Are they bothering the village or construction? Tori frowned as she sat on a chair in the front of the dining hall during the weekly eting. She knew that this most recent annoyance was her fault, and it made the irritation she felt worse.
The visitors have not been able to go to the islands, so they havent gotten in the way, Professor yer said from his seat in the front. However, there have been requests to visit the islands.
We have made the precaution of refusing to bring anyone to the island who wasnt working at the construction sites and have implented boat assignnts and schedules to make sure that only those working on the islands are ferried across to them. Mr. Cerna was managing the village labor that was working on the islands. He used to run the largest mill in the village before they fled and his past experience organizing and dealing with people made him suitable for the job.
Excellent work, Mr. Cerna, Tori said with an acknowledging nod. She looked towards another man who ran a small goods store in the village in the past. Mr. Vesely, is the stockyard experiencing any problems with unwanted visitors?
A large, middle-aged man with a large scar down the side of his face stood up and shook his head. No, my lady. The stockyard is well guarded by both the allocated imperial guards and village patrols. All visitors are turned away.
Where else have these visitors been going? Tori asked, still frowning. She looked towards Johan, who was part of the committee overseeing the organization in the encampnt.
It has proven difficult to keep unwanted visitors from the encampnt. By now, were all familiar with the students and staff from Universit and others employed by you to oversee the construction. The additional master masons and carpenters are also familiar and most remain in the southeast quadrant, where their lodgings and facilities are. They rarely co through the rest of the encampnt, but there have been visitors who have walked through.
Tori took a deep breath. I dont want to put a fence around the encampnt to keep them out. Were not animals, she said in a low, annoyed voice. She narrowed her eyes and looked at the mbers of the village who were present. Im opening the floor to suggestions. What can be done to limit the curious visitors who are coming to the delta?
News of the construction on the delta had prompted a wave of curious onlookers from Horizon, and other wealthier areas in the region, to co and essentially be tourists. Normally, Tori would have nothing against that, but not right now. The village had nothing to offer in terms of services, activities, or general infrastructure, and unaffiliated people at a construction site was a no-go to begin with.
This started a few months earlier with just one or two people coming to the encampnt. It was attributed to curiosity over the construction. The individuals didnt get in the way and seed to remain at a respectful distance. Villagers had noted people standing further up the road, simply looking at the rows of tents.
Then the visitors started coming closer and beca more nurous and frequent. It wasnt the villagers who told Tori, but the professors who were concerned that the visitors would get in the way or cause an accident wandering around unescorted. Luckily, none had made it to the islands and Tori wanted to keep it that way. The delta was a legitimate construction site and even she only went to check on the islands with supervision. Not to ntion she didn't know if the visitors were all just curious or had other, more malicious, intent.
My lady, there is currently only one road leading to the village. It is possible to put up a gate that restricts access, soone said from the crowd.
I believe we should also put-up notices that non-laborers and personnel unaffiliated with the construction are not allowed in the construction areas.
This is a safety concern, as well, Professor Grey added in agreent. Soone could get hurt or cause others to get hurt if they are a distraction.
All right, I will have formal signs made in Horizon noting access restrictions to both the encampnt and the islands, to be posted on the road and at the dock, Tori said. Tomorrow, we should select a suitable location on the road to put up a gate. Professor yer, please suggest what material to use. Mr. Vesely, please source what material is needed from the stockyard once decided. I will leave the building and division of labor to Mr. Cerna to organize.
What should we do if they bypass the gate? soone else asked.
Do not allow them into communal areas and request that for their own safety, they are not to proceed within the encampnt due to construction, Tori said. If they wish to co, what we can do is organize a festival later this year to introduce visitors to what goods the village plans to sell and take them on tours around the islands. The test island should be completed by then and this would both satisfy their curiosity and give us the opportunity to display what weve accomplished so far. I will allow this; however, this is your village and I believe you should have a say in such an event. Lets take this as a call to action and decide at a later ti.
Many people nodded their heads and murmurs of agreent circulated the dining tent. Tori continued to sit and listen to various reports and acknowledgents for another hour before the eting ended. When it was over, a few people followed Tori to her tent to discuss a few finer details as well as go over the schedule for the sumr.
Universit was a research institution and while classes typically followed the sa schedule as Lyce, Universit was technically year-round, with most professors and students spending the sumr months doing research elsewhere, like Uncle Maurizo in Alpine Valley. In the case of the delta, there were many more students who applied for firsthand experience.
Professor yer and Professor Grey submitted a request to work on a second test island, one that was larger and eyed for workshops with ovens and furnaces. There would be heavier equipnt, wide spaces needed, and heat involved. Planning the island would require additional work so as not to overcrowd it.
I approve this proposal, Tori said as she circled so things on the paper. However, before wood or coal burning kilns are installed, Id like to have so tests done with the carnelian ovens my instructor and I have been developing as an extension of the cooking plates. After the final exams, I will bring Instructor Ignatius to the delta with two baking ovens and a glass furnace built with assistance from Daybreak Garden.
Im excited to see the models, Mr. Cerna said. The cooking plates are very useful and theyre holding their charge well.
How large are the baking ovens? Johan asked.
We made them a standard kitchen size. Both are working and weve made bread in them, Tori said. We are waiting for so carnelian to co in so we can have four more built and spread amongst the kitchens. Going back to the additional students arriving, how many will there be? We will need to allocate more tent space and supplies for them.
There are fifteen, Lady Guevera. All will be in their third or fourth year co the fall, Professor Grey told her.
I will allocate two more tents to be put in the southeast quadrant, Tori said. And increase supplies to account for the newcors.
The list of topics went on and on. dicinal plants had arrived. Three more boats suitable for fishing arrived. Small groups had headed out to do so fishing with the visiting fishern. The hospitality committee was to expect four teachers to be coming over the sumr to et the children and get a better idea of where they were moving to co autumn.
Things were moving along and by the ti the last person left her tent, Tori was exhausted. So many things were happening at once, it was a task even for her to keep track of.
She looked at her satchel hanging on the back of her chair and crinkled her eyes. She hadnt opened her books or notes to review yet. She had a day and a half to review before her first final exams at the beginning of the week.
Lady Guevera? a voice asked from the entrance of her tent. Tori lifted her head.
Yes?
Its Margo Sima. May I have a mont of your ti?
You may enter. Tori sat back down behind her desk and folded her hands together, waiting for the woman to enter. How may I help you, Miss Sima?
My lady, the students from the biology departnt of Universit have entrusted us with noting flora and fauna in the area and, recently, weve taken one of the larger vessels towards the mouth of the lagoon, Margo said, appearing excited as she rushed into the tent. On the last two excursions, weve noted so large animals in the water, but are unable to identify them.
How big are they? Tori asked.
Were unsure, but they spit out what appears to be steam, Margo said. Tori narrowed her eyes.
Steam? Youre sure its steam?
Weve spoken to the villagers at the fishing village on the mouth of the gulf and they told us that there are legends of steam breathing sea dragons-
Hold on, hold on. Tori could feel so excitent bubbling in her stomach. She stood up and placed her hands on the desk. Steam breathing sea dragons?
They are large creatures that match the description of what we saw, Margo said with wide eyes.
Where did you see them?
The mouth of the lagoon, where it opens to the gulf.
Tori ground her teeth together. She didnt want to get her hopes up. It was probably dolphins or whales wandering into brackish waters. But at the sa ti, what if fantasy animals did exist, but they werent what she thought they were because they were normalized in the world of Soleil and werent considered fantasy?
Maybe Kasen misunderstood her when she asked. After all, he did look at her strangely when she brought it up. The few books with animals shed looked at were pretty standard and focused on land animals, so they werent all encompassing. Margo was talking about a sea dragon. A big one, so it couldnt be the sea dragon that was a glorified pipefish-sea horse hybrid she was familiar with in her original world.
No, even a giant sea dragon thats like the sea dragons I saw at aquariums would be good enough. It was possible. The ocean was vast. And this world had magic in the form of crystals and charms.
Tori bit her lower lip. She wanted to see it, but there was no guarantee shed be able to run into them if she went out. Also, she really needed to review for her exams. Those were guaranteed to happen, and she was a student; she needed to study. That was the responsible thing to do and deep down, she was a responsible adult.
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