the guild as usual, I had an unexpected encounter. The princess herself showed up. Yes, *the* princess of this kingdom.

Despite her royal status, she doesn’t come off as arrogant. She’s a bit headstrong, sure, but her easy-going personality makes her approachable—more like a town girl than royalty.

Normally, someone like me, rough and lacking even a shred of etiquette, would never get the chance to talk to her. But I first met her back when she was a kid, during repairs on the city wall.

“Got a problem with my work or something?!”

I remember yelling that at her. Yeah, I messed up big time. Yelling at royalty? That’s not something you walk away from unscathed. I figured I’d be thrown in prison for lèse-majesté or, at best, sold off as a criminal slave.

But the princess was different.

“This wall is beautifully done. A testament to excellent craftsmanship.”

Turns out she’s more like His Majesty in temperament—not like the annoying nobles who talk down to you. She looks at things from the same perspective as us commoners. She wasn’t scared when I yelled, either. If anything, she looked curious. I’d later learn that the princess has the mindset of a craftsperson, not a royal. Though her legs were trembling back then.

She inspected the city wall with curiosity. It was some of my best work, using new construction methods to improve durability and longevity.

Before long, she started roaming the capital more often, always with a maid in tow. Honestly, I wish she’d just stay put in the castle. She’s too reckless—it’s nerve-wracking. Sure, you could call it childish curiosity, but her level of interest goes way beyond normal for her age. She was constantly darting around.

“Here’s your payment.”

Hearing her say that snapped me out of my nostalgia. Honestly, I hadn’t been paying attention to her explanation until now, but I pieced together the job from the conversations around me.

It seems she wants to build two villages for a new noble’s territory. Makes sense. Starting with villages is the logical step before managing a town.

But the deadline is two months. At first, I thought she was joking, but this is typical of her. After all, stories of her battling an Ogre King to the death at age five are already legendary. Compared to that, the prince looks tame—though he gives off an unsettling vibe in his own way.

The leather pouch she presented contained platinum coins. I've only seen those twice in my life. Normally, only wealthy merchants or nobles would have them. And here they were, in abundance. No wonder her maid struggled to carry it. Seriously, who carries that much cash around? I’d heard rumors that she got rich from selling magic tools, but this was ridiculous—well beyond what a child should have.

Still, it got me fired up. A direct request from the princess is a once-in-a-lifetime honor for a craftsman. How could I say no? And with her assistance, even a two-month timeline might be doable. There’s no reason to refuse.

I respect the princess in my own way. She’s not your typical royal, but she genuinely cares about the kingdom—and about us. She’s someone who values her people. That’s why I want to meet her expectations. She could have gone to anyone, yet she came to me first. That reignited a fire I hadn’t felt in years. This is the kind of job I’ve been waiting for.

I sent one of my apprentices to call everyone I know. This wasn’t something I could handle alone, nor did I want to hoard the work. Besides, hogging a royal job would just cause trouble with the other craftsmen. I even had her hide behind me for fun, though it backfired when the others got mad—guess I underestimated how seriously they’d take a royal commission.

“Fine, I’ll file a designated request with the guild.”

The princess handled the paperwork herself. The guild staff were visibly sweating, likely caught off guard by the lack of prior notice. Poor receptionist—it’s only her second day on the job.

"All right, get your tools ready! Let’s show the princess what we’re capable of!"

"Yeah! Let’s prove how dependable we are!"

The other craftsmen are more than motivated. Who wouldn’t be? This might also be a rare chance to learn new techniques from watching the princess’s magic in action.

You never know what to expect from the princess. But one thing’s for sure—whatever she does, it’s for the good of the kingdom. And for us.

We’re not visionaries; we can’t see the future of the nation. But we can follow someone we trust. If she ever fails, that’s on us for trusting the wrong person.

So please, Princess, don’t let us down.