Winter arrived. It was the fierce kind, the sort where the snow accumulates in a sudden, heavy blanket.
That was a close call. If the construction had been delayed by even a few more days, some of the Centaurs would have ended up spending the season at the Northern Dungeon.
"The transport of food supplies is complete. None of the villages have reported any problems."
One of the Centaurs acting as a messenger between the settlements delivered the report.
Village One was now home to the Nyunyu-daphne. Village Two housed the Minotaurs. Village Three belonged to the Centaurs. With a few exceptions, everyone had begun their new lives in their respective homes. Those exceptions were the Residents currently staying at the Village of the Great Tree.
"What about cold-weather measures?" I asked.
"There are no issues. We have an ample supply of firewood as well. However, Gordon-san and Gluewald-san did request a consultation regarding the snow on the roofs."
"Hm? The snow on the roofs?"
"If they were to climb up there themselves, there is a risk they might break the structures..."
"Ah, right. I see. Understood. On the next day with clear weather, have the snow removal personnel transported over there."
"Understood."
"Were there any problems on the way here?"
"None in particular."
"How was the river?"
"I felt the water volume was higher than usual. The waterwheels have been stopped and put into storage for the time being."
"I see. And the waterway construction?"
"In both Village Two and Village Three, it is still in the planning stages. Since your instructions were not to overexert ourselves, we are waiting for clear weather to proceed."
"Good. Make sure no one pushes it too hard."
I had assigned several tasks to Village Two and Village Three for the winter. However, since this was their first winter in an unfamiliar land, I had asked them to prioritize safety above all else.
"How are things in Village One?"
"No change there."
"I see. Anything else to report?"
"One point. Igu-san of Village One, Gordon-san of Village Two, and Gluewald-san of Village Three have a joint request for the Village Head."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Since each village now has its own leader who acts as a village head, they wish for the Village Head to bear a new title to distinguish himself."
"Ah, I see."
Now that the number of villages had increased, the number of village heads had increased as well. That made sense. I hadn't really thought about it. At this stage, it wouldn't make much sense to suddenly start calling the new villages "settlements" or something else. But a new title... something above Village Head? What would that even be?
"The proposal the three of them came up with was this: since you are the head of the Village of the Great Tree, they wondered if 'Great Village Head' would be appropriate."
"...I'll consider it. But tell them not to get their hopes up."
"Understood. Then, after waiting for about two hours, I will make the rounds to the other villages and head back to Village Three."
"Got it."
Personally, I really didn't like the sound of "Great Village Head."
Kuro's children were calling from outside, so I opened the door. A group of twenty wolves was lined up there. The one standing at the front was Kurogo, one of Kuro's sons. After letting out a single bark, the entire pack sprinted off toward the west in unison.
Currently, groups of twenty of Kuro's children were stationed as guards at Village One, Village Two, and Village Three. Though I called them guards, they were essentially just living there. Kuroroku, Kuronana, and Kurohachi served as the leaders for each village's detachment.
Kurogo led the Guerrilla Team. Their current role involved clearing the way for the Centaur messengers and rotating duties with the squads led by Kuroroku, Kuronana, and Kurohachi. I was told they could escape even if powerful monsters or magical beasts appeared, but I didn't want to cut corners when it came to safety. It was a lot of hard work for Kuro's pack, but I hoped they would hang in there.
As I was seeing Kurogo and his team off, I heard a voice from behind me.
...Ah, right, I know. You're telling me to close the door because it's cold. I apologized to Kuro and Yuki, who were lounging inside the house, and shut the door.
I couldn't help but wonder whatever happened to the wild instincts they possessed when we first met.
Winter. It was cold. We spent our days indoors without venturing out. That pattern continued day after day.
As for food, while I wouldn't say our situation was perfect, I had intended to prepare enough for everyone to have three meals a day. The unexpected variable was the number of Kuro's offspring born this year. Just when I thought the food situation might turn critical, Hakuren and Rusty flew south and brought back a massive haul of fish, resolving the problem instantly. I was truly grateful.
I wondered if it would have been better to solve the food problem like that from the start. No, relying on others should only come after we’ve done everything we can ourselves.
"I'd like the next batch fried."
"Me too!"
Regardless of my musings, I spent a great deal of time cooking fish for Hakuren and Rusty.
Granmaria eventually came to me for a consultation.
"Village Head. Regarding our current patrol range, including the new villages has made the area quite vast."
"Is it becoming a strain?"
"Flying isn't an issue, but we lack the density required to keep a proper watch on the ground. I'm afraid we might miss something."
"Hmm. Well, it can't be helped. Smaller creatures probably won't move much in the winter anyway, so as long as we don't miss the big ones, we'll be fine."
Besides, the main thing I wanted to stay vigilant against was Wyverns.
"Understood. We will proceed as we are, then. Also, once spring arrives, I would like to invite some of my friends to join us. Would that be acceptable?"
"By friends, do you mean more of the Angel Race?"
"Yes. They aren't particularly strong, but they can fly."
"As long as they want to live here, I don't mind, but please don't force them into it."
"Understood. I will try to contact them when spring comes."
Friends of Granmaria and the others. I wondered what they would be like.
For some reason, the horses in the Ranch Area had a change of heart and finally allowed me to ride them. They even followed my directions reasonably well. I was actually horseback riding.
Ever since they had seen me riding on Gluewald's back, they had been sulking, but once we reconciled, they became strangely affectionate. It's only natural to dote on animals when they act attached to you. Perhaps that was the trigger for the change?
There, there. Good horses. Now, let's go.
Though it was only about the speed of a brisk walk, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Then, I happened to spot Gluewald watching me from a distance with an incredible look in her eyes. A chill went down my spine.
Why was Gluewald here? Ah, she must have come for the periodic report. I hadn't done anything wrong, but I felt a lingering sense of guilt. Whether the horse sensed my feelings or not, it looked at Gluewald and gave a blatant, mocking smirk.
Needless to say, Gluewald was terrifying in that moment.
During the winter, Zabuton and her kin didn't show themselves. They were likely hibernating. This time of year always felt a bit lonely without them. However, a few of them were still active on the roof of my house. They certainly never went anywhere cold, though. I just hoped they would be careful not to get too close to the fire and accidentally catch light.
Now then, winter work. I had already decided on my schedule.
First was increasing the production of Reward Medals. Currently, we were still debating whether to distribute them to the Minotaurs, Centaurs, and Nyunyu-daphne. Even if we decided to do so, we were still discussing the quantities. I worked hard on the production so that I would be prepared regardless of the outcome. I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to the task; the work progressed much faster than last year.
Next was crafting small miscellaneous goods. The new villages had far too few belongings. They only had the bare minimum, so I spent the winter making items to bolster their supplies. I handed the finished goods to the Centaurs who came for reports so they could transport them. The items were apparently well-received, so I got carried away and kept making more.
...
"Um, Village Head?"
"What is it?" I asked when a High Ogre Maid spoke to me after I handed her several cups for use in the house.
"Regarding these cups... the carvings on the sides are so intricate that they're actually difficult to use. And we have to be extremely careful when washing them."
"Guh. Did I overdo it?"
"With carvings of this density on a wooden cup, it's less a practical item and more a work of art. Besides, this is the God from the Shrine you treasure so much, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"I recommend using these as gifts instead."
"Eh... isn't it a bit embarrassing to give away handmade things?"
"Please don't worry about that. By the way, I was consulted by the other villages regarding how to handle the tableware you distributed. I told them they should keep them on display."
"...What exactly went wrong?"
"The plates are fine, but I think the issue was carving all the way up to the rim where people put their mouths. Wouldn't it have been better to just put a small accent on one part of the side?"
"Something like this?"
"...Is this a carving of me?"
"Yeah."
"Thank you very much. I shall make it a family heirloom."
"No, I just made it quickly. I'd really prefer it if you actually used it..."
The High Ogre Maid didn't listen to another word I said. She skipped out of the room, cradling the cup in both hands.
In the following days, I began to notice the other High Ogre Maids—who seemed to be expecting something—wearing strangely elaborate hairstyles. Fine, I'll make one for everyone who wants one.
Since I had already made the Shrines and the statues of God for Village Two and Village Three, I decided to carve Kuro, Yuki, and Zabuton, whom I hadn't made yet. Because I was carving them carefully indoors, they lacked a certain ruggedness. I was dissatisfied with the "mild" finish. Thinking it might be better if I changed the poses, I tried again with the theme of "a sense of dynamism."
I managed to achieve such intensity that the High Ogre Maid who entered the room reflexively went into a combat-ready stance.
"Is this... a ward against evil?"
"Not exactly, but I suppose it's something similar."
The "dynamic" statue of Zabuton was incredibly popular with Zabuton's children who remained active through the winter. I often saw them gathered around it.
And finally, the biggest news. Three of the High Elves—Ria, Lize, and Lafa—became pregnant. They were my children. Well, we had been together for a long time, after all.
Despite it being the middle of winter, the High Elves were in a festive mood once the pregnancies were discovered. There was an atmosphere of hoping for boys, but as for me, I didn't mind either way. I just wanted them to be born healthy.
A little later, it was discovered that Ann, the leader of the High Ogre Maids, was also pregnant. Naturally, it was my child as well. Not to be outdone by the High Elves, the High Ogre Maids threw themselves into a celebration of their own.
As a father, I renewed my resolve to keep working hard from here on out.
...Though I really wished the women of the various races would stop slowly cornering me toward my bedroom like that.