A few hours had passed and, miraculously, the construction of the new wooden cabin Isaac had in mind didn't take long to gradually form.
With the reticent Ms. Druvis' help, they were able to make a decent foundation with the wooden trees she had personally rooted off the ground as well as some stones, boulders, and dirt around.
Of course, the trees she took weren't those she perceived as the unwilling ones, but rather, as she had mentioned earlier, were trees that volunteered to be construction materials.
She mentioned that, due to the Storm's effects, the plant life in the suitcase has undergone a certain mutation which made them a bit... lively — or rather, possess some kind of personality or characteristic.
As for how they were able to shape the trees into logs and into planks, it could also be attributed to her abilities, which is a part of her arcanum. This was a fairly reasonable development.
Of course, Isaac didn't just idle around while watching her do all the work — instead, he did some other manual labor such as carrying the boulders and setting up the foundation itself by doing some digging.
Overall, the speed at which the cabin was being made was quite fast — and that satisfied him quite so.
"I'm really grateful, Ms. Druvis." Taking a short break, Isaac, who was sitting down on a boulder, thanked her. "Without your help, I might have spent a few more days just to construct that foundation — not to mention the walls you're now creating."
Truly, he might have to wait until they reached the Foundation until he could have even started sawing off the logs. Now that was certainly time-consuming and a waste of the limited amounts of time he had in his hands.
Druvis stopped commanding the trees she was manipulating for a moment and turned to him, before nodding lightly. "It's no problem. I didn't have anything to do anyway, and it was better to spend my time doing something productive and helping with matters involving this forest rather than staying idle with the rest."
At her words, he got slightly impressed.
'Right...' He thought, reminded by her history that he had just recently witnessed. 'As expected of a druid, she really cares about the plant life."
He smiled lightly. "Either way, I'm thankful. Once this part's done, is there anything you'd want? Although I do appreciate the help, I just can't bear not to compensate you in any way."
He had always upheld this moral in the past. Whether it was the smallest thing or the biggest — he always repaid what had been given to him. A price is always exacted for what fate bestows, after all.
He wasn't confident that he'd be able to compensate her in full, though, as she was taking care of every aspect of the construction by herself — still, he at least wanted to try.
"Hm..." Druvis pondered for a moment, taking a brief moment to entertain the idea proposed by Isaac.
Indeed, she was doing this all of her own volition, but if he really insisted, she really couldn't refuse. That was basic courtesy, after all.
After thinking for a while, she offered a suggestion. "I don't have much to ask for at the moment and I don't think I'd desire anything for a while... But if you're insistent, then a simple meal would do."
She had seen him cook the breakfast this morning before he and X went out of the suitcase and was even invited by him to eat with them. The three of them ate a simple meal cooked by him from the only ingredients available and felt satisfied with what he had done.
With that meal imprinted in her mind, she thus requested him this as compensation.
"...a meal? Really?" Taken aback slightly, he raised a brow — not expecting this answer at all. "I mean, I can do that, but... Will that be enough?"
He had expected her to request something relating to plants, to be honest. Was that stereotyping? It obviously was... but he didn't mean to offend her in any way with that thought. Really.
She nodded. "It will suffice."
Seeing as how she wasn't going out of her way to request anything extravagant and instead settle with something as mundane as this, Isaac didn't force anymore and quickly accepted the compensation.
If she had no problems with this arrangement, then neither shall he.
Now sharing a common ground, the two soon resumed their work. Isaac speculates that the cabin would be done in less than three days at the pace they were currently going — turning his recent dream into reality rather swiftly.
Of course, things such as furnitures, equipments, and other items were a whole another matter he'll take care of later.
While Isaac and Druvis were in the middle of their work, however, the former sensed yet another person entered the vicinity with his fog.
A moment later, the orange-haired girl, Sonetto, emerged from the forest and approached them. She looked at what they were building for a few moments — seemingly interested in it — before turning her gaze to Isaac.
"Hello, am I interrupting something? Is it a bad time?" She politely asked.
"No, not at all. Is there anything you need, Ms. Sonetto?" Isaac dropped the wooden planks he was holding and quickly addressed her.
Sonetto paused for a moment, clearing her throat, then speaking. "The Timekeeper wishes to see you. It has something to do with the field report she must finish by today."
"...hm." Isaac hummed before falling into silence. To be honest, he already knew what Vertin wanted for her field report and the reason she needed to call him for it.
'If the chance arises, I'd like to interview you about this for my personal records.'
Remembering her words yesterday when they first met, Isaac sighed internally. He already knew that this would happen, but it still stressed him a bit now that it really was happening.
It was because she was essentially asking to dig into his past — something he's trying to avoid.
To be honest, his past wasn't that great — not by this world's standards, at least. He had experienced and committed a lot of things he now doesn't want to look back to; and he very much prefers for it to be that way.
He could share it with her, but it would simply and utterly just dampen the connection Isaac was trying to establish with Vertin.
To avoid such outcome, he could only what he does best, yet again.
Massaging his temples, he paused for a moment before turning to look at Sonetto, and nodding lightly. "Alright, let's go see what our Ms. Timekeeper has for us."
Turning to Druvis, he then displayed an apologetic look. "Ms. Druvis, I'm sorry but it seems like I'll be needed somewhere for the time being."
"It's alright." Druvis replied, not minding his absence. "You go on ahead. I'll stay here for a bit."
It seemed that Druvis was a bit keen on constructing the cabin.
Receiving her approval, Isaac turned back to Sonetto and lightly nodded. "Let's go, Ms. Sonetto."
With the orange-haired girl, Isaac soon left the clearing where his cabin would be built, leaving Druvis alone for the time being.
Druvis, meanwhile, continued to use her arcanum to form wooden logs.
---
- Knock, knock...
Isaac knocked on the door leading to Vertin's room twice before uttering a few words. "It's me. May I come in?"
"The door's unlocked. Come on in." Vertin's voice echoed from behind the door, granting him permission.
Having been granted permission, Isaac turned the knob and entered. Soon, he was met with a picturesque room with ornate or quaint decorum placed throughout — yet still retaining a warm and comfy atmosphere.
Sitting behind a quaint wooden desk was Vertin, who was jotting down something on a piece of paper.
The afternoon sunlight from the window behind her shined down on her figure, outlining her youthful and elegant character. Seeing Isaac enter, she then gestured to the wooden seat in front of her. "Over here. Let us begin."
"Sure thing." Shrugging leisurely, Isaac closed the door behind him, setting himself ready for a game of lies and truths.
Indeed — in this game they're about to play, truths and lies can easily be intertwined and manipulated.
All that mattered now was how good the players were.