With forty-two new arrivals, the High Elf population had grown to fifty-four.
There were two vampires.
Twenty members of the High Ogre Race.
As for Kuro and his pack... there were a lot of them.
Zabuton and her brood... also a lot.
The bees had filled four hives.
The slimes had multiplied until they were beyond counting.
Four cows.
And one member of the Angel Race who must not be forgotten.
Tia had been deep in thought lately. With the arrival of the vampire Flora and her High Ogre maids, she felt her own influence in the village was starting to wane. She began to wonder if she should summon some subordinates of her own to even the scales.
It didn’t help that I’d been absolutely delighted by the cows the maids brought as a gift. I really couldn't hide my excitement.
"I will go and bring back some servants of my own," Tia declared. "And while I am at it, I shall secure the chickens you’ve been wanting, Husband. Please, look forward to my return."
With those words, Tia set off on a journey, even though winter was right on our doorstep. Her plan was to return sometime around spring.
Then, winter arrived.
I decided to prioritize getting to know the new residents. Regarding the new High Elves, Ria and the others were looking after them, so I wasn't particularly worried.
The real concern was Ann and her group. It wouldn't have mattered if they had built houses in the Southwest Area, but since they were living in my house, I had to be mindful of them. I liked to think I’d improved since coming to this world, but I’ve never been the most social person.
I thought I would have to put in a massive effort to get along, but as it turned out, I didn't need to try that hard at all. Ann and the others maintained a perfect sense of distance. They kept things to a professional minimum while occasionally mixing in a bit of small talk. Most importantly, they never failed to show me proper respect. They all carried themselves with the poise of elite receptionists at a major corporation.
I learned through our conversations that they had a history of serving as maids for Lu and Flora’s clan for hundreds of years. With that much experience, managing their dynamic with me was probably second nature to them.
Their cleaning and laundry skills were impeccable—truly excellent. The only household task they struggled with was the cooking.
The reason was simple: a lack of knowledge. Their culinary repertoire seemed limited to throwing ingredients into a pot and boiling them until they were done. Consequently, I spent the winter teaching them the various cooking methods I knew. There’s a good chance they’ll be better cooks than me by the time spring rolls around.
Life in the house became significantly more lively once Ann and her group joined us. Previously, things like the lights were only turned on or off whenever Lu or Tia felt like it, but now that the maids were managing the household, everything was done on a strict schedule. Even the cleaning and laundry, which I used to do whenever the mood struck me, became daily chores. Thanks to them, my bedsheets were fresh every single day.
Speaking of beds, I’d been stuffing mine with whatever grass I thought looked good, but Ria and the others knew which varieties were actually suited for bedding. I had everything swapped out. Because of that, the grass only needs to be replaced about once every six months. Now I just lay a separate sheet over the grass-filled mattress to keep it clean before I sleep. It feels much more civilized.
They were also meticulous about managing the fires. Thanks to them, we stayed quite warm despite the freezing winter.
It was a good change. It made me realize how sloppy I’d been living until now... but I tried not to dwell on it. More importantly, since I could leave the domestic chores to Ann and the others, the rest of us had more free time. I focused on my handicrafts, while Lu and Flora immersed themselves in their medicine research.
Still, it felt a little lonely without Tia around.
On a side note, while Ann and the others were surprised by Zabuton and Kuro, they didn’t faint. Perhaps it was because they had been warned in advance? They did seem to panic a bit when they saw the bees in the Fruit Area, though. I suppose I forgot to mention those.
Meanwhile, the newly arrived High Elves still made a point of fainting whenever they laid eyes on Zabuton. She really isn't that scary, though.