“Tell me, what is the most common sight at the annual presentation ceremonies?”
“A common sight? Um... the Demon King’s opening address?”
“No, not that. I’m talking about that specific thing certain people do every single year.”
“Ah, you mean how the low-ranking girls try to throw themselves at the high-ranking nobles and end up making fools of themselves?”
“Exactly. And when you saw that, what did you think of them?”
“That they ought to know their place.”
“Right. Then let me say this one more time. I am at the very bottom of the hierarchy here. You are a subordinate of that very bottom. The Village Head is the absolute top of this village. Do you finally understand what I’m getting at?”
“Does this... perhaps have to do with last night? When I snuck into the Village Head’s room?”
“Yes! What you did was the equivalent of a commoner crawling into a King’s bed without warning. It wouldn’t have been strange if you’d been beheaded on the spot!”
“Aren't you being a bit dramatic?”
“Dramatic? You really think I’m being dramatic?”
“E-er... I-I’m sorry.”
“For now, I’ve told him you were just confused and walked into the wrong room... but I couldn't fool anyone else in the village except for the Village Head himself.”
“Well, as long as the Village Head believed it, isn't everything fine?”
“...Let’s go back to that story about the ceremonies. Did the high-ranking man who was hit on by the low-status girl ever get angry?”
“Eh?”
“He wouldn't, would he? He’d just gracefully dodge the advance and be done with it. The ones who get angry are the high-ranking women who were already targeting that man.”
“In other words...”
“If it comes down to it, I don't care if you die—just testify that I had absolutely nothing to do with your little stunt.”
“Wha—Fraurem-san! You’re joking, right? Please, wait! Help me!”
Watching the girls Frau had brought along work so diligently, I finally understood who they were. They were civil servants—essentially the clerks, secretaries, and receptionists of the administration world. While they weren't incapable of outward-facing roles like sales, their true strength lay in supporting an organization from within. There were ten of them in total.
Personally, I felt that was an excessive number for a village like ours, but perhaps I could put them to work in trade or negotiations later on. Their manners were impeccable, and they seemed quite capable. For the time being, I decided to leave them in Frau’s capable hands.
However, while I’d initially thought they were all level-headed, I realized some of them could be quite scatterbrained. To think one would mistake my bedroom for an outhouse. That was a close call. I was just glad the others had been there to lead her away. Still, is she the type who gets completely naked to use the facilities? I suppose even this world has people like that. Maybe I should add a vanity area... or a changing space to the outhouses? I’ll have to ask her about it eventually.
My horse-riding practice wasn't progressing as well as I’d hoped. Since the horses were equipped with saddles and stirrups, I wasn't in any danger of falling off, but it felt more like I was being carried along rather than actually riding. The horse never went where I wanted it to go, and I was reaching a state of quiet resignation.
However, I finally saw a glimmer of hope.
“Go straight.”
Following my instructions, Kuro’s offspring guided the horse, and it actually moved. Yes! It was finally going exactly where I wanted! ...Wait, no. This wasn't the kind of horse riding I’d envisioned. Besides, with this method, the poor horse was so terrified it was pitiful. I needed to build a real connection with the animal—a relationship of trust. I decided to start over patiently, beginning with simple things like hand-feeding.
An investigation team was assembled and set out for the northern dungeon. I called it an investigation team rather than a conquest squad as a way of telling them not to overdo things.
The roster consisted of ten High Elves, three Lizardmen, two High Ogres, and thirty Inferno Wolves. Additionally, one to three of Zabuton’s children rode on the back of each wolf. From the southern dungeon, three Lamias joined the group, bringing along about twenty large snake monsters under their command. The plan was for them to return before winter, no matter what. I sincerely hoped they would all make it back safely.
We also held a meeting to establish standardized units of measurement for the village. The catalyst for this was the volume of sake. When I asked what the standards were like outside the village, I learned that no unified system existed. Therefore, I decided we would create our own.
Thankfully, I had the Universal Farming Tool. By transforming it into a ruler, I was able to measure out the millimeters, centimeters, and meters of my previous world. There was a chance the scale might be slightly off, but since the tool produced the same length every time I summoned it, it would serve perfectly as a consistent base. Similarly, I turned the tool into a measuring cup to define liters.
I wasn't quite sure what to do about weight, but I recalled that one liter of water should weigh exactly one kilogram. I knew that changed slightly with water temperature, and while I couldn't remember the exact standard—I thought it was around four degrees—I had no way to measure temperature accurately anyway. Ultimately, there was no need to match my old world perfectly; we just needed a reliable standard for ourselves.
And so, we established the village standards for length, volume, and weight.
On a side note: “This is incredible, Village Head. Your fields are almost exactly fifty meters long.” Even though I’d just eyeballed it, I felt pretty impressed with myself.
“From the Great Tree to the river, it’s exactly fifty-two sets of one hundred meters.” I wondered if it was acceptable to include that extra two hundred meters in a "roughly" five-kilometer estimate. I decided it was fine. Yeah, even if it was just based on a gut feeling, I was doing a great job.
Just as the autumn harvest was set to begin, Yuri, Frau’s guest, prepared to return home. She had been with us for about three months and had become quite accustomed to village life. She had occasionally joined the beastmen in pressing sugar and oil, so the beastmen were the ones who lamented her departure the most. The girls who had arrived with her also seemed sad to see her go, but none of them took her up on the offer to return to the capital together.
“I’m sorry, Lady Yuri. I intend to atone for my failures in the Royal Capital by starting over from scratch here.”
“I have yet to repay my debt to this village for training my immature self. Until then, my resolve is unshakable!”
“I can’t simply abandon the fields I’ve been tending and go home... I’m terribly sorry.”
In the end, every single one of the noble girls chose to stay in the village.
“You girls... put down those plates of food and cups of sake before you say that again,” Frau muttered.
Since they were all staying of their own volition, there didn't seem to be a problem. It wasn't until recently that I learned Yuri was actually the Demon King’s daughter. I’d figured she was a young lady from a good family, but I never imagined she was a Princess. I found myself wondering if it was really okay for her to have been here all this time. Beezel had visited several times; was he actually coming to pick her up? I didn't quite understand the politics of it all. Regardless, I just hoped she didn't leave with a bad impression of us.
We held a farewell banquet with Beezel in attendance, and I made sure to send her off with plenty of souvenirs. Afterward, personal requests from Yuri began to appear alongside Beezel’s official messages via the small wyverns.
The Demon King's Castle.
“Beezel. Ever since my daughter returned from the village, she seems so... dignified. Reliable, even.”
“Is that so? Perhaps... but why are you telling me this, my Lord?”
“Lately, you and my daughter have been getting along quite well, haven't you?”
“It’s not so much that we’re getting along as it is me acting as the messenger for my own daughter’s correspondence.”
“I see... By the way, has my daughter mentioned anything about me in those messages?”
“What do you mean?”
“Lately, she’s been so cold to me.”
“...Isn't that just your imagination?”
“No, I’m certain of it! Why, yesterday we didn't speak a single word to each other beyond our morning and evening greetings!”
“Isn't that just because you’re busy, my Lord?”
“No, no, that’s not it! Even when I go out of my way to show her I’m free, she just ignores me!”
“Ah... I have a daughter of my own, so I think I understand, but... once they reach that age, isn't that just how they are?”
“My daughter is different!”
“...My Lord. It may sound cruel, but daughters have a way of growing up while their parents aren't looking.”
“Grown up?! You mean a man?! Could she have found a man?! Who is he?! I’ll kill him!”
“My Lord, please. If you keep acting like that, she might just show up one day with a swollen belly to introduce you to her new husband.”
“Hieeeeeek! No, no, no! That is absolutely forbidden!”
“That’s a worry for the future. Please, calm down. Besides, the meeting is about to start. Did you look over the materials regarding the Western Front?”
“This is no time for meetings!”
“If you don’t prioritize your duties, the Princess will truly come to hate you.”
“I can't have that!”
“Yes, yes. I’ll mention your hard work to the Princess later, so please, do your best at the meeting.”
“Really? You mean it? I’m counting on you, Beezel.”
“Leave it to me. Now, let us head to the assembly hall.”
“U-umu! Ah, wait a moment. I need to switch gears... alright. Bwahahaha! Now, let us decide the fate of the fools who dared set foot in the Demon Kingdom!”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Beezel was a man of many hardships.