Greetings.
I am a man in a suit who has fallen into the world of Minecraft.
The fifth-floor windows still have latticework, though, and they leave me wanting a more open place to enjoy the view.
This time, I add a walkable veranda and railings around the outside of the keep!
Opening a Door from the Fifth Floor
From the roof of the black gate, I look up at the castle keep beyond the Inui Yagura.
The castle work that began in Episode 68 is about to reach a satisfying stopping point.
Before the new addition, I can only look west through the fifth-floor latticework.
An open way outside should make this top floor much more enjoyable.
From the Inui Yagura, a narrow space is visible between the white wall of the fifth floor and its dark roof.
I use the space beneath the eaves for a veranda that keeps the keep’s shape intact.
First, I place a door in the west wall at the top of the stairs.
What had been a window in the room becomes a new entrance to the veranda.
I open the door and extend spruce floorboards beneath the eaves.
There is no railing yet, so the high spot feels a little unsettling, but the roofs of the town are already easy to see.
The floor now circles the outside of the fifth floor.
I hang lanterns from the eaves above, making the passage comfortable to use in both daylight and darkness.
Along the outer edge, I add dark oak railings.
Their deep color sharpens the contrast between the white walls and the dark roof.
Walking the Veranda and Looking toward the Inui Yagura
I step out through the west door and begin walking the completed veranda.
Railings run along the outside, the fifth-floor wall stays close on the inside, and the narrow path follows the roofline.
At the northwest corner, the roof of the Inui Yagura appears close by.
Without the old latticework in front of me, the neighboring castle building feels much nearer.
Turning the corner, I walk along the north side.
The space beneath the eaves is compact, but walking around the outside of the keep feels wonderfully new.
By the time I reach the southeast corner, the sky is turning the color of sunset.
Watching the end of the day beyond the railings feels like a small luxury.
Looking back from the Inui Yagura, I can see the veranda and railings circling the fifth floor.
The lanterns beneath the eaves make the new addition glow against the evening sky.
From the roof of the black gate, the Inui Yagura and the keep form one dusk scene.
Even with the band of railings at the top, the five-layer silhouette remains familiar.
I pause in the doorway as the evening deepens.
The lookout room now opens directly into the open air with a single step.
Lanterns at Night and the Finished Keep by Day
At night, the lanterns along the veranda cast a warm light.
Their ring between the dark roofs gives the keep a different expression from daytime.
After the moon rises, I look across the castle from the black gate.
Lights in the gate, tower, and keep overlap into a lively night scene.
At the southwest corner, lights from the town shine beyond the railings.
The windows and paths below bring back memories of the time I have spent growing this place.
In the morning, I return to the southwest corner and look over the rooftops once more.
What were points of light at night become clear roofs and paths under the bright sky.
Along the west side, the village station and a hill appear beyond the gatehouse roof.
Moving only a little along the veranda changes the view in a surprisingly pleasant way.
From the Inui Yagura in daylight, I look over the completed fifth floor.
The spruce floor, dark oak railings, posts, and hanging lanterns sit neatly beneath the eaves.
From the south, the veranda forms a new band around the upper part of the keep.
It does not extend too far out, yet it adds a fresh outline to the top floor.
From the northern village, the keep rises beyond the houses.
The railings and posts at the top can still be seen from a distance, giving the fifth floor the look of a true lookout.
After walking all the way around, I return to the lookout room through the south door.
With entrances on the west and south, I can choose either way out to enjoy the scenery.
One final picture in the morning light on the finished veranda.
The main entrance from Episode 68, the interior from Episode 69, and this veranda now connect into one route for enjoying the castle on foot.
It is deeply satisfying to open a door and step out into the view that once sat beyond the latticework.
Next, I will decide whether to travel beyond the castle or make life in the town a little richer.
That is all for this time.
Greetings.