I received word that most of those who had visited Village Five for the vocational visit had found jobs. That was good to hear. I was relieved, truly. However, their choice of career was quite a surprise.
The top pick turned out to be agriculture.
I had heard that they didn't want to return home because they refused to lower their quality of life, so I found myself wondering if they were actually okay with this.
"It’s perfectly fine," Frau explained with a wry smile when I voiced my doubts. "After all, the deal comes with a house, land, and professional instruction."
It was true we provided housing, but it was on a lease. And they were small. While plenty for a single person or a couple of the Demon Race, a family of four would find them a bit tight. For larger folks like the Minotaur Race, even two people would be a squeeze. Plus, those houses had been built by apprentice carpenters.
"They may have been built by apprentices, but they were supervised by master carpenters," Frau reassured me. "Safety checks have been completed, so there are no issues. Besides, the outhouses utilize the latest water-flushing system the graduates requested."
To implement those flushing systems, we had to install proper water and sewage lines, which meant the houses needed to be built in clusters. Consequently, they ended up being some distance away from the land they would actually be farming.
"It’s safer than a lone house out in the middle of nowhere," Frau added. "Besides, it’s only a short walk to the Village Five foothills, which provides exactly the kind of lifestyle they’re after."
That made sense, I suppose. Still, the land was a lease as well. The contract stipulated that if they farmed diligently for ten years, they would receive ownership of both the house and the property. There was one catch: while they could rebuild the house as they saw fit after the transfer, the land had to remain agricultural.
"Back home, no one but the heirs get land," Frau noted. "Even if the land can only be used for farming, the prospect of owning their own property in the future is a massive draw."
I had cleared that land as a side project while opening the Village Five New Road, so there was no guarantee it would yield good crops.
"It will be fine since it is land you cleared yourself, Village Head," she said. "Besides, they have mentors."
We had tapped veteran farmers in Village Five to act as instructors. They had their own fields to tend, so they wouldn't be hand-holding, but they were available for consultation whenever someone ran into trouble. It still felt a bit precarious to me.
"Not at all. These are dream conditions. Normally, one would have to pay rent for the house and land and start by clearing the forest while fending off magic beasts and monsters. In some places, you can’t even get started without a hefty deposit."
Yoko had been lamenting that it was difficult to find agricultural workers despite these exceptional conditions, but...
"I suppose few people migrate as individuals specifically looking to farm," I mused.
Hmm. Our goal for the first recruitment phase had been three hundred people. We hadn't even reached half that. This time, the count increased by about fifty, but there was still plenty of room. It pained my heart to see the houses built by the apprentice carpenters sitting empty. It reminded me of the early days of Village One.
"Well... I suspect the conditions were almost too good, leading some to be suspicious. This time, however, the offer was accepted because Torain-kun and Kierbit-san were the ones explaining it."
I see. That made sense.
"Furthermore, Village Five is home to many people connected to the nobility of the Demon Kingdom. Since these graduates were finding jobs together rather than returning home alone, I believe their sense of security outweighed their anxiety. Let us place our expectations on their future endeavors."
"I suppose so."
"The only potential issue is their parents coming to Village Five to raise a fuss..."
Ah, right. There was always the chance they would try to take them back by force.
"I’ve already briefed the Village Five Security Team, so they won't be able to do anything through force," Frau said.
I hoped they could settle things through discussion.
"Indeed. Also, the Lord Demon King said he would be taking his own countermeasures."
It would be a problem if the complaints were directed at the Academy too.
"Yes."
I decided to place my hopes in the Demon King's measures.
As an aside, the second most popular field after agriculture in the Village Five vocational visit was the food and beverage industry. People flocked to the ramen shops, the Maruura branch, and the mobile sales units run by Western Confectionery Shop Fairy Fairi.
Usually, a strict employment exam would weed out the unskilled, but since their backgrounds were guaranteed by the Academy, the bar was lowered slightly for this group. Nevertheless, even after being hired, they remained on temporary employment for the time being unless they were truly ready for the line. They were paid properly, but tardiness or poor performance would delay their permanent employment. It seemed the majority of those who found work in the food industry would continue to use the dormitories provided by the Academy to ensure they were never late. I hoped they would work hard to secure their positions.
"It seems those who can’t drop their noble language are having a hard time with customer service," Frau remarked.
"Shouldn't those people have been failed during the employment exam?"
"It is something that can be corrected," she countered.
I wondered if that was really how it worked. Frau seemed convinced.
"During this vocational visit, why did no one apply for a position with the Village Council?" Yoko asked me during dinner. "Graduates from the Noble Academy should be able to handle council work, shouldn't they?"
Unfortunately, the ones capable of handling civil official work hadn't been sitting around waiting for a visit. Before this initiative had even started, they had already snagged jobs in the Royal Capital, Shashato City, or elsewhere in Village Five.
"Are there some here in Village Five already?" Yoko asked.
I nodded. Eliza, the Civil Official Girl in charge of the printing business, had reported hiring several of them for various administrative tasks. Since they didn't go around advertising their noble status, they were easy to miss.
"I see. Hmph."
"You mustn't do anything forceful, Yoko."
"I know. Forcing them wouldn't make for good workers anyway."
She planned to lure them with better rewards and treatment instead.
"Fortunately, the finances of Village Five are healthy," she added.
That was true. But I really didn't want her poaching people from the printing business. Eliza would be furious.
"I know, I know."
"Oh, that’s right," I said, changing the subject. "Have you seen the new carts the Mountain Elves made?"
"The Tracking Cart? I’ve seen it. It’s an excellent invention. I hear mass production is still a way off, though..."
We had just begun preparations to build a dedicated workshop in Village Five, aiming for stable production by winter. Until then, we were only churning out one or two every few days back in the Village of the Great Tree.
"Those are things where the more we have, the more they help. I would like you to hurry," Yoko urged.
"Procuring the materials is the bottleneck," I explained. "They incorporate magic tools that Lu and Tia collaborated on, after all."
"Could you not have the Goroun Company or the Dalfon Company collect them?"
"I’ve already asked. Michael-san has already placed an order for a thousand units himself. The price is going to be quite high, though."
"Village Five would like about that many as well."
"I know. That’s why we’re building the dedicated workshop. I’m having them aim for mass production using a belt conveyor style assembly line."
I noticed Hitoe looking a bit bored as we talked shop.
"Oh, forgive me, Hitoe. What did you do today? ...Preparing for the pool cleaning?"
The pool was managed by the Lizardmen, but in anticipation of summer, a Great Cleaning was performed every year. That was scheduled for tomorrow. Hitoe and the other children had been helping to prepare the cleaning tools so the pool could be opened as soon as possible.
"Is that so? Well then, let’s go swimming together once it's done. It’s a promise."
"Is it okay to make such a promise, Yoko? Aren't you busy?"
"Naught to worry. I have my excellent secretaries. The world won't end if I take a day or two off."
Well, Yoko's overworking had been a concern for a while now. I was glad she could find time to play with Hitoe. If things got busy, I could always step in and help out in Village Five myself.
"Village Head, there are also concerns that you yourself work too much," Yoko teased.
I laughed it off. I would have to be careful not to forget how to take it easy.