Author: Yume Neiji

There were no shovels, so Lulu and I decided to pick up flat stones and sticks to dig up the soil.

“Alright, where are you, worms…… huh?”

I saw a star-shaped depression in the ground. Isn’t this a familiar mark in Island Maker?

I remember it now……

I’m sure that if I dig up here, I should be able to get some items.

“As expected, Cedie is really a young master. You won’t find any worms if you dig in a place like that you know. You need to look for a place with damper soil. Like this.”

Lulu turned over the stone and found a few squiggly worms clumped together.

“See? There are worms here.”

“Yes, but I want to dig this part where there is a mark.”

“A mark? What are you talking about?”

“Ah? Can’t you see it? Look, it’s in the shape of a star.”

“Even if you say that, I don’t really see it….…”

Lulu looks at the part I’m pointing to, but she can’t see the star-shaped depression. Apparently, I’m the only one who can see it. Maybe as my privilege, only I can see it since I know that this island is a game world.

“Anyways, I’m going to dig here. Maybe I’ll find a worm or maybe I’ll even find something better.”

I crouched down and started digging. Lulu joined me, squatting down with me.

“You behave like a grown-up but Cedie is still a little boy huh. But hey, even if you dig in there, all you can find is a stone……”

Tunk! Mmm, I felt something hit the end of the stick. Let’s dig out carefully from here.

“Oh, I found a tratta stone!”

What I dug out wasn’t just a stone. When I scraped off the dirt with my fingers, a beautiful sky blue surface emerged. It’s about the size of an oversized marble.

“Eeh!?”

Tratta stone is a beautiful stone and is often used for ornamental work. It is very similar to the turquoise in Earth. It’s not as precious as jewelry, but it’s in high demand because it is used in a variety of ornaments. It is an item that can be bought at a good price in Island Maker.

“So pretty……but how did you know there was a tratta stone buried there?”

“Hmmm, maybe this is also my magic……? But I can only do it here in Gandalcia island.”

“That’s still amazing!”

Feeling confident, I ran around and found three more star-shaped depressions. Of course, I dug them all up. In the first one, I found an old coin. In the second, I found Hermes’ wing and in the third, I found a lily bulb.

I don’t know how much this old coin is worth, but if I sell it to collectors, I might be able to get a good price. I think Hermes’ wings are alchemy ingredients, but I can’t remember how to use them yet. There’s a lot of vague memories after all.

I’ve already explained the uses of lily bulbs, I’m going to leave this as a side dish for tonight. I also found some earthworms so I think it’s about time we go fishing.

“Lulu, have you gathered enough bait?”

“I’ve found this many.”

There are a lot of earthworms wriggling in the basket. With this, we won’t have any trouble with the bait.

“It’s not yet evening, but shouldn’t we hurry up a bit?”

If I am a mansion, I would be having a meal this time. But in here, I don’t even have anything to eat at night.

“There is no need to rush. The best fishing time is in the evening and early morning.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The best time to go fishing is during dusk and dawn, around sunset and sunrise.”

“This is perfect then.”

“I’ll tell Cedie my secret fishing spots. That’s the only way I can repay your kindness right now.”

I’ve heard that fishing spots are very important to fishermen so they keep them a secret even from their parents and siblings. I am glad that Lulu is so thoughtful as to tell me about it. We headed out to sea in a boat. I was told that we could catch bigger fish there than if we fished on the shore.

The waves are calm, and the sea is sparkling at dusk. The area is quiet, and the only sound was the sound of the waves splashing against the boat. This is the first time I’ve been on a boat in this life. I’ve been on a ferry somewhere in my previous life, but I can’t remember when or where. This is my first time fishing in real life. I wonder if I would be able to catch any good fish?

“If there’s even the slightest bit of a reaction, raise the rod diagonally so the hook can sink into the fish.”

“Understood.”

That being said, I wasn’t confident at all. But if I can’t catch anything here, I’ll only have lily root for dinner.

“…………whoa!”

I felt a thug, I think it’s a big one!

The fishing line and rod are trembling and it looked like they will be pulled into the sea at any moment.

“I’ll reel in the line now. Cedie, get the net ready.”

Lulu, wearing leather gloves, reels in the line. I waited with a scoop net with a long handle. The line was reeled in more and more, revealing a silvery shadow of a fish.

“It’s pretty big!”

“It’s sea bass! It’s a very tasty fish. Make sure you scoop it up.”

“Got it!”

Sea bass is very delicious when served in meunière, soup, or as sashimi. I’ll make sure it won’t swim away!

“Now, Cedie.”

“Yaa!”

When I put the scoop net in the direction where the sea bass is swimming, it went head-in first.

“-Uh, it’s heavy!”

“Don’t let go. I’ll come to help you now.”

Lulu joined me from behind, supporting the handle of the scoop net.

“Here we go. One, two, lift!”

An impressive sea bass, about 50cm long, rose from the bottom of the boat.

“We did it, Lulu!”

“Don’t let your guard down just yet, it might jump and swim away.”

Lulu inserted a knife in its gills to kill the sea bass. Then she dips it in the seawater to drain the blood. She’s usually quiet, but in this kind of situation, she really proves that she’s a legit fisherman.

“This way, it stays fresh and tastes good, right?”

“Yes, you know about it huh.”

We’ll, I’ve seen it in videos.

—Suddenly, I remembered my previous life again. I hope I will continue to recall useful memories in the future.

“Come on, let’s catch some more before we go back.”

“Yes, let’s have a fish feast for tonight!”

On this day, we are able to catch one sea bass and four horse mackerel. There were five freshly caught fish lined up in the kitchen. I’m going to try to cook this now, but as the third son of the Earl, I’ve never really been in the kitchen. I mean I didn’t have to, and I didn’t have the opportunity to do it. I was told that if I have the time to cook, I should just focus more on study, horseback riding, or practicing swordsmanship. That’s what young masters are like in this world.

However, as a I was a Japanese in my previous life, I am a little different from the usual young masters. I may not have been a professional, but I felt like I could cook a whole bunch of dishes. I really wonder what kind of person was I there and what was I doing then. Right now, I can’t even remember my name in my previous life, but maybe I’ll remember it someday.

I feel like I’m forgetting something important…….

Anyway, right now is cooking time. I’m starving after all. There’s also the issue of my happiness. If I don’t eat well, wash up and rest, I won’t recover my points.

“Alright, let’s make some delicious food. This is the first step towards utopia!”

Under the starry night sky, I started cooking with enthusiasm.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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It is now possible to create a pier!

Since I helped Lulu, I can now build a pier. My circle of friends has expanded so some conditions for the development of the island have been unlocked. Part of the beach is now shining silver. If I put my points there, I will get a pier.

“Lulu, do you know what a fisherman’s hut is?”

“The fisherman’s hut is a hut where fisherman work. And sometimes, he sleeps there during the busy season.”

It’s perfect for Lulu, who lost her home. The status screen says, 『Get to know a kind-hearted fisherman. 』 In other words, Lulu is a good person. In that case, it seems that there is no problem in providing her with a fisherman’s hut.

“Okay, wait a minute. I’m going to show you my magic now.”

“Eh? Magic……?”

Despite Lulu’s bewilderment, I went down to the beach. I’ll end up using all the points I have left but I had no hesitation.

“All right, here comes!”

Four balls of light shot out from my body into the sea. The ball smashed into waves, and then there was a deafening noise and flash of light that made it impossible to keep our eyes open.

“Kyaaah!”

“Don’t be scared, it will be over soon!”

As soon as I shouted that, the strange phenomenon subsided and the beach became quiet again. The clouds floating in the blue sky, the sound of the waves coming and going, everything is back to normal.

—The only difference is that a wooden pier extending from the beach to the sea has appeared. A small boat secured by a rope is floating at the end of the pier, and a small fisherman’s hut stood on the beach.

“N-no way….”

“Surprised? Ehehe, this is my power as the lord of Gandalcia. It’s not something I can use all the time though.”

Lulu seemed to have lost her balance a while ago, she fell on the sand butt first. She was so shocked that she can’t even speak, and she just nods her head.

“Okay, stand up. Let’s take a look inside the fisherman’s hut.”

“Y-yes….…”

Let’s see, let’s see. I wonder what it is like inside the fisherman’s hut. I have no memory of ever being inside a building like this, either in my previous life in Japan, or in this life.

I opened the door excitedly.

“Heh~, it’s like this huh……”

The interior was a single room and there are various fishing tools hanging on the walls. It seemed to be basic necessities such as nets, fishing rods, harpoons and everything else seems to be there. There is a workbench and a chair in the center of the room, and a bed in the corner.

“I think you can live here just fine. The kitchen is outside though so it looks like it would be difficult to use.”

The kamado and washing area are outside. It has a roof, but it seemed to be difficult on rainy and windy days.

“This is impressive. The fisherman’s hut looks like this.”

The specs seems to be normal huh. This is a newly built property so it may be worth more.

“I see. Alright. Lulu can use this place.”

“Eeh? Why……?”

“You are in trouble, aren’t you? Besides, it’s all thanks to Lulu that I am able to build this hut and this pier.”

I briefly explained the characteristics of my abilities to Lulu.

“I’m grateful for that, but is it really okay for me to use it?”

“Of course. You can also use the boat outside. It looks less usable than yours, though.”

The boat that had been taken as debt payment had a small mast. However, this time, the boat is a rowing type with only oars.

“No, no. That will really be of great help you know. With that boat, I can go fishing tomorrow.”

“Really? Then come, let’s go see the boat!”

We went outside together. She didn’t seem to be depressed as before, and Lulu’s steps became lighter. I am also very happy to have a wonderful neighbor.

The pier stretched about 15 meters from the beach. The water doesn’t seem to be very deep so large ships won’t be able to dock. However, this can also be upgraded, and if I allocate points on it, I can change it from a 『pier』 to a 『wharf』.

“That boat looks easy to use. Is it really okay for me to use it?”

Lulu verified it again with a nervous look on her face.

“No problem, you can use it with peace of mind. Lulu seems to be a good person after all.”

“T-that…… ehehe.”

Lulu felt embarrassed by the compliment.

“In exchange, please teach me how to use the boat and how to fish.”

“With pleasure.”

I used up all my points so I can’t develop the island anymore today. So, for the sake of my future life, I want to spend the afternoon meaningfully.

“Then, let’s go fishing. But before we do that, I’m going to collect some worms as a bait.”

“I’ll try it too!”

“Eh? Can a child of an Earl touch worms?”

“No problem.”

In Island Maker, if you dig the soil in search of insects, you will often find unexpected treasures. It may be the same case in this world so I want to give it a try.

In the game, you can get sparkling stones, alchemy materials, and sometimes even gold nuggets. You could also get a lot of other useful things, like herb seeds and flower bulbs. I remember that lily bulbs had a wide range of uses, such as being sold, growing and blooming and used as food ingredient. If I can find one, I’ll boil it and try its taste.

“Okay, let’s go!”

We set off with smiles on our faces.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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When I reached the top of the steep slope leading to the sea, I saw people arguing on the beach. One is a female and the other two are male. The female had dark skin that had been well tanned by the sun. Judging from her height, she seemed to be a young fisherman.

She is about 16 years old, older than me, I think. She had a gentle-looking face, but right now she was frightened and flustered. In contrast, the two men had sharp eyes and brute looking. Carried by the sea breeze, I could hear their conversation all the way up the hill.

“Give me back my boat.”

“If you want it back, give me my money back first.”

“You guys are terrible. You already took our house, but you also want to take our boat as well.”

The older sister speaks in a drawn-out manner so there’s little sense of urgency. I’m sure she’s usually a much more laid-back person.

Who are these guys to bully such a kind-looking person?

“If you want to blame someone, blame your father for the debt. We’re just collecting the money he owed us.”

The men were laughing at her mockingly.

“If the boat is taken away, I won’t be able to go fishing.”

“That’s none of our business.”

One of the men coldly rejected her, but the other spoke in a soothing voice.

“I’ll introduce you to a better job than being a fisherman. Looking closely, you’ve got a pretty face. And your body isn’t bad either. If you’re up for it, I think you could make quite a bit of money.”

“Wh-what…?”

“Mmm, let me check it out.”

The man gazes at the Oneesan’s body with a lewd look.

“No……”

“Don’t say that. I won’t do you any harm. Hehehe.”

“Let me go.”

The man grabbed her arm!　

What should I do…?

The two of them have fierce faces and large bodies. I knew there was no way I could handle it, but I felt like I would regret it for the rest of my life if I pretended not to know. There’s no way I can turn a blind eye to such evil. After all, my goal is to make Gandalcia an ideal island!

Even if I can’t match them in strength, maybe I can repel them somehow with bluffing….

I steeled myself and shouted loudly.

“Hey, stop what you’re doing!”

As I ran down the hill, the three of them looked at me with quizzical expressions. It seems they never thought there would be people on this island.

“Why? Who the hell are you?”

I gasped in horror, but I forcefully retorted.

“I am Cedie Dantes, lord of this island!”

When the name of the Dantes family was mentioned, the two men flinched for a moment.

“Is he for real?”

“Look at his clothes. And he has a sword hanging on his waist.”

Even though I was kicked out of the mansion, I’m still wearing fine aristocratic clothing. Moreover, swords are very expensive, so few ordinary people could buy them. Most people would rather buy the necessities of life than buy such things. Surely, these people are also from Dantes’ territory. When they found out that I was from the Earl’s family, they changed their attitude a little.

“Greetings, young master. But we’re not doing anything bad, really.”

“That’s right. We are just collecting a debt that this girl’s father owed. I have the debt document right here.”

The man showed me the papers. It appears to be genuine, and it even stated that if the money is not paid back by today, the family will mortgage the house and boat.

“How is it? There’s no problem, right?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean you should be rough with this Oneesan.”

“No, no. Young master you see, the house and the boat alone are not enough to pay off their debt. I need this girl to work too…..”

Clearly, his underestimating me, thinking I’m just a child.

“That’s a lie! The deed doesn’t say anything like that. The only things mortgaged are the house and the boat!”

“Tch!”

The men clicked their tongues and looked around.

This is bad. Are they going to ignore me and kidnap this Oneesan? Or maybe they are planning to kill me to keep my mouth shut.

“Please leave this island quickly. If I call out loud, Alexei-oniisan and his vassals will come running here!”

Of course this is just a bluff. Neither of my brothers are on the island, and even if my eldest brother is here, I very much doubt that he would do anything for me. But a lie is a useful tool, and although my eldest brother is useless, I’ll at least try to make good use of his name.

“Ah? No, it’s not like that…”

“We’ve taken the things so let’s go now.”

It seems the men mistakenly thought that my brother was on the island. He let go of the Oneesan’s arm and quickly got ready to go home.

“Give the loan document back to her before you go!”

He looked like a bad guy, so he might take advantage of it. I won’t let him do that. My tutor taught me that once you’ve made the payment, you should destroy the document properly.

“Yes, yes…”

He handed the document to the Oneesan, then they got into one of their boats and her’s, and this time, they left for good. She watched in amazement as the two boats disappeared into the ocean. Tears flow endlessly from both her eyes. She looks so crestfallen that it’s hard to talk to her.

“What should I do? How should I live from now on?”

The way she looks, with her shoulders shaking, is just like me until yesterday. I wonder if there’s anything I can do to help her.

“Oneesan…”

“Sorry for causing a fuss. I was running away from those debt collectors. But in the end, they took my boat too. I thought that as long as I had the boat, I could continue working…”

“Were you short of money?”

“My father was sick. But he passed away the other day. Now I’m all alone in the world. I don’t have a home anymore, and I don’t know what to do from tomorrow onwards.”

The more I hear about it, the more it seemed similar to my situation. I guess I can’t just leave her alone. When I tried to invite her over for some herbal tea at home, a status screen suddenly popped up.

This is probably the same as with Eugenie, as the conditions for developing something have been completed.

“What’s your name Oneesan? I’m Cedie.”

“I’m Lulu.”

“Lulu-oneesan, maybe I can be of some help to you.”

When I checked the status screen, I couldn’t help but smile.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The inside of the house had changed considerably. Thanks to the windows on all four sides of the wall, the room looks bright and much cleaner. The log material was neatly assembled, so there were no drafts like before.

“Oh, there’s a lock on the door!”

“What happened to you that you are so happy about such an obvious thing?”

Sigh. A sheltered young lady like you probably doesn’t know how much of a peace of mind you can have just by locking your door.

The door material is also made of thick boards so I can sleep more peacefully than yesterday. Immediately after entering the front door was a living room. The table and chair are the same as before, but the number of chairs has increased from one to two. There is also a mini kitchen in the corner that was not there before. It looked like some kind of playhouse set.

“What a cute kitchen. So you can cook here huh. Hey Cedie, let’s see if the stove works.”

I don’t think Eugenie has any cooking experience but she’s unusually excited. She’s been looking forward to using the kitchen.

“All right. I’ll give you the honor of igniting this magic stove for the first time.”

“Great! Ufufu, let’s boil some water.”

“That’s fine, but have you ever done it before?”

“I haven’t.”

As expected. Well, it is the same for me as well. (Not counting the ones in my past life of course.)

“I just need to twist this knob here.…..”

Eugenie is trembling, it is as if she is dealing with a forbidden magic tool.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes, I’m fine. Whoa, the stove is getting hot!”

The coiled iron wire turned red as it was switched on.

“Calm down.”

“I, I’m fine. All I have to do next is put a pot of water on top of this, right? It’s pretty easy huh.”

Putting the pot on the fire, Eugenie continued to watch the water heat up without looking away. She’s just boiling water, but to her, it might have felt like she’s doing a grand magical experiment.

“Bubbles! Cedie look! The bubbles are coming out! What are we going to do, won’t it explode?”

This might be her first time seeing something boil. Well, it’s just as you’d expect from a pampered daughter of an Earl.

“That’s what happens when the water boils.”

Eugenie enjoyed the magic stove to her heart’s content. Anyway, I think this kitchen can be used. The stove has plenty of heat, and there are small pots, ladles, plates and cup and a kitchen knife provided.

“This cottage is like a secret base, it’s fun!”

Eugenie turned off the stove and looked around the room joyfully.

“But there’s still a lot missing here. The only furniture I have is a table and two chairs. At least I want a sofa.”

“Can’t you do something with the magic from earlier?”

I can get the furniture in the living room by allocating points. This also seems to be thanks to Eugenie coming to visit. Sofas can be installed with just 1 point, and there are high-end ones that require 5 points. But I only have four points left. I have to use it carefully.

“Not now. But I’ll do it soon.”

I’ll think about it once I’ve increased my happiness and my points have recovered.

“Cedie, what’s up there?”

There was a ladder in the corner of the room which leads to the loft.

“Let’s climb up.”

Eugenie was wearing a skirt, so I climbed up first.

“The loft is a bedroom huh.”

It’s not particularly luxurious, just a simple bed and a bedside table. The red lantern, which was the initial equipment, was also placed on the side table.

“The bed has been slightly improved.”

A simple bundle of straw was turned into a straw mat, and a brown blanket was also draped over it.

“Hey, the bed looks hard. Are you gonna be okay?”

“I can’t be lavish with my current state. I’m going to turn it into something good eventually.”

Once I accumulate points, I can even get a bed with a canopy. I’ll also have a wide variety of mattresses to choose from, including memory foam and waterbeds.

“Oh, there’s a window here.”

There was a dormer in one corner of the slanted ceiling. A dormer is a small, covered window that protrudes above the roof. They are often used when the wall to install a window in the attic cannot be removed. The window opens on both sides, and it looked like it could be used to access the roof of the cottage.

“Eugenie, why don’t we go outside?”

“Are we going out to the roof? Won’t we get in trouble for doing that?”

“Ahaha, we won’t be scolded because I’m the lord here you know. Or, are you waiting here?”

“Of course not! I want to climb on the roof too!”

“Okay, let’s go. Lady, please give me your hand.”

“Ufufu, this is the first time I’ve ever climbed on a roof.”

Eugenie’s right hand is trembling slightly. Still, she moved to the roof, and we climbed further up. From the top, we had a good view of the blue sea below.

“Are you not scared?”

“Not at all. I ride Gian every day, remember?”

Indeed. With her riding Gian, she could go even higher. But Eugenie is still excited right now. There is no doubt that she is feeling the sinful pleasure from being on the roof.

“What a nice view. Mmm, the sea breeze feels good.”

I could see a large port town at the end of the inner bay. It’s Belcca. That’s where I was born and raised. I’ve come a long way huh……

“Do you miss the mansion?”

Eugenie looks into my face worriedly.

“Not really. I’ve already decided to do my best here.”

“I see….…”

She didn’t say it out loud, but I’m sure Eugenie was very worried about me. She’s always been like that.

“More than that, I’m hungry.”

“Oh my, Cedie hasn’t had breakfast yet?”

“Not yet. I was actually in bed when Eugenie came.”

“You’ve already overslept, but I’m glad you did. I brought some snacks with me.”

We went back to the first floor and sat down at the table. Eugenie brought sandwiches and fruits from the basket she had brought.

“Thank you. I’ll have it for breakfast right away.”

“Oh right, why don’t I boil some water again while I’m here?”

“Sure. But there’s no coffee or tea here.”

“I just saw lemon balm and apple mint outside. Let’s pick them and make some herbal tea.”

Eugenie taught me how to pick herbs. There are actually quite a few useful herbs growing around the house.

Hmm…. Come to think of it, I remember picking a lot of herbs in the game.

Yes, I used it for cooking and alchemy. I can’t remember how to use alchemy, but I’m going to have to use these herbs from now on. I drew water from the well and then we boiled water on the stove to make fresh herbal tea.

The fresh aroma wafted through our nose and it is very delicious. Now that I’ve learned how to brew herbs, I’m going to keep making them. For breakfast, I had herbal tea, a ham, vegetable and cheese sandwich, and strawberries picked that morning. I am very satisfied.

A quick glance at the status screen showed that my happiness level had risen from 76% to 82%.

Time really flies when you’re having fun. While we ate and chatted, the sun was now high up.

“I have to go home now, I have piano lessons in the afternoon.”

Eugenie began to prepare to leave.

“How far is it from here to Eugenie’s mansion?”

“It’s just a quick ride with Gian. I’ll come again.”

Griffon can fly, so it’s easy to get anywhere. Even if the reef that connects to the island submerges at high tide, Eugenie will have no problem getting back there.

“I’ll develop the island as much as possible before the next time Eugenie comes.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

When we went outside, Gian, who had been lying in the grass, sat up. Gian grew up with Eugenie from a young age, so he doesn’t run away even if he’s not leashed. Looks like he was waiting obediently today as well.

I really envy Eugenie.

Eugenie, who’s straddling Gian, suddenly look at the woods with an uneasy look on her face.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay? Aren’t you scared to be alone in a place like this?”

Of course I’m scared. But I’m determined. Besides, I don’t want to show my uncool side in front of my childhood friend.

“I’m not scared at all. I’m the lord of this island. One day I’ll make this a magnificent place that rivals Gandalcia in the fairy tales.”

I tried to act tough, while Eugenie nodded at my words.

“Then I’ll come again. I’ll bring you some souvenirs next time too!”

Gian spread his wings wide and took off vertically. I watched Eugenie and Gian until they are out of sight. As soon as Eugenie was gone, I felt lonely.

Now that I am alone, the sounds of nature that I had forgotten, suddenly caught my ears. The sea breeze, the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, the world is full of sounds.

Wait….What was that strange voice just now?

I listened carefully.

“Uuu……”

Along with the sea breeze, I heard a woman’s cry. The voice came from the shore but….

Is it the ghost of Elaine?

The ghost of Elaine is said to be the ghost of a woman who died at sea. It is feared and it was said that it appears with a blue light every night. The ghost drags anyone who comes to check on it into the sea.

If that’s really the case, it would be really scary, but it’s still daytime now. Besides, there are other voices. It’s not just a woman crying, I could also hear a man yelling. They seem to be arguing about something.

I don’t think it would be a good idea to just ignore it, so I decided to go to the beach and check on it.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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