I found a man I didn't recognize inside the mansion.
He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, a tall figure standing just over 180 centimeters. His long hair was tied back, yet he possessed a dignified air that ensured no one would ever mistake him for a woman. Clad in a crisp butler's uniform, he stood perfectly straight.
Given his attire, I wondered if he was one of the Devil Race, but Lu was standing right there beside him. Since he was with her, was he perhaps a friend? Or maybe a new face from the Mercury Race?
"I am called Earth," he said, offering a refined greeting.
"How polite. I'm Hiraku."
...
Hmm?
Something felt off. What was this?
I looked at Lu. She grinned like she’d successfully pulled off a prank before giving me the answer.
"He’s a Soil Doll."
"What?"
As if in response to my confusion, his body liquified into mud and collapsed. Then, the familiar small Soil Doll and its gloves emerged from the pile.
Oh.
Apparently, the Soil Doll had gone to Lu for advice. It felt that its small body made looking after Urza difficult and wanted her to find someone else for the job. Lu had other ideas. If a small body was inconvenient, it should just get a bigger one.
She had created magic-infused clay—Magic Clay, made by taking high-quality soil from our fields and tempering it with magic power and medicinal herbs. It was originally meant for the traps in the dungeons or the mansion.
"By itself, it’s not enough, but it’s used in mechanisms that allow traps to repair themselves," she explained.
She’d decided to use that for the Soil Doll’s body instead. It seemed he was now a shape-shifting Soil Doll. To prove her point, the Soil Doll began to shift its shape into various things. A giant hand, a sculpture, a glass bottle filled with liquid, and then the man from before.
"Is this look a personal preference of yours, Lu?"
"If it were my preference, he’d look like you, Husband. This is just the Soil Doll's own self-image."
"I see."
Still, it was a masterful transformation. He even replicated the clothes. Because the colors changed along with the shape, you wouldn't notice he wasn't human unless you looked closely. He could alter the texture of hair, skin, and fabric perfectly.
The hair looked real, as if it had been styled with gel. The skin, too... yeah, it had a healthy glow. It looked soft, though it still felt like soil to the touch. The clothes looked like the real thing, though they were a bit too pristine, lacking any wrinkles or stains.
"Why are only the gloves the real thing?"
"To ensure I don’t get dirt on anything I touch."
Ah, right. Even if they looked like real hands, they were still made of mud. I suppose he was being considerate of Urza.
"Village Head, I would like to move about in this form from now on. May I have your permission?"
"Sure, I don't mind. In that case, should I call you Earth when you're using that appearance?"
"Yes. I look forward to serving you."
Earth headed toward Urza’s room in high spirits.
...
A bit of trouble broke out in Urza’s room shortly after. Well, it was only natural—you wouldn't normally realize that man was actually the Soil Doll. Urza went on a rampage, demanding to know where her Soil Doll had gone, and things were quite hectic until Earth reverted to his original form to convince her.
It was a small change, but it seemed Urza has started doing more things for herself lately. Earth came to report this to me with great joy.
Furthermore, his butler’s uniform and shoes have been replaced with real ones. Apparently, they were a gift from Zabuton’s Children. I actually already knew about that. I was the one who made the soles for those shoes after the spiders asked me for help.
Another small change: Alfred has developed a burning sense of rivalry toward Earth now that he's always by Urza’s side. It was a heartwarming sight, but I wanted to tell him there was really no need to rush into adulthood.
Then there was the major change. Lu produced a massive amount of Magic Clay and had it moved to the Hot Spring Area. She used it to give the Death Knights human bodies.
They’re a bit leaner than I expected, though they definitely have muscle. Is this how they looked when they were alive, or just an image they have of themselves? Either way, they’re all quite handsome.
But why the sudden transformation?
Apparently, they were worried about scaring people. I’d heard that visitors who weren't used to seeing the Death Knights were often shocked when they first arrived. I figured they’d get used to it after a few visits, but apparently, some people never come back a second time. Since the number of visitors from Village Five is expected to increase, they decided to take these precautions.
So, they went to Lu for help. I see. I’m sorry for making you all worry about that. Lu boasted that since the clay is water-resistant, they can even enter the hot spring in those forms.
I did give them one warning, though. I recommended they revert to their original forms and then transform right in front of the Lion Family. Best to avoid any unnecessary trouble.
Then came a small complaint.
"So, it was your fault that a large amount of soil from the fields went missing, Lu."
I’d suspected the Nyunyu-daphne. My apologies to them.
"Ahaha. Sorry about that."
It seems her research fever had simply run wild. Well, she took it from a spot where nothing was being grown yet, so I suppose it isn't a huge problem.
"If you just ask, I'll give it to you."
"Yeah, I'll make sure to say something next time."
And finally, a big complaint.
"Why does everyone take their problems to Lu-san? I’m here, too!"
I ended up having to spend quite a bit of time listening to Tia vent her frustrations.