It was a banquet, though we called it a report session.
Since Draim was with us, we held the gathering at the inn. Based on the accounts from Tia and Daga, this is how things went.
First, regarding the actions of Tia’s group.
Apparently, Draim’s arrival in his dragon form caused a complete panic in the village. They managed to pacify the residents somehow, then unloaded the cargo and stayed the night. The food in that village was meager and sparse, so at the request of Tia and Draim, they quickly burned through the emergency rations we’d sent along.
The barter market began at sunrise the next day, but for a while, the villagers only watched from a distance. No one would approach. To break the ice, our team started offering samples to draw in customers. After that, things moved fast—before they knew it, every last item had been traded.
The fruit and wine were the big hits. We also traded away all the grain, but since the Village Head and the heads of prominent families snapped it all up in bulk, it was hard to tell how popular it actually was with the common folk at that stage.
In exchange, we obtained exactly what we had planned: pigments, iron products, silver products, and glass products.
The market was supposed to last until sunset, but since the trading finished halfway through, our team considered heading back early. However, the leadership of Howlin Village insisted they stay until the next day. They wanted to request our continued participation in future markets and see if we could trade for grain outside of those scheduled sessions.
Since the dinner that night featured wine and dishes made from the crops we’d just traded, our group didn't have any complaints about staying over. The following morning, they reconfirmed the details of the discussions, packed up around noon, and Draim flew them back home.
I see. I’ll have to listen to the specific details of those agreements another time.
Then there was the state of the village itself.
While not exactly a destitute hamlet, it didn't seem particularly wealthy either. The village moves every time the mining site shifts, which keeps the place looking relatively clean. The roles seem to be divided by age: the children handle hunting and gathering while the adults focus on mining.
However, until now, they’d traded ore and finished products with human villages for food. With that trade currently interrupted, their situation had become quite precarious. According to Galf, they have some stockpiles and a few distant villages still come to trade, so they’re managing to scrape by for now.
It would be a massive help if they could trade for food with the Village of the Great Tree, but since the journey is so arduous, they can't visit frequently or transport large quantities on their own. Therefore, it would be a lifesaver if we could continue visiting them as we did this time. They would also be happy to trade outside of the markets. They told Tia that if there’s anything we want, they’ll do their best to provide it.
In the end, the report sounded more like a series of pleas from their side.
Once Draim got pleasantly drunk and fell asleep, the session came to an end. I thanked everyone who had gone to Howlin Village for their hard work and dismissed them.
"Husband. Do you have a moment?"
"Is this something you couldn't say during the report session?" I asked Tia.
"No, I simply forgot to report it."
"Hmm?"
"I was approached by their Village Head about whether a few people could migrate to this village. I didn't give an immediate answer, telling him I would consider it."
"Migrate?"
"Yes. Judging by the state of Howlin Village, I suspect they’re trying to reduce the number of mouths to feed."
"Ah, I see. Right."
A village struggling with food has two options: increase the supply or decrease the number of consumers.
"I don't mind the population increasing here, but... was there a problem that kept you from giving an immediate answer, Tia?"
"The prospective migrants were all young women."
"...Eh?"
"They can’t part with the men because they’re the primary labor and military force. As for the elderly, their wisdom might not apply in a new environment, and pushing them onto a host village would leave a bad impression."
Which left only the young women. Not giving an immediate answer was a good call, but this was clearly a situation where we should step in. Fortunately, the Village of the Great Tree had resources to spare. As for manpower, the more the merrier.
In times of trouble, we should help each other. If we had the luxury to help, I wanted to do it.
"How many prospective migrants are there?"
"At most, twenty-two. However, even if it's only one or two, they asked if we could take them in."
"I’ll accept all of them, but on one condition."
"A condition?"
"Yeah. Tell them to include several young men. A relationship isn’t healthy if we’re the only ones doing the helping. I want them to help with our own problem: the lack of men."
"Is that the condition?"
"That’s right. At least two or more young men. The more, the better."
"Understood."
"Also... tell them that if anyone wants to migrate as a family, we'll accept them."
"Migrate as a family?"
"If you're sending your daughter to an unknown place, it wouldn't be strange for a family to want to go together, right?"
"I don't believe that's a common way of thinking... but I understand."
Is it not common? Maybe I was being too influenced by the common sense of my previous world.
The next day, Tia went to Howlin Village alone and finalized the migration talk. About ten days later, we asked Draim to transport them again. One favor from a dragon for one barrel of wine... I still wasn't sure if that was expensive or cheap.
Either way, new residents arrived in the village. Twenty-five members of the Beastman Race. Twenty-two females and three males.
The long-awaited males! Men! Hahahaha!
...The three males who arrived were roughly the age of kindergarteners.
"Since you asked for young males," Tia said.
"Was that on purpose?"
"No, nothing of the sort."
Well, I’d said it thinking it would be nice if it worked out, but... No, I couldn't give up. Even if they were no help now, in a few years, they would become a shield for me! Besides, if there were males here, even if they were young, I could avoid some of the arguments about needing me "for the sake of the species" and the like.
It wasn't bad. In fact, wasn't this actually a good thing? All that was left was to train them up slowly. I hoped they would work hard and become men who could support many women.
"I am Sena. I am truly grateful that you have accepted our migration," the representative said.
Sena seemed to be the oldest among the newcomers, and her drooping dog ears were her most distinguishing feature. Apparently, she was the daughter of the Howlin Village Head.
"We will endure any kind of treatment, so please, do not abandon us."
"Ah... you don't have to be so formal. You're migrants. From now on, you are people of the Village of the Great Tree. You're our peers."
"To treat us as such... Thank you. To be honest, we came here prepared to be treated as something less than slaves."
"I’m sorry to make your grim determination go to waste. For now, I’ve prepared sleeping quarters. Everyone will live there for the time being."
"For the time being?"
"Yeah. Once you've gotten used to life here, I'll listen to your various requests. Like if a group of you want to live together, or what kind of house you'd like."
"I-I understand."
I called over one of the High Ogre Maids.
"I am Ramrias. I have been appointed as your caretaker. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"If there's anything you don't understand, please ask me or her," I added.
"Yes. We look forward to working with you."