Udon was all the rage in the Village of the Great Tree.
It all started when Lu and the others began making their own noodles. This was likely a byproduct of the ban on snacks. They made their udon with a remarkably firm, chewy texture.
What truly accelerated the trend, however, was the debut of abura-age. The High Ogre maids had developed a method for creating it by slicing firm tofu thin and deep-frying it twice. When I simmered those pouches in a sweet broth to make toppings for kitsune udon, the children fell in love with it. It was popular with the adults, too.
Yoko, in particular, was a fan.
"I’ll take three slices of fried tofu in my kitsune udon, if you please."
I didn’t mind, as long as she didn't leave any noodles behind.
The ban on snacks had other side effects as well. A great deal of effort was poured into developing savory treats. This led to the creation of senbei and a new flavor of okaki. They also experimented with cakes made with alcohol, but they hung their heads in disappointment when the results turned out to be just regular, sweet, delicious cakes. I didn't mind them having a little taste during the testing phase, but...
For now, that was the rule. The ban on snacks didn't just mean "no sweets"—it meant "no eating between meals." That meant senbei and okaki were also off-limits. I had originally intended to ban desserts as well, but the children complained so much that I relented.
...Well, they actually started crying, so I ended up permitting the senbei and okaki, too.
I really am a pushover.
On a day with clear skies, I headed into the forest with several High Elves to search for prey. My goal was to find a Huge Bear to give to Michael-san as a gift. He had been eyeing the King Bear that Hiichiro hunted, but I’d asked him to pass on that one. I wanted to find a Grappler Bear as a replacement.
We had taken down several Grappler Bears before winter, so I thought there might be some in the storehouse. However, they had already been skinned and butchered. Michael-san wouldn't be very happy with a bear in that state. Besides, Grappler Bear meat wasn't even that tasty.
As expected, though, Grappler Bears were hard to find in the winter. They were likely hibernating. I was starting to think Michael-san would just have to wait until spring, but then Kierbit came to tell me she’d found one.
That was a huge help. To make sure it was presentable as a gift, I avoided using the hoe form of the Universal Farming Tool. Instead, I used the sickle to dispatch it with a clean cut halfway through the neck.
I dragged the Grappler Bear back to the village with the Universal Farming Tool. Alfred, Tiselle, and Urza all watched me with gazes full of respect.
Hahaha. A Grappler Bear is quite a sight, after all.
Once we reached the village, the next step was to load it onto a wagon for transport to Village Five.
It wouldn't fit on a single wagon, so I tried lining up two back-to-back.
...It wasn't going to work. The wagons looked like they were on the verge of snapping.
I could have carried it to Village Five myself, but then there would be the problem of how to move it once we got there. So, I worked with the Mountain Elves to build a specialized wagon.
We prioritized size and looked for ways to reduce the weight. We stripped away unnecessary parts, like the edges. We could just secure the load with rope. I suggested we use a lot of small wheels.
What? If there are too many wheels, it won't be able to turn?
That was a fair point. In that case, I suggested making each wheel move independently—like the casters you see on office chairs. We’d used them for service wagons before, so they seemed to understand the concept.
Since we needed a lot of them, I made them all out of wood myself. I wasn't too worried about durability. As long as they held up through the trip to Village Five and then on to Shashato City, it would be fine.
With the caster-style wheels, the result looked like a platform without handles. A flatbed carriage. It had sixteen wheels in total.
Once it was finished, we performed a test run. We loaded it with light cargo and tried to move it. It was far from smooth.
The casters bit into the soft earth and stopped dead. I’d thought it wouldn't matter if one or two wheels failed, but a caster jammed with dirt became a massive source of drag.
...Long story short, it was a failure. It was only suitable for paved roads—or rather, indoor use. I decided to leave it in the hall of the Village Head’s Mansion. I hoped the High Ogre maids would find a use for it.
I set out to build a new wagon. The casters failed because the wheels were too small. For rough roads, larger wheels were better. Lesson learned.
This time, I designed a cargo bed supported by four large wheels.
...It was just a normal wagon. I see. I had been overthinking things.
If it wouldn't fit on two wagons, use three. If three weren't enough, use four.
I began mass-producing wagons without edges. The clever part was making them easy to link together.
Yes, this was much better. The test run went perfectly. I did it.
I used the Universal Farming Tool to drag the Grappler Bear onto the linked wagons, and the transport began. Twelve Centaurs pulled the load while the Giants and Minotaurs stabilized it from the sides and rear.
"Here we go!" one of the Centaurs called out.
"Yeah!" the others joined in.
"Heave!"
"Ho!"
It didn't move like a regular wagon. They moved it slowly, bit by bit, in time with their rhythmic chanting.
I’m sorry, guys, but please hang in there.
I followed along behind the wagons, making sure to stay out of the way. In my hand was a basket of Labyrinth Porcini. I was bringing them along so Michael-san could taste them as well.
We were almost to the dungeon.
Then I saw it... the Universal Ship.
People were waving from the dock, making their presence known.
...!!!
It would have been so much easier to transport the bear with the Universal Ship. I had been so hyper-focused on the idea that I had to carry it to Village Five through the teleportation gate.
I really needed to reflect on my lack of foresight.
I thought about switching over now, but seeing the Centaurs working so hard in their moment of glory... I couldn't bring myself to say it.
Sorry, Universal Ship. I'll make sure you have a chance to shine another time.
And I’m truly sorry to the Mountain Elves, the Centaurs, the Minotaurs, and the Giants who helped. Once the transport is finished, I'll throw a massive banquet. I hope you can forgive me with that.
Since Michael-san had already returned to Shashato City, the Centaurs decided to transport the bear all the way there. We could have just handed it over to the Goroun Company in Village Five, but considering the logistics, it was kinder to deliver it directly. That had been the plan from the start, so there were no issues.
Or so I thought, but a problem cropped up immediately.
I received word that Granmaria had gone into labor.
I’m sorry, but I have to drop out here.
I returned to the Village of the Great Tree at once, leaving Galf in charge. With Galf there, he should be able to meet Michael-san in Shashato City without any trouble.
I’m counting on you, Galf. Give my regards to Michael-san and the rest.