The harvest season had arrived.
I had already harvested from my fields several times throughout the year, but there was something definitive about the arrival of autumn. We set to work with quiet determination.
The brunt of the labor was handled by the High Elves, the Lizardmen, and the Beastman Race. During this time of year, everything revolved around the harvest. In the orchards, Zabuton’s children were particularly active, proving to be a massive help in gathering fruit.
Kuro and his pack weren't suited for agricultural labor, but since the High Elves were busy in the fields, I asked the wolves to focus their energy on hunting to keep us supplied with meat.
I had been looking for a better way to address the girls working under Frau, as their current labels were a bit cumbersome. Calling them "the demons" felt far too broad, so after some discussion with the girls themselves, we decided to officially call them the Civil Official Girls. They helped with the physical labor, of course, but their primary responsibility was measuring the yields. Shortly before the harvest began, I had them conduct a full inventory of the storehouses to ensure our management was airtight. Frau took final responsibility for the records.
With her delivery fast approaching, Tia spent her time resting. Lu, who already had experience with childbirth, stayed by her side to offer support. Granmaria and the other angels handled security as usual.
The Dwarves were busy brewing sake, but they still made an appearance in the fields. "We need to secure everything from here to here for the sake storehouse," they declared, pitching in to ensure they had enough raw materials for the next batches.
Rusty and Hakuren offered to help as well, but unfortunately, they lacked the fine motor skills required for delicate harvest work. At best, they were only helpful in short bursts. Consequently, I put them in charge of logistics. Given the sheer volume of the harvest, I figured it was best to move the goods as quickly as possible.
Rusty flew to Draim’s nest and to Michael’s shop in Shashato City. While we used the Lamia Delivery service for regular transport, they couldn't compete with the speed or capacity of a Dragon Delivery.
Hakuren, meanwhile, headed off to visit Dos and Raimeiren. Her trip was partly a diplomatic mission to deliver seasonal greetings.
"The places where Father and Mother live are in completely opposite directions, you know," she complained.
"Then is just visiting one of them okay?" I asked.
"That would be terrifying in its own way," she admitted.
"Right. I’m counting on you then."
"I'll do my best."
Hakuren headed for the Southern Continent to find Raimeiren first, returned briefly to the village, and then set off for the Northern Continent where Dos resided. She was significantly faster than Rusty; she managed to complete both long-distance deliveries in just two weeks. Rusty’s route was shorter, and she finished her rounds in about a week.
Both dragons brought back souvenirs.
Rusty returned with a haul of seafood from Shashato City. Apparently, a giant whale-like sea monster had approached the city right as she arrived. At Michael’s request, she had exterminated the beast, and the seafood was her reward. The entire population of the city was currently busy butchering the monster. Once the meat was processed, it was scheduled to be sent to us via Lamia Delivery.
Hakuren’s "souvenir," however, was a bit more of a surprise.
"Dark Elves?" I asked, looking at the twenty brown-skinned women standing before me. They were fully armed and stood in a disciplined line.
"Our race is known as the Mountain Elves," one of them corrected me.
"I see. My apologies. You looked similar to a race I knew, so I spoke without thinking."
"Not at all. It is entirely possible that is simply another name for us... If you prefer, you may call us that as well."
"Hahaha. Well, I’ll give it some thought first. Is this everyone?"
All twenty of the Mountain Elves were women.
"Yes. This is all of us."
They had originally lived deep in a certain mountain range, but a food shortage had forced them to relocate. When they went to pay their respects to the guardian beast of the new territory they had entered, it turned out to be a subordinate of a subordinate of a subordinate of Raimeiren.
Somehow, word of their plight reached Raimeiren herself, and she decided they should come to this village. They had expected the journey to take several years on foot, but since Hakuren had arrived at the perfect time, she simply flew them here on her back.
"What exactly did Raimeiren say to you?" I asked.
"She told us that if we were looking for a new land, she had a recommendation, and that we should go there and work hard."
I suspected they hadn't really been given a choice in the matter. Then again, neither had I.
"I understand. Since Raimeiren recommended you, I’ll welcome you into the village. However, we already have High Elves living here. Will there be any trouble between your races?"
"There will be no problem," she replied firmly.
It was a reassuring answer, but I sought out Ria, the representative of the High Elves, to get her take. "Ria, is it alright if we take them in?"
"It’s fine," Ria assured me. "People often mistake us for the same race because of our ears, but our abilities are different enough that we might as well be separate species. We can divide our responsibilities based on our strengths rather than worrying about a hierarchy."
"That’s a relief."
With that hurdle cleared, I turned back to the newcomers. "I want you to get used to our life and our ways, but I don't want to push you too hard. If something isn't working for you, let me know."
"Understood."
For the time being, I showed the Mountain Elves to the inn. I debated who should look after them and eventually asked two of the High Elves to act as their guides. If they decided to settle here permanently, I planned to build houses for them once spring arrived. Given their name, I wondered if Howlin Village might be a better fit for them, but I figured we could discuss that as we went along.
Then, Tia’s labor began.
Unlike Lu’s relatively quick delivery, Tia’s labor was a long, drawn-out affair. It was agonizing, but there was nothing I could do to help. The High Elves and the High Ogre girls were doing everything they could for her.
Left to my own devices, my mind started to race with worry, so I went outside to knead some clay. It was for pottery. I had managed to source the clay from a section of the Lamia Race’s dungeon and had asked them to bring me a supply.
I had been meaning to make ceramic containers for some time. The Dwarves had pointed out that storing certain alcohols in wooden barrels was problematic. While wine and distilled spirits benefited from the way wood allowed the liquid to breathe and mature, other drinks—specifically rice-based sake—didn't fare as well.
We usually used glass bottles for those, but glass was incredibly precious. We received a steady supply from Howlin Village, but lately, every single bottle was being diverted to sake storage. I had looked into buying more from Michael, but the price was astronomical. That was when I remembered pottery.
My goal was to make large crocks. I rolled the clay into long ropes and began coiling them to build up the shape, but it was much harder than it looked. Perhaps I should have started with a simple hand-molded tea bowl.
I lost myself in the work, struggling until I finally produced a shape I was satisfied with. By the time I looked up, the child had been born.
It was a healthy baby girl. I was told that Tia was doing well, too.
A wave of relief washed over me. I started to rush toward her, but the others took one look at my mud-caked body and promptly marched me off to the bath.