LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 249: It's peacefull
The overwhelming construction entirely made out of dark blocks of cleanly cut rock was taking over the valley. Its crescent shape made it seem as if the massive building was trying to reach out and grab the unsuspecting visitor. Even though each level was narrower than the previous one in a sort of stair-like formation, it appeared more like a grim monument reaching for the heavens than an actual space for living.
Well, there clearly were gardens on each step-like terrasse hosting the symbiotic combinations of plants of which the final one would bear an abundance of magic crystal fruits, but biodiversity was definitely not the first thing that came to mind upon seeing the whole thing…
"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT!?"
Disguised Bjorki stopped in place and called out, her eyes bulging out at the sight of the threatening construction.
This time, neither Melinda nor Zane silenced her as they found the reaction completely justified.
"You weren't joking when you said they were leaning into dystopian architecture…"
"I kind of was joking when I said that, though…"
The gold-haired girl glanced back and pointed out, which made the white-haired man clear his throat and reveal with a troubled expression.
"Waaah! You're really here!"
"!?"
A sudden cry diverted their attention from the building itself as the one calling out turned out to be the person responsible for it - the civil engineering inclined Kobold, Tule.
"Uuuuu! I wanted to show you when everything's ready! Now it doesn't look good yet!"
Tule cried out, shifting from one paw to the other while nervously hugging thick scrolls with what seemed to be numerous other designs.
While not all Kobolds opted for actual clothes, Tule seemed to fancy an outfit that was both simplistic and scandalous for the standards of any other race...
That being a single narrow strip of black fabric with a hole for the head and a cut splitting the rear part so that there was a space for her tail, tied up together with a golden belt right above her hips.
"Tule, is that you?!"
"Hello~! It's Tule!"
When Melinda let out a shocked gasp, the Kobold's behavior changed, and she cheered out, sounding as if she was boasting.
"Do you like it? It's not finished, but it will be really great when we're done!"
"She said the same about the last redesign, but started convincing everyone to change after one day."
Tule was so excited she hopped while asking with a bright smile when someone else joined the conversation with a rather mocking tone.
"Th-that's only because we discovered the engine and you know it! Why do you want to make me look bad?!"
Tule squirmed and cried out, greatly embarrassed, and turned over to the newly approached Kobold.
A gray-scaled one who seemed the most lizard-like, without any horns.
The gray scaled Kobold had even more scandalous tastes it seemed, as her clothes were limited to something akin to a short blouse or even a bra where a strip of white fabric was held in pace by two belts, one going around her chest under her arms, and the second one merely inches lower not even halfway her ribcage, and a golden ring around her waist with a piece of white fabric right below her tummy and thick golden bracelets on each wrist and ankle.
"Wh-what is that one wearing?!"
As if she decided to be the speaker for everything out of place, Bjorki called out in a baffled voice, staring the gray-scaled Kobold up and down.
"Hello, loud Miss. I'm the one in charge of Koboldia town. Sarmi."
The gray-scaled Kobold introduced herself to the disguised girl, with a slightly mocking look in her eyes.
"As for my attire… I was told that wearing only the bracelets makes it too distracting to the visiting humans to have a proper business talk…. Whatever that was supposed to mean."
"...!"
Sarmi crossed her arms and pointed out with a smirk, making it very obvious she knew exactly what she was doing.
"You're doing a great job at keeping your word~"
Melinda chuckled while nodding at her with approval.
"Thanks to everyone working together, it appears that we haven't been taken advantage of yet."
Sarmi seemed to lose her attitude and bowed her head timidly towards the gold-haired girl.
"Tule, you have your tasks at hand, don't you? I'll take the Brightness and her companions to the conference room and…"
"No! The conference room isn't ready at all! Please do not go into the conference room! I will die from shame if you see it in its current shape!"
"...?!"
Sarmi then reached out and tapped Tule on the shoulder, reminding her of her duties, but that caused her to rush over to Melinda, clinging to the gold-haired girl and crying out in distress.
"...wh-where should we have the talk then? Not in the middle of a construction site, right?"
The gray-scaled Kobold shook her head, taken aback by her brethren's reaction.
"Of course not! Go to your room! It's an emergency meeting room in the first place!"
"...haaa…"
Tule declared with a grumpy look in her eyes, making Sarmi let out a pained sigh.
"Could you at least call Irr over to my room when you'll be on your way?"
"...okay."
Sarmi rolled her eyes and before asking and Tule agreed, but not before glancing over at Melinda and receiving an encouraging nod from her.
"Vish. Otti. You have your duties too, don't you?"
As Tule waved her goodbye and trotted away, Sarmi gave a meaningful look to the two young Kobolds, who flinched and huddled closer to their companions.
Otti backed off and hid behind Ross, and Vish flinched and hurriedly let go of Melina's hand, instead opting to look away and cling to Catherine's leg.
"You know that I can still see you two, right…?"
"..."
"...can't we stay around…? We'll be quiet and won't disturb the meeting…"
Sarmi asked patiently - Vish didn't answer at all, but Otti ended up asking timidly without stepping out from behind the Pigkin Orc's cover.
"Otti. You volunteered to warn travelers from approaching Koboldia. Vish. You have to make a lot of adjustments to the defense system. Be on your way… Haaa… I'm terribly sorry, Brightness, but could you tell them to go?"
"Eh?"
The gray-scaled Kobold said, but seeing her words having no effect, she sighed and asked the gold-haired girl, causing her to let out a confused gasp.
"I mean… sure. Vish. Otti. Please listen to Sarmi."
"Yes!"
"...okay…"
Melinda looked around quite baffled, but ended up nodding and asking, and the two Kobolds immediately agreed, although with various degrees of enthusiasm.
"...but… will we be able to be around you later…?"
Unexpectedly, Vish ended up fidgeting and asking, timidly glancing at Melinda while still clinging to Catherine's leg.
"Of course. We will be staying for around two weeks. We will have plenty of opportunities~"
"AH~!"
The gold-haired girl declared with a smile, causing the young Kobold to gasp with pure child-like joy.