Chapter 159 - Episode 154: The Golem Squad's First Deployment
One day in the height of summer. In front of the puppet mages lined up at the territorial army barracks training ground, Noein raised his voice.
"First, I want to praise your efforts up until now. It has been about ten months since training began. You have done well to overcome these mentally grueling days of doing nothing but moving golems every single day. While not all the training is finished yet, it's fair to say you've all grown into different people compared to when you first arrived in this territory."
Behind the seven puppet mages, including Gustav, who were listening to Noein's words, their golems stood with corrected posture, just like their owners.
"The work you will tackle from here is also part of your training, but unlike before, it is something infinitely more practical. And today will be the day your activities first come to the eyes of the territorial citizens."
Since they had become able to perform movements almost indistinguishable from humans for non-combat actions, and the goal of reaching "half of Noein's skill" was coming into view, Noein intended to have the puppet mages perform training that doubled as practical field work for the first time.
The content was assisting with flood control works.
The river flowing from the west to the south of the capital city Noeina is not particularly large, but watermills and public baths are built along the southwestern riverbanks, supporting the lives of the territorial citizens.
In order to incorporate this river into the city's urban area moving forward, Noein decided to carry out full-scale flood control works. This was because having a natural river flow as-is through the city posed problems both in terms of disaster prevention during the rainy season and the city's landscape.
"If we try to do flood control works with human power alone, it will require considerable labor and there are dangers. However, if you golem users exert your strength there, it will be a great help to the territorial citizens. The citizens will surely be grateful for your success."
While listening to Noein's words, Gustav and the others wore expressions as if they were about to enter actual combat. Because it was the first time their actions would directly lead to the territory's practical benefit, their morale was considerably high.
"Today is an important day for you. This construction is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate your abilities. I want you to exert your strength and display the techniques you have cultivated until now. Let us show the usefulness of the Arqvist territorial army's golem squad. Are you ready?"
"Of course, Your Excellency. We will surely meet your expectations and show you the results of our training!"
Gustav answered on behalf of the group to Noein's question. Cecilia and the other five golem users also nodded with confident expressions.
"That's the spirit. Everyone, do your best... Well then, let's head to the river."
""Yes, sir!""
All seven of them saluted with powerful replies. Following them, the golems also took the posture of a salute. This, too, looked remarkably better compared to before.
.....
"Amazing, the mud from the riverbed is being scooped out faster and faster."
"Yeah. And the riverbank was just grassland until this morning, but that area over there has been firmly solidified in just half a day."
The afternoon of the first day of construction. While watching the golems steadily progress with the dredging of the riverbed—which is particularly heavy labor among flood control works—and the work of solidifying the riverbank soil to create small-scale embankments, the territorial citizens spoke.
Over a hundred people gathered around the river, watching the seven golems work.
Initially, there should have been only citizens who participated in the construction as laborers for the sake of daily wages, but before they knew it, those who were performing reclamation and cultivation work nearby, and even idle people who had come out of the city after hearing that "lots of golems are moving and it's amazing," had gathered, and the number of spectators had ballooned.
"Are those young kids over there moving the golems?"
"So it seems. I heard they're a group of mages that Noein-sama newly hired and raised."
"Heh, they're not on Noein-sama's level, but the movement of those people's golems is impressive too."
The territorial citizens—men, women, and children alike—exchanged impressions while watching the golems and Gustav and the others who operated them.
The flood control works were designed to proceed with a process where the golems performed the rough work, and the laborers did the detailed finishing.
Therefore, the laborers who were blankly staring at the golems actually had to work, and the behavior of the other territorial citizens who were slacking off from their jobs during the day to indulge in spectating by the riverbank was also a problem, but Noein intentionally overlooked this.
For the territorial citizens living in a frontier city, such a rare sight would be a precious entertainment, and burning the image of Gustav and the others' success into the eyes of many people was one of the goals of this construction.
"Compared to when they first came here last year, those guys have certainly changed beyond recognition."
"Right? To be honest, I was surprised that all of them reached this level of proficiency in less than a year. All seven of them worked considerably hard."
Noein, who was saying this, was also spectating under the guise of inspection at a position slightly removed from the territorial citizens. Matilda was waiting by his side as usual, and Pence, who was in charge of the supervision and security of this construction, was lined up next to him as a conversation partner.
"It's a huge hit with the territorial citizens, so as a debut for the golem squad, it's flawless."
Among the spectators, there were those who spoke to the golem users or sent cheers, and the seven of them responded by waving their hands. Some were moving their golems with exaggerated gestures while being blatantly conscious of the gazes of the young girls.
Showing such conspicuous success, and on top of that being young, high-earning, and mostly unmarried, the golem users will likely be very popular from now on.
"...However, from tomorrow, I'll actually make the laborers work properly. If we let them spectate forever, the construction won't finish, and it's dangerous that people from other unrelated reclamation work are slacking off too. If the Chief Retainer saw this state of affairs, he'd flip out."
That Chief Retainer, Yuri, was in charge of training guidance for the soldiers at the territorial army barracks today, so he did not know that the flood control construction site had become such a commotion.
"Ahahaha, you're right. Even though it's just a weekday, it's become like a festival. Everyone will get scolded if they're found out."
"While saying that, you yourself won't even get angry. Noein-sama is too soft on the territorial citizens."
Pence shrugged his shoulders at Noein, who was instead enjoying this lively atmosphere.
"Well, one day is enough to show the gallant figures of the golem users to the territorial citizens. I'll leave the proper supervision to you from now on."
"Of course. Otherwise, even I'll be scolded by the Chief Retainer."
After that, thanks to the struggles of the golem users, the flood control works progressed significantly faster than originally planned.
Through this construction, the abilities of the golem users became known to the territorial citizens, and they came to be welcomed as reliable military strength.