This year, only about half of Kuro’s pack gave birth. Some of the females simply didn’t get pregnant. Since the birth rate had been nearly a hundred percent until now, it came as a bit of a surprise. I wondered if they were somehow regulating their own population. Yuki didn’t have a litter this year, either.
Even so, the pack was still growing at a steady clip, so I set to work expanding the Dog Area and constructing new Row Houses. The current Dog Area, situated east of where they slept, was a two-hundred-meter square—the equivalent of a four-by-four grid of field plots. Because Kuro and the others were so large, it had started to feel a bit cramped lately. It hadn't been an emergency since they mostly used the space for sleeping, but I decided to double its size by extending it further east.
Now the Dog Area spanned a four-by-eight grid of plots. That should keep them comfortable for a while.
Just as the birthing season ended and the puppies’ horns began to show, Rief and Rasa returned from the Forest. They were accompanied by their escort of Kuro’s grown offspring and a group of High Elves they had gone to recruit.
The turnout was much larger than I’d anticipated: forty-two High Elves split into eight different groups. Every single one of them was female and appeared to be around the same age as Ria. I found myself wondering if High Elves were a female-only race.
"When our settlements were overrun, the men stayed to fight while the women fled to safety," Ria explained.
That made sense. Still, I thought there might at least be some young boys among them...
"Among the evacuees, the elderly and the children were sent to live with other tribes."
"Wait," I said. "If you had other places to go, why didn't you go with them?"
"Joining another tribe means submitting to their rule. When that happens... well, let’s just say women aren't always treated with much respect."
Ah. I see. That explained why these young women had chosen to continue their nomadic life in the Forest instead. To them, wandering the dangerous woods was preferable to the hardships they would face under the thumb of another tribe.
"We are deeply grateful that you have permitted us to settle here," they said.
"No, don't mention it. You'll be expected to pull your weight around here, so don't be shy about working. More importantly, I’ve already prepared some housing, but... I didn't make enough. I’m going to need your help building more."
I had estimated ten, maybe fifteen newcomers at most. We were completely short on space. We had to rush the construction of the new houses immediately.
...
I couldn't help but wonder... once things settled down, would those forty-two women eventually start visiting my bedroom too?
...
"Ria," I said later. "If there are any High Elf men out there, maybe we should look into bringing them here too."
"Ah... Village Head. If you mean the boys who were sent to the other tribes, I’m afraid that would be difficult."
"Oh? Why’s that?"
"The settlements they fled to were also destroyed by humans."
"I see... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It’s alright. However, I have heard that some members of those tribes managed to escape just as we did. I’m told our men are being protected by them. Since men are so rare, they are considered a precious resource. If we were to demand their return, it would almost certainly lead to a conflict."
"..."
The mood had turned grim, so I decided to change the subject.
"Anyway, you should pick a representative for the High Elves now that your numbers have grown."
"In that case, I will continue to serve in that role."
"It would certainly make things easier for me if you did, Ria... but are the newcomers okay with that?"
"It isn't an issue. We have already established the hierarchy."
Hierarchy...
I decided it was better not to ask for details.
"I-I see. Well, just make sure the new girls get settled in and feel at home."
"Understood."
One grid character is approximately 50x50 meters in size.
□□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FruitFruit □□□□□□□□□□□□FieldFieldFieldField○○○○○○○○ ━Upper Waterway━━━━━PondPond□Field◇◇Field○Dog○○○○○○ ━Drainage System━━━━━PondPond□Field◇◇Field○○○○○○○○ □□□□□□□□□□□□FieldHouseHouseField○○○○○○○○ □□□□▼Bath▼▼▼▼▼△△△△△△△△ □□□□▼▼▼▼▼SW▼△NewField△△△△△ □□□□▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼△△△△△△△△ □□□□▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼△△△△△△△△ □□□□□□□□□□□□△△△△△△△△ □□□□□□□□□□□□△△△△△△△△ □□□□□□□□□□□□△△△△△△△△ □□□□□□□□□□□□△△△△△△△△
← The River is about five kilometers that way.