I had started seeing Zabuton's children, Red Armor and White Armor, frequently in front of the mansion’s entrance lately.
At first, I thought they were just showing off their recent evolutions to the passersby, but apparently, they had taken it upon themselves to act as gatekeepers.
I appreciated the sentiment, but I made sure to tell them not to overwork themselves. I also reminded them to keep up with their practice for the theatrical performance. They signaled that they were already working hard on it.
I see. I’m looking forward to the show.
I headed out to the fruit tree area to harvest the crops that were finally ripening. We gathered mainly persimmons, mandarins, pears, lemons, apples, and chestnuts. I wondered briefly if chestnuts were technically fruits, but decided it didn't really matter.
The harvest went by quickly thanks to the help from Zabuton's children. Transporting the goods was just as efficient; the mountain elves had constructed carts sized perfectly for the wolves to pull, so the work was finished in no time.
Because we finished early, the taste-testing began ahead of schedule. We started with the helpers—Zabuton's children and Kuro's children.
Zabuton’s children seemed to want the persimmons. All right, all right, let me peel those for you. Kuro’s children were after the apples. Fine then, I’ll slice them into little rabbit shapes.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
The following day was dedicated to turning the astringent persimmons into dried ones. Even Rusty, who was usually tied up caring for Lananon, came over to help in silence. It seemed she had left Lananon with Raimeiren. Raimeiren looked perfectly content being surrounded by both Hiichiro and Lananon.
Perhaps at Rusty’s urging, Draim joined in and worked diligently as well. I made sure to thank him. I figured sake would be a suitable reward. We had a batch brewed last year that was still relatively fresh, but it had already received high praise from the dwarves.
Draim also requested boiled chestnuts to go with the alcohol. Unfortunately, the chestnuts were still being prepped and wouldn't be ready until tomorrow. We had dried squid for today, but that didn’t seem like a great match for wine. I decided we should just grill some meat instead.
Rusty was glaring at us, so I made sure we got back to work.
Michael-san paid us a visit for the first time in a while.
"It is as peaceful as ever here," he remarked.
I laughed. It was true that our development was slow compared to Shashato City or Village Five, but that was exactly what made this village special.
Michael-san had come to discuss the upcoming harvest festival while delivering a shipment of seafood. His son, Marlon, was currently in Village Five, but Michael had left him there to focus on his duties. I felt like I should take a page out of his book regarding that level of professional discipline, even when it came to one's own children.
I pictured the faces of Alfred, Tiselle, and Urza. As a father, should I be stricter with them? It seemed like a difficult task.
Well, it was boorish to meddle in another man's parenting, so I changed the subject and suggested he bring Marlon along for the harvest festival. It might be a small-scale celebration compared to the ones in the big cities, but he would be more than welcome. I had heard from Marcos and the others many times about how much Marlon had helped with the management of Big Roof Shashato.
"Understood," Michael-san replied. "When the festival comes, I shall bring Marlon along even if I have to put a rope around his neck."
He was being a bit dramatic, as usual. I also asked him to invite Marlon’s cousins, Tito and Randy, as well as their guard, Milford—provided they had the time, of course.
"Hahaha! My son will surely be delighted to have more companions to drag—excuse me, to travel with. We shall certainly be there."
Michael-san accepted the invitation with a hearty laugh. I found myself looking forward to their arrival.
The seafood Michael-san had brought was kept in a horse-drawn carriage modified with water tanks. There were countless fish inside.
"The bodies are slimy, the flavor is mediocre, and since their blood is toxic, very few people eat them. In fact, they are a fish loathed by fishermen. Are you quite sure this is what you wanted?"
"No problem at all," I assured him.
These were exactly the fish I had been looking for. Eels.
They were about sixty centimeters long, just like the ones I remembered. As for the meat... they weren't particularly fat, perhaps because it was still early in the season, but they would do just fine.
"How many do you have?"
"Over two hundred."
"And how did you catch them?"
"I took about ten men to the middle reaches of a clean river and had them gather the fish. Since they are so disliked, they were plentiful and easy to catch. However, the numbers fluctuate with the seasons, so a stable supply might be difficult to guarantee."
Michael-san was smiling. He had likely already realized that I intended to make these delicious. He was a shrewd merchant, never missing an opportunity.
"A stable supply isn't necessary. I’d like to just cook and sell whatever amount we manage to catch."
"Understood."
"That said, I’m still researching the recipes and flavors, so could I request one more carriage load for the winter?"
"Certainly. Regarding the payment... I shall consult with Lady Frau."
Frau and several of the civil official girls were already standing by.
"I’ll leave it to you," I said.
I immediately began experimenting with the eels alongside the high ogre maids. My knowledge of how to clean and cook eels came entirely from what I had seen on TV or in the cooking manga I’d read as a kid. It felt a little reckless, but I was determined.
"I promise, these will be delicious!"
My ultimate goal was authentic kabayaki.
While I was busy with various tasks, the phoenix chick, Aegis, approached me.
"Aegis... who is that ferocious-looking bird you're trying to hide behind your back?"
From its appearance, it was clearly an eagle. It had a wingspan of about three meters. It was many times larger than Aegis, yet the little chick was desperately trying to shield it from my view. It was a futile effort. The eagle’s presence was far too great to ignore.
Where had he even found it? Apparently, it had been perched near the top of the World Tree and wanted to build a nest there.
I see. Before giving my permission, I had to check a few things. I asked if it would eat Zabuton’s children. It wouldn't. I asked if it would target the village livestock—the cows, horses, sheep, or chickens. It wouldn't.
It seemed it would hunt rabbits in the forest for its own food. If it wasn't going to be a nuisance, I saw no reason to refuse.
"All right. You have my permission."
The World Tree wasn't that big yet, but the eagle didn't seem to mind. When I asked why it didn't choose one of the much larger trees in the village, it turned out it was terrified of the area where Zabuton lived. I told it she wasn't scary, but apparently, it had once gotten caught in her silk and had a traumatic experience. Aegis had been the one to save it.
So, why had Aegis tried to hide the eagle from me? I wasn't going to be angry. It turned out the little guy was worried that a new bird arriving might threaten his own position in the village.
I laughed and gave Aegis a reassuring poke with my finger. "Don't worry. You are you. Even if other birds come here, the way I treat you isn't going to change."
Aegis looked a bit bashful after that.
A few days later, I happened to see the eagle hunting a rabbit. It was a magnificent sight. As I stood there mesmerized by its cool factor, Aegis pecked at my leg.
"S-sorry. You're cool too when you're attacking those dried persimmons. Even Draim is impressed by how you aren't afraid of Rusty."
Maid: "I've come up with a new eel recipe!"
Village Head: "Stop! Don't you dare turn them into jelly!"