I set to work crafting a new shield for the Death Knight.
He had mentioned that the transforming mechanism on the last one had been incredibly effective, particularly against opponents facing it for the first time. However, since it was designed strictly for anti-personnel combat, it was rarely used for hunting monsters or magic beasts. Its utility was mostly limited to the Martial Arts Festival. And since most participants there were already familiar with the gimmick, its effectiveness was essentially halved.
Still, it was a mechanism meant to catch people off guard by changing the shield’s perceived dimensions. I wondered if I should scrap the gimmick for the next iteration, but apparently, it was quite popular with the children, and some argued we should keep it because it looked cool. I see, I see. In that case, I decided to stick with the transforming mechanism.
I didn't want it to be an exact copy of the previous version, though. Last time, the blades hidden behind the shield popped out around the perimeter to parry an opponent's sword or deliver an attack. This time, I considered shaving down some of Guronde’s scales into small blades and linking them together like a chain. If I could get that bladed chain rotating around the edge of the shield... but I lacked a power source to drive it.
Just then, I noticed what the Mountain Elves were holding. It was a magic-powered device Lu had made. If it was that size, I could incorporate it into the design, and then with a single switch, the blades would deploy and spin!
Wait. That was incredibly dangerous. I cancelled the idea immediately.
In the end, I just made the same shield as before. It was a shame, but I decided to focus on forging new Death Knight’s Armor instead. Up until now, their gear had been wooden to prevent it from rusting in the hot spring area. However, iron infused with powdered Guronde scales would be completely rust-proof.
When I spoke to Gatto, he estimated it would take several months of work. That made sense; even the wooden version had been a major undertaking, and now he would be working with iron. When I told him there was no rush and he could work on it whenever he was free, he asked if he could bring in extra help from Howlin Village. While the official reason was to speed up the process, I suspected his real goal was to show off the Great Tree Village smithy to his old associates. I told him it was no problem.
I took a moment to check the schedule for the Universal Ship. There was still plenty of time before the autumn harvest. Normally, I would have started winter preparations bit by bit, but the village had reached a point where things ran smoothly even without me pushing myself. In other words, I was free.
I decided to offer some fruit to the Fairy Queen. She was currently lounging in a kotatsu that the three angels—Malbit, Suarlou, and Razmaria—had dragged out. First, I gave her a lychee. She munched on it happily. The only downside to lychees was how sticky they made your hands. I handed her a wet towel and then offered her a slightly frozen lychee.
She was genuinely surprised. It was the same fruit, but the change in texture altered the flavor profile entirely. I had to tell her to stop after three, though; I didn't want her to get bored of them. She protested, so I offered her some melon and mango instead. She asked for peaches, which were a bit of a pain to peel, but I gave in. It was almost time for the children to finish their lessons and join us anyway. Since there was so much fruit to prepare, I asked the High Ogre maids for help.
When I stepped outside and looked at the sky, I saw the phoenix chick Aegis flying alongside the Eagle. They seemed to want to fly side-by-side, but their speeds were so different that the Eagle had to busily circle the same spot over and over to wait for the chick. It was a heartwarming sight, but Aegis seemed to be keenly aware of its own slowness. After a while, it stopped flying and started to sulk. I had to laugh. If it didn't keep trying, it would never be able to beat the World Tree Silkworm.
Over at the reservoir, the Pond Turtles were swimming slowly. I counted twenty shells poking out of the water. Their numbers had certainly grown. I made sure to let them know they weren't in the way; if the reservoir started feeling cramped, I could always expand it or dig a new pond. Just then, the whole group sprayed water into the air simultaneously. It was a beautiful sight. Apparently, they were practicing a performance. I decided to find an opportunity for them to show it to the rest of the villagers before winter arrived.
Suddenly, a woman's scream echoed from the residential area. It was Malbit, followed closely by Suarlou and Razmaria. I knew what would come next: Ruincia’s angry shouting. Sure enough, I heard it a moment later. The three of them were supposed to be working in the villa, and since I didn't want to interfere with their discipline, I tried to ignore it.
"Village Head! Help!"
Malbit ran up and grabbed my clothes, but I just laughed and handed her right back to Ruincia. I told her to do her best and warned her not to come back to the mansion until the work was finished. I promised to have their meals delivered.
I patrolled the fields with several of Kuro's children and eventually reached the north flower field area. The fairies were flitting about busily. Their numbers had increased as well. I hadn't forgotten them; I laid out some short-cut pieces of sugar cane on a pedestal, and they swarmed over them immediately. I told them I’d keep bringing treats as long as they stopped messing with the beehives. I’d been quite surprised when the bees had come to me to complain a few days ago.
I headed over to the fruit tree area to check on the bees. Everything seemed fine, though I noticed several of the Queen Bees were looking remarkably plump. Perhaps they were getting a bit too fat? I suppose it was just a sign of how safe and comfortable their environment had become. I made a mental note to check the beehives before winter to make sure they were sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the snow.
Next, I went to the ranch area and mounted a horse. Unlike in the beginning, they let me ride them obediently now. I still wasn't a master equestrian, but I liked to think I was "competent" rather than "bad." Kuro’s children followed as I did my rounds. The goats, sheep, and cattle had all increased in number, especially the goats. As soon as they saw me, they staged a group charge. The horse skipped away nimbly and dashed off, leaving them in the dust. Only the wolves could keep up.
The goats acted like they weren't interested once they were left behind, but as soon as I circled back, they charged again. The horse dodged them easily, and Kuro’s children stood guard whenever things looked like they might actually get rowdy. The goats were just playing, though; I was fairly sure they didn't actually have a grudge against me.
The horse population had grown quite a bit too. Everyone seemed healthy. The colts, however, still hadn't warmed up to me. On the other hand, a female unicorn was being very affectionate. She wouldn't let me ride her, but I suppose that was just the nature of unicorns. I promised her extra carrots for dinner, which seemed to please her. I’ve heard it’s a myth that horses love carrots, but the ones in this village—unicorns included—eat them with gusto. They’re also big fans of apples and Chinese cabbage.
I suspected the colts were still holding a grudge from a few months ago. They had ignored the wolves' warnings and raided the Chinese cabbage field, and I had given them a stern scolding. It was a necessary lesson, but they seemed to have forgotten that I was also the one who rescued them when they got themselves tangled in the webs of Zabuton’s children. I’d have to find a way to make peace with them eventually.
That night, we had sea fish for dinner, stocked from the Goroun Company. The stars of the meal were the sanma-like fish and the sake-like fish. To me, these were the true flavors of autumn. It was apparently a bit early in the season for them, but I didn't care. I grilled the large sanma and served flaked salmon mixed into the rice. It was delicious.
Walking through the fruit tree area earlier, I’d noticed the chestnuts were almost ready for harvest. We’d need to gather mushrooms soon, too. I’d spent the day relaxing, but there was still plenty to be done. I decided to work hard tomorrow.
I spent the evening playing with the children before bath time. Ever since I’d banned her from carrying weapons, Urza had been acting very refined and "ladylike." She was clearly reflecting on what she’d done, especially since Hakuren and Zabuton had joined me in scolding her. While the polite behavior was nice, it didn't quite feel like the Urza I knew. I might be being too soft, but I planned to lift the ban once the autumn harvest was over.
For now, though, the answer was still no. At the very least, she had to wait until the Death Knight she’d injured was fully recovered. She’d have to keep up the refined act until then. Apparently, the reason she had been so desperate to enter the tournament—even going as far as to take a weapon without permission—was because she wanted to be recognized as an adult as soon as possible. But the thing is, you become an adult whether you want to or not once enough time passes. There really is no need to rush it.