The wine was finally finished.
Lu and Tia suggested it was about time to taste the first batch we had brewed. That simple tasting naturally evolved into an official unveiling, which quickly spiraled into a full-blown banquet.
I thought I had produced a decent amount of wine, but with the village's population growth, the rate of consumption was staggering. We managed to empty four large barrels in a single night.
Well, I’m continuing to grow wine grapes and start new batches with every harvest, so more will be ready soon enough, but still... the reviews were almost too good.
"I’ve never tasted wine this delicious in my life."
"Ah, it’s wonderful."
"I had no idea wine could taste like this."
"Another glass over here!"
"You're drinking far too much! Show some restraint... though, make sure I get my fair share first."
It certainly wasn't bad; it had turned into proper wine. However, I didn’t think it was quite worthy of such high praise. Personally, I felt the aging process was still a bit lacking, but the others clearly disagreed.
"Husband. We need to expand the wine grape fields."
"Aruji-sama. Though I am still inexperienced, I will assist with the labor in any way I can."
"Village Head, leave the barrel-making to us."
And so, it was decided that we would expand the vineyards. Well, I didn’t particularly mind...
Incidentally, the wine was quite a hit with Kuro and the others as well. Of the four barrels consumed, you could say Kuro’s pack polished off one all by themselves. I witnessed the rare sight of dogs—no, wolves—getting drunk and staggering around on unsteady paws. Since then, I’ve noticed Kuro and the rest have been putting an unusual amount of effort into guarding the vineyards. I’d like to believe it’s just my imagination.
We eventually decided that the wine wouldn't be for daily consumption, but would instead be reserved for banquets and special events. There were some grumbles, but everyone eventually saw reason. They likely realized that if we drank it every day, the cellar would be empty in no time.
I don't dislike wine myself, but I don't exactly crave it. In my mind, wine has always been a luxury item. In the Middle Ages of my previous world, people drank it daily because clean water was a precious commodity; here, we can draw fresh water from the well whenever we like, so there’s no need to be obsessed with it. Of course, the villagers have started finding all sorts of excuses to request wine, but that is a story for another time.
By raising cows and chickens, I finally secured a steady supply of milk and eggs. This opened up a whole new world of culinary possibilities.
Since I’m prioritizing the growth of the flock, I can't take too many eggs. However, I decided that any eggs laid outside the chicken coop were fair game for the table, which usually guarantees a few every day. I started by trying out some simple dishes.
First was a plain omelet, seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper. It was delicious—a deeply nostalgic taste. When I glanced to the side, I saw Kuro with his chin resting on the table, watching me. I gave him a little piece, and he ate it with a look of pure satisfaction.
Next... pudding.
It’s a simple recipe: eggs, milk, and sugar. Since I’ve been harvesting sugar from the sugar cane, I had plenty on hand. I whipped up a batch and poured it into wooden cups. It looked perfect. The final step required chilling it, so I moved the cups down to the cellar.
While waiting, I experimented with caramel sauce. It’s just sugar and water heated together, but its simplicity makes it tricky to get right. I burned it several times before I finally perfected it.
That was probably my mistake. The scent of scorching caramel is incredibly sweet and potent. Lu, Tia, Flora, and Ann’s group—who were all supposed to be busy with other tasks—suddenly appeared in the doorway, watching me intently.
...
Because of the limited number of eggs, I could only make five servings of pudding. A minor war broke out over them. I realized then that even when facing off against Lu or Flora, Ann and her maids won't back down if they feel strongly about something. Seeing the tension, I quietly waived my right to a portion.
Afterward, as rumors of the pudding spread to Ria and Granmaria, they requested it so frequently that all egg production was strictly reserved for pudding for quite some time. I really need those chickens to multiply faster.
Then, the village received its very first visitor.
He was dressed splendidly, looking much like a nobleman, though his lack of excessive ornamentation suggested he might be a high-ranking official. He arrived alone, albeit under the heavy surveillance of Granmaria and the others.
The visitor was not human. My intuition told me he was of a race one would call a demon. Perhaps that was why a significant number of our residents had gathered to receive him, all of them ready for a fight.
Lu, Tia, Flora, and Kuro’s pack stood by with an air of relaxed confidence. Ria and the High Elves, along with Daga and the Lizardmen, remained on guard with weapons in hand. Ann and her maids were there too, standing behind me and waiting for my command. Granmaria, who had escorted him in, was present, but Kudel and Corone were nowhere to be seen. It was too dangerous to have our entire strength in one spot. For that same reason, Zabuton stayed out of sight as well.
"I am an envoy of the Demon King," the visitor announced. "I wish to meet with the representative of this settlement."
An envoy of the Demon King. He looked like an ordinary person, but I suppose he really was a demon. Regardless, I had been called, so I stepped forward.
"That’s me."
"You are?"
The man’s face went blank for a moment before he quickly composed himself. Do I really not look like a Village Head?
"Pardon my rudeness. My name is Beezel, an envoy of the Demon King."
"I am Hiraku."
I debated whether to use my surname, but since he only offered one name, I decided to keep it simple. After confirming my identity, Beezel presented several documents and items proving his status as the Demon King's subordinate. He then handed over a gift.
"As a token of our acquaintance."
"Thank you for your courtesy."
I wasn't sure what the gift was, but Lu looked pleased, so it must have been valuable. Normally, we would have spent time exchanging pleasantries about the weather, but I wanted to get straight to the point.
"And what does the Demon King want?" I asked. I made sure to use a polite tone; there was no sense in causing trouble over a lack of etiquette.
"He wishes to discuss the relationship between our realm and this settlement."
"Is that the only message?"
"N-no, I have been granted a measure of authority. I am empowered to forge an agreement here and now."
"Ah... I see."
He wanted to discuss our relationship. I recalled hearing that this area fell within the Demon King's sphere of influence. That likely meant he wanted us to pay taxes—or he wanted us to leave. I had also heard that we didn't necessarily need to worry about a ruler who hadn't done anything for us.
I glanced at the others, wondering if I should consult them, but they all gave me looks that clearly said they were leaving the matter entirely in my hands.
...Fine. I’ll handle the negotiations. The first rule of negotiating is to start with a strong proposal.
"If you recognize our right to live here, we will pay ten percent of our harvest as a tax."
Ten percent. I thought I was proposing an incredibly steep, assertive rate. Better to offer a clear amount ourselves than to have them impose a crushing burden on us later. By paying, we were effectively signaling that we had no intention of opposing the Demon King. Since I didn't know the local standards, I stayed firm on the ten percent.
"Eh? A-are you certain?"
Wait, why does he look so shocked? It didn't seem like he was surprised that it was too low... Since he was off-balance, I pressed the advantage.
"You must come and collect it yourselves every year before winter."
I was telling him that if they wanted the tax, they’d have to do the legwork.
"I-I understand. I shall arrange it exactly as you say."
Somehow, the matter was settled then and there. The tax would be ten percent of the harvest, but limited specifically to crops from the fields. We would not hand over milk, eggs, honey, or sake. Furthermore, we wouldn't provide anything harvested in small quantities; strictly speaking, anything that didn't fill at least one large barrel wouldn't be counted. We also agreed that if the Demon King’s side wanted specific goods, they would have to purchase them at a fair price.
Once everything was summarized in a written agreement, Beezel prepared to leave. Reflecting on the fact that I might have been a bit too aggressive, I handed him a return gift as he left. After all, he had brought one for me.
"...Was that handled well enough?" I asked.
The others pondered the question for a moment before Lu spoke up.
"I think it was a brilliant move. By paying a tax, they are now obligated to provide us with protection."
"Indeed. And yet... fufu, ten percent?" Tia laughed, looking quite amused.
When I asked, she explained that when paying taxes in kind, fifty or sixty percent was the norm. In some places, the authorities took as much as ninety percent.
"Making them come to collect it was a masterstroke as well," Ann added with a nod. "It was a subtle way of telling them that we will not permit any of their officials to be stationed here."
Eh? I didn't mean that at all...
"Our harvests here happen multiple times a year," Ria noted, summarizing the group's thoughts. "If they only visit once before winter, they’ll never know the true scale of our production. In practice, you’ve secured the protection of the Demon King’s army for a tax that amounts to less than ten percent. Truly impressive, Village Head."
I hadn't intended for any of that, and I fully planned to calculate the amounts honestly, but... perhaps this is just how people think in this world. At any rate, we were done.
"Dismissed. Everyone, back to work."
By the way, the gift Beezel brought turned out to be a collection of incredibly rare medicinal herbs—a virtual panacea that could be either ingested or applied topically.
At the Demon King’s Castle.
"Beezel! How did it go? What did they demand?"
"They said they would pay taxes."
"What? They’re actually submitting to us?"
"Yes."
"...Even though they have the military strength to bring down a Wyvern?"
"Precisely. In fact, it was their own proposal."
"Is there some kind of trap?"
"I suspected as much... but we have no choice but to accept."
"Why not?"
"The Vampire Princess and the Annihilation Angel were both there. And that's not all—there were countless Inferno Wolves and High Elves. Even Lizardmen and High Ogres..."
"Impossible. I don't believe it."
"The one who escorted me was one of the Genocide Angels. I didn't think I'd make it out alive..."
"I find it hard to credit... but with a force like that, they certainly could drop a Wyvern."
"Yes. They paraded that military might before me and then 'offered' to serve under us. We cannot refuse. The moment we do, we guarantee their hostility."
"Mmm... I wonder what they’ll demand from us next..."
"Indeed. However, I shall do my best to manage the relationship. Fortunately, I believe I established a friendly rapport with their representative."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes. He even gave me a souvenir."
"Hoh. What is it?"
"I haven't checked yet."
"Well, let’s see it."
"I have to show it to the Demon King first. Otherwise, it looks like I’ve accepted a bribe."
"It could be something dangerous. We have to inspect it."
"Mmm... true. Just a quick look, then."
"Right. Let’s see... this cloth bundle? And inside... fruit? They look like Appos, but the shape and color are magnificent."
"They really are. Ah, don't just start eating them!"
"It's a poison test. Munch. ...Mm, this is delicious. No, it’s incredible! This is amazing!"
"Is it? Honestly... wait, what’s this?"
"What is it now?"
"This cloth wrapping the fruit..."
"Yeah, it’s a nice fabric. What about it?"
"T-this... this is cloth woven from Demon Spider silk. And looking at the size of the weave... it has to be from a Great Demon Spider."
"A Demon Spider? You mean the Guardian of Death?"
"The same."
"A 'Great' one? Didn't one of those fight a former Demon King to a draw about a century ago...?"
"Given the size of this cloth... I don't think there's any mistake."
"So they gave you a treasure they’d been carefully storing?"
"I’d like to believe that... but would you use a legendary treasure just to wrap a few pieces of fruit?"
"No. I wouldn't. Which means... they must have a Great Demon Spider living there like a common pet... I'm resigning. Today. Right now."
"Wait! You’re the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings! You’re our head official! Are you really going to run away?! Ah, he’s serious! Wait! Please! Take me with you!"