A problem had cropped up in Village One.
It seemed there was a heated dispute regarding the fate of the pigs.
"No way! I won't let you slaughter Tonko!"
"Just look at these clear, innocent eyes! How could anyone even think of eating her?"
"She’s basically family at this point!"
"I'm sorry, but pigs are livestock. They’re food."
"This is exactly why I told you not to give them names..."
"Just bring the animal here already."
The men were largely in the "don't eat" camp, while the women were firmly on the "eat" side.
Personally, I leaned toward the "don't eat" side.
As if sensing who their protectors were, the pigs refused to leave the men's sides.
"We do have plenty of other food, after all. I understand the sentiment that we don't necessarily have to slaughter them, but..."
Mam, the beastman in charge, explained the situation to me with a troubled look.
"Don't they have other uses besides meat?" I asked.
"The materials we get from the magic beasts hunted in the forest are much higher quality."
"I see. But if we don't eat them, the pigs will just end up as mouths to feed without giving anything back."
We could get milk from the goats and cows, and eggs from the chickens. The horses provided transportation and labor. Given how quickly pigs reproduced, they weren't exactly ideal as pets.
I had to find a way for the pigs to prove their worth...
As if they had read my mind, the pigs began to huddle together in a frantic consultation. Then, they began a formal presentation directed at me.
Proposal Number One: Pig Racing. It could be held in a relatively small area and would likely be quite exciting. They even suggested that having the Demon Spiders act as jockeys might be an interesting touch.
I see.
Proposal Number Two: Simple Labor. If I built them specialized carts, they could assist with transporting goods. Additionally, while the hard soil of the forest was beyond them, they could help till the soft earth around the houses.
I see.
Proposal Number Three: Pig Combat. The world was governed by the law of the jungle, and they understood that the weak were destined to be eaten. However, they begged for a chance. They would challenge the Fanged Rabbits of the forest; if they won, they would be spared.
Wait, what? Those are rabbits, sure, but they’re magic beasts. Are you guys going to be okay? Can you actually pull that off?
They insisted they would show me. But they begged for as much of a handicap as I could provide. If they lost, they wouldn't be alive anyway, so I could go ahead and eat them. Preferably, they added, using a delicious recipe...
Is that so? I see. ...
That makes them even harder to eat!
I wasn’t cold-hearted enough to tuck into a meal after they'd gone that far to plead for their lives! I had sent them to Village One in the first place specifically because I couldn't bring myself to slaughter them! They weren't livestock anymore—they were pets! I would make sure they were taken care of!
Dammit! Fine, I’ll build the racing track and the Pig Carts! But the combat is too dangerous, so that's off the table!
"Are you sure about this?" Mam asked.
"As long as we aren't starving."
"Pigs give birth several times a year, you know. Their numbers will be astronomical in just a few years."
"I know. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."
It would be fine. Those pigs were smart enough to organize a presentation for me, after all.
A few days later, we ended up expanding the pigpen... but most of the piglets were sent off to Village Two and Village Three.
"Food security is important."
"We can't survive on sentimentality alone."
The residents of Village Two and Village Three gave me a stern talking-to. They intended to treat the pigs strictly as livestock. How reliable of them.
And so, I reflected on my choices. Meanwhile, in Village One... The pigs had started worshipping the Creator God.
It was a masterful act of resistance. Ultimately, it was decided that Village One would continue to use them for simple labor and racing.
Well, it couldn't be helped. Yes, let's go with that.
That evening, dinner consisted of fried pork sourced from Michael-san. It was delicious.
My convictions and my stomach were two very different things. Feeling a bit selfish, I finished my meal and moved on to my post-dinner tea.
Lost Future
Fanged Rabbit: "You think I'll lose to a bunch of pigs? ...W-wait, what's with that terrifying look in their eyes?"
Pig A: "If we kill this guy, we don't have to be eaten. Hehe... let's do this."
Pig B: "Even if you go down, I'm right behind you. Just leave the rest to me."
Village Head: "Maybe I should break the rabbit's fangs to give the pigs a handicap."
Fanged Rabbit: "Your favoritism is blatant!"