First, I set a piece of rabbit meat on the ground.
I stood about ten meters back, the phoenix chick, Aegis, perched on my arm. Then, I gave the signal. With a single flap of his wings, Aegis took flight, leaving my arm to make a graceful landing on the grass. He dashed straight for the meat, grappled with it, and ate his fill.
Once he was full and satisfied, he looked ready to nap on the spot. Then, as if suddenly remembering his training, he hopped back to my side and struck a triumphant pose.
It looked impressive, but I really wished he would return to my arm. I suppose playing at falconry with Aegis is a bit much to ask.
As for Kuro, whom I expected to show some competitive spirit... he was inside the mansion, fast asleep on his back. Isn’t he getting a little too relaxed lately?
Hakuren was spending time with Hiichiro. It was a perfectly normal sight for a mother and son, but it felt like a while since I had seen them together like that.
"Where is Raimeiren?" I asked.
"She’s currently in self-imposed exile. Her father gave her a real earful for attacking the Elf Island," Hakuren replied.
"She actually listens and restrains herself when she’s scolded?"
"When she’s calm, yes. Though even I couldn't get near her while she was in that state."
It certainly was terrifying, but I could understand her feelings. Even I would be furious if something I had prepared for my children was destroyed right in front of me. Still, I hadn't expected her to go quite that far.
Hiichiro’s obsession with sailing ships hadn't faded in the slightest. He had even reached the point of asking for a new one to float in the reservoir. I was currently in the middle of building that ship with the Mountain Elves. It was a child-sized, single-seater vessel. We were modifying it so the sails could be operated with just two strings, and we adjusted the weights so it would right itself even if it capsized. For the sail itself, we had a piece of high-quality cloth decorated with dragon illustrations, provided by Raimeiren.
It should be finished tomorrow or the day after. However, since it's a single-seater and the reservoir is quite deep, I’d prefer if he played with it in the pool instead.
Wait, am I being too soft on Hiichiro? No, that’s not it. Whenever any of the children ask for something, I do my best to meet their expectations.
However, lately, they haven't been coming to me as much. Or rather, they still ask for things, but they go to their mothers or the High Ogre Maids instead of me. Even with this sailing ship, Hiichiro had made the request through Hakuren.
He used to come straight to me. Was he being polite? Had he simply grown up? Or... was I being feared by my own children?
I stole a glance at Hiichiro. He noticed my gaze and immediately ducked behind Hakuren’s back. Was he just being shy? I certainly hoped that was all it was.
Setting those worries aside, I decided to make some sweets. It wasn't that I was trying to bribe the children; I just felt like eating something sweet myself.
As I started working, Urza and Gural came charging in. Those two really have no filter, do they? But I didn't mind. I wanted them to stay exactly as they were. It was comforting.
And you, Fairy Queen—sneaking around won't get you anywhere. If you ask properly, I’ll give you some. Go wash your hands first.
That night, I spent some time in the workshop mass-producing baseball bats. I was simply shaving down timber with the Universal Farming Tool, but they turned out as proper bats. I was reasonably familiar with the rules, and I thought it might be something the whole village could enjoy.
However, it didn't work out.
First, the balls thrown by the pitchers were lethal. Next, the balls hit by the batters were even more dangerous. Every game was a chaotic mess of home runs, strikeouts, or a trip to the infirmary after someone got hit by a pitch. I realized then that the rules of baseball were designed for ordinary people.
Consequently, baseball never caught on in the Village of the Great Tree. It was a shame, and I was disappointed that the equipment I’d made would go to waste, but the Demon King and Beezel eventually took it off my hands. Thinking it might find a following in the Demon Kingdom, they accepted the entire set.
A few months later, they had already established several teams, and the sport was apparently growing in popularity across the realm. I was a bit envious. There was even a high demand for equipment now. While bats could be made elsewhere, word had spread that bats made in the Village of the Great Tree made the ball fly much further. I agreed to make them when requested, though I made sure they understood I couldn't produce them in large quantities.
Come to think of it, the Beastman Boys at the Academy in the Royal Capital had started a team as well. They mentioned they were enjoying it more there than they did back in the village, which was good to hear. I suppose it’s better when the players are of the same race or have similar physical abilities.
Once my children are a bit older, perhaps I’ll try challenging them to a game of baseball again.