I loaded a cart with sanma-like fish heads and brought them to the Dog Area. Kuro’s children had been clamoring for them. They wanted the meat too, of course, but they understood the supply was limited and didn't press the issue. Instead, they specifically requested the heads left over from our meals.
Since the sanma-like fish were roughly eighty centimeters long, the heads were fairly substantial. Still, I had wondered if they would actually eat them as I handed them out. My doubts were misplaced; they finished them with ease. With sparkling eyes, they immediately begged for seconds. From then on, it became a rule that the heads were reserved for Kuro’s children.
Admittedly, the sight of a mountain of severed fish heads was a bit grotesque. Kuro’s children didn’t mind, though. They happily wagged their tails as they crunched into the skulls.
"Now, now, don't play with your food. Don't roll them around. Show some respect for what you eat. Whoa, don't fight over the size. No brawling! And you over there—don't try to bury it. It’ll just rot."
A group of High Ogre Maids arrived just as I finished. They were also pushing carts, though theirs were filled with sake-like fish heads instead. Since those fish were massive—nearly a meter and a half long—their heads were enormous, looking much like tuna heads.
The High Ogre Maids began distributing the heads. I noticed the wolves were a bit more hesitant to dive in than they had been with me. Were they being considerate because I was watching?
"Hahaha, don’t mind me. Go ahead, don’t hold back."
I thought this when they were eating the sanma-like fish heads too, but their jaw strength was incredible. They crunched right through those heavy sake-like fish bones without a second thought. Those bones weren't exactly soft, either; they were quite hard.
"Oops, my bad. I have no intention of stealing your food, so please don't look at me with such lonely eyes."
Once Kuro’s children finished their feast, I led them toward the watering hole in the Ranch Area. Even if they were careful while eating, they still ended up smelling like fish. I decided to give them a good scrubbing.
"Hahaha!"
My laughter was cut short when a goat blindsided me, charging with enough force to knock me straight into the water. I had let my guard down. Kuro’s children immediately began chasing the goat in earnest.
"I’m not angry, so don't go too far!" I called out.
After I finished washing the dogs, I headed back for a bath since I was already soaked. While my Healthy Body meant I likely wouldn't catch a cold, there was no reason to be reckless. I considered going to the Hot Spring Area, but the Beastman girls were quick to prepare hot water for me at the house, so I stayed there.
"Thank you. However, don't try to get in with me. The sun is still high."
While soaking in the bathtub, I found myself thinking about the Death Mage who had recently joined the staff at the Hot Spring Area. Apparently, until a few months ago, she had been living in a certain part of a Human Kingdom. Her home was quite unique: a Floating Island. Unlike the Sun Castle, it didn't move; it simply hovered in a fixed location.
She had spent her days there conducting magic research in solitude until, for reasons unknown, the island fell. It crashed directly into a major river, effectively damming it up. That river was vital to the region. When the water level downstream dropped abruptly, the local towns and villages were thrown into a panic. A large group of adventurers was dispatched to investigate the crash site.
They eventually concluded that the Death Mage was the cause of the disaster. Fearing for her life, she attempted to escape using teleportation magic. However, her mastery of the spell was lacking, and the destination was left entirely to chance.
Her destination turned out to be a mountain north of the Hot Spring Area. She materialized on the mountainside, ending up half-buried in the ground. To make matters worse, she was stuck head-first. Just as she was despairing, certain she would rot away unable to use her magic, a member of the Lion Family found her. The Death Knights were called in to dig her out.
Perhaps out of gratitude for the rescue, she decided to work at the Hot Spring Area and had been putting in a lot of effort ever since. I had offered her some words of comfort for everything she had endured. I also formally granted her permission to stay and work, and I made a mental note to eventually build a proper research facility for her.
I actually knew the rest of the story from the human side. When the adventurers lost track of her, they tried to clear the river by using high-level magic to destroy the island. The sudden release of the dammed-up water caused a massive flood downstream.
Were those adventurers idiots? Or did they simply not realize magic would blow the whole island apart? Fortunately, because the water had been blocked for some time, the locals had feared a flood and evacuated in advance. There were almost no casualties, but the property damage was staggering.
The Korin religion had handled the relief efforts. This was the true reason Progenitor-san had been working himself to the bone lately. He had spotted the Death Mage at the Hot Spring Area but decided to turn a blind eye for the time being. I suppose there were many complicating factors.
However, he did eventually speak with her to investigate why the island fell in the first place. Apparently, there are several other Floating Islands, and they cannot be ignored if they are also at risk of falling.
"If those adventurers hadn't destroyed the island, we could have conducted a much more thorough investigation," he had lamented.
The adventurers responsible were arrested and imprisoned. The scale of the disaster was too great for their actions to be dismissed as a simple investigative mishap.
"Since it was clear there was no malicious intent, they will be released in about six months," Progenitor-san explained. He added that upon their release, the Korin religion and the Adventurer Guild would jointly take responsibility for them. Everywhere has its troubles.
After my bath, I returned to the Village Head's Mansion to find Progenitor-san. I presented him with a donation for the flood-stricken regions.
"Oh, scales aren't acceptable? Cash it is, then."