The martial arts tournament came to a close, leading right into the customary banquet.
With the food and sake that had been flowing freely since the matches began, everyone settled in to eat and drink to their heart's content.
Ria and Ann had gone into labor during the award ceremony, but fortunately, everything turned out fine. Ria safely gave birth to a son, and Ann followed suit with a son of her own.
As if refusing to be left behind, Rize and Rafa also went into labor shortly after, and their children were born in quick succession. Both were boys.
It wasn't that I had any particular preference regarding the children's gender, but for all four to be boys… I had mentioned wanting more men in the village, but this wasn't quite what I had in mind.
Unlike me, who was lost in thought over the coincidence, the High Elves were in an uproar, celebrating the arrival of three boys all at once. Meanwhile, the High Ogre maids were moved to tears.
"The future of the High Ogre race is bright," they sobbed.
With such joyous news arriving during the celebrations, there was no way the excitement would die down. One way or another, the festival ended up stretching on for three days.
Despite the frantic timing of the births, we conducted the award ceremony properly.
The winner of the Knight Division was Uno. Whether his ability to grow massive was some kind of spell or a physical technique, he had already returned to his usual size. I was relieved to see him back to normal.
I presented him with the trophy and the crown, just as I had for the previous winner. While these would eventually be displayed near the entrance of my mansion, for the moment, Uno walked around looking quite bashful with the trophy in his mouth and the crown perched on his head. Beside him, Kurosan seemed in even higher spirits than the champion himself. They truly were a close pair.
Makura had been defeated in the finals, but it didn't seem discouraged. It was busy eating potatoes alongside Zabuton, who had recovered from the strain of the exhibition match. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but it looked like Makura was being taught new combat techniques even as it ate.
the excitement of the tournament didn't cool even after nightfall, and challengers continued to face off on the stage. Galf, the Beastman winner of the Warrior Division from Howlin Village, was holding his own in a good match against Daga the Lizardman. Actually, Daga seemed to have the upper hand.
The Mountain Elf Ya teamed up with the Devil Stifano for a tag-team match against Masayuki the Inferno Wolf and Granmaria the Angel. Since Ya had been eliminated early in the tournament, she likely had some pent-up energy to burn.
With two stages available, the wait times were short, which was popular with the crowd. I just hoped they wouldn't overextend themselves and get hurt. Shiso-san, our referee—thank you for your tireless efforts.
Dos and the other dragons focused on the food and the residents' performances. The group gymnastics by the Lizardmen were quite a hit; their disciplined movements, which made excellent use of their tails, were beautiful to behold.
Seeing them, the Harpy race attempted to try it for themselves, but I gave them a gentle warning. That sort of thing should wait until after the banquet—besides, it was dangerous to attempt while intoxicated.
The Beastman race performed various feats: ball-rolling, seesaw jumping, the flying trapeze… it was essentially a circus. I put a stop to the knife-throwing, though. It was just too risky.
Watching acrobatics is entertaining, but it’s hard on the heart. Perhaps that’s where the thrill comes from. I worried about whether the safety measures were sufficient until I noticed Zabuton’s children had already strung up safety nets in all the right places. My thanks to them.
Gratz seemed to be hitting it off well with Ronana, while Randan was being shown around the village by Beezel. Thinking about it, I’d known Beezel for quite a while now. The two of them apparently planned to head to the baths next. I didn't mind, but I made sure to ask them not to take any alcohol into the bathroom.
Yuri was deep in conversation with Frau and the civil official girls. I could hear bright laughter every so often; was it girl talk? I kept my distance to avoid getting pulled in.
Despite all the activity, the most energetic people in the banquet hall were undoubtedly the High Elves and the High Ogres. They were drinking at a much faster pace than usual. The dwarves were working at full capacity as bartenders, and as for the food… ah, it looked like they were cooking for themselves now. I understood the celebratory mood surrounding the newborns, but I hoped they wouldn't overdo the drinking.
The banquet continued in this fashion, but since the fields required care, some residents returned home by the afternoon of the second day. I really ought to hold festivals in Village Two and Village Three as well to prevent any feelings of unfairness. Though, it’s possible I’m the only one who worries about that.
Kuro and Zabuton’s children, who were guarding the outlying villages, took turns coming over to enjoy the feast.
Beezel, Gratz, and Randan departed on the night of the second day.
"I'd like to stay a bit longer, but..."
"Ronana, I'll visit again."
"Work calls, unfortunately."
The Demon King also seemed busy, though he stayed behind for some other business.
The dragon family remained as long as the banquet lasted. Apparently, they were generally free. However, because they were such powerful existences, they were required to remain in specific locations to act as "territorial weights."
"Well, it's not as if a year or two of absence would cause any real trouble," Dos remarked.
"Is it alright for Rusty and Hakuren to stay in this village?" I asked.
"Umu. They are still 'light,' after all."
"And the truth?"
"Even if I tell them to stay put, they won't listen. Seeing them settled so peacefully in this village is like a dream… and if I'm dreaming, I'd like to see it through until my eldest daughter has a child of her own."
"You're glancing at me while saying that..."
"Here, take this. It's an excellent medicine for recovery. For a human… you could keep going for ten days straight."
"That sounds dangerous..."
"It's perfectly safe. I guarantee it."
"No, that's not the kind of 'danger' I'm talking about… fine, whatever. Just please don't show that to anyone else."
"I'll be careful from now on… but a few doses have already been snatched away."
"What?"
Uh… I wanted to believe that no one in this village would try to drug the Village Head. I decided to choose to believe that.
The four births brought the tournament to a lively conclusion and filled the Village of the Great Tree with renewed energy. I also felt like it had sparked a surge in the desire for even more children.
Well, I’ll do my best, so let’s set the medicine aside. I do appreciate him bringing it to me directly, though. As the person in charge, I couldn't fully let my guard down until the banquet ended, but my expression softened every time I looked at the newborns.
Galf from Howlin Village and the Lamia race ended up staying for a while even after the festivities. Their goal was intensive training. Uno and Makura, with their championship experience, were popular sparring partners, as was Daga the Lizardman.
Daga isn't weak by any means, but I wondered why he was as popular as the two finalists. It turned out people preferred him because he fought as a humanoid. Uno and Makura have very irregular fighting styles, after all. Daga seemed to sense why he was in demand and made a point to hold back on his tail attacks. That kind of consideration likely contributed to his popularity.
I glanced over at Granmaria and the other Angels.
"W-We have our own duties," they stammered.
"So busy, so busy."
"Right, let's work hard again today!"
Apparently, their reluctance to spar had nothing to do with the fact that they usually ended up crushing their opponents with overwhelming power the moment they got serious.
On a side note, Flora, who was constantly called upon for healing magic during the tournament, the banquet, and the subsequent training sessions, was exhausted.
"Don't you think I deserve a bit more praise?" she asked.
She was absolutely right, so I praised Flora to her heart's content.