Giral took a long time saying his goodbyes to Guronde and Gural before finally departing, taking the Post-Age of Gods Dragon Race with him.
He apparently still had work to finish. He promised to return soon, though I wondered if he treated this village more as a business trip destination than a home. Then again, perhaps home is simply wherever one’s wife and daughter reside.
Over in the village dining hall, the children were lined up, struggling to navigate grilled fish with knives and forks. Everyone was having a difficult time with the bones. Right next to them, the phoenix chick Aegis finished its meal, leaving the bones behind in a perfectly clean state. It wore a very satisfied smile.
Children, don't try to imitate that; it’s impossible for you. If you tried to copy it, you'd have to eat with your feet and your beak.
Eagle, you don’t need to push yourself either. It's fine to eat as you normally do. Aegis is the weird one for being able to leave the bones that clean.
Lu had been away for three days. She had been summoned to Ifuls Academy in Shashato City—not for her usual research, but for a medical emergency. Apparently, a patient from a Human Kingdom had traveled to Shashato City by ship, relying on rumors that Lu was there.
Lu initially told the patient to come to Village Five, but their condition worsened during the long sea voyage, leaving them unable to move once they reached Shashato City. Lu had no choice but to go to them. She was currently overseeing the treatment, and since Ifuls Academy was home to many people skilled in medicine, things were reportedly progressing smoothly.
I received updates to that effect from the Lizardmen who had accompanied her. However, she wouldn't be able to return for a while yet, just in case the patient’s condition took a sudden turn for the worse.
Regarding the treatment, the patient would have recovered instantly if Lu used a World Tree Leaf, but the protocols for handling those had been established during a Conference of Races held after Guronde arrived. The Angel Race and Hakuren had been the strongest advocates for keeping them from the general public—insisting that their very existence should remain hidden.
A World Tree Leaf could cure any illness or injury. While that was undoubtedly incredible, we couldn't possibly provide them to everyone in the world. Furthermore, if their existence became common knowledge, medical research would suffer a massive setback. No matter what someone discovered, it would never compare to a World Tree Leaf, and people would grow entirely dependent on them. If that happened and the World Tree were to wither for some reason, the world would be thrown into chaos.
The conference participants, including Lu and Flora, agreed that things would only go downhill. Thus, they placed restrictions on the leaves. To use a World Tree Leaf, one of three conditions had to be met:
First, anyone who reached the Village of the Great Tree on their own, without the aid of Teleportation Gates or magic. Second, anyone I personally permitted. Third, the residents of the Village of the Great Tree and Villages One through Four.
The first condition wasn't an issue; if someone managed to make it here by their own strength to seek a leaf, no one would complain. As for the second condition regarding my permission, I worried my authority was a bit too absolute, so I added the third. I had tried to include the residents of Village Five as well, but Yoko stopped me, pointing out that doing so would be effectively making the secret public.
She had a point. After Yoko laid out the potential tragedies that would occur if the leaves were common knowledge, I gave strict orders to keep them hidden. We even avoided the term "World Tree" outside the village. If we absolutely had to refer to it, we used the code phrase "large silkworm food."
The message from the Lizardmen mentioned they wanted Flying Whale meat to help the patient regain their strength. We had already reduced three whales to bone, but even after setting aside portions for the hibernating Zabuton and Zabuton’s Children, we had plenty to spare. I made arrangements to cut the raw meat into large slabs and send them to Lu.
"Village Head, should we only send the raw meat? We have smoked and salted meat as well," a High Ogre Maid asked while carrying a barrel. She held it effortlessly in one hand, even though it looked to weigh about fifty kilograms.
"You're right. Let's send the smoked and salted versions too. Even if it's too much for the patient, the employees at Maruura can eat it."
"Understood. I'll load them up."
I left it to her. The Goroun Company handled the transport, with the Lizardmen who brought the message acting as an escort. I also made sure to set aside a share of whale meat for Michael-san.
Later, I received a report that the Goroun Company carriage had been attacked by Monsters and Magic Beasts multiple times during the trip.
"The monsters were clearly targeting the cargo," they said.
I was glad I’d sent the Lizardmen along.
The patient Lu had been treating turned out to be the Prince of a Certain Country. As soon as he made a full recovery, he apparently proposed to Lu, earning himself a punch to the face. Honestly, if I’d been there, I would’ve plowed him into the field myself. Don’t go proposing to a married woman.
Lu reportedly squeezed a significant treatment fee out of him and distributed it between Ifuls Academy and Maruura. Since we weren't hurting for money, I didn't mind. As for the punch, the Prince's Retainers accepted it as "part of the treatment." Apparently, he’s a serial proposer.
The retainers even pulled Lu aside to ask if his habit could be cured. When she suggested a surgical "removal" of his manhood, they reportedly considered the proposal with terrifying seriousness. They must be under a lot of stress.
After staying in Shashato City for about ten days, the recovered Prince and his party headed for the Royal Capital to discuss a Top Secret Alliance between his country and the Demon Kingdom. As for how I knew about this top-secret alliance, I heard it from the Demon King while he was busy frolicking with the cats in the kotatsu.
I wondered if it was really okay for me to know such things, given how secret it was. The Prince's country is supposedly quite large.
Wait, what? That Prince proposed to the Demon King's Wife, too?
Well, according to the Demon King, the retainers managed to smooth things over before it became a full-blown diplomatic crisis. However, between the punch from the Demon King and another from his wife, the Prince apparently won't be able to move for a month.
And now he's calling for Lu again?
I'm definitely not letting her go.