Why don't you build a village on top of the world tree

"I don't want to hold the knife anymore. I think I'm gonna stab you."

"What!?

Richay, who survived cooking class by Mr. Cyry, groans with his vain eyes, and Melmie sees Richay with his stunningly colored eyes.

We were coming back from Salatin 'City to Yoinsley's office shaken by a car pulled by two sheep-like coyotes.

Richay turning his back on the office kitchen, but Mr. Cyry has thrown him a spoon when it comes to cooking.

I was in the village of Kramt for about five months, but my cooking skills didn't improve.

I read the exam requirements for the Jianqiao family qualification that had arrived in my office. He seems to stay in for two days in writing and interviews during the exam. I have to get dressed.

So, the key exam date is...

"That's tomorrow. If you hadn't used a coyote car, you wouldn't have made it to this year's exam."

"I don't suppose even the upper management of Joynesley expects to come and take it the year they qualify. I think I'll try after 10 years of studying."

"Right. The Jianqiao family says it's the hardest thing to do alongside a heat source manager, and Amane is only twenty years old. I don't think Joynesley's in that much of a hurry."

Agree with what Melmie said, and Richay will see me.

"Are you going to take it tomorrow?

"Of course, I'm going to take it. What a waste of time."

"That's a premise to take."

I've been aiming to build bridges since the beginning, so it's not like I don't have enough time to study.

People in this world flat out take a prep period in a ten-year span, but I'm more alive and in a hurry.

In the meantime, Kanes was supposed to be ten years older than me that he qualified as a Bridger, so he seems to think that Joynesley would take it after 10 years of studying as Melmie put it.

The Jianqiao family exam was divided into two days to confirm the written knowledge and interview.

Unlike architects, bridge builders are vocational qualifications for building structures across multiple branches.

Fully qualified for the top compatibility of architects and have enough name value for the job to set in.

Most of those who qualify as bridgebuilders are over 400 years old because their track record as architects affects their eligibility, and those who qualify with double digits of age are the last four or five besides Kanes.

Narrow gates, but not even unrealistic.

Confirmation of knowledge was done in writing, so the interview mainly explored the personality.

"It's unusual. Not a single person in the past comes to qualify as a bridge builder in just one year. To be honest, we can't make up our minds either. Amane, I was wondering if I could give you the bridge-builder credentials. What do you think of yourself?

Whatever you think, I don't think it's personally a problem, and as far as knowledge is concerned, I think it's more than enough as far as the results of the earlier writing are concerned.

But that won't be what you're asking.

The Jianqiao family is a task that affects multiple branches. If we take out unauthorized data and proceed with the construction forcefully, in the worst case, the branches break. It's a catastrophic profession.

If it was meant to be, it would have pre-investigated the exam's previous work experience and reputation at the place of work, and would have kept it alive in this interview as well.

But I've only been an architect for a year. It is my electric shock test where the upper management of Yoinsley is getting high because it will be about ten years from now.

The bubble-eating sensation is seeping out of the interviewer.

I stretch out my spine and open my mouth so I can look full of honesty. I'm super clean right now.

"Indeed, I have only been able to do my job as an architect for about a year. But I've never been out of my hands since I was working as a disciple under Mr. Frangs, the Bridger."

"But you didn't think yourself that a year was too early, Amane? It's been ten years, maybe thirty years, but we think it's early enough."

"I am aware that I still have a lot to learn, but as a bridge builder, I decided that I possessed the necessary skills and took the exam. We also meet the conditions, at least in terms of knowledge, from the results of the writing."

"That's true..."

He's in trouble.

The results of the written exam are top of the ten examinees. I haven't chosen one contraindicated limb that would fail in two.

Cannot be dropped to the examination because there is not enough practical experience before the examination qualification is awarded.

I don't have a problem with the writing, and I don't personally have any problems with this.

So, extra interviewers are in trouble.

After a while of thinking, the interviewer stuck his elbows at his desk and stepped up to me.

"Let me be clear to you personally. Amane, you qualify as a bridgebuilder too soon. I can't find any problems with your work this past year, nor will I have any problems with your own personality. However, if I set a precedent by passing you, there is a risk that the situation will normalize when the candidate's predisposition is not satisfactorily investigated. So, Amane, I'm against you qualifying as a bridgebuilder. I'm sorry to hear that, despite the fact that you don't have any discrepancies in yourself."

I knew this would happen.

It was something you expected, but it's still something you regret.

The interviewer looked at me and went on when I almost gave up the idea that I would have to work with the trick seriously in the future.

"But you can't drop it in an interview unless there's nothing wrong with you. Exams should be conducted fairly for individuals. So, if you pass, I want you to agree to release your exam results to the public."

"Open to the public, is?

By publishing your grades, do you intend to set them at the lowest level of qualification for a bridge-builder in just over a year?

"I don't mind."

"Right. Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't do that. And, as you know, the practical exams after this are going to be pretty tough on you. One of the reasons for this is that I want to see exactly what you're capable of, but I also want to see what you're capable of."

"Could I have said that?

If you don't tell me, I don't think you know if I'm the only one with a tough rating.

The interviewer laughed calmly.

"It would be unfair not to say. Take your time."

"Thank you"

I bowed my head and was told to pass the interview and left the venue.

That was the last exam I received, and the content of the actual technique was to plan the development of the town.

It's a plan for a town across three branches that actually exist. Naturally, it also includes the design of bridges for moving branches, which involves a prosperous calculation such as the dispersion of loads.

Because there are survey materials, after preparing and submitting basic materials such as load limit quantities from here, we go back to each office to design them and submit them at a later date.

Other exams were suffering with their heads in a bustling calculation. Anything, they also give exams that take about two days.

I did the calculations and three tests in about three hours and submitted them to the examiner.

"That's pretty quick. There is no mistake in the calculations. You can go home now. Again, this development plan is what will actually be used. Include budget and material orders, and cite the total strength of the office. If you qualify as a Bridge Builder, this will be your first job."

"Okay."

Thanks, it seems that this last practical exam itself is set to be the first job that combines the facial appearance of a Jianqiao family qualifier.

If there are more than one successful candidate, a presentation will be made locally.

I'll take all kinds of materials and follow the test venue and use the back road to get to the office.

When I bought souvenir sweets on the way back to the office, Richay was drinking tea.

"Welcome back. Did you pass?

"Writing and interviews pass. I'm about to take a practical exam."

Rumor has it you're doing your job.

Give Richay the survey materials that he gave me at the test venue and the basic materials that I calculated.

"The area available is huge, but there's a lot of steep slope, and the branches are just too tall."

"I think Kanes wants someone who can create a beautiful city for the opposing horse because he said he appreciated the magnificence of the building. I guess that's why I'm trying to measure my strength with these fluctuating branches."

I left my stuff at my desk, and I looked around the office.

"With that said, is Melmie not here?

"... do you care?

"Oh, I would have appreciated it if you'd come."

"... yes"

Richay takes his gaze off me and looks at the front door of the office.

I spoke to Richay as I unpacked.

"Have you heard anything from Melmie? I have plans for a wooden cage shop. As soon as this test is done, I might get into construction locally, so I'm worried about my plans for a wooden cage shop. Then, I also need to speak to Mr. Comatsu Chamber of Commerce. Can I ask Richay for a wooden cage shop?

I'd better go to Mr. Komatsu Chamber of Commerce. The design that's going to happen also doesn't fit within the budget when the market for materials is fluctuating.

Richay looked at me with a decent face.

"Am I going to the wooden cage shop?

"What, does Richay have any plans, too?

"Although not particularly. Maybe Melmie's in a wooden cage shop?

"I guess so because I'm not here.... Is that some kind of misunderstanding?

"I didn't misunderstand anything. I'm coming."

Richay suddenly broke off the conversation and got up, drank his tea and left the office.

That's weird. I can see Mr. Richay's flag standing, but we all have no idea when he put it up.

Did something happen in the two days I was taking the exam?

... There's a chance he's trying to grab a hold of Melmie between me and Melmie when he tells the story of her trying to touch Melmie's belly in the village of Kramt.

Maybe I'm the one who misunderstood?

Reminds me of an earlier conversation.

I misunderstand and ask that Richay is jealous. That can't be it. Richay gets up angry and leaves the office.

Oh, my muscles are coming through.

"Wow, I'm so embarrassed! You're too self-conscious. No. Wow, no. Ahhh."

I was mistaken because I had been going on with Melmie and her stupid Nori lately. There was no way I was hot.

I can't face the Comatsu Chamber of Commerce with such an embarrassing red face, let's just wake up with a draft of the design for a moment. And let's calm down.

I sit in front of the drawing bench to draw blueprints.

Okay, let's get back on our minds and talk about the design we're going to need this time.

The actual town would still require minimal practicality. Even looking at the surrounding geography and the town's income and expenditure, the main industries are textile and clothing production and exports. I can see that they've started dyeing lately, but it's still very fine now.

We have to design beautiful townships while we think about these.

Local gradients can also be problematic.

"When it comes to gradients, you know, San Francisco..."

San Francisco and others have become towns with lots of steep gradients because they ignore gradients and make compartments like Acer's eyes. It was said that the steepest slopes in the world, whether in New Zealand or not, could also be done because they ignored the gradient.

Well, San Francisco also has a long road running into the eyes of the Acer board instead of a fierce up-down, and it's a good town to take a walk if you're confident in your strength by sewing a gap in the building from the top of the hill for a distant view.

If you're confident in your health.

Shall we park the car sideways on the hill? Continuous hairpin curve with steep gradient? Cars jump around in movies. Such a lovely city.

There are also bridges with many suicides. A bright looking red at a height that almost certainly dies. Though floating in a white mist may be an artistic and good place to die, consider the annoyance of others.

All right, I'm feeling better.

I start designing the town while thinking positively because the earlier embarrassing exchange floats in the back of my brain and stuffs me.

"An artistic, decorative, town like that..."

I can tell by saying it myself. It's a thoughtful abstraction.

For one thing, let's set up an arch at the town entrance and keep the decorations in the columns. Not a very gorgeous object, but to the point of putting vertical cuts in octagonal columns. Put a watermarked relief in the arch section so that you can see the boulevard over the relief.

I'd rather use it for landmark positioning, considering the gradient and the angle at which I stood in front of the arch, as I would make the boulevard ahead of diving the arch.

Think of it as that and write down the requirements, and think of the finished shape of the town in your brain.

"You can't, this"

It hinders later development due to the inability to create an aerial corridor that would cross the boulevard. If you accidentally scratch one building facing the boulevard, the exterior will be greatly damaged, making it a very difficult town to handle.

I conceived of a promising township using a gradient, but given the presence of an aerial corridor, I only have the position of inappropriately lowering the height of the arch. The hand of raising the air corridor is unrealistic because it presupposes going up an inconvenient high staircase when viewed in practical terms.

Shall I take off the gates of the town? But if I take it off, I'm not too glad the town looks bisected on the boulevard.

Looks like it would be quicker to start over with the other one, now I'll install a high ceiling building with flying buttresses all over the place and try to make arches all over town.

This way, we can set up an aerial corridor over the buttress.

But the very cramped streets just became everywhere. Originally, only land with intense gradients and promising prospects and fierce flying batresses with exterior features appeared to be everywhere.

Flying buttresses themselves make it easier to incorporate light from the outside while keeping stained glass alive, something used in Gothic church architecture. You mean if there were a number of magnificent churches all over town, thanksgiving would just be halved and depressing?

Clearly ineligible because we have to line up the buildings using flying batresses if we are to be the foundation of the air corridor. This proposal is rejected, too.

"Kanes is really amazing."

Decorative buildings really ask about taste. Because Kanes has that sense at a high level, he was able to qualify as a bridge-builder at that age.

Compared to me...

Shake your head gently to regain your mind and get back to work.

Draw and discard design drawings, and repeat discards when drawing.

- You're boiling.

Unexpectedly, he is called from behind and looks back.

"Richay, you're home."

"I just got home. Looks like the shop plans for the wooden cage are vacant. He said he would call out to other engineers because depending on the size of the town's development plan, he would run out of hands."

"That helps"

When I replied, I noticed countless design drawings rolling all over the room.

If you see this all-you-can-scatter room misery, which also appears to have been created with heat in the work, is it impossible to mistake it for being boiled?

"I'll clean it now."

"You can keep going because I'll do it. For once, keep it?

"Well, if you look back later, you might come up with some good ideas."

Richay nods and picks up and spreads the draft I was rounding up and throwing away.

"What's this?"

Richay frowned at him as soon as possible, spreading other proposals for confiscation to make his expression look rude.

I know it's a terrible condition even if you don't tell me.

It's easy to say with decorativeness and mouth, but when you actually try to drop this into a realistic object, there are various constraints.

Richay spread the no-go side by side and put his arms together.

"This is the first and this is later..."

Sort by the order in which Richay depicted my immortality so that I could solve it with a puzzle. Eighty percent of them are right. Awesome.

"Hey, Amane. It's nice to stick to decorativeness, but was Amane's acclaimed job designed like this?

He brings up the best seemingly submerged proposal and sticks it out to me.

"No, you're being asked for a decorative township this time, so you have to think of it separately from your previous work"

"Then I think it's better not to take the job itself. Fun to work like this, killing your own taste?

When they say it's fun, it's so boring.

"But that's because I don't have a good idea."

"So what's a good idea Amane thinks? Based on what you've done, try to answer it."

To Richay's further questions, think.

Good idea for me.

I don't mean to underestimate the decorativeness, but I prefer something more practical. Such a design is good for the people who live there to use conveniently. It is designed to withstand long use.

But that is not the condition required in this exam. Because the first condition lies in the appearance of beauty.

Richay narrows her eyes.

"Now you've thought about something extra."

"No, it's not extra. The qualities required for the exam are different."

"Is Amane going to design it after Kanes? Until you kill your own taste?

... If you ask me, it's a funny story in the first place.

I'm one architect, and I'm not supposed to have to compete on the same mound as Kanes from the beginning.

It is Joynesley who is inciting you to go up on the same mound, and there should be no sardines anywhere on it.

Joynesley may intend to take the Kanes' anti-horse qualification test, but for me, it has to be a measure of whether I can build enough bridges myself.

Richay picked up the novelty and threw it at the edge of the shelf when he put it together and put it in the file.

"Amane's design is not as decorative as Kanes'. It's a lucrative, neat calm place, so there's no way you can think of a design you can rush into."

Saying he was going to make tea, Richay walked into the kitchen. I guess he was careful so I could work on the design painting without hurry.

Profitable and neat calm, huh?

I rebelled against Richay's words and headed to the drawing stand to write the design I had painted behind my brain.

Cash, the pen was much lighter than it had been earlier.

"Richay, get ready for a few days' journey"

Speak up to Richay for bringing me tea.

"Are you going to the crime scene? Even though the survey materials are in place?

You know, Richay's asking me mean.

I laughed bitterly and lifted the material given to me by Joynesley.

"I'm missing the most important material."

"I wonder what?

Answer Richay as he tilts his neck and smiles.

"- The voices of the people who live there."

The examiner's first voice when he saw the town's development plan I submitted was "No Brandness".

Three examiners and two ancient ginseng, the founders of this development plan, are to be evaluated.

"I was expecting it because it was last submitted."

"Not this year, but in a hundred years, Kanes, your horse against you will be born."

"Personally, Amane, I was hoping for a very young force like you. After all, Kanes, does your talent stand out?"

"Well, both of you, we're in the middle of an evaluation right now, so let's talk about the other bridge-builders."

The two founders of the town and the ancient ginseng were loading the development plan as the three examiners verbally discussed it.

One of the three examiners who tilted their necks at the founders of the town who wanted to ask questions later, a man with glasses, spoke to me on my behalf.

"Amane, you must have understood the need for a beautiful town, right? Why did you submit it now?

"Because I thought this was my job as a confident bridge-builder."

"The answer is a little off. Or is it Amane's way of doing your job to confidently give you a plan that doesn't match the conditions you're looking for?

I take my gaze off the examiner and see the founder of the town.

"I don't think the conditions that the Yoinsley examiner thinks are exactly the same as those that people actually live in town are looking for. I did not come to this exam as much as possible to Kanes' opposing horse, I came to this exam to become a Jianqiao family. So the way I see it, I'm going to live up to what you're looking for."

It wasn't the conditions required by the Joynesley exam, it was closer to the conditions required by the people of the town.

The examiners will look at each other.

"You're young. Not a bad thing, though. It's a common story that a full effort within the terms you interpret doesn't even make sense in the light of other people's conditions. Most importantly, Amane, your plan itself is not bad. It leaves me wondering if it's beautiful."

"- There is no question. This is wonderful beauty."

The examiners look to the side a little in the broken voice.

There was the figure of the founder of the town, who, with his arms around him, closed his eyes and seems to portray the town in the plan.

The founder opens his eyes and looks sideways at the examiner.

"Non sees reason in your words, Amane. It's not a town built with confrontation by up-and-coming bridge-builders like Kanes they want. You can't possibly want to live in a town built for Kanes and them. I really hope that you, Amane, will be the one to ask me to design it."

Yoinsley will have the circumstances of Yoinsley. But there are circumstances in town.

I know you agree to be dashied, except you're convinced.

In view of the earlier words of the founder of the town, I guess other than me, the examinees had a plan that weighed more on decorativeness than on much practicality, which valued the intentions of the Yoinsley examiners.

If Richay hadn't told me, I would have done the same thing.

With the three exams in place, the founder sees me.

"Sure, it's not a gorgeous thing. But it has functional beauty. Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes, please"

The founder takes the map of the town out of the plan and spreads it.

"There are some roads that we have set up to ease congestion, but I don't really know the details about congestion control. I know it minimizes the acceleration and deceleration of coyote cars carrying loads by avoiding steep places in the gradient and passing through the road, but are there any other measures?

"There used to be a bunch of coyote cars and pedestrian flow lines hitting each other, but it's resolved in 3D crossings. In particular, the series of flows that draw water for dyeing and then discard it as drainage were also carried out by the weight of the water itself, avoiding steep gradients, and the slow speed of movement was an obstacle to traffic. For this reason, couldn't we increase the number of workshops that do staining until now?

"Exactly. The perimeter of the reservoir has already been filled with private houses and fields, leaving no room to build a dyeing workshop. Inevitably, a dyeing workshop will be set up away from the reservoir, but the further away the site where the water is used, the easier it will be to obstruct traffic"

You go back and forth with a few kilometers of luggage. There can be no way you can walk at all, and your walking will be somewhat slow.

It is only natural that such carriers of water would be an obstacle to passage if they were to cross the road.

In other words, what is currently required of the town is the establishment of a smooth water transport route.

"This proposed plan will connect all parts of town by ropeway and establish a water transport route that will not affect the road below at a lower cost. It is also easy to demolish and rewire, so it will not inhibit the development of the town."

In Japan, it is a ropeway of manpower, also called the name of a suspended ship. It is less expensive and easier to extend than creating an air corridor.

The problem is that the rope is easily visible and damages the landscape. Somehow a cage filled with water and ridden all the way up to people goes overhead. Its existence comes naturally to the eye.

However, it is not necessary to make it operational only as a means of transporting water.

"Can we even get tourists on board?

The founder asks me with a sharp eye.

I nodded deeply.

"I promise you the inspiration you won't get as far as walking through town"

It's a town full of ups and downs. You can enjoy the irregularities from the heights.

You read my thoughts, the two founders and the ancient ginseng laugh.

"It's not a beautiful town from any angle, it's a beautiful town because it overlooks from above a practical ropeway. That's good."

"Thank you"

The town's founder and ancient ginseng feel is excellent.

After listening to our conversation, the examiners are changing their perspective and reading the plan.

I'm not gonna let you go after Kanes anymore. I'll let you fight on my mound.

If this doesn't pass, that's it. Let's try again next year.

Examiners roar the plan with one hand.

"After all, we have no choice but to make a hard assessment in terms of the beauty of the town. That adds up to the idea of overlooking the city on the ropeway. There is certainly beauty from the heights, but I think there is still room to develop it. For example, I want more variety in the shape of the roof. Because you have a great view of the town, would it be better to have a clear separation between residential districts and districts with workshops, commercial districts, agricultural land, etc?

Examiner's right. When specific points are made, it seems that there is still room for development.

"But it's a very sensible design. Amane, I'm surprised you can do this at your age. This is now, I think, one option as a direction and one that illuminates the way of the Jianqiao family. Just enough to clear our cloudy eyes."

Yeah, in advance, the examiner goes on.

"You can't say yes or no on this occasion, but wait in peace."

Later, the successful candidate for the Jianqiao family qualification examination was announced.

One successful candidate was me.