Once the harvest in Village Two and Village Three was complete, we moved on to clearing new fields. This year’s work would likely conclude once these new plots were harvested.
However, a problem arose.
I had assumed that each village would keep its own harvest, but it seemed those around me had other ideas.
"Wait... all of it?"
The prevailing sentiment was that the entire harvest from Village Two and Village Three belonged to me.
Rasshashi, the caretaker for the Centaurs of Village Three, was the one who explained the situation. Nuph, the caretaker for the Minotaurs of Village Two, stood a respectful step behind her.
"Village Head, you’re expecting Village Two and Village Three to function as independent entities, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"The thing is, Village Two and Village Three don't actually want independence."
"What?"
"They feel much safer being completely under your protection than being granted autonomy."
"Uh, well..."
They didn’t want independence? Was that even possible?
"Please consider their current circumstances," Rasshashi continued.
"Circumstances?"
"First, consider the village's defense. That’s almost entirely handled by the children of Kuro-san and Zabuton-san, isn't it?"
"Well, I suppose so."
"Then there’s productivity. I can't speak for the far future, but the one who actually cleared the land for the fields was you, Village Head. They’ve merely been looking after them."
"That’s true, but..."
"Furthermore, whenever they need anything other than their own crops, they have to rely on the Village of the Great Tree anyway."
"I guess... that’s how it would work."
"In a situation like that, no one is looking for independence."
"Hmm..."
"Everything is being set up for them, but these are brand-new villages. I believe you’ll need to look after them for a while yet."
"I-I see."
"The ownership of the harvest lies with the Village Head... specifically, the Village Head of the Village of the Great Tree. Honestly, you really ought to think about your official title and how people should address you."
"Sorry."
"As for the system moving forward... basically, Village Two and Village Three wish to be positioned as management groups for the Village Head's outlying fields."
"...Are they really okay with that?"
"It is the unanimous consensus of both villages."
"I see."
"While we could physically transport the entire harvest to the Village of the Great Tree, it would be a hassle to send it back as rations later. Instead, we'll have it stored locally in each village. Each village will then receive a portion of that harvest to use as food. Any specific requests from the villages will be conveyed to you through the residents or us caretakers. Please, give us your formal approval."
"You’re asking for approval, but it sounds like you’re already operating that way."
"We are."
"I didn't get that impression when we were first building the fields, though..."
The residents of Village Two and Village Three had been quite vocal, offering all sorts of opinions on field size and what crops to plant. Hadn't they said those things with the mindset that it was their own village?
"Was this shift in policy suggested by someone else? I hope no one's been putting unnecessary pressure on them."
"Heavens, no. Everyone in Village Two and Village Three viewed it this way from the very beginning. This isn't a change in policy at all."
Rasshashi hurriedly dismissed my concerns.
"It was because you tried to hand over the entire harvest to them that they got flustered and came to consult Nuph and me."
"And that led to this conversation."
"Yes. Think of it as a reconfirmation of our relationship—a way to ensure there are no misunderstandings."
"...Understood. I approve."
"Thank you very much."
Rasshashi and Nuph bowed deeply. The visible relief on their faces suggested they had been much more worried about this than I’d realized.
"I’m sorry for making everyone anxious by not being clear about the rules," I said.
"Not at all."
"I just selfishly assumed that independence and freedom were always the better options."
"Responsibility is the price of independence and freedom. Those are things one seeks only after they are capable of standing on their own two feet."
"I suppose you're right. On a side note... do you think Village Two and Village Three will ever have the desire to be independent in the future?"
"For Village Three, that won't happen until the children are grown. I don't think we'll even be able to have that conversation for another ten or twenty years."
"It's much the same for Village Two," Nuph added. "However, given the nature of the Minotaurs, I doubt they would ever consider seeking independence on their own initiative."
"...I see. So that means I’ll be looking after them for the foreseeable future."
"We look forward to your continued guidance."
Phew. My thinking had been too naive. I thought that once I provided the buildings and the fields, they would just take it from there. It seems life isn't quite that simple.
Even if I intended to be generous, they felt it was better to follow the Village of the Great Tree than to accept an independence that relied solely on my goodwill. From their perspective, being my subordinates actually allowed them to make formal demands of me more openly. They have many children to think about; this path was likely the most reassuring for them.
Subordinates.
I felt the heavy weight of responsibility settle in my chest—the weight of having lives entrusted to me. Perhaps I hadn't felt it as much before because everyone was within my sight. Now, there were people living in places I couldn't easily monitor, all under my responsibility.
Kings and leaders really are impressive. It’s certainly not a role I feel suited for. But since I’ve become involved, I’ll see it through until they can stand on their own.
Independence. Like Rasshashi said, that comes after they can support themselves. My goal, then, must be to help their villages reach a point where they can survive alone. It won't happen in a year or two, but I'll give it my best shot.
I decided to check on the security arrangements.
Kuro’s pack primarily lived in the Village of the Great Tree. About a hundred had gone off to various tasks, but there were still plenty around. Beyond that, thirty wolves were permanently stationed in Village One, Village Two, and Village Three. Another thirty acted as a mobile patrol, rotating between the villages. They had organized this system themselves without any instructions from me. I was truly grateful.
I took some time to play frisbee and ball with them.
"...Aren't they a bit too energetic?" I wondered aloud. And their numbers really were getting quite high.
As for Zabuton's Children, I couldn't confirm their exact numbers, but there were about fifty in each village. Their main jobs were repelling predators and exterminating pests in the fields. They seemed to be getting along famously with the villagers.
Later, I spent some time at a fashion show hosted by Zabuton. My wardrobe grew by several more sets of clothes.
"Doesn't this one look a bit like something an aristocrat would wear?"
I certainly couldn't wear it while farming, but Zabuton looked so satisfied that I figured it was fine. Afterward, we enjoyed a potato party.
"I’ve told you before, I’m not eating these raw!" I explained again to the spiderlings who kept bringing me raw potatoes.
The Nyunyu-daphne had several members living in each village as liaison personnel, but...
"Don't you guys have a bit of a faint presence?"
"Even if you say that... we spend our time in our tree form while in the village."
"Tree? I thought you were in your stump form?"
"The stump is our mobile style. We can turn into normal trees as well."
"Huh."
"That’s why we blend into the scenery so well. It’s normal for us not to be noticed. Actually, a game has become popular among us lately: we move a tiny bit closer to the houses every day to see how long it takes for the residents to realize something is off."
"Don't overdo it, okay?"
"Understood."
I had left them in charge of managing Village One, and since they were so low-maintenance, it was incredibly easy. Still, I wondered...
"Is there anything you want me to do for you?"
"Oh? Well, in that case, if you could prune us..."
"...Prune you?"
"Trimming our branches and leaves."
"I know what pruning is, but... are you sure you're okay with that?"
"We're perfectly fine as long as we're in our tree or stump forms."
"I see. Well... I'm not sure if I'll be any good at it, but..."
I made the rounds to each village and pruned the Nyunyu-daphne.
"Oh! Such incredible technique!"
"Do you have professional experience in landscaping?"
"He is a god."
"A god is among us."
I ended up being worshipped. It was probably because I used the Universal Farming Tool for the task.
"Once every six months... no, even once a year is fine. Please, continue to look after us in the future."
"If I have the time, sure."
"Won't you play with us too?" the residents of the Village of the Great Tree asked.
It wasn't that I was just playing around, but I couldn't say no. We ended up holding a small recreational event.
"The First Village of the Great Tree Hide-and-Seek Tournament!"
"Since the High Ogres are here, the seeker won't be called the 'Oni.' Let's call the seeker 'The Grim Reaper' instead. The Village Head will start as the Reaper. Anyone he finds also becomes a Reaper."
"Anyone who stays hidden for the duration will receive a prize!"
We played with a "call out" rule—if you were spotted, you were out, no tagging required. It was a simple, almost childish event, but it turned out to be quite a hit.
"I can't find a single person!" I shouted.
The villagers were alarmingly good at hiding.