Chapter 225: The Campsite and the Inn!
No one objected to Ryohei Tanaka naming the ranch "Stardew Valley." After all, he was the boss; his word was final. Besides, with their aesthetic sense—barring one particular angel—everyone thought the name was elegant and evocative. At worst, they just thought it was fine and not unpleasant.
...
With the name settled, Ryohei had Lucoa project a topographical map of the ranch into the air for the next item on the agenda.
"Regarding the locations for the campground and the inn, does anyone have any suggestions?"
This was Minos's area of expertise.
As the daughter of a renowned construction magnate in the Demon World, and with several thousand years of work experience herself, Minos looked at the map and quickly pointed to a spot, offering her professional opinion:
"The east side of the ranch, near the lake, is perfect for a campground."
"This location is at a perfect distance from both cattle barns, so they won't disturb each other."
"The terrain is flat, and it's on the leeward side, so it's protected from the strong northwest winds."
"There are no obstructions to the east, so it will get the morning sun, which will evaporate any dew and keep the campground dry and comfortable."
"As for the inn, it can be placed on the other side of the lake."
Minos spoke with complete confidence, then paused to take a sip of her milk tea.
"Minos, you're amazing! You sound so professional!" Kyon-Kyon exclaimed, her voice bright with admiration.
"But of course!" Minos's head snapped up, a proud smile on her face. Her cow's tail swished happily behind her, betraying her delight.
"Minos's family is in the construction business," Jashin-chan explained casually. "She helps out with it all the time, so she's a real expert."
"Your family is in construction?" Yurine Hanazono turned in surprise. This was the first time she'd heard this, or really, anything about the demon girls' family backgrounds.
"That's right!" Minos nodded with a small laugh.
Jashin-chan continued, "Her family is one of the oldest construction firms in the Demon World. The Matsuya Group built many of the houses there."
"Pfft—! A 'Matsuya' group... run by a minotaur!" The specific combination of words seemed to hit Yurine's funny bone. She covered her mouth, turned away, and laughed, her shoulders shaking.
Minos didn't mind. She placed a hand on her ample chest and said to Ryohei, "If you need, I can handle the construction crew and the building materials for you."
Having demons build the inn?
Ryohei was surprisingly tempted. It sounded interesting. However, he didn't immediately agree. He had no idea what their architectural style was like. It would be a nightmare if they built something unsuitable, or if he had to halt construction halfway through.
To be safe, Ryohei asked, "Do you have any finished photos or design samples of your inns? I'd like to see."
"I do. Just a moment." Minos pulled out her phone, opened her contacts, and dialed a number. After giving a quick order to the demon on the other end, she received a file a moment later.
She unzipped the file, checked it, and then stood up. She handed the phone to Ryohei, saying proudly, "These are some of the Matsuya Group's proudest works in the 'inn' or 'guesthouse' category. Take a look."
"Thanks." Ryohei took the phone and looked down curiously.
...
How to describe it? They were... distinctive.
The first sample was a pure white, castle-style building, complete with panoramic views of the front, side, and back, as well as detailed photos of the interior.
Unlike typical, uniform geometric structures, this building's outline was a mix of rigid, straight lines and soft, flowing curves, creating a strange visual rhythm. The most eye-catching feature was the wavy cornice along the top of the walls, which looked like a frozen ocean wave. The windows were oval, and the doors were semi-oval, glowing with a warm yellow light that gave the whole structure a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.
"...This is an inn in the Demon World?" Yurine leaned in curiously, tiptoeing to peek at the phone. "It looks like a castle..."
"It's a castle-style inn!" Minos explained, holding her milk tea. "A lot of demons like to live in castles, so it's a popular style for inns. You could say castles are the equivalent of your single-family homes over there. Very common."
"Is that so?" Yurine looked at Minos, amazed. She felt like she'd learned something new.
"This inn is quite beautiful," Yusa said, moving to Ryohei's other side to look at the photos. She tucked her hands into the wide sleeves of her kimono, her smile gentle.
"You have good taste!" Minos beamed, her eyes curving into crescents. "If you or any of your friends ever need to build a house, just let me know. I'll guarantee you the best price!"
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," Yusa replied with a smile.
"What does it look like? Let me see, too!" The cheerful zombie girl, Kyon-Kyon, bounced over to the group.
Seeing this, Ryohei just handed the phone to Lucoa and had her project the images so everyone could see.
...
The Matsuya Group, a long-standing Demon World firm, was clearly very skilled. The samples Minos provided were all unique and varied in style.
Ryohei was impressed. "Can you design a custom plan based on my requirements?"
"Of course... just a second!" Minos took her phone back from Lucoa. She opened her chat app, found the "Matsuya Group Design Team" chat, and then looked up at Ryohei.
"What are your requirements?"
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