Alfred and Tiselle returned.
Since Lu and Tia were with them, it was clear they’d been discovered.
Alfred, are you angry? Are you okay? Good, that’s a relief.
Tiselle, on the other hand... yes, she was definitely fuming.
I’m sorry.
Why was I apologizing? Because I already knew Lu and Tia had followed them.
Hahaha. Even when she was angry, Tiselle was adorable. Don’t be so cross. My apologies.
Now then, I’m sure you’re both exhausted, but I’d like your report.
I listened as Alfred and Tiselle explained how they had successfully delivered the cargo. It seemed there hadn’t been any real problems to speak of. That was good to hear.
"Well done. I’ll give you your Reward Medals later."
As a general rule I’d set for myself, I made it a point to hand out Reward Medals only when others were gathered. If I didn't, I’d end up handing them out whenever I felt like it. Because of that, I’d likely give them their medals after dinner.
Urza and the others were waiting for Alfred and Tiselle to be free, so I gave the two of them a final pat on the head and dismissed them.
While Alfred and Tiselle’s account made it sound like everything was fine, the reports from Lu, Tia, and Gatto told a different story.
First was Gatto's report.
In Howlin Village, they had treated Alfred and Tiselle as equals to the Village Head and entertained them with great hospitality. Alfred and Tiselle’s conduct had been flawless, and the banquet had proceeded smoothly.
The problem occurred at night.
Several young women had tried to sneak into Alfred’s sleeping quarters. Gatto had stayed awake through the night to turn them away before Alfred even noticed.
Well done. That was a job well done indeed. You have my thanks.
...By the way, what about Tiselle?
Apparently, the High Ogre Maids were keeping a strict watch, and since the villagers were terrified of incurring the Village Head’s wrath, no one dared approach her.
I see. However, if that was the case, I wish they’d felt the same way about Alfred. It was still way too early for my son to become a man.
Wait, what? Ah, even though the women were approaching him, it was more like they just wanted to sleep beside him as a formality? I see. I’m sorry; I overthought things.
Lu and Tia’s report focused on how hard Alfred and Tiselle had worked. There were probably a few parts where they exaggerated a bit, but for the most part, there seemed to have been no issues.
Or so I thought.
Actually, besides Lu and Tia, there had been one more... well, one more animal stowaway on the Universal Ship. A Kuro's Child.
Yes, I understood that it was worried about the children, but stowing away wasn't right. And to think it had managed to hide from my search the whole time. That was impressive.
However, it had been so focused on watching over Alfred and Tiselle that it ended up being spotted by the people of Howlin Village, causing a massive uproar. They really aren't that scary, though.
There, there.
Wait, Alfred and Tiselle were the ones who settled the commotion? That was impressive. I’d have to remember to praise them for that later.
But why didn't that come up in their own report? Gatto was the one who answered that question.
Apparently, the Howlin Village Head had personally requested that Alfred and Tiselle keep the uproar over the Kuro's Child a secret. He was worried that I’d be angry.
I see. ...Wait, am I really that much more feared than I imagined? Or was it just my imagination?
Gatto’s Apprentices had successfully completed their orders, and Galf’s Son had been warmly welcomed by his wife’s parents. Was that everything?
All right, no major problems. Let’s leave it at that.
Now that Alfred and Tiselle were back, I consulted with Lu and Tia about a plan to increase their interaction with the children. I’d been concerned that our names—mine, Lu’s, and Tia’s—didn't come up much in the children’s conversations.
Our conclusion? Playing together was the best way.
The popular figures like Hakuren, the Fairy Queen, Yoko, Granmaria, and Kierbit all seemed to find plenty of opportunities to play with the kids one way or another. I could understand Hakuren and the Fairy Queen, and Granmaria had been looking after the children frequently since her pregnancy was discovered.
I hadn't pictured Yoko or Kierbit as the types to play with them, but I was wrong. Apparently, Yoko played with the children at night after returning from Village Five. And Kierbit was surprisingly caring in her own way.
In contrast, Lu and Tia almost never played with the children. They were either working or cooped up in their rooms doing research, so their only point of contact with any children other than their own was during meals. Well, they had to look after Lupumirina and Aurora, so I suppose it couldn't be helped.
Regardless, "Operation: Play with the Children and Become Popular" was a go!
Lu and Tia tried first.
...They couldn't compete with Hakuren’s popularity.
I suppose that made sense. You don't really need that many adults to play with at once. Trying to join in while they were already with Hakuren had been a mistake.
However, I had a secret plan.
"Shall we all cook something together?"
That got them. They jumped at the idea.
Lu, Tia, Hakuren, I’ll need your help.
Since the mothers’ Ban on Sweets Period had finally ended, I’d thought about making some desserts, but the children wanted a real meal. It was probably because it was getting close to dinner time.
The children’s cooking skills were essentially non-existent. Therefore, as an Introduction to Cooking, we started with a simple pot dish. All you had to do was prepare the broth, cut the ingredients, and toss them in.
"All right, everyone, split into Lu’s group and Tia’s group!"
I asked Hakuren to help me oversee everything. I also made sure to let Ann know about the change to the menu. Tonight, we were having the pot dish made by the children.
How did it taste? It was delicious. It was a Mizore Hot Pot, made with a massive amount of grated radish. It was perfect for winter.
Sure, the ingredients were cut a bit unevenly, but that was part of the charm. It was fine; at least no one mistook the sugar for salt.
Though, thinking back, neither Lu nor Tia really cooked that much either. I should have taken that into account.
The one who stood out the most was Nart. Apparently, she’d been learning from her mother, Naci, at home. Her handling of a kitchen knife was superb.
...I should probably increase the opportunities for the children to cook. With Ann and the others around, it’s not strictly necessary, but you never know what the future holds. It’s always better to know how to do it than not.
I reflected on these things while eating ice cream for dessert.
It was only a little longer until spring.