With the parade over, it was time for the cleanup.
We dismantled the yagura and moved them into the storehouse for storage. I spent some time debating what to do with the staircase built in front of my mansion, but eventually, I decided to break it down for firewood. I figured I could always build it again if the need arose. The chair from the top of the stairs was removed to be used as regular furniture.
The civil official girls and mountain elves insisted I leave the rest of the work to them, so I handed off the duties and headed to the fields to till the sections I hadn’t reached yet. Since the area wasn't particularly large, I managed to finish in a single day.
Finally, things had settled down. At least, that was the plan until I returned to the mansion to find Malbit and Ruincia in the middle of a heated argument.
I didn't need an explanation. The plan was for them to head home now that the parade was finished, but it seemed Malbit was digging her heels in. I understood the situation perfectly. Malbit, you really should keep your promises.
"This is pathetic," Rigne muttered. She seized Malbit from behind and arched into a magnificent bridge—a perfect backdrop.
Malbit, however, managed to brace herself with her hands before the back of her head could hit the ground. Impressive. It was worth noting that while Malbit wore a skirt, she had trousers on underneath. Most of the Angel Race dressed that way.
Malbit rolled backward out of the hold. I thought she was making a break for it, but she immediately launched a dropkick at the still-bridging Rigne. She must have been using her flight abilities, as she seemed to accelerate twice while mid-air. Truly impressive.
However, before the dropkick could connect, Ruincia snatched Malbit out of the air and slammed her into the floor. It had turned into a two-on-one handicap match. Panic finally flickered across Malbit’s face as she scrambled back to her feet, but a savior soon appeared.
Stepping up beside Malbit with a weary "I suppose I have no choice" look was Kuroyon, the intellectual pride of Kuro’s family. Seeing him, the panic vanished from Malbit’s face. She beamed, looking confident that she couldn't lose a two-on-two fight. Conversely, Ruincia and Rigne now looked troubled. Sensing her opening, Malbit lunged forward, and Kuroyon moved to follow.
Except, Kuroyon couldn't move.
His partner, Elis, had her teeth clamped firmly onto his tail. She wasn't just nipping at it; she was biting down. Mentioning that they needed to have a talk, Elis began dragging Kuroyon away. He panicked, looking toward me with a mournful, pleading expression, but there wasn't much I could do. They needed to communicate.
As for what happened to Malbit once she was left alone... well, let’s just leave it at that.
After the struggle was over, Malbit began obediently preparing for her departure.
"She understands that it's about time she got back, too," Ruincia said as she packed up souvenirs.
Since the two of them couldn't carry everything themselves, Kierbit and Granmaria were scheduled to accompany them. Malbit had specifically requested her daughter, Kierbit. Granmaria was going along to personally inform her mother that she had given birth.
Granmaria had originally intended to wait until Rosemaria was a bit older, but she realized there would be trouble if the news reached her mother through Malbit or Ruincia instead. She decided to take the initiative. Was her mother really that much of a handful? Apparently, she became quite difficult when she felt left out. I see.
While Granmaria was away, Rosemaria would be looked after by Tia, Kudel, and Corone. Of course, I would be looking after her as well.
Rigne planned to stay in the village for a while longer to train the high elves. I asked if the academy would be alright, and she assured me it was. Apparently, spring was the period for processing new students and those returning from winter break, so there were almost no classes. Furthermore, Rigne had already earned her graduation credits, so she was just enjoying the perks of student life without any of the pressure.
"It’s relaxed enough, but the recruitment attempts from different factions have been so relentless it's annoying," she complained.
She rattled off several names of nobles I’d never heard of. I recognized Marquis Giridge from somewhere, and I knew Count Pugyal, but the rest were a mystery.
"To put a stop to the scouting, I officially joined Marquis Buritoa's faction, though only in name. Is that a problem?"
She asked for my thoughts, but I didn't think she needed my permission for something like that.
"No, no, it would be a problem if I joined a faction hostile to the Village Head. They were very desperate to prove they were on friendly terms with you, you know."
Hm? Was Marquis Buritoa someone I knew? I certainly remembered the name... but from where?
"She's talking about Lord Gratz," a civil official girl explained as she passed by.
Right, right, I’d completely forgotten. Hahaha. So Gratz really was a high-ranking noble. I looked over at Gratz, who was currently tucked away in a corner of the guest room, profuse in his apologies to Ronana. Apparently, he had made a clumsy comment regarding her cooking. How careless. Still, a couple that can argue is better than one that can't. Good luck, Gratz.
And Rigne, try not to go too hard on the high elves during training.
The weather had become quite warm and pleasant. The dwarves were already gathered near the World Tree, drinking. I suppose you could call it a World Tree viewing party.
The World Tree had remained lush and green throughout the winter. It didn't look like an evergreen, but I suppose it’s just that kind of tree. Its leaves never even hit the ground; apparently, any withered foliage simply returns to the tree itself. A strange tree indeed.
The dwarves invited me to join them, so I decided to participate. I headed back to the mansion first, though; I wanted food to go with the alcohol. Simple sandwiches would do—egg and ham. I decided against katsu sandwiches, as deep-frying seemed like too much effort for a quick snack. For snacks, I gathered cheese, salted biscuits, ham, sausages, and even some peanuts. Since I had a smoking box, I figured I’d try making smoked cheese on-site. Smoked sake-like fish sounded good, too. There should still be some sake-like fish in the storehouse. It was frozen, so I asked the high ogre maids to thaw it for me.
As it turned out, the high ogre maids were already preparing to join the party themselves.
By the time I made it to the World Tree, the crowd had grown. High elves, mountain elves, lizardmen, and beastmen had joined the dwarves. They hadn't started the full banquet yet because they were waiting for the food. Since the World Tree was located in the residential area, each household was currently busy preparing dishes.
A short distance away, the high elves were getting ready to roast a fanged rabbit whole. Gatto was setting up a fire for a barbecue. It looked like the turnout would be huge. The sandwiches I’d made definitely wouldn't be enough. The high ogre maids arrived with food stalls in tow. I stepped in to help.
"We’ll need a dedicated space for the children," I reminded them. "And make sure no alcohol is brought into that area."
The World Tree viewing party lasted late into the night. Bathed in magic light, the tree looked truly beautiful.
The following day, I went out alone to sit beneath the cherry blossoms.
The party yesterday had been fun, but in my heart, flower viewing always meant cherry blossoms. Since a second day of partying might be excessive, I decided to enjoy them quietly by myself. I had a bottle of sake, a cup, and the smoked sake-like fish I’d made the day before.
I had arrived a little late in the season; the trees were already beginning to sprout green leaves among the pink. It couldn't be helped. The peak of the blossoms always seemed to overlap with the parade. I’d seen the flowers at their best from atop the yagura during the procession. Besides, if we had held a viewing party immediately after the parade ended, the guests would never have been able to leave.
I heard a rustle, and Kuro and several of his children padded over. I smiled. They were here to keep me company.
They looked up toward the branches. High in the cherry blossom tree, Zabuton's children were waving their legs at me. You guys, too? Thank you.
Then there was the Sake Slime. He had been eyeing my bottle for a while now. He’d certainly had his fill yesterday, but apparently, he was still thirsty. I didn't mind sharing, but I hoped he’d leave some for me—ah! He drank the whole thing!
"What? Don't panic?" I looked where the slime was pointing.
The dwarves were marching toward me, a massive sake barrel balanced on their shoulders.
For the second day in a row, my quiet flower viewing had transformed into a full-blown banquet. I took a moment to reflect on how quickly things escalated in this village.