The Frontier Alchemist ~ I Can't Go Back to That Job After You Made My Budget Zero

"Hey, you see that? That's the first potential site."

Roa pointed to a group of buildings that looked like ruins.

Kalin's request to find a potential new town was not, as expected, an inefficient one, as if we were to go around the territory at random. Kalene did not explain to us that there were several candidate sites that had been selected in advance by Roa and Ahri, and we were supposed to visit them.

The first of them was just around the corner.

I turned around at the sound of Roa's voice.

As it was too cramped to accommodate three people in a Hippopo, I had modified the scrolls of "Combination" to summon two Hippopo Brothers, one for Loa and one for Taura.

"Understood. I'll continue on my way, is that all right?"

I ask them how they are doing.

Roa is somewhat animated. He seems to have given a name to his ride, the Hippopo Brothers, and seems to be handling it well.

Taura, on the other hand, seems a little awkward with the beast. Even though Taura is a knight, I guess priest-knights do not fight on horseback.

While I am thinking about this, we are entering a group of ruins. There are not many buildings, but stone walls.

However, the stone pavements that cover the ground are still quite beautiful, as there is little erosion by plants, which is a characteristic of a remote area with a high level of elemental elements. The rhythm of the walking of the hippopotamuses makes a sound.

I lean over from Hippopo and look down, "I think we can use the cleared part of the road here.

"It's also important that it's near the ocean and just barely out of the territory of the half-fish," Roa adds.

"So what do you think?"

"Hmmm. It would be suspicious if there are no monsters living in this kind of ruins. I think we need to find out why monsters don't live there. Other than that, I think it's pretty good.

I reply, looking around.

"Kalin-sama wants the sea, too," says Roa.

"Well, I guess so."

"What do you mean, 'target the ocean'?" Taura asks curiously.

"I guess Kalin wants to have a base along the coastline in the future. The sea is very attractive for salt production and ports.

"Isn't the sea around here the territory of the demon tribe and the half-fish people?"

"Well, he's a demon-slaying hero," I reply with a wry smile.

Somehow, I could see myself in the future, being asked to do something reckless.

"I see. So this is a bridgehead for that purpose. So, what are you going to do now?"

"First, we will build a base for research. That building will be just right."

I pointed to a building I happened to see that still had a relatively intact roof and walls.