Winter is drawing near.
Very near.
It’s already cold enough to make you want to curl up under a kotatsu.
Still, it isn’t winter just yet.
All the same, I should start working hard to prepare for it.
-0-
There’s the human chef, Ribic.
Perhaps because he listened to my advice, he stopped dancing in the plazas and on the main streets.
Instead, he now performs properly on a stage.
Apparently, he’s become quite popular.Popular enough to even start a dance class.
That’s fine and all, but… isn’t he supposed to be running a place that serves food?
And while it’s good he’s securing a stable income, shouldn’t he be returning to the human kingdom?
I’ve heard ancestor-san suggested several times that it’s about time he went back, but Ribic has refused each time.
Still, since he seems to be doing well, I don’t pry any further.
Lately, it seems he’s not only been visiting Shashaato City and Village Five, but also the beachside rest stop entrusted to the seakin near the entrance of the coastal dungeon.
The food offered there includes classics like curry and oden, along with okonomiyaki, yakisoba, takoyaki, and grilled squid.
And though it’s served outdoors, you can also enjoy grilled crab, shrimp, squid, octopus, scallops, turban shells, and the like.
I remember back when eating crab or octopus got you called a voracious eater.
Feels nostalgic.
These days, more and more places prepare them properly, and those ingredients have gained real popularity among adventurers in particular.
The more edible things there are, the better, after all.
Since Ribic is from a landlocked country, all these foods from the sea must be completely unfamiliar to him.
The flavors, textures, and aromas, everything should be unknown territory, yet he boldly challenges them all.
I admire that attitude, but he doesn’t need to force himself to eat things he can’t stomach.
He should ease into it little by little, starting with what he can handle.
-0-
A letter arrived at Big Tree Village.
It was from Ursa.
She was asking for support.
At first, some of the villagers stood up, thinking they lacked fighting strength. But after reading the letter carefully, it turned out what they lacked were civil servants.
They needed people who could run a city.
…….
Those who had stood up sat back down.
But no one else stood in their place.
I had no choice.
I was about to stand myself, only for someone to grab my shoulder and stop me.
It was Loo, smiling sweetly.
Apparently, me going was not an option.
Then…
「Let’s send a few angels.」
That was Tier’s suggestion.
Would that really be fine?
「Yes. The Chief has already approved it.」
At the end of Tier’s gaze, Malbit gave a firm nod.
Apparently, she wanted to use this as a workplace for angels who tended to slack off.
……
Didn’t she also introduce some idle angels before, as helpers to give Youko a break?
Are angels prone to slacking?
Malbit hurriedly denied it.
「When the environment is poor, angels will work hard to improve it.」
In Big Tree Village, because the environment is so comfortable, angels feel satisfied with moderate work and end up taking it easy.
I… guess that makes sense?
「But if the environment is too harsh, they won’t work at all and just run away…」
So tossing them on an uninhabited island wouldn’t make them build it up into something?
「Exactly. Placing them at some kind of base is optimal. They’ll move on their own to improve the environment.」
I see.
Come to think of it, when Tier first came here, back before it had even become a village, she did take the initiative in many ways. Maybe it was that same instinct.
「Ursa’s request this time is, in fact, perfect for them.」
I see.
Then we’ll leave it to the angels.
「Thank you. In that case, um… I have one request.」
What is it?
「May we borrow an airship?」
Were they planning to transport something?
「No. We’d like to use it as a living base for the angels dispatched to Ursa」
Ah, I see.
We don’t know what kind of living conditions Ursa has right now.
So they wanted to use the airship’s facilities for housing.
「Also, it would help convince the angels. Unless we guarantee a certain level of comfort, they won’t be willing to go」
So they need some incentive, huh.
「In the end, I’m sure they’ll go, but… we can expect a lot of resistance」
Got it.
But the village’s airship is already planned for use, like recovering the Arti-Horse pilot suits and such.
Would one of Village Five’s newly built airships do instead?
They’re not just making small single-seaters but also proper large-scale airships.
「As long as it has sufficient living space」
That should be fine.
Village Five’s airships are designed to carry both cargo and passengers.
Although it will still take some time before they’re operational, the plan includes building spares, so lending one to the angels should be no problem.
That leaves the matter of flight crews.
We can’t have Village Five’s staff permanently stationed with the angels in Ursa’s city.
They’ll need to train a local crew there.
So, for now, we’ll have Village Five’ crew handle the outbound journey… but then, how do we bring them back?
I could ask Ancestor-san or Beezel to use teleportation magic, but it feels wasteful to trouble them with such errands.
Maybe we should set aside some funds and ask Bee-baa.
If she’s not too busy, she’d probably agree.
「Village Chief, I heard Village Five have already completed several airships. Why not send two?」
Malbit offered her idea, and I found it convincing.
Go with two ships, and have the crews gather onto one for the return trip.
Yes, let’s do that.
-0-
I asked Youko to arrange the airship, and she had only one thing to say.
「So there was someone who could run a city」
……
In Village Five, it is difficult for the angels to take the lead openly.
That is why we have them working as tutors and such, to help others get used to them.
「I know. I was only making a comment.」
A-as long as that is all.
「Indeed. And the city that Ursa is speaking of is not unrelated to Village Five」
Is that so?
「The operating funds for the group that Ursa leads are provided by Village Five」
…….
「Before leaving on her journey, she properly came to negotiate」
I-I didn’t know that.
「A report was submitted. It seems you simply haven’t read it yet」
That’s my fault… You put it among the unimportant reports, didn’t you?
「The only reason was because the matter involved Ursa. In content, it was something to be processed by the council of Village Five」
Hmm.
「Well, part of the reason was also to prevent you from giving excessive support if you found out」
It’s only natural to want to help one’s daughter, isn’t it?
「That is true. Which is why the report was submitted. Had you checked it properly, support could have been given, don’t you think?」
Hmmm…
「From now on, I would like you to look through even the reports marked as unimportant」
I will try to do better.
「Within reason. Also, there has been a request from Ursa for additional funding. The amount is considerable, so your approval is needed」
At the end of the documents Youko presented was the figure of fifty thousand silver coins.
That is indeed a large sum.
The intended use was… living expenses for her companions.
「Ursa is leading nearly ten thousand soldiers and their families, a population in the tens of thousands. Even if they become self-sufficient later, they must buy food at first」
I see.
So the city is to settle those soldiers and their families.
Is it really feasible?
「Building a city from nothing would be difficult, but this is different」
?
「They occupied an abandoned city in ruins. It seems they plan to restore it」
That… is it safe?
What about conflicts of interest with the Demon King’s Kingdom?
「It was a city repeatedly abandoned after uprisings, so there should be no problem. I have confirmed this with Randan」
Randan.
The foremost of the Demon Kingdom’s Four Heavenly Kings, in charge of internal affairs.
If he says there’s no problem, then there really shouldn’t be one.
「We will provide financial aid, but the purchase of supplies will be done through either Village Five or the city of Shashaato. For transporting those supplies, we plan to use airships. So having one stationed there permanently should not be an issue.」
So that’s why she so readily agreed to let the angels use an airship.
「With one close to Ursa, I suppose village chief’s worries would ease as well. 」
……That’s true.
If anything happens, they can always use the airship to return.
That leaves only one matter….
Whether or not fifty thousand silver coins can actually be recovered.
That’s not an amount I can approve just because she’s my daughter.
「Asa and Earth have submitted a business plan. According to it, it will take fifty years to recover the funds.」
Fifty years, huh.
I can’t decide if that’s fast or slow.
「Still, profit isn’t the main point. Having a city that’s friendly toward Village Five is far more valuable. It’s a shame the location is a little distant, but considering airship routes, it’s not bad. I’ve asked Randan to handle negotiations with the local lords. Apparently, a certain Count Pugyaru is working quite diligently on our behalf.」
Heh.
I haven’t been able to meet Count Pugyaru yet, our schedules never seem to match.
I should make sure to find the time and thank him properly.
「Then, I’ll proceed under the assumption we’ll provide the funds.」
Understood.
I’ll leave it to you.
「Naturally. If we’re putting up the money, we’ll also have a say in things. We’ll want to secure the surrounding resources.」
Don’t bully Ursa too much, all right?
「I’ll show restraint where it’s due.」
Please do.
Ursa already has her hands full with restoring a city while managing such a huge crowd.
Ah, that’s right.
Maybe I should send them a few Multipurpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Machines (Arti-Horses).
After all, those were designed mainly for civil engineering.
They could be very useful in rebuilding a city.
If they train pilots on site, then…… the only real issue would be the pilot suits.
Ah, no, there’s also the matter of Yoru.
Right now, she’s completely absorbed in making ammunition for the winter test firing, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten about the Arti-Horses.
If I send them out, she’ll definitely complain.
Insisting that she should be the one to pilot them.
……
I’d better take care of the pilot suit problem sooner rather than later.