I spoke with Beezel about Gluewald and Fuka returning their noble titles. It felt like a selfish request, but I asked if there was any way to make it happen. As it turned out, the matter was already settled. Rasshashi had apparently cleared it with Beezel beforehand. I should have expected nothing less from the Civil Official Girls. I was grateful, of course, but a heads-up would have been nice.
Beezel’s stance was that as long as I permitted it, there was no issue. I felt bad for the trouble I’d caused him. He shifted his attention to playing with Fracia, but then something unexpected happened.
"Hmm? You prefer Papa over Grandpa?"
I chuckled. "Is that so, is that so?"
Beezel glared at me. I told him he should prioritize his granddaughter’s genuine feelings. In an attempt to hide his disappointment, he tried to force the conversation back to work. Since it involved Fuka, I had no choice but to listen. I handed Fracia over to Holly’s care.
"So, what about Fuka?"
"It concerns Baron Polo’s territory. You are aware that it had become a battlefield, yes?"
"Yeah, I know."
Beezel was now in complete work mode.
"Regarding that territory, the front lines moved west last year, and the land has been reclaimed."
"Is that so? Then, if we tell Fuka and the others, won't they want to return?"
"I believe Rasshashi has already informed them. That is why the decision was made to return the Baron title. If they were to cling to the territory, it would interfere with the reorganization."
"Reorganization?"
"Yes. Since it was a battlefield for many years, even if the Baron returned, she wouldn't be able to reconstruct it with her own power alone. It is being reorganized so the state can manage it collectively and carry out the reconstruction."
"Then, what happens to the Baron's territory?"
"It will simply cease to exist. If there were notable achievements, a new territory might be granted, but..."
In other words, Fuka had no notable achievements to speak of.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"It seems Baron Polo desired to be a resident of Village Three rather than a lord of the Demon Kingdom. As an official of the Kingdom’s administration, I apologize for our inadequacy. Please, take good care of Baron Polo."
"Of course. Fuka is already a member of the village. However..."
Did this conversation really have to happen right now? Was he that upset that Fracia chose me over him? I’m her father, after all; it’s only natural that I’d win. Also, shouldn't the one apologizing be the Demon King playing with the cats over there, rather than Beezel? Maybe Beezel apologized on his behalf since the Demon King can't just apologize easily. The Demon King was currently busy apologizing to a cat, though.
Wait, where did Beezel go? He had suddenly vanished from my side. I looked in the direction Rasshashi pointed and saw Beezel trying to sneak Fracia away from Holly.
Rasshashi, I’m thinking of heading over there to reclaim her with all my might. What do you think?
"To Count Chrome, she is a granddaughter he can only meet here. Please yield to him just a little."
"Are you taking Beezel's side?"
"He is going to great lengths regarding Gluewald-san and Fuka-san this time. Besides, the area surrounding the Baron's territory is full of lands without lords. Dealing with the inheritance issues is apparently quite a headache."
When she put it that way, I felt like I could yield a little. I decided to wait for a count of ten.
"Make it at least a hundred," Rasshashi suggested. She was far too kind.
Since she was so helpful, I decided to give her more work. "I want to make a donation toward the reconstruction of the war-torn lands. Please make the arrangements."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, the Demon King had brought a potential partner for the Older Sister Cats—specifically for Miel, Lael, Uel, and Gael. He was a young male cat who was supposedly a legendary mouse-hunter in his home village. For now, he had brought just the one to see how things went. If it proved a good match, he intended to bring more.
We used a drained mini-pool as the matchmaking venue. The male cat was placed inside first, followed by the sisters.
Wait, wait, wait. Isn't it a bit too early for the Older Sister Cats to have partners? The others didn't seem to think so. It was true that their bodies were now the size of their mother, Jewel, but they were still kittens to me. It was definitely too early. I wanted to pull them out of the pool immediately. What if they got bullied? Or worse, what if the male cat got violent? I didn't even want to think about it.
"Village Head. It seems your concern is unnecessary."
Prompted by the High Ogre maid who had prepared the venue, I looked into the pool. The male cat was flat on his back in a completely submissive posture. The four sisters were surrounding him, looking down with intimidating expressions. It looked less like a romantic encounter and more like a shakedown. I could hear the male cat’s pathetic whimpers.
The matchmaking for the Older Sister Cats was a total failure. The male cat was returned to his original village. I only hoped he wasn't emotionally scarred for life. As for the sisters, they seemed perfectly fine, acting as they usually did.
That reminded me—why did they listen to the Demon King more than me? I was their owner, even if I didn't handle their daily care as much as the others.
"Hmm? Raigiel, you're the only one."
The sisters' father, Raigiel, was the only one who remained loyal and stayed by my side even when the Demon King was around. I started petting him, but the four sisters immediately dashed over and wedged themselves between my hand and their father.
Yes, yes, I get it. You want me to pet you instead of Raigiel. But the moment I stopped petting him, they just went right back to the Demon King!
Raigiel, raising daughters is truly difficult. I felt a little comforted when Raigiel gave a gentle meow in response.