Granmaria gave birth to a daughter.
Both mother and child were healthy. That was a relief.
The baby was named Rosemaria. The naming wasn't my doing, but Granmaria’s. Apparently, she had settled on it after consulting with Tia, Malbit, and Ruincia. I had no complaints about the choice.
By the way, Kudel, Corone—I understood that Rosemaria was adorable, but could you please let me hold my own daughter soon?
Around the time Granmaria was beginning to settle into motherhood, Galf and the centaurs returned from transporting the Grappler Bear to Shashato City. They were behind schedule, which made me wonder if something had happened.
I asked Galf about the circumstances.
"My apologies, Village Head. Actually, an event was held in Shashato City, and we were caught up in it."
An event?
"First, there was a Labyrinth Porcini Tasting Event."
That sounded pleasant enough, but I had only sent one basket. I wondered what the scale of such an event could have been.
"The entire city was involved. And there was a succession of injuries."
"What?"
Apparently, news that the Goroun Company had obtained Labyrinth Porcini leaked immediately. It was my fault for having Galf and the others hand the mushrooms over to Michael-san without any discretion. While no one dared to pressure the Goroun Company directly, Michael-san decided that monopolizing them would be unwise. He organized a tasting event instead.
He had the Labyrinth Porcini sliced as thinly as possible and boiled them in a large pot to make soup. When he distributed the broth for free, a riot broke out as people scrambled for a taste.
I hadn't tried boiling Labyrinth Porcini in a large pot myself. I wondered if that was a particularly delicious way to prepare them.
"Forgive me, Village Head. Since we eat them regularly in the village, we refrained from joining the tasting ourselves, so I cannot speak to the flavor..."
"I see."
Well, I would apologize to Michael-san later and ask for his thoughts on the recipe.
"Following the tasting, there was a Grappler Bear evaluation and auction."
An evaluation and an auction? I understood the auction part, but I wasn't sure what an "evaluation" entailed in this context. I knew the word meant assessing the quality of similar items—carvings, ironware, or weaponry—but were there other bears? Did someone else bring a Grappler Bear to Michael-san?
"No, it wasn't like that. A group of esteemed scholars and teachers in Shashato City held a session to certify whether or not it was a genuine Grappler Bear. Since the creature was so massive, running off with the carcass was impossible, but there were concerns that some might try to steal parts of it. We stood guard to prevent any such recklessness. We also had to manage the lines for the crowds of spectators."
"That sounds like it was quite an ordeal."
"It was. But the real trouble started after it was certified as the real thing..."
"Did something happen?"
"Well, it seems everyone assumed I was the one who defeated it. My apologies. I told them many times that the Village Head was the one who took it down, but no one would believe me."
I laughed. "Don't worry about it. Besides, a warrior like you could probably take down a Grappler Bear, Galf."
"To think you have such high expectations of me... Thank you! Someday, I will definitely prove I can defeat one!"
He sounded reliable, though I felt like he had misinterpreted the nuance of my comment. I'd have to make sure he didn't do anything reckless.
"So, how did Michael-san react?"
"Ah, right. Before I forget, I need to confirm something. Were the Grappler Bear and the Labyrinth Porcini meant as a sale to Lord Michael, or were they gifts? We never discussed the price."
"I intended them to be gifts, mostly."
"I see. Lord Michael was delighted. In return, he has requested that I convey his offer to present you with a large sailing ship owned by the Goroun Company."
"What? Why?"
"He likely felt that your gifts were too valuable for a simple thank-you. I saw the ship myself; it’s a large, top-of-the-line model. He even offered to provide a captain and crew if you need them."
"I see... Well, I suppose I’ll accept it."
"I shall pass along your words to Lord Michael."
"By the way, regarding your earlier question—what would have happened if I had intended to sell them?"
"He said he would have asked you to accept the ship as payment in kind."
I chuckled. I had clearly made Michael-san worry. I'd have to apologize for that along with the porcini chaos. Perhaps I’d send some Bloody Viper Eggs next time to smooth things over. For now, I decided to hold a banquet for everyone who had handled the transport.
A few days after Galf’s group returned, it was time to send Alfred and Tiselle on their mission. To help them earn their Reward Medals, I assigned them the task of delivering cargo to Howlin Village. Even though I framed it as a simple errand, they were required to greet the Howlin Village Head as my official representatives.
The voyage was scheduled for four days and three nights, which provided plenty of buffer time. Still, I was anxious. Lu told me it would be fine, but I couldn't help but worry.
They would be traveling on the Universal Ship. While Hakuren or Rusty could have flown there much faster, this trip served as a makeup for the time lost during the Grappler Bear transport. The group included the Devil Race and Dream Demon crew members, Lizardmen for heavy lifting, and two High Ogre Maids to attend to Alfred and Tiselle. Gatto, his two apprentices, and Galf’s son also joined the expedition.
I had personally asked Gatto to go, as he was the son of the Howlin Village Head. He was there to provide support in case Alfred or Tiselle made a mistake. It wasn't that I didn't trust my children; I just didn't want to cause any trouble for the chief of Howlin Village. Gatto's apprentices had asked to tag along to place some business orders, and Galf's son was going to deliver a letter to his in-laws. His wife was pregnant, and he had promised to notify them as soon as they knew. He didn't seem particularly eager to make the trip, but a promise was a promise.
As for the Universal Ship, one of the Mercury Race was slated to become the permanent captain, but she hadn't been officially appointed yet. For this mission, Alfred served as the captain and Tiselle as the vice-captain.
"I'm counting on you two."
Just before they departed, I did a quick sweep of the cabins and the hold.
"Found you, Urza. Found you, Nart. And Malbit, too."
I rounded up the three would-be stowaways and sent them back to the mansion.
"Alfred and the others aren't going there to play. You need to believe in them and wait here. Malbit, you just wanted a boat ride, didn't you? Don't interfere with their work. You can ride the ship as much as you want when they get back. If you resist any more, I’m calling Ruincia."
That settled it. Malbit behaved herself.
"Alright, you're clear to depart. Do your best."
I watched the ship leave. I had noticed Lu and Tia hiding in the storehouse, but I chose to look the other way. I understood how they felt. They were worried parents, after all. I’d leave the children's safety in their hands. I just hoped they’d tell me all about Alfred and Tiselle's hard work when they returned.
Ruincia hadn't hidden herself because she was busy looking after Aurora for Tia, and Ann was taking care of Lupumirina.
Now, my task was to figure out how to hide Lu and Tia's absence from the other children. If the kids realized the moms had gone along, Alfred and Tiselle would find out too, and that would ruin the point of the mission. I would have to do my best to keep the secret.
As it turned out, the children hardly mentioned Lu and Tia at all. I realized that Hakuren, the Fairy Queen, Yoko, Granmaria, and Kierbit were the ones currently popular with the younger crowd. It might have been because Alfred and Tiselle were gone, but I made a mental note to tell Lu and Tia to spend more time with the kids when they got back.
And I should probably do the same.