Final chapter of Volume Four: Winter preparations and research

1 New settlers and other matters

Gruff's son had worked in mining back in Good Forest Village.

It wasn't that Big Tree Village had no mining, but there was less of it than in Good Forest Village.

Besides, the mines were in the forest and were mainly handled by the high elves.

And so... Gruff's son found himself without a job.

After considering various things he could do, Gruff's son became a stonemason.

His work mainly involved carving stone, but right now he was cutting stone into paving slabs.

The plan, apparently, was to lay them along the straight road running south from my house and the main roads in the residential area.

So far, he had paved about fifty meters out from my front door.

It wasn't far, but having stone paving made the place feel more civilized.

But he hadn't laid any lately... Was everything all right? If he needed help, he only had to ask.

Huh? He was making stone slabs for the martial arts tournament stage? Wouldn't replacing it with stone mean it would crack? It looked cooler when it cracked?

True enough. Keep up the good work.

Remember to make plenty of spares.

The dragon family-or clan, rather-either showed no sign of leaving or came right back after they left.

Yes, nobody went home.

Their public reason for staying was that the martial arts tournament was coming up.

Their private reasons were their affection for Hiraku Ichirou, along with the food and drink.

We had given them ingredients, but apparently Big Tree Village still had better cooking.

At the moment, the Demon Race midwives were learning to cook from the oni maids.

As for waiting on the dragons, we left that to the Demon Race. There were simply too many dragons, after all.

It was a convenient way to use up the new dishes we were testing... but some of them had completely turned it into a banquet.

Still, they had sent mountains of payment... or rather, gifts for the newborn, so I let it slide.

I did feel we had received too much from them, after all. I would ask Michael to bring some more seafood.

As for Hakuren, now that she had given birth...

She flew around in dragon form. Being unable to fly before must have left her with quite a bit of pent-up stress.

I didn't mind her flying around, but please, no low flights near the village.

If she disturbed the monsters and magical beasts, Kuro's descendants and Zabuton's children would have their work cut out for them.

Though I was grateful that it increased our food reserves.

The twin angels, Suuriruu and Suurikou, seemed to have settled into village life quite well.

They worked more smoothly with the harpies now and rarely got injured by counterattacks from monsters or magical beasts.

Kuro's descendants and Zabuton's children were relieved too.

Still, they couldn't afford to let their guard down yet.

As for Kierbit, sometimes she handled lookout duty with Gran Maria and the others, and sometimes she served as my assistant, like Tia.

In a sense, that meant she could do anything. She was very capable.

So, during this busy period, there were plenty of things we asked her to help with.

Right now, the civil servant girls had assigned her some work.

"Did Tia do this work too?"

"Yes, Miss Tia does it too. Once you finish, we'll need your help with this work over here as well."

"Isn't this quite a lot?"

"You don't have to push yourself. I'll ask Miss Tia to help."

"I never said I wouldn't do it, did I? This is easy. Leave it to me."

She seemed to be working hard. Just don't overdo it.

The centaurs began moving in.

First, they came to Big Tree Village through Beezel's teleportation magic to introduce themselves.

"I am Fuka Polo, a baron of the Demon King Kingdom. Thank you for agreeing to take us in."

A ten-year-old girl greeted me on behalf of forty adults.

"I'm Hiraku, the village chief. It's a pleasure to meet you. This is Viscount Cole, the representative of the village where you and your people will be living, Baron."

"I am Gral Rabie Cole, a viscount of the Demon King Kingdom. Please call me Gruwald. You must never address me by my title."

"I-I understand, Lady Gruwald. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"No 'Lady,' either."

"Y-yes, Miss Gruwald. Please call me Frau."

"Of course. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Frau."

After meeting Gruwald, she met Rasuti, who was in charge of the centaurs.

"My name is Rasuti Droim. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Droim...? Could you be related to the Droim family?"

"I am the current head's second daughter."

"Y-yes, please forgive my rudeness. Allow me to offer my greetings, Lady Droim..."

"You're very polite for someone so young... But as a viscount, Miss Gruwald ranks higher than an earl's daughter. You mustn't greet me more respectfully than you greeted Miss Gruwald."

"My apologies. Um, um..."

"Miss Gruwald and Miss Rasuti. Please address us that way. Titles are of no use here, so relax a little."

"Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Illustration p012

"Still rather stiff... But never mind. Now, I imagine Earl Chrome told you quite a few things before you came here?"

"Huh... Ah! V-village chief! I am terribly sorry. The responsibility for offending you lies entirely with me."

Please don't scare her. She had gone completely stiff.

She was still young. Be gentle with her.

They had brought gifts when they came to the village.

Normally, the rules required them to bring food for the winter to their new home, but I had declined.

They only needed to come empty-handed, then, but they probably felt bad about doing so.

In the past, Lu and the others had reacted differently depending on whether visitors brought gifts. Perhaps this was a matter of etiquette.

Their gift was two sheep on a freight wagon. There weren't many, but they were a young ram and ewe, so they should be able to breed.

I gladly accepted them and sent them to the pasture.

...Would they be all right with the goats, cows, and horses? The goats might bully them.

One of Kuro's descendants gave me a look that said, "I won't let them," so I left it to him.

Once their numbers increased, we could have Village Three raise them.

It might make a good job for the new settlers.

After showing the new centaur settlers around Big Tree Village's facilities, I had them head straight to Village Three.

We didn't use Beezel's teleportation magic because I wanted to let him rest, and because we would stop to greet Village One and Village Two along the way.

At a centaur's pace, the trip shouldn't be difficult. That had been the plan.

They had already met Kuro's descendants and Zabuton's children, who might otherwise frighten them.

Before they greeted Gruwald, those two groups had lined up to welcome them.

This had been Rasuti's suggestion. She said that giving them a show of force at the start would make them more obedient.

I didn't think meeting Kuro's descendants and Zabuton's children counted as much of a shock, but I did as she suggested.

Yes, it was the right decision.

Better for everyone to panic together at the start than for each person to panic separately, right?

Once that was over, I thought we could proceed as planned, but...

Hakuren, Rasuti, and Guraru flew over in dragon form.

The new settlers fainted with expressions as though the end of the world had come. Hmm, I hadn't expected that.

Watching them, Gruwald and Rasuti muttered the same thing, which left quite an impression on me.

"I've gotten used to it too."

Once the centaurs came to their senses, Gruwald explained.

"The two larger dragons are the village chief's wives. The third is supposed to marry the village chief's son, who was born just recently."

It took some time for them to understand what that meant.

I supposed "supposed to marry his newborn son" really was hard to understand.

I thought so too. He already had a fiancée when he couldn't even talk yet. I couldn't understand it either.

Still, they weren't absolutely required to marry, so I could take it somewhat lightly.

Not just Hiraku Ichirou-I wanted all my sons to be free to choose their partners.

Ah, free or not, other people's wives were off-limits. Please choose someone within ethical bounds.

How many? I had no comment on that point.

They shouldn't follow their father's example there.

I said goodbye to Beezel for the moment and traveled with the revived centaurs through Village One and Village Two, then on to Village Three.

Several newly built homes stood there.

As for winter clothing... it was mostly fur, but there was plenty, so they shouldn't need to worry. If they didn't have enough, they should contact me.

Only half of them were listening.

The other half spotted family, acquaintances, and friends among the Village Three residents waiting to welcome them and rushed over.

Rasuti asked whether she should stop them, but I told her to leave them be.

That would have been far too heartless.

I explained things to the people who stayed to listen.

Gruwald would tell the people who hadn't heard later.

With preparations for the martial arts tournament underway in many parts of Big Tree Village, we currently had no time to hold a wel-

come party.

I thought we could leave the introductions until the martial arts tournament.

So, unfortunately, today's welcome party would have to be a small gathering in Village Three instead.

"Huh? Is this... one serving? Can I eat all of it?"

"Th-the tableware isn't broken..."

"The bread is freshly baked too..."

"Meat! There's meat!"

"So much fruit!"

Everyone seemed happy.

Even if it was a small welcome party, it still ought to be a proper one, so Lu, Rasuti, and I all attended.

Beezel, who had brought them here, attended too.

"Though it's fancier over there with the dragons. Sorry about that."

"Not at all, not at all. It's more relaxing here. This is definitely better. Please don't get any strange ideas about being considerate."

I didn't really understand, but he stressed it repeatedly.

"Dad, can we sleep somewhere with a roof today?"

"Yes, we can."

There weren't any proper performances, but it was a welcome party full of smiles.

2 Sumo before the martial arts tournament

As the martial arts tournament approached, the guests arrived one after another.

First were the Progenitor and Fushu.

"I've come to watch again this year."

He visited so often that it didn't feel as though it had been a long time.

"Well, if it isn't young Giral! How unusual to see you out of the mountains."

The Progenitor naturally took a seat with the dragon family and began enjoying the meal. He looked much more energetic than before.

Was it because his work had settled down?

I asked Fushu, and apparently the country that had been causing trouble before had fallen, so the trouble had disappeared too.

Wasn't a country falling a major event? To become less busy as a result... It sounded rough.

"Aren't you joining them, Fushu?"

I was about to take Fushu over to the Progenitor, but she declined with a smile.

Ah, was it because she was concerned about the residents of Village One? They weren't here yet, though.

Next came Michael.

He brought the extra seafood I had ordered.

Apparently, he would watch the martial arts tournament while he was here.

For transportation, Rasuti had gone to pick him up at Doraim's nest.

He seemed to be chatting with Gruff now.

Then three lamias arrived from the Southern Dungeon.

Twelve giants arrived from the Northern Dungeon.

They met up with the people working in Big Tree Village, then went their separate ways until the martial arts tournament began.

The martial arts tournament was scheduled for three days later.

A sumo tournament suddenly sprang up beside the martial arts tournament grounds.

It started when someone consulted me about giving the people who weren't entering the martial arts tournament something to do, and I offered a suggestion.

After all, making a sumo ring wasn't hard.

We used simplified rules without loincloths.

I'd thought this would make injuries unlikely, but that wasn't the case.

Everyone ended up covered in scrapes and bruises. Flora was already very busy, even though the martial arts tournament hadn't started.

I suggested they compete against members of their own races whenever possible.

The bouts between giants became tremendously powerful sumo matches between contestants over three meters tall, and the crowd was fired up.

The excitement drew spectators, and it gradually began to feel like a martial arts tournament.

The dragons and the Progenitor watched while drinking, too.

There were still three days to go, you know?

Sumo between lamias... was hard to judge.

The harpies didn't need to force themselves.

Also, no flying.

Two days before the martial arts tournament.

Matches between Kuro's descendants took place at the martial arts tournament grounds.

They seemed to be deciding who would represent the Kuro Clan.

The elimination tournament ran smoothly even without the civil servant girls managing it.

Following the sumo, this proved popular, too.

But I couldn't tell them apart.

Once the two contestants tangled together, I couldn't tell who was who.

Oh, Zabuton's children started dressing the two contestants.

Yes, now I could tell them apart. Good luck to both sides.

Also, Flora, I knew it was hard work, but I was counting on her.

The day before the martial arts tournament.

The Demon King and his party arrived.

This time, the visitors were the Demon King, Yuri, Beezel, Glatts, and Randann.

Hou apparently couldn't come.

Hmm? A list? It was a list of drinks. Did she want souvenirs? Give it to the dwarves.

Anyway, I led everyone toward the dragons and the Progenitor.

Everyone except the Demon King quickly scattered.

Yuri and Beezel went to see Frau, Glatts went to see Rinona, and Randann went to see Gulf and Mr. Michael.

I understood Glatts and Rinona, but had Randann suddenly become close with Gulf and Mr. Michael?

It had to do with Randann's younger sister's engagement? Oh.

Anyway, I led the Demon King over to the dragons and the Progenitor.

"Um... could that be... the Dark Dragon?"

"You know Giral? That makes things simple. The others are all Death's relatives. Oh, that little girl is Giral's daughter, Guraru."

I'd planned to leave the rest to the dragons, but the Demon King wouldn't let go of my clothes, so I had to stay there for a while.

The dragons mainly discussed which side would win at sumo and the conflicts between dragons on the northern continent.

Though they called them conflicts, the Death Clan was actually the sole dominant power among the dragons.

The Giraru Clan was practically the only force resisting the Death Clan, with everyone else under the Death Clan's rule.

But Giral had already submitted to Death, so the dragons were now united, peaceful, and secure...

That would have been nice, but although those at the top had reconciled, those beneath them were now fighting instead.

"Lord Death trusts our side the most."

"What nonsense. Save your sleep talk for your dreams."

"Exactly."

There apparently were disputes between the smaller factions.

Aside from the Giraru Clan, the Gworln Clan, which had sent Kuhdel and Kuron into the Death Clan, seemed to be the most powerful, but Gworln himself wasn't that strong.

Apparently, he'd even been driven out of his territory by the wyvern that had attacked the village before.

I see, so there were all sorts of dragons?

"No, the only ones who could probably beat that wyvern are Father, Mother, and Sir Giral."

Doraim spoke up in defense of Kuhdel and Kuron.

Really?

"After all, that wyvern was a thug even the wyvern clan couldn't control. He was so gifted that you wondered why he wasn't a dragon."

All I remembered was being annoyed when it suddenly attacked the village, and that it tasted pretty good.

"Did you know it? Sorry."

Everyone burst out laughing when I apologized.

"I wish I could have tried some."

"Yes."

"Me too. It must have been delicious."

The law of the strong devouring the weak seemed quite thoroughly enforced.

I supposed that was what made dragons impressive.

Anyway, I escaped the Demon King when the food and drinks arrived.

Don't worry.

They could communicate. Good luck.

The oni maids were working at full capacity.

They were either preparing the dishes to be served at tomorrow's martial arts tournament or already cooking them.

After all, the dragons had already started a banquet.

Kierbit was helping, too.

Not helping, but practically being forced?

Really? They must have had high expectations because she was so capable. Hahaha, of course. Anyone who got in the way would be thrown out, after all.

Well, good luck.

People from Village One, Village Two, and Village Three arrived one after another, too.

Sumo was fine, but they needed to be careful not to get hurt.

Lu and Tia.

Sorry for the trouble, but please help Flora.

Even though the actual matches were tomorrow.

The night before the martial arts tournament.

A sumo tournament that seemed to consist of each race's finals took place, and the matches were fiercely exciting.

Glatts fought his way to the minotaurs' final and ultimately won.

Rinona's support must have paid off.

No hugging in the sumo ring.

The other sumo matches that looked like finals also ended one after another.

The giants were the most exciting, as expected.

Yes, they were incredibly powerful. The sound of their collisions was thunderous.

After testing their strength in the center of the ring, they moved on to a contest of technique.

Since there were no loincloths, one slipped his hands under his opponent's arms and threw him.

A three-meter body crashed into the sumo ring.

The victorious giant raised both arms high.

Thunderous cheers erupted.

The dragons were enjoying themselves, too. I'd said it many times already, but the actual tournament didn't start until tomorrow.

After that, open sumo matches began... but those competing tomorrow were asked to restrain themselves.

After all, sumo had been arranged for those who couldn't enter the tournament.

They were welcome to compete after the martial arts tournament ended.

The third martial arts tournament: opening to exhibition match

The day of the martial arts tournament.

Seven angels flew into the blue sky.

After a grand fireworks display announced the opening, the dragons flew in formation.

More than ten dragons flew with synchronized movements.

They must have been very excited.

They even breathed fire. I hadn't heard anything about that?

But they breathed upward to avoid burning the forest, so I could allow it.

The opening fireworks and the dragons' formation flight sent the residents of Village One and the new residents of Village Three into a panic. The giants and lamias, too.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon."

With reassurance from those around them, they barely managed to pull themselves together.

But while I could understand the Village Three residents, hadn't the Village One residents seen dragons before?

Hakuren had been pregnant before, but Rasuti should have frequently taken dragon form, right? The lamias and giants should have seen her, too.

"It's the number of them."

I see.

Incidentally, Fushu and Mr. Michael were too busy playing with the cats to watch.

I knew the cats were cute, but they could at least look.

See, the Progenitor was greeting everyone onstage.

The martial arts tournament was the same as in previous years.

It was divided into three divisions: the general division, the warrior division, and the knight division.

The general division had only one bout per person, so luck in the draw greatly affected victory or defeat.

There was still room for improvement there, but no amount of adjustments could make every match evenly balanced, so leaving it to luck probably wasn't bad.

As a result of leaving it to luck, one of Gutt's apprentices, entering for the first time this year, faced Gulf's son.

After a fierce battle, Gutt's apprentice won.

Gulf's son should have had the advantage in strength, but he hadn't concentrated on the match.

I thought he'd probably put too much thought into damaging the arena.

This stuff wouldn't crack that easily, would it?

I inspected the arena.

Oh, some spots had been tampered with to make them easier to crack.

I understood how he felt, but he'd probably directed his efforts the wrong way.

I had Gulf's son take back the stone slabs he'd tampered with.

The best match in the general division was between a lizardman born three years ago and a beastman boy.

Though the lizardman was young, his physique was already mature.

The beastman boy, meanwhile, had learned quite a few sword techniques from Gulf in between work.

In other words, it was strength against skill.

Neither could gain a decisive advantage for a long time, and just as I thought the lizardman's superior physique would give him the edge, the beastman boy used a throwing technique he'd been keeping in reserve. That decided the match.

Still, defeated or not, a lizardman was a lizardman.

When he stepped forward, he cracked a stone slab underfoot.

After checking that Gulf's son hadn't forgotten to retrieve any of the tampered slabs, I praised the lizardman.

Also, several men from Village One entered the general division, but...

"Shouldn't we establish a beginners' division?"

"Let's consider it."

The warrior division.

Those who could fight better than the general division's contestants competed in a survival battle.

The winner was decided by the number of consecutive victories.

The key to winning this division lay with the lamias.

In other words, how to deal with the two lamias entering this division.

Glatts and Randann entered the warrior division, but...

Yes, they couldn't win.

Glatts wasn't strong enough, and Randann kept facing lamias who still had plenty of stamina.

Incidentally, the one who defeated them in fine style was Donovan the dwarf.

Donovan had never been weak; he probably hadn't won before because Mea the mountain elf and Gulf the beastman had stood in his way.

Those two had entered the knight division this time, so it was Donovan's turn to take the championship.

"I'm happy I won... but next year scares me."

Uh, there wasn't any rule that the winner had to enter the knight division.

Things were a shame for Randann.

"The lamias had me dancing in the palms of their hands... I watched how they won, but I can't do the same."

As for Glatts... I left him to Rinona.

If you wanted to get romantic, please do it somewhere you wouldn't bother anyone else.

Next was the knight division! But before that, we would hold the exhibition matches.

Plenty of people wanted to participate, but this year we drew only two matchups.

The previous exhibition matches had been so exciting that they had stolen the knight division's thunder.

The knight division was the main event.

We couldn't forget that.

The first exhibition match.

The Dragon King, the "Emperor Dragon" Death, against the Dark Dragon Giral.

Thunderous cheers rose from the stands.

Yes, they had been chosen by lottery, but perhaps this was the best possible pairing.

Except the other dragons looked very grim.

"Everyone, put up barriers. Cover the stands as well."

At Raimeiren's direction, the dragons, the Progenitor, the Demon King, Beezel, Lu, and Tia began casting magic to form barriers.

"If possible, it would be safer to move about ten kilometers away..."

Canceled.

Boos rang out.

No, no, no.

The two contestants themselves said they wouldn't be able to hold back like this.

This was bad. Really bad.

I had expected the tournament grounds might get wrecked, but I hadn't expected the village to be in danger.

I couldn't allow that! In that case!

"I'll decide how you compete!"

That was how it turned out.

As for the contest, I wanted something as safe as possible...

"Arm wrestling!"

No good. The booing wouldn't stop. I had no choice.

"In dragon form!"

The booing stopped.

As far as the result went, it was quite a hit.

We had to rush to make something to serve as a table, and I had thought the delay would have a negative effect, but that wasn't the case.

The two huge dragons arm-wrestled, each using all his strength to force the other down.

I had intended to referee, but that was simply impossible, so I left it to the Progenitor.

The match was fierce.

They went back and forth.

Although Giral pressed Death's arm against the table, Death was the winner.

That was because Giral strained too hard at the end and breathed fire.

He lost by a foul.

"Yes, yes, yes! Excellent!"

"I-I let my guard down..."

Death, you looked very happy, but were you all right? That fire had hit you in the face, hadn't it?

Oh, it had only startled you, and you weren't really hurt? I see. A dragon, indeed.

The second match.

The Demon King VS Zabuton.

"Organizers, I sense malicious intent in this draw!"

The Demon King raised his hand in protest, but it hadn't been rigged.

"Then shall we decide on a different contest for this match too?"

He said, "Please, by all means."

Zabuton had no objections either, so we decided.

"Tug-of-war!"

It was simple: both sides pulled on a rope, and the side that pulled the mark at its center into its own territory won.

"Reinforcements! Please give me reinforcements!"

At the Demon King's suggestion, it became a team event.

I had expected the Demon King's reinforcements to be the Four Heavenly Kings, but they weren't.

Instead, they were Doraim, Dors, Maxbergak, and Kuron.

Wasn't that a little underhanded?

The Demon King answered with a straight face that it wasn't.

Zabuton's reinforcements were...

Rasuti, Guraru, Ursa, and many of Zabuton's children.

Uh...

Was it all right for Guraru and Ursa to take part?

It was? They wouldn't get hurt, so I shouldn't worry?

Since Zabuton said so, I would leave it to Zabuton...

Well, tug-of-war should be fine.

No wrapping the rope around your bodies. That was dangerous.

The Progenitor continued as referee, and the match began.

A pure contest of strength.

The rope creaked as both sides pulled on it.

There were no chants. Did nobody know about those?

As I remembered it, chanting was important in tug-of-war...

Though it might count as favoritism, I told Rasuti about it anyway.

Rasuti was skeptical, but she began chanting.

Once she did, the match began to tilt slightly in Zabuton's favor.

Perhaps sensing the change, Guraru and Ursa joined in. The crowd echoed them.

A sense of unity.

Zabuton's side drew closer and closer to victory.

But a voice broke that momentum.

"Go, Your Majesty!"

Three of the Four Heavenly Kings became cheerleaders, cheering with all their might.

The wives of Doraim, Dors, Maxbergak, and Kuron joined in too.

The mark at the center of the rope went back and forth.

After a fierce struggle, the Demon King's side won.

Everyone was very worked up.

Too worked up.

First, Giral, unhappy that Guraru had lost, demanded a rematch.

Then he simply joined

Zabuton's side, while Death said, "In that case," and joined the Demon King's side.

Seeing this, spectators joined in one after another.

Zabuton's side won the second round.

Leaving Giral and Guraru aside, this had become a contest between villagers and non-villagers, so the numbers might not have been quite fair.

Although Mr. Michael joined the Demon King's side and lost, he muttered, "There's a business opportunity here."

Was he going to hold one in Shashaato?

Afterward, enthusiasm for tug-of-war didn't cool... so we had no choice but to hold an inter-village tournament.

Although it was an inter-village tournament, people could freely join as reinforcements, so the balance stayed fairly good.

The villages were more like team names.

And then...

"At this rate, we won't get to the knight division today."

"Let's postpone it until tomorrow."

Once that decision was made, those who had held back because they were competing in the knight division joined the tug-of-war too.

The grounds stayed lively until nightfall...

Would the actual matches be all right?

Chapter 4: The third martial arts tournament-knight division

Morning.

After the festival, even the martial arts tournament had become a two-day event... With that thought crossing my mind, I began preparations.

Though I called it preparation, it was just cleaning up after yesterday's two exhibition matches, which hadn't really been exhibitions.

It was over quickly.

In the end, nobody had gotten so carried away that it affected the tournament.

Though Gruff's son had repaired quite a few stone slabs.

Ahem.

"Let the knight division of the martial arts tournament begin!"

Cheers rose from the stands.

There were a lot of entrants this year.

The vampire Lu.

The angels Tia, Gran Maria, Kuudel, Corone, Kierbit, Suuriruu, and Suurikou.

The high elf Ria.

The oni Ann.

The lizardman Daga.

The Demon Race members Bulga and Stifano.

And five of the Demon Race members who had come to help Hakuren give birth.

The beastman Gruff.

The mountain elf Mea.

The lamias Junia and Sunhea.

Two giants.

The Infernal Wolves sent three: Uno, Masayuki's son, and Fubuki's son.

The demon spiders sent four, each about half a tatami mat in size.

Pillow didn't seem to be competing this time.

And one Death Knight.

The Progenitor had specially brought him here with teleportation magic.

Thirty-two entrants in total.

It was just the right number for an elimination tournament, but the Demon Race midwives who had come to help with the births said they were entering to make up the numbers.

Death and the others assured me they were strong enough to compete in the knight division, so I felt reassured.

The matchups were decided fairly by drawing lots.

There were no seeds.

Thirty-one matches would be held from morning to evening.

My impression of the sixteen first-round matches was probably that the Demon Race really was strong.

Bulga, Stifano, and four of the five midwives won.

The midwife who lost had faced the Death Knight.

Though the Death Knight used a wooden tournament sword, his swordsmanship still shut down the Demon Race midwife. If he had really intended to strike, it probably would have been over in an instant.

Good thing it was a tournament.

Then there was an unexpected loser: Uno.

It faced one of the Demon Race midwives and lost to Enchantment magic.

Likewise, Masayuki's son and Fubuki's son were eliminated in the first round. Were the Demon Race members a counter to the Infernal Wolves?

Or had Bulga and Stifano shared information about the Kuro Clan, while our side was at a disadvantage because we didn't know how the Demon Race fought?

The four contestants from the lamia and giant races failed to get past the first round, too.

Gran Maria, Kuudel, and Corone were also eliminated.

It was hard to say whether Suuriruu and Suurikou were lucky or unlucky: the twin sisters faced each other right at the start.

After a messy fight, Suurikou won.

Next should have been a spectacular showdown between Lu and Tia.

Unexpectedly, though, that turned into a messy fight as well.

Tia barely won.

Alfred, who was watching beside me, looked disappointed.

Kierbit faced Guraru.

The two fought at high speed.

Whoever landed a hit first would win, and in the end, Kierbit drove her knee into Guraru's solar plexus.

That decided the match.

Mea the mountain elf faced Ria the high elf.

Mea tried hard, but Ria won through technique.

That was roughly how the first round went.

Sixteen contestants remained for the second round.

The angels Tia, Kierbit, and Suurikou.

Ria the high elf.

Ann the oni.

Daga the lizardman.

Bulga and Stifano of the Demon Race, and four midwives.

Three of Zabuton's children.

The death knight.

Judging by the matches so far... I guessed the death knight would win.

In my heart, I wanted to cheer for Tia, Ria, and Ann.

Oh, I would cheer for Daga and Zabuton's children too~ Uno, it was a shame about you all. There, there.

Were Kuro Three, Masayuki, and Fubuki waiting over there scary? I would go over with you. This was the result of giving it your all, right? Don't worry, don't worry... Ah~ Kuro Three, Masayuki, Fubuki... please go easy on them.

Masayuki wasn't that angry. Was the angry one Masayuki's son's mate?

Go easy on them. Don't forget to go easy on them.

When there was a fight, one side had to lose.

Don't get too hung up on it... Ah~ but from a wild animal's perspective, did losing mean death?

Perhaps they had their reasons for being strict.

The second round.

Perhaps it was the misfortune of having too many contestants left, but two matches were between members of the Demon Race.

Stifano defeated a fellow demon and advanced to the third round.

The other was a battle between midwives, with one of them advancing.

Bulga faced Ann.

She fell to Ann's combination of blows.

"Every blow was so powerful..."

Perhaps affected by her messy fight in the first round, Tia performed poorly and lost to one of Zabuton's children.

Incidentally, Tiselle was sound asleep at the time.

The showdown between Daga and Kierbit was a repeat of the match between Guraru and Kierbit.

However, the winner wasn't Kierbit, but Daga.

"I already saw the path of that move earlier."

That was a cool line.

Ria faced one of Zabuton's children.

She deftly evaded the threads to close in, then climbed onto Zabuton's child, who forfeited.

"You were probably trying to imitate Pillow's movements, but does that suit your own traits?"

Hearing Ria's words, the defeated child of Zabuton seemed to sink into thought.

The death knight crushed Suurikou.

"There was nothing I could do."

The last match was between a midwife of the Demon Race and one of Zabuton's children.

When the match began, I thought the midwife's Enchantment magic had hit and victory was within reach, but Zabuton's child was acting.

Taking advantage of the midwife letting her guard down, it bound her with threads and won.

"Huh, huh, huh? No way~"

And with that, the second round ended.

Eight contestants remained.

Ria the high elf.

Ann the oni.

Daga the lizardman.

Stifano of the Demon Race and a midwife.

Two of Zabuton's children.

The death knight.

At this point in the tournament, everyone took a short break.

Volunteers performed songs and dances to cheer everyone on.

The harpies were putting in quite an effort now that it was their turn to perform.

Fushu was singing too? Her singing was quite lovely.

Mr. Michael too? It was an unfamiliar song, but quite good.

Glatts and Rinona also joined in on the spur of the moment, singing something like a love song.

Yes, it was like a karaoke party.

I ate in that warm atmosphere.

I was the person in charge of the martial arts tournament, after all, so I couldn't eat while watching. I was a little envious of the spectators, who could eat and drink freely.

The Progenitor, who was serving as referee, also came to eat. Thanks for the hard work.

The third round.

First, Ria faced the midwife of the Demon Race.

Having revealed all her trump cards in her earlier matches, the midwife was completely at Ria's mercy and lost.

Enchantment magic did seem better suited to opponents who hadn't seen it before.

Next were one of Zabuton's children and Stifano.

I thought Zabuton's child had the advantage, but Stifano evaded the threads, closed in, and climbed onto Zabuton's child to win.

"We get stronger too."

Ann and Daga.

A showdown between two of the village's old hands.

Ann dodged Daga's sword strikes, while her punches lifted Daga's body into the air.

Yes, that was how it went from start to finish.

Daga tried hard, but there was nothing he could do.

Last was

the death knight against one of Zabuton's children.

The death knight slowly approached Zabuton's child while swinging his sword, and once the distance closed, his opponent forfeited.

As I wondered why, Raimeiren happened to be explaining it to Kuhdel, so I listened in.

Apparently, Zabuton's child had been firing clumps of thread along with its threads, but the death knight had blocked them all with his sword, so it forfeited after sensing the gap in their strength.

Clumps of thread... Looking closely, I saw countless needle-like objects lying on the ground.

Had it thrown those things to attack? That was frightening.

And the death knight had blocked every one of them. He was strong.

The semifinals.

First were Ria and Stifano.

Since they had already watched each other's matches, it would probably come down to who had more moves hidden away.

Ria switched from her bow and arrows to striking and throwing techniques.

She even tried joint locks... but Stifano outclassed her in all of them and won.

"This time, I'll aim for the championship."

Next was Ann against the death knight.

Ann's fists clashed with the death knight's sword strikes.

Unlike when he had faced Zabuton's child earlier, I could see the attacks, but their speed was still startling.

Both unleashed one move after another while almost standing in place.

The rhythmic sounds continued for a while, but then a sudden crack decided the match.

The death knight's sword broke.

It wasn't his usual gleaming sword that broke, but the wooden sword for the tournament. The wooden sword I had made ended up holding him back.

It was my fault for giving you that sword so you wouldn't hurt your opponents. I was truly sorry.

Huh? The sword breaking meant his skills weren't good enough, so I shouldn't worry...

Thank you, death knight. I would make you a shield next time.

In any case, Ann advanced to the final.

The final.

Stifano of the Demon Race faced Ann of the Oni Race.

Unfortunately, the final didn't get the crowd fired up.

As soon as the match began, Ann closed in swiftly.

She cracked a paving stone underfoot as she threw a straight punch, but Stifano dodged and counterattacked at Ann's chin.

Ann fell, and the match was decided.

The winner of the knight division was Stifano.

"Ahaha. I'm happy I won... but sorry, could someone heal me?"

One of Stifano's hands dangled limply.

Apparently, Ann's punch hadn't been completely avoided.

"It isn't broken, just dislocated."

Flora first treated Ann where she lay, then treated Stifano's arm. Magic was amazing.

Ann regained consciousness too.

"That was a move I saved for the final... I never thought it would be dodged."

"You did your best," I said, then patted Ann's head... No, I decided against that and patted her back instead.

"I'm glad you're considering my feelings, but at a time like this, you should just pat my head."

I had made her angry.

Next came the awards ceremony.

That led straight into the banquet, and the tournament grounds became a stage for free matches.

"Have a referee ready, and both sides have to agree. Don't force anyone."

Even free matches had rules.

Death and the others said they would referee and that I could leave it to them, so I did... but no fighting between dragons, please.

The civil servant girls cried, "It's finally over," and began eating and drinking at their leisure.

"Ahh... the alcohol tastes so good."

"The food too... we finally get to eat."

"Yes. Let's take it easy until tomorrow's cleanup. Be careful not to drink too much."

Seeing them like that, I started eating too.

After eating, I would head back to the mansion for a while and put Alfred and Tiselle to bed.

After that... well, I would think about it when the time came.

Some people at the venue were arm wrestling.

Surely that wouldn't lead to injuries. Peace was nice.

"My hand-my hand's broken! Aaaaah! Miss Flora~"

I would thank Flora for her efforts later.

Yes, I would give her special thanks.

This year's martial arts tournament had ended.

5　A post-tournament review?

Frau and Gruwald from Village Three were running around the residential district.

They weren't moving fast, so it seemed more like jogging.

"Miss Gruwald."

"Is something wrong, Miss Frau?"

"Is this a land of myth?"

"Huh?"

"Is this a country from the myths?"

"Wait, wait... Um, calm down."

"I am calm."

"Why ask something like that all of a sudden?"

"Because... there are so many dragons."

"There certainly are."

"There was arm wrestling, and... tug-of-war? Is that what it's called? I even took part in that."

"You had fun, didn't you?"

"Yes, it was fun. And the food here is delicious. In other words, this is a land of myth!"

"Ahaha... It might be very close, but it isn't."

"Miss Gruwald. When I grow up, I want to enter the martial arts tournament too. I might have to start in the general division, but I'll do my best."

"Ahaha. You'll have to work hard at growing up so you can enter."

"Yes, I'll do my best."

The beastman Gulf and the lizardman Daga looked back on yesterday's matches as they did their exercises.

"I thought I'd put up a better showing against Miss Kierbit."

"We haven't studied enough about fighting angels."

"Yeah, we don't get any chances to fight them. If I'd had a few matches with her beforehand..."

"Couldn't she say the same? Wouldn't it be over once she saw through your bad habits?"

"You mean my attack patterns being too predictable? I've already added follow-up variations to deal with that."

"Even if you add variations, the foundation's the same, isn't it? You'd get taken down before you could switch things up. Isn't that why you lost to Miss Kierbit?"

"That was because I didn't expect her to use her spear as bait and kick me..."

"I told you beforehand, didn't I? Miss Kierbit is unusual for an angel in that she knows hand-to-hand combat too."

"Well, yes, you did... Sigh, I'm just not strong enough."

"Oh, don't be like that. All right, we've warmed up enough. Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Let's go see Miss Kierbit first."

"Right, I've already spoken to her. Go get beaten up."

"I'll come back with at least one win."

Randann and Beezel, two of the Demon King Kingdom's Four Heavenly Kings, were eating at the inn.

"This year was spectacular too."

"Yes. You were... so close yourself."

"The luck of the draw... No, that gap isn't something a good draw could make up for."

"Surely it isn't that bad?"

"No, no. Everyone else conserves their strength with consecutive matches in mind, but I have to go all out just to win. Even if I win one match, I can't win the second. That's what it comes down to."

"When it comes to one-on-one combat, you're among the best in the Demon King Kingdom."

"That pride and confidence have already been shattered. Anyway, couldn't we find some way to recruit that beastman called Gulf to the Demon King Kingdom?"

"Impossible. He moved to Big Tree Village not long ago."

"A step too late... When I ran into him in Shashaato, I should have brought him over, even if I had to be a little forceful."

"As I see it, he's a martial artist. I doubt he'd agree to become a general or instructor for the Demon King Kingdom."

"Hmm... Then what about the lamias or giants?"

"There's a possibility... but do you think the lamias and giants could lead troops and teach combat techniques?"

"We won't know until we try, will we?"

"I'll try asking, at least, but don't get your hopes up."

"Just being able to ask is impressive enough."

"My daughter seems to get along well with the lamias. Speaking of which, things seem to be going well with your younger sister, don't they?"

"Oh? You want to talk about that? It'll be a long story."

"Your Holiness, the prayers for tranquility are complete."

After finishing her prayers at the shrine, Fushu reported to the Progenitor.

"Thank you for your efforts. Things were quite lively yesterday, after all."

"Yes. I never imagined I'd get to watch a tournament to decide the strongest in the world."

"Hahaha. If we were deciding the strongest in the world, Death and Giral would probably want to enter too. I'm not sure about the Demon King. Who knows whether he'd show some spirit?"

"Even without those participants, the lineup was still incredibly illustrious. It was quite nerve-racking."

"Did it get your blood pumping?"

"A little. But as I am now, even if I could just about manage in the general division... I couldn't win in the warrior division."

"I imagine so."

"For now, I'll pin my hopes on my subordinates. I hope my son can reach those heights someday."

"Hahaha. Your subordinates aside, isn't it wrong to decide your son's life for him?"

"It's fine. He is my son, after all. If he saw that

sort of martial arts tournament, he would surely make it his goal."

"I won't meddle in your family affairs, but don't come crying if he runs away from home later."

"Understood. However, if my son says he wants to grow stronger of his own accord, I ask for your assistance, Your Holiness."

"I'd be more than happy to help."

"Thank you very much. Well then, Your Holiness, it's nearly time..."

"Indeed. There are seven places, so prepare yourself."

"Yes, I'm very much looking forward to it. Ah, I have one question before we leave."

"What is it?"

"The schedule includes resting at the hot springs..."

"The towels are ready, so don't worry."

"That wasn't what I meant. Is it necessary to bathe in the hot springs every time we visit somewhere?"

"What are you saying, Fushu? Naturally, we must cleanse ourselves before worship, mustn't we?"

"Indeed. Forgive my rudeness."

"As long as you understand. Have you prepared the packed lunches?"

"Yes, right here."

"Then let's set off. Oh, we also need to take the Death Knight back to the hot springs. Let's stop by the hot springs first."

Death and Giral were bathing in broad daylight.

"What are you going to do about Guraru?"

"I want to leave her here."

"If the village chief agrees, that's fine... but you can't keep coming to visit."

"I'm planning to live here too, you know?"

"How could that possibly be allowed? What about your own territory?"

"I'll leave it to you."

"You'll leave it to me...? Weren't you fighting with me all that time because you were so attached to that land?"

"That's true... but I don't know why I was so attached to it either."

"Did something happen?"

"I don't know that either. One day, my head suddenly cleared. Ever since then, not only have I stopped feeling irritated all day, I've become very healthy too. The mere sight of the sun used to annoy me, but lately, sunbathing has become part of my routine."

"Did your attribute change?"

"No, it's still darkness."

"Really? Still, I won't agree to you living here or abandoning your territory."

"I can't be the only one taking it easy?"

"Right."

"Why don't you retire too?"

"I said that to Raimeiren before, and it made her furious."

"Hahaha!"

"It's not funny at all. She said, 'Retiring means you don't need your life anymore, right?' I really thought I wouldn't get out of there alive."

"It sounds like Raimeiren is better suited to being the Dragon King than you."

"I think so too... but the Dragon King has to be male."

"That's a rule you people made up yourselves, isn't it?"

"That's true, but it's hard to break a rule we've followed for so many years."

"Fair enough. Why not just hand the Dragon King position over to this village's chief? Since he's Hakuren's husband, he should be qualified to be the Dragon King, right?"

"Don't be ridic... That might actually be a good idea."

"Oh?"

"I'll discuss it with Raimeiren sometime. You're the one who suggested it."

"Hey, don't do that. She'll come after me."

"No, no. We can tell her that if the village chief succeeds me, Hiraku Ichirou will be next. That should make it easier for Raimeiren to accept."

"Hiraku Ichirou as the Dragon King? I'd rather not think about it, but if Guraru marries him and they have a child... the bloodlines and titles of the Dragon King and the Dark Dragon would become one."

"Dark Dragon King won't do. It sounds so tacky."

"How about Dragon Dark King?"

"Don't stick it in the middle."

"Wouldn't 'Dragon King Dark Dragon' sound strange?"

"It would be a first, after all. Let's give it some thought."

"Right. Ah, but would the others have any objections? Wouldn't it be a problem if Doraim or Dors wanted to inherit the Dragon King's position?"

"Every time I ask them, they say they absolutely won't do it... I tried asking Seiren's husband too, but he laughed and turned me down."

"...Let's have a few drinks after our bath. Yes, let's drink."

"Your Majesty, I think there was an incredibly alarming conversation just now..."

"Glatts, we didn't hear anything. Nothing."

"...Hahaha. You're right. We were hearing things. Now then, let's get you thoroughly washed. I'll rinse you off."

"Oh, sorry for the trouble."

Michael and the civil servant girls were puzzling over their account books.

"If we keep trading like this, all the gold coins in the Demon King Kingdom will end up here."

"We've been spending quite a lot too..."

"It's nowhere near enough. To put it bluntly, this is essentially a piggy bank where money only goes in and never comes out. Without spending that matches the income, the economy would normally grind to a halt."

"Normally?"

"Yes, because this village is self-sufficient... the Demon King Kingdom will bear the damage instead."

"That isn't our intention. Is there anything we can do?"

"It would be best if you could buy in bulk... but you've already bought quite a lot, and the village has its limits. As for a proposal... I suggest building facilities outside the village for spending money."

"Facilities for spending money?"

"Yes. For example, food factories or entertainment facilities in Shashaato, where I have my shop."

"Food factories... You mean for producing Miss Flora's seasonings, as you mentioned before? But wouldn't setting up something like that create competition for you?"

"I'm already making plenty elsewhere, so that's fine. Of course, if you need distribution channels, I'll provide those too."

"If you're fine with it, we certainly have no objections... but what sort of entertainment facilities do you mean?"

"An arena, a theater, a magic hut where audiences can watch magic, a storytelling hut where people can hear interesting tales, and so on. It's not a very appropriate subject to bring up with ladies, but sexual services would also be an option. Oh, and it needn't be limited to entertainment facilities. Restaurants and the like would work too."

"Rather than facilities for spending money, aren't those facilities that make other people spend money? If the prices are too low, the surrounding shops will go out of business."

"I'm sorry to trouble you with considering the prices... but restaurants aside, low prices alone won't be enough to keep the other facilities in business."

"Hmm... Amateurs are very likely to lose money, but we have abundant funds, so it would be hard for us to go under... That would make them the facilities for spending money you mentioned."

"Yes."

"But then the village would simply be taking losses. What benefit would there be for the village?"

"You could introduce the village's crops and products... but most importantly, you would build a reputation."

"Build a reputation?"

"Yes. At present, Big Tree Village is virtually unknown. Only a handful of people in the know are aware of it."

"The village chief doesn't have much need for fame, after all."

"Of course, that's perfectly fine... but word will spread someday. When that happens, it will be difficult to deal with anyone spreading malicious rumors."

"Malicious? Are there hostile forces?"

"This is only an example for now. However, simply having money can earn you resentment. Of course, the Goroun Company is prepared to stand in front and shoulder the burden, but there are limits."

"You mean we should start preparing now to counter any slander Big Tree Village might face in the future?"

"That is one reason, but please consider the main objective to be establishing an organization that conceals Big Tree Village."

"...I see. That would cause the least trouble for the village."

"Yes. It could also serve as a base for gathering information. Currently, Big Tree Village's sources of intelligence are myself, His Majesty the Demon King, the Dragon King, Lord Doraim, and the head of the Korin Religion... This may sound like boasting, but it's an extraordinary lineup. Forgive my bluntness. Even with me included, don't you think there's still a problem with how quickly information is gathered?"

"If we were to station someone permanently in Shashaato... I see."

"The Goroun Company will offer its full support."

"Understood. We'll organize the details on our end, then make a proposal to the village chief. When we do, may we tell him it was your suggestion?"

"Certainly. Sorry for the trouble."

"Then that settles it. Next is... our current spending, I suppose."

"With the seafood we brought this time, you should be fine for winter, shouldn't you?"

"Yes. Oh, the village chief wants a large quantity of shrimp."

"Shrimp?"

"Yes, shrimp. Not little ones, but the big kind. He says they're more auspicious."

"Understood. I'll buy some up and deliver them before winter. Next is..."

"Hmm..."

"Please do your best, everyone. If I don't bring gold coins back this time, Shashaato will be in danger. I'm counting on you."

"In the worst case, we can offer you an interest-free loan with no collateral."

"While I'm delighted to have your trust, as the company president, I cannot agree to that. Please, buy something. I'll stock whatever you want."

"Hmm..."

Kuro's descendants were, unusually, acting as a group.

They were running at full speed around the village.

They had been at it since early morning... and now the sun was about to set... Were they all right?

"Village chief, sorry for the trouble, but this one should be about ready for you too."

"Right, got it."

Flora and I

were holed up in a little hut.

She had worked hard casting healing magic over and over during the martial arts tournament, so I wanted to treat her.

I had assumed that meant a massage or cooking something she liked, but instead, she wanted me to use the Almighty Farming Tool's spoon to promote fermentation.

"With this, that stuff you mentioned before, 'natto,' will... heh heh heh."

"I'm not really a fan of natto."

"But people who like it really like it, right?"

"That's true, but... let's focus on cheese."

"We already have cheese. Food I've never seen before is more important... heh heh heh."

"You might not like it yourself, Flora."

Despite saying that, I had a feeling the natto would turn out.

How could I keep its smell down...?

Chapter 6: A meeting before winter

The martial arts tournament ended smoothly, and the guests left one after another.

Aside from the Progenitor and Fushu, who had gone to the hot springs, Raimeiren stayed the longest.

She simply couldn't tear herself away from Hiraku Ichirou.

In the end, she even tried to take the child with her.

Hakuren and Rasuti barely managed to persuade her to go home... but I had a feeling she would be back soon.

She already had grandchildren in Rasuti and Hiserunak, too.

Was she making such a fuss because he was a grandson? When I asked Hakuren, she told me Raimeiren had also been very attentive when Rasuti and Hiserunak were born. So that was it.

Giral's daughter Guraru stayed in the village.

Hakuren and Rasuti said it would be fine, so I agreed.

For the time being, she would sleep in a guest room at my house.

As for work... well, for now, she could probably just go to school like Ursa.

With the review meeting for the martial arts tournament finished, all that remained was to prepare as much as possible for winter.

Things like processing food, hunting, and securing firewood for the winter.

Come to think of it, I currently prepared most of the firewood.

The trees in the Forest of Death were hard to cut down and hard to burn, so apparently they weren't very suitable for firewood.

I just hadn't noticed because I cut and processed them with my Almighty Farming Tool.

I had considered processing the trees from the Forest of Death into lumber to sell to Michael, then buying firewood from him instead. However, Michael didn't handle much firewood, and it would have taken up all our trade, so I dropped the idea.

I wanted seafood more than firewood.

Apparently, there were trees suitable for firewood farther south of the Southern Dungeon, where the lamias lived, so I asked them to cut some down and dry them.

I hoped that someday we could establish a situation where things would be fine without me preparing it.

Would it be better to consider securing other fuels, too?

We held a meeting.

The village representatives, race representatives, and civil servant girls all gathered.

The main topic was the allocation of winter work.

"Earl Chrome has placed an order for twenty mahjong sets."

"Twenty? That's a lot."

"Apparently, it's perfect for playing while chatting. And it's difficult to leave in the middle of a game."

Chats between nobles... they probably discussed important matters.

"Also, several nobles who have taken an interest in the game want sets of their own..."

"I understand that, but I wouldn't be angry if they made them in the Demon King Kingdom."

"When they asked craftsmen, they said it would be extremely difficult to make a hundred and thirty-six identical tiles..."

"Ah..."

That was the part I had simplified with the Almighty Farming Tool.

"They'll make the folding tables, scoring sticks, cases, and so on in the Demon King Kingdom, so we'd like you to make the tiles, village chief."

"Got it. I'll do my best."

"Thank you. Next, the Goroun Company has placed an order for ten more sets of wagon suspension systems."

"They've already ordered twenty sets, right?"

"Yes, making thirty in total. Good Forest Village says they can manage it if they deliver ten sets at a time."

That was because the springs, the key component of the suspension systems, were made in Good Forest Village.

"If Good Forest Village says it's all right..."

I looked at Mea, the mountain elf.

"No problem. Please accept the order."

How dependable. We accepted the order.

"The Korin Religion has ordered two statues of the God of Creation... Apparently, they want to place one in the hot springs area."

"If they want to put it in the hot springs area, that means one of them can't be wooden, right?"

"No, apparently any material is fine. If we use the trees around here, it won't be easily damaged even in the hot springs area."

"Understood. Make sure to confirm the delivery date."

"About that, they said we can deliver them whenever they're finished. In return, they'd like you to wait for inspiration before starting."

"That makes it difficult..."

As we decided on winter activities like this, we gave priority to outside commissions.

Of course, that was on the condition that they wouldn't affect the villagers' lives.

"This won't be a job for just this winter... but Lady Hou of the Demon King Kingdom has commissioned us to make alcohol."

"A commission to make alcohol?"

"Yes. Lady Hou wants us to make alcohol using the grains and methods she specifies."

Simply put, she would buy it while it was still grain, and wanted us to make it into alcohol and sell it to her.

"Hmm? In that case, couldn't she just make it at her own place instead of asking us?"

Hou was one of the Demon King Kingdom's Four Heavenly Kings, and a noble, right? From what I had heard before, she seemed to have her own territory, so there ought to be brewers there, too.

"She says she doesn't want to ask people who don't understand alcohol."

Well, in that case, the village's dwarves were probably the best choice, but the brewers in her territory would cry.

I looked at Donovan, the dwarf.

"There's a chance it won't turn out well... but if she trusts us that much, we can hardly refuse."

"Understood. We'll leave the grain purchases until after the next harvest... What's this letter?"

"A petition from Lady Hou."

"Don't tell me she wants us to start selling to her from this year's harvest?"

"Yes. Though we already turned her down once through Earl Chrome..."

I checked the letter.

It was long and very polite, but in short, it said, "Please sell me this year's red sugarcane."

Since it used red sugarcane... was it distilled liquor? She had seemed quite taken with it when she visited before.

She wanted three barrels.

I asked the civil servant girls to check our stock.

"She knows her drink. Sell it to her."

With Donovan vouching for her as well, I accepted.

I left the matter to Donovan.

"Also, this is for you, Donovan."

"Hmm?"

"When Earl Chrome went home after the martial arts tournament, you gave him a batch of alcohol, didn't you? Perhaps this is to thank you for that?"

"What a courteous fellow... Hmmmmmmmmmm..."

Donovan frowned as he read the letter.

"Does it say something strange?"

"No, it's a thank-you letter. It's just... well, I didn't give him all the alcohol he wanted. He's written a whole lot here asking, 'Why wasn't that drink included?'"

I glanced at the thank-you letter. It was full of resentment.

"What does he mean by 'that drink'?"

"The one I made with honey before..."

The mead made from the village's honey? That really was delicious.

"When I let him try it, I told him it wasn't something he could drink so easily."

Donovan muttered under his breath, but he looked happy.

After all, viewed another way, that resentment-filled letter meant someone craved the alcohol he had made.

After that, we discussed many other matters.

The new settlers in Village Three didn't have enough tableware; Village One didn't have enough bamboo for bamboo crafts; and there was a plan to build Guraru a new home.

Once Guraru's house was finished, she would apparently bring servants over like Rasuti, and Giral wanted to stay there when he visited.

Likewise, Death and the others wanted a house, too.

Building them in winter was impossible... though I felt we could manage if we pushed ourselves. No, we shouldn't overdo it.

For now, we would focus on preparations and try to make sure we could start work as soon as spring came.

There were also proposals such as, "Will we hold horse races again this year?" "Is there anything we can use the pool for?" and "Let's build roads to promote interaction with the giants in the Northern Dungeon and the lamias in the Southern Dungeon."

There was a wide variety, but most couldn't be decided right away.

Everyone would think about what to do over the winter.

...I needed to give it some serious thought.

I needed to reflect on how I always acted on a whim.

After the meeting, we had a simple meal.

Speaking of which, I remembered the natto commotion from a little while earlier.

I had prepared the ingredients for natto at Flora's request, and the dwarves had come rushing over.

According to them, the thing that fermented soybeans was the natural enemy of brewing.

Come to think of it, I felt as though I had heard somewhere about how powerful natto bacteria were.

Apparently, contact with natto bacteria was strictly forbidden when brewing alcohol or making cheese.

Just as I was thinking we were in trouble, I saw the dwarves start fiddling with things around the fermentation hut.

"What's this?"

"A spell to keep the fermentation spirits quiet."

Just as I expressed my admiration, I learned that this seemed

to be something the dwarves had installed when they built the fermentation hut. I hadn't known about it before.

The natto ingredients had pushed the spell's effectiveness to its limit and triggered an alarm, which was why the dwarves had rushed over.

"All right, that should do for now. If it affects the other fermented foods, we should probably build a separate hut for that stuff that ferments soybeans."

I didn't understand how it worked, but it seemed to prevent bacteria from spreading. Were bacteria under the spirits' jurisdiction in this world, too?

"Who's researching that spell you mentioned?"

"Who knows? We've just been using it since long ago."

"Do you know, Flora?"

"It's probably a type of ancient spirit magic. It's been neglected for years, so I imagine very few people study it."

"You knew something like this existed?"

"It's my field of research, after all. I just never imagined natto would be potent enough to trigger the alarm. I'm truly sorry."

"No, I let my guard down too. I'm glad we prevented anything from happening."

I really was glad.

But while I could more or less understand containing the bacteria, how did it make sense that taking fermented foods out was fine?

It didn't even spare bacteria clinging to clothes and bodies. I could feel the dedication of those who came before us.

No, perhaps being particular about food was simply an instinct all living things shared.

I looked at the food and drink before me and sighed.

Wasn't this supposed to be a simple dinner? It had turned into a banquet.

Oh well, that was how it usually went.

People who hadn't attended the meeting began gathering too.

The village chief and the camping carriage

There was the matter I'd mentioned before of what to call me.

Since we'd established other villages, my title would overlap with those of the other village chiefs, so we needed to work something out-that issue had been resolved.

I would be called "village chief." Same as always. The other village chiefs would be called "acting village chief," or simply "deputy."

However, that only applied in public settings, or rather, when they came to Big Tree Village or we had visitors.

Calling them village chief in their own villages should be fine.

This had been decided at the meeting of the racial representatives.

The issue had dragged on for quite some time, yet the resolution had been remarkably straightforward.

Was everyone really happy with that? I'd come up with a title myself, you know. I was quite confident about this one.

Hmm? You wanted to hear it, Ann? How kind of you. Well then, ahem.

"Chief village chief."

How about it?

Why did I only get a smile in response? Why wouldn't you look at me? If it was no good, you could just say so.

There were three carriages in the mansion's workshop.

Michael and Beezel had sent them, wanting to know whether anything besides the suspension could be improved.

I was free to use one of them however I liked.

A carriage I could use however I liked.

The next words that came to mind were "camping carriage."

I'll be honest. I'd always wanted something like that. A house that could move was wonderful. There was something romantic about it.

There was no reason not to get to work, right?

The carriage was surprisingly spacious inside.

It had two three-person benches facing each other.

But three adults would be a little cramped on a bench like this. It was best for two people to sit comfortably.

In other words, this carriage was designed for four people to ride in comfort.

However, my idea was a camper-no, a camping carriage.

That said, using fire inside a carriage was probably out of the question, and installing a water supply and toilet would be difficult too.

So my goal was a comfortable space for one person.

First, I removed both benches.

I prepared an armchair for one person instead. I covered the whole chair in fabric woven by Zabuton and furs, made the backrest adjustable, and provided room to stretch out my legs... yes, it could even serve as a bed.

Heh heh heh.

I placed it near the center so nothing would interfere with adjusting its angle.

The carriage's entrance was right in the middle, which made getting in and out a little awkward.

So I moved it to the back.

Hmm, now I couldn't recline the backrest all the way to make a bed...

N-never mind. Being able to use it as a chair was enough.

Some people felt comfortable with open space around them, while others preferred having plenty of things around them.

If I had to choose, I was someone who felt more comfortable with things around me.

Still, I wanted to keep it from feeling too cramped.

So...

I put boxes about as tall as the armrests on either side of the chair to provide storage space. Their tops had lids that opened and closed, and could serve as tables.

Then I tried sitting in the chair.

Yes, not bad.

But when I considered eating, I wanted a table in front of me too.

In that case...

I installed a movable little table that could swing around from the side of the chair to the front.

The mechanism for that took two days.

Around then, I discovered that several mountain elves had started helping without my noticing.

I simply asked them to stay and assist.

Next were... the windows.

Currently, there were windows on both sides and at the front of the carriage. The front window was a little one for communicating with the driver. When I sat in the chair, it was directly in my line of sight. It didn't look good.

What about enlarging it? Given the carriage's structure, even if I enlarged the front window, all I'd see would be the driver's back and the back of their head. No good.

Then should I remove the window? Sit in the chair staring at a wall?

I tried imagining it.

...I stopped. That wouldn't work.

After consulting the mountain elves, I decided to change the chair's position and orientation.

I turned it toward the side of the carriage, then moved it to the rear so the window would be above it.

I still couldn't recline the chair in this position, but it wasn't bad. Getting in and out was easier too.

Then I put shelves on the other side.

It was starting to look like a study.

I tried sitting in the chair.

The window was in front of me. Beside the chair were the pullout table and shelves.

Yes, wasn't this rather nice?

Of course, this carriage already had suspension. In that case...

I wanted to actually take a ride in it.

One mountain elf volunteered to drive and went to fetch a horse.

Apparently, the centaurs stopped her on the way. A centaur came over with a beaming smile. Well, that was fine too.

We set off immediately.

The chair faced the side of the carriage.

The shelves stood beside it. Simply put, the shelves were closer to the driver, and the chair was closer to the rear.

The moment the carriage set off, a third of the things on the shelves fell down.

Should I complain that the centaur had started too abruptly? No, it was a structural flaw.

Besides, we hadn't traveled far at all before everything on the shelves had fallen down.

Now I understood why carriages hadn't had many things inside them before. A lesson learned.

I needed to improve the shelves.

In places like ships, shelves had rails to keep things from falling off. I should have made shelves with rails. I also needed to adjust their angle.

At the same time, perhaps I should switch the positions of the chair and shelves.

Actually riding in it really did reveal all sorts of problems.

That was a good thing.

Then the mountain elves raised a question.

"When would you use this carriage?"

"When traveling, of course?"

"Would you be traveling alone?"

My original goal had been a camper-no, a camping carriage.

A mobile home.

Something with a kitchen, shower, and toilet. But practical considerations had changed it into a comfortable space for one person.

Had that been a mistake?

Would I travel alone in a carriage? Probably not.

Besides, even if I were the only person inside, a driver or centaur would be accompanying me.

I realized I'd gotten it wrong.

I shouldn't have forgotten the camping carriage I'd wanted in the first place.

A mobile home.

It needed a kitchen, shower, and toilet.

What I should eliminate was the comfortable space. The place where I would sit.

I could ride in another carriage.

No, at the very least, I should be prepared to sit in the driver's seat.

Time to start over.

Rather than designing it around people riding in the carriage, the idea would be "a carriage that accompanies us to provide a comfortable journey."

"Wouldn't that mean... the current carriage body won't work?"

I nodded in agreement with the mountain elf.

"Please fetch any high elves who have time to spare."

"...Are we doing this?"

"We are. I'll leave the wheels to you."

We began building the carriage body.

Ten days later, a carriage was complete.

From the outside, it looked like an ordinary... slightly elongated four-wheeled carriage, but there was no passenger space inside.

At most, someone could sit in the driver's seat or on the platform at the back.

This carriage's function lay in its transformation when parked.

Yes, transformation.

First, the driver's seat and front wheels moved forward, the rear wheels moved backward, and at the same time, the carriage body

lowered.

Then, once it nearly touched the ground, legs extended to hold the body in place.

Next, the body split lengthwise, and the left side opened ninety degrees.

The opened left side revealed cooking equipment stored in the narrow space. Take out the table and chairs that fitted together, then pull out and prop up the awning on top of the carriage, and it became a complete kitchen.

We hadn't managed to fit a stove aboard in the end, but as long as we could light a fire outdoors, it should be more than sufficient for cooking.

Then there was the remaining right side.

This held ingredients and eight tall wooden panels.

The ingredients were for eating.

The eight tall wooden panels formed two sets of four, enclosing a shower and a toilet. Their roofs were made of fabric and could be removed.

The shower drew water through bamboo pipes from a tank mounted on top of the carriage, allowing people to shower.

The floor was made of bamboo assembled into something like a nonslip duckboard, so water wouldn't collect.

We also prepared various ropes and curtains to serve as a temporary changing room, keeping bathers out of sight.

The troublesome part was that the shower water drained straight out, so we had to be careful where we set it up.

The toilet itself was a portable toilet mounted on the outside of the carriage.

It could be used as it was, but for hygiene's sake, I wanted a slime to come along.

We also prepared a handwashing area for after using the toilet, and a space to store leaves for wiping.

There had been a proposal to install it directly in the carriage, but that was rejected because it would be too close to the kitchen and food storage.

The transformation had taken the most effort, but I was also very proud of the lifting mechanism that raised the lowered carriage body, and the small hand pump that sent water to the tank on top.

With three practiced people, transforming the carriage and setting up the shower and toilet took only five minutes.

Restoring it took longer, at ten minutes. Yes, I was quite satisfied with the finished product.

"It's completely designed for nobles."

"You'd have to bring a cook along, wouldn't you?"

"It would be best to have someone dedicated to managing the toilet too."

"The water tank on top needs water for the kitchen, the shower, and the toilet... With all that weight, a single horse might have trouble pulling it."

The civil servant girls' criticism was harsh, but I was still satisfied.

"There are plenty of technical features worth learning from. The transformation in particular is wonderful."

The mountain elves understood. Thank you.

"Wouldn't a lifting mechanism and a small pump do the job?"

Lu said something utterly unromantic.

I knew. I had realized it halfway through. No matter what, we weren't going to mass-produce carriages like this. But...

"Since we've made it, let's try it out. We've already loaded the ingredients and everything, anyway."

Since we planned to return the same day, we had no use for the shower, but the toilet saw plenty of use.

The oni maids and I handled the kitchen.

"Isn't catering for nearly a hundred people asking a bit much?"

We had only asked for volunteers, but more people had come along than expected.

We washed the dishes as soon as they were used, operating at full capacity.

We would have been in trouble if Kuro's children, who were serving as guards, hadn't hunted some game for us.

Since we were close to the water, we didn't have to worry about our water supply.

Besides, the dwarves were drinking alcohol.

Oh well. Everyone looked happy, and the carriage worked without any problems.

And seeing Alfred, Tiselle, Ursa, Nat, Guraru, the beastman boys, and the other children's eyes light up when the carriage transformed made the trip worthwhile.

"Um, village chief? What is everyone gathering here for?"

A centaur who regularly traveled between the villages asked.

"A picnic."

The spot was near the bridge over the river between Big Tree Village and Village One.

It was about five kilometers from the village.

There were only so many places the carriage could reach.

Chapter 8: Winter, Magic Tools, and Shields

Winter had come. It was cold.

But it was warm inside the house.

It seemed several dozen of Zabuton's children were spending the winter in the mansion again this year.

I thought Zabuton could stay inside with everyone too, but I wouldn't force her. See you in spring.

Kuro, Yuki.

You could go play outside, you know. You had fur, didn't you?

What were you doing curled up in my kotatsu? Wash your paws before getting in... Apparently, they had already washed them. They were clean.

All right. But keep your heads out. Don't tuck your whole bodies inside the kotatsu.

Kuro's descendants lined up outside, the same winter scene as always.

I had made kotatsu for you, hadn't I? Were you using them?

Then there was no need to insist on coming to mine... Please don't treat getting into my kotatsu as some kind of honor.

I consulted Lu about magical items-magic tools.

Apparently, there were quite a few tools with magic sealed inside them.

However, the upper classes monopolized them.

Ordinary people hardly ever had a chance to come into contact with magic tools.

I see. What a shame.

Just as I was thinking that...

"The Dragon King and the Progenitor brought some as souvenirs and gifts for the newborns, didn't they?"

Come to think of it, I had received an item called a "Labyrinth Stone" for managing a dungeon.

Were there other things like that?

I wanted something like a stove or a refrigerator.

While making the camping carriage, the thought, "It would be nice to have something like that," had crossed my mind.

"There are magic tools that make fire and magic tools that produce water... But using them to cook would be difficult."

"Really?"

"Basically, magic can only do one thing, so magic tools can only do one thing too. For example, a magic tool that makes fire can only provide a fixed amount of heat for a set period. You can't adjust its heat, so I think cooking with it would be difficult."

"Really? Didn't the Labyrinth Stone Death gave us do all sorts of things?"

"That's a legendary item, an exception among exceptions."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"But I lent it to the lamias..."

"It wouldn't do us any good just keeping it, so as long as they're making good use of it, that's fine, isn't it?"

That was true.

From what she said, situations where magic tools came in handy seemed limited. They did seem extremely useful when the right occasion arose.

However, the magic tools in Big Tree Village... were almost all for attack magic and defensive magic.

That made sense. If they could only do one thing, naturally they would develop in that direction.

There wasn't anything I wanted.

"Nothing for it, then. Does that mean I'll have to commission someone who can make them?"

"What sort of magic tool do you want to commission?"

"I told you earlier, didn't I? Something I can cook with."

"Didn't I say you can't adjust them? Surely you can't cook with a fixed amount of heat?"

"Not necessarily. For one thing, you can solve that by adjusting the distance from the heat source. For another, we could set up several at once if necessary."

"Several at once?"

"Right. Like a musical instrument, we could line up magic tools with different heat levels in order, each just a little different from the next."

"That... really is something."

"Someone must have done it already, right?"

"Making magic tools costs money and requires precious materials. Nobody would do anything that wasteful. Actually, the very idea of cooking with magic tools is strange."

"Is it?"

"Yes. In practice, when it comes to cooking... We put a lot of effort into it in this village, but people outside don't go to so much trouble."

Now that she mentioned it, that was true.

"Besides, rather than finding someone to make magic tools for cooking, it would be cheaper to hire a cook and give them ordinary tools."

"Ah... That's true."

"You don't have any complaints about the house as it is, do you? Do you need something like that?"

"You've put me on the spot... But even if we don't cook with them, don't you think being able to drink hot tea in a carriage would be wonderful?"

"In a carriage... You'd burn yourself."

...True.

"Still, since you want them, I'll put in a little effort. I'll write you a list, so please take care of it."

"Hm?"

"You want magic tools, don't you?"

"I do... Huh?"

Besides magic and pharmacology, Lu apparently had quite a reputation for making magic tools too.

The list she gave me contained the names and quantities of materials.

"I think you should be able to get them through the Goroun Company. Also, I'll be using up a few of the village's magic tools."

"Understood."

Sorry for the trouble.

I focused in front of the wood.

There were some things on the schedule in my head that I absolutely had to make.

I would finish one of them in one go.

Rather than giving the wood a shape myself, I would let it take the form it wanted. That was all.

And so I made a round shield about a meter in diameter.

Yes, not bad.

"Sorry for the trouble."

I handed the finished shield to the mountain elf

waiting beside me.

She fitted straps to the inside of the shield, then added a grip to the straps, and it was finished.

We hadn't fixed the grip directly to the shield so the user could adjust where they held it.

That fulfilled the minimum requirements.

"So, what should we do?"

I asked the mountain elf.

"How about adding a transformation mechanism to change the shield's size?"

"Wouldn't that compromise its strength?"

"Wouldn't blocking one attack be more than enough?"

"But wouldn't it get heavier?"

"We'll cut holes in it to reduce the weight."

"I see."

I made a second shield.

It looked similar to the first.

However, it was twice as thick. As expected, it was a little heavier than the first. Still, it shouldn't have been too heavy to lift.

The mountain elf fitted the straps and grip.

Then she attached a thin strap to the grip. That thin strap was the trigger.

"I'd really like to try it out."

Since it was winter, it was cold outside, but not so cold that we couldn't move.

In fact, there were still people being active outside.

They were the lizardman Daga and the beastman Gulf.

They had originally been practicing swordsmanship in the hall of my house, but a glare from the oni maid Ann had sent them fleeing outside.

I asked the two of them to test it.

Daga would hold the shield, and Gulf would attack with a sword.

"Can I go all out?"

"Are you okay with that, Daga?"

"Of course."

"Then please go all out. Daga, I want you to block with the shield, but don't put too much faith in it."

"What do you mean?"

"The shield might shatter on the spot."

"That's pretty scary."

"This is a shield-making experiment, after all, so once the shield breaks, we're done. Don't forget that."

Incidentally, I had only told Daga about the mechanism, not Gulf.

The experiment began.

At first, Daga dodged Gulf's attacks or blocked them with the shield as normal. There didn't seem to be any problems.

Gulf gradually sped up his attacks.

Daga dodged less often and blocked with the shield more.

However, Daga wasn't simply taking a one-sided beating. He occasionally struck back with the shield.

Gulf dodged, but eventually failed to get out of the way and took a hit.

That probably put him completely into combat mode.

Gulf's attacks surged like raging waves, leaving Daga no chance to strike back with the shield.

Gulf swung his sword, knocking the shield slightly aside.

Seeing Daga's body exposed from behind the shield, he aimed at that spot and slashed down.

Watching from the sidelines, the mountain elf and I had the same thought-

Now!

Daga must have felt the same way. He activated the mechanism at the perfect moment.

Wooden crescent-shaped blades sprang out from three points along the shield's edge.

One of them blocked Gulf's sword.

Gulf was startled, while Daga let out a scream.

The shield's mechanism had a gear mounted in the center, whose rotation spread the blades linked to it.

It wasn't a complicated mechanism.

Although only for a brief instant, it increased the area the shield could defend.

That part went smoothly.

What we hadn't expected was that Daga, who was using this feature, didn't have a clear grasp of how large that increased area was.

One of the crescent-shaped blades stabbed into the thigh Daga had extended forward.

"Sorry, are you all right?"

The mountain elves and I apologized to Daga.

We also hurried to fetch Flora to cast healing magic.

Once Daga's treatment was finished, I asked them what they thought.

"It caught me off guard."

Guraru gave his honest opinion.

He said it probably wouldn't work in a competition or anything like that, but it might be effective in actual combat.

Daga's opinion was much the same.

"It was my first time using it, so I didn't know how far it would open, but it's quite interesting. Could the blades be made of iron?"

"There's the weight to consider."

"I thought it was quite light, though?"

"Really?"

I had Guraru try holding it.

"It's much lighter than an iron shield. I think I could handle it even if it weighed twice as much."

I see. I asked whether they had any other suggestions.

"One thing bothers me-I'd like something added to the shield's surface. Swords slide across it, so it's easy to deflect them, but it isn't suited to knocking an opponent's sword away head-on."

"Ah, as the one attacking, I thought so too. I could strike without worrying about my sword getting caught on it and breaking."

Really? I'd thought a smooth shield would be better.

"Some races do use shields like this... But when you hold it up like this to take an attack, a sword that slides straight inward will cut your leg."

"On the other hand, the shield takes the impact, so you need considerable arm strength."

I'd learned something.

In short, I just needed to put some raised features on the shield's surface, right?

"That's right. But you don't need to make it terribly rough. For example... You could add some of those carvings you're so good at, Village Chief."

I didn't think I was good at carving. Was that what everyone thought?

"However, I'd like a hook added to the shield's edge. It would deal with the sliding swords we mentioned, and you could also use it to catch an opponent's sword."

After hearing all their suggestions, I returned to the workshop.

Time for modifications.

Making the blades out of iron wasn't a bad suggestion, but I couldn't do it right away, so I put that on hold.

I added a carving to the shield's surface. I tried carving an angry dragon to intimidate opponents.

The mountain elves worked on improving the mechanism. They said that with crescent blades in only three places, the area available for blocking attacks was too narrow.

So they modified it to deploy six blades.

Finished.

A shield with six pop-out blades and an angry dragon carved on it.

Then Daga bowed his head to me.

"What is it?"

"Please let me use this shield. I'll show you what it can do."

But this shield was meant for the Death Knight guarding the hot spring area...

"Please."

No, this one was for the Death Knight. The crescent blades were made of wood, after all.

I decided to give Daga another shield fitted with iron crescent blades at a later date.

"Thank you very much... Huh? Do I have any requests for the carving? P-please let me think about it."

Beside the pondering Daga, Guraru considered whether he should carry a shield too.

"Wouldn't a small shield mounted on your gauntlet suit you better, Guraru?"

A mountain elf offered that suggestion.

Nobody wanted the first shield... Ah, the Death Knight might not like a shield with a mechanism either. I hadn't thought of that before.

I'd prepare the first shield by adding a carving and a hook too.

If the first shield ended up spare, I'd give it to Guraru.

What if the mechanical shield ended up spare?

Daga had been told no, so I couldn't give it to him. I'd make him a new one separately.

Side story: The name researcher

Hello, everyone.

I am Raymond Golbik, and I research names in the Demon King Kingdom.

Allow me to present a little of my research here today.

Broadly speaking, there are three rules for naming children in this world. This is not limited to the Demon King Kingdom.

The first is to take part of a parent's name. In most cases, sons inherit from their fathers and daughters from their mothers.

For example, if the father's name is Gordias, his son might be called Gordies or Gordodos. If the mother's name is Natasha, her daughter might be Nastasha or Natalina.

The advantage is that parent-child relationships and blood ties are easy to identify. The disadvantage is that, as this continues through the generations, everyone's names end up very similar.

It is difficult for anyone outside the family to remember everyone's names. Those marrying into the family often face this problem right from the start.

I married into my wife's family myself, and I made mistakes with names several times.

I was willing to make an effort to remember my wife's name and those of her father and mother, but remembering the names of her four older brothers, three younger brothers, two older sisters, and six younger sisters was rather difficult-or should I ask whether they were testing me? At first, I even wondered whether they had given themselves similar names just to mess with me.

Besides, with so many brothers, was there really any need for me to marry into the family? Did my father-in-law simply not want his daughter to marry out? Well, my wife is beautiful, after all, so I understand how he felt.

Sorry, I got off topic.

The second is to borrow the name of a historical figure. This is easy to understand. The hope is that the child will follow the example of a strong or wise person from the past.

Interestingly, however, few people use the name unchanged.

Perhaps out of respect for those famous figures, people generally make slight alterations before using their names. Though some are shameless enough to take them as they are.

The advantage would be that it makes naming easy... Correction, it shows what sort of person the parents hope their child will become. As for the disadvantage, in the same village or town,

many people may admire the same figure. Another would be that children do not necessarily grow up as their parents hope, so there are scholars named in tribute to renowned warriors and thieves named in tribute to sages. They fail to live up to their names.

Still, there are cases where children grow up as hoped and become the new kings of their fields, so there is no need to abandon hope.

In the Demon King Kingdom, many people borrow the Demon King's name. The Four Heavenly Kings probably come next. Others use the names of kings and generals from human nations, or figures from mythology, so there is a great deal of variety.

The third is freedom.

There is no particular reason; they simply choose a name that occurs to them.

It brings researchers to tears.

Huh? Was this name taken from some famous figure of the past...? And then it turns out to have been chosen at random. How could this happen! I have experienced that several times.

Surely nobody wants to be careless when naming their own child? But the more siblings there are, the simpler their names tend to become.

I have experienced this myself. No, it is not because my love for my children faded. I love them. But after the fourth or fifth, coming up with names became such a has... Pardon me. I realized that rather than devote my energy to naming them, I should put more effort into raising them... W-well, every family has its troubles.

Now, back to the subject. There is just one important point.

Do not criticize other families' names.

Treasure the name your parents gave you.

You chose your own name? No problem. Take pride in that name and do your best.

"Um, may I ask a question?"

Oh? I thought everyone had fallen asleep, but someone is still awake. How delightful. What is your question?

"I heard that the current Demon King only began calling himself by his present name when he became Demon King. Do you know what rule he followed in choosing it?"

A good question.

The current Demon King calls himself Galgard. This Galgard was taken directly from the name of the place where the Demon King Kingdom's royal capital currently stands. It originated with a nation called the Kingdom of Galgard several hundred years ago.

"Do Demon Kings always name themselves after the location of the royal capital?"

Not always, but generally, yes. By custom, a new Demon King relocates the royal capital upon taking office. Using the place's name probably also helps the new Demon King's name take root in people's minds quickly. It is easy to remember, after all. Any other questions?

"Please give us a few examples of famous figures whose names are used as tributes."

Of course. Let us start with the more famous ones.

In the Demon King Kingdom, tributes to Demon Kings' names are still the most common. Past Demon Kings everyone knows, such as Conqueror King Gojelus, Ruin King Galzona, Forest King Akrish, and Culture King Flamira.

I imagine there are several students in this class whose names pay tribute to figures from the past.

Next is the legendary vampire Wilglas. People call him the Progenitor Vampire, a legend who has lived for thousands of years.

Urbrasa. A great human hero from a thousand years ago, the Hero Queen.

Although she and the Demon King of her time killed each other, her popularity in the Demon King Kingdom is unshakable. After all, there is a side to the Demon King Kingdom that judges only strength, regardless of whether someone is friend or foe.

Incidentally, one of my daughters is also named in tribute to Urbrasa. I hope that if her husband ever cheats on her, she will be able to strike down the unfaithful fellow.

I will not introduce you to my daughter. If you lay a hand on her, I will kill you.

Next... are the three demons from the stories: Gucchi, Bulga, and Stifano. You have never heard of them? They are quite famous. Though the stories are told to children, their plots are quite satisfying, so please read them if you have the chance.

Others... Oh, it is almost time for class to end. That will be all for today.

Next time, we will discuss forbidden names. Naming your children is important, after all.

Side story: Transformation

Rasuti transformed. From dragon form to human form, then from human form to dragon form. She did it beautifully.

Did anything like the law of conservation of mass apply? What about the difference in weight between dragon and human forms?

Wasn't dismissing it all as magic a little too careless?

Ah, sorry. I wouldn't understand an explanation of the properties of magical power anyway. I shouldn't worry about it, right?

All right, I wouldn't worry about it.

Why was I suddenly interested in transformation? Hakuren couldn't turn into a dragon while she was pregnant, right?

Having given birth, Hakuren was soaring freely through the sky.

I privately reflected on whether she had felt cooped up all that time.

Though she herself didn't seem particularly bothered.

Back to the subject of dragons transforming.

When Rasuti took human form, she kept her horns and tail.

However, if she put her mind to it, she could make her horns and tail disappear.

She could make herself look a little more mature, and apparently she could turn into a child too.

That part was probably the same as Lu's transformations.

I thought for a moment.

I fetched Lu to check.

Could she give herself horns or a tail? She could? Not just horns, but things like beast ears too... Ooh!

Lamias, centaurs, and minotaurs too? Amazing.

Hmm? Ah, no, no, your usual appearance suits you best. Both your adult and child forms, of course.

Next, we continued our experiments. What about sex?

She could do it if she tried, but there was no point? What did that mean?

"Because I'd probably become a very feminine man."

In any case, I had Lu turn into a man.

Ah, yes, you can change back now. Sorry. Thank you.

Lu's male form looked very off.

She was definitely male, but there was something subtly feminine about her, or...

"It's less a matter of my lack of skill and more that my essence hasn't changed, so it doesn't work."

Her essence?

"When I turned into a lamia, a centaur, and a minotaur earlier, they were all female, and you could tell it was me, right?"

True.

"That's because, although I can change my appearance, I can't change my essence. However, explaining that in detail would get complicated... Simply put, changing sex is very difficult."

I see.

"That's how it is. You can't do it either, can you, Rasuti?"

"No, I can't. Nor would I want to."

So that was how it worked.

Lu returned to her room to research magic tools, and I continued talking with Rasuti.

She could make all sorts of fine adjustments in human form, but apparently not in dragon form.

"That brings us back to the essence we mentioned earlier. Because my dragon form is that essence."

Hmm? Wait a moment.

In that case, wasn't a dragon turning into a human a transformation that deviated from her essence?

"This human form is also part of my essence, so it's fine. It's difficult to explain why, so please just accept that that's how it works."

I would.

"By the way, Rasuti, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Who's that beautiful woman over there?"

"...My grandmother. Grandmother Raimeiren."

"Huh? Why? Huh?"

"Um... A little while ago, when Big Sister Hakuren introduced Grandmother to Hiraku Ichirou, she called her Grandmother. Maybe that upset her."

"So that's why she took on her younger appearance?"

"I think so."

If I hadn't asked Rasuti, I would have mistaken her for a stranger.

"By the way, Rasuti, can I ask you one more question?"

"What is it?"

"Who's that weirdo over there?"

"...That's my grandfather. Grandpa Death. Not a middle-aged man dressed as a woman."

"Why is he dressed like that?"

"I think it's probably because Grandma wouldn't let him come see Hiraku Ichirou."

"Just for that, he transformed into something contrary to his nature?"

"He's trying very hard."

"Wouldn't transforming into something contrary to his nature be bad for his health?"

"No, it only tires him out. Oh, Grandma spotted him. He's turning back into a dragon and running away... She shot him down."

"That's some serious firepower."

"I think anyone would react like her if they saw their husband dressed as a woman."

"Y-you're right."

I'll never dress as a woman-I swore to myself.