When Progenitor-san arrived for the first time in a while, he caught sight of Reginleiv and immediately dropped into a low crouch with his hands out in front of him. He looked like a judo practitioner—or maybe a wrestler.
In response, Reginleiv turned her right shoulder toward him, taking a bladed stance. She wasn’t holding a weapon, but the pose reminded me of a fencer.
I watched them, worried that a brawl was about to break out, but the two of them naturally relaxed and shared a firm handshake. I wonder what unspoken understanding they reached?
Wait, were those two already acquainted?
Ah, they really were. I see—they’ve tried to kill each other countless times in the past. How terrifying. Please don't do that here. Are we really okay? You’re absolutely sure you won’t be hostile toward each other anymore? If so, then I guess it’s fine.
By the way, Reginleiv did the exact same thing when she met Gucci and Yoko. Given how long she’s lived, it seemed she had quite a large social circle.
Progenitor-san arrived alone this time. Apparently, Fouche was still busy with work. When it was time for him to head home, I decided I would give him some fruit harvested from the village as a souvenir. After he finished doting on Lupumirina and the other children, he joined the banquet with Dos and the others.
Yes, the party was still going strong. It had been temporarily suspended for the martial arts tournament, but the festivities roared back to life the moment the event ended.
Gucci had called Draim and Graffaloon back to their nests a few times, but I wondered if the other dragons were truly okay to stay. It turned out they had people properly looking after their homes while they were away, so that was a relief. Besides, we had plenty of surplus ingredients from the summer harvest, so I didn't mind them helping us clear out the pantry. I was sure I’d be compensated for the food and drink, anyway.
I didn't mind if they kept the banquet going until the winter preparations began in earnest. However, I felt I needed to give some kind of special bonus to the residents who were working so hard to look after the guests. I’d be sure to hand out Reward Medals, but I wanted to think of something else as well.
When I mentioned it to them, they told me not to worry about it, but I insisted. I’d think of something and make sure they accepted it.
Malbit’s group arrived some time after Reginleiv, and they settled into village life immediately. To my genuine surprise, every one of them was working diligently. I had expected Malbit to immediately drag out a kotatsu and hole up inside it under the pretense of "winter preparations."
Was it because Reginleiv was here? Malbit admitted she found it difficult to relax because the elder complained about or opposed everything she did. I could sympathize, but I didn’t want the atmosphere in the village to be tense.
I suggested that I set up a time and place for them to sit down and have a proper talk. They told me they had already talked things over countless times before, but I asked them to do it one more time just to satisfy me.
However, when I actually prepared a drinking party specifically for the Angel Race, I found Reginleiv and Malbit drinking with their arms around each other's shoulders like best friends.
Wait. Weren't they supposed to be on bad terms?
Well, getting along was certainly better than the alternative, but I noticed a deep frown on Ruincia’s face. When I asked if she was okay, she lamented that the two biggest troublemakers had officially formed a tag team.
I told her I’d do my best to keep an eye on them, so she should hang in there, too.
In the middle of the drinking party, Kudel and Corone brought Laladel and Tolmane over, which was met with a chorus of cheers. The other angels had likely seen the infants before the party, but they were still delighted to have them there.
It seemed they had also become comfortable enough to let Reginleiv near the babies. She held Laladel and Tolmane in her arms, looking absolutely overcome with emotion. While children were born fairly regularly in our village, they had become a rarity among the Angel Race as a whole, which made the sight of the new generation even more meaningful to her.
I suggested that if they wanted more children, they should probably abolish those incredibly strict marriage trials. It turned out they had already done so without me knowing. That was good to hear. If more people got married, the number of children was bound to increase. I was just happy that my own children would have more peers from their own generation.
I noticed the food was running low, so I decided to fetch more. It was no trouble—I told the others to stay and enjoy the party while I handled the transport.
"Kudel, Corone," I called out. "If you’re going to join the drinking, you should leave Laladel and Tolmane with the High Ogre Maids first."
Several of the High Ogre Maids were already watching Reginleiv with nervous expressions as she held the babies. Her movements were incredibly stiff and awkward. It was only a matter of time before the maids stepped in to take the children off her hands for safety’s sake. Well, she just needed time to get used to it.
I helped out with the cooking and continued carrying dishes to the Angel Race’s table. At some point, the Dwarves barged in to give a lecture on the various types of sake. I thought they were still with the dragon family, but apparently, they wanted to gather feedback from as many people as possible. I could respect the dedication.
Still, it was impressive that we hadn't run out of sake despite the nonstop banqueting. It was a testament to the Dwarves' daily hard work. When I complimented them, they told me they weren't satisfied yet. Their goal was to stockpile enough so that the alcohol wouldn't run out even if a banquet lasted for an entire year. It was a grand ambition, though I wasn't so sure about the idea of a year-long party.
Reginleiv, rather than one of the Dwarves, spoke up to tell me that in ancient times, the descendants of the gods actually did hold banquets every day. Apparently, it wasn't that they were partying constantly, but rather that they had challenged themselves to see exactly how many days they could keep a feast going just for the sake of the record.
I could understand the value of history, but I didn't quite see the point of recording how long a party could last. I suppose setting records like that was just a fad back then. When I asked how long they managed to keep it up, she told me it lasted one hundred and three days.
That was impressive, though it felt like the dragons could probably pull that off with ease. The real difficulty, she explained, was the logistics—providing a constant supply of food and sake while also maintaining the "banquet entertainment." According to the official banquet regulations, they had to perform a brand-new act every single hour.
That did sound exhausting. And wait—what were "banquet regulations"?
Apparently, to make it an official record, they had to define exactly what a "banquet" was. There had to be twenty or more participants, with at least five conscious people present at the venue at all times. Leaving for the outhouse was permitted, but all sleep had to be taken within the venue itself. A specific quota of food and sake had to be consumed. And, as mentioned, a new performance was required every hour.
Honestly, it didn't sound like a fun party at all. I couldn't even imagine what those ancient descendants of the gods were thinking as they struggled through those hundred and three days.
Fortunately, I was certain this drinking party wouldn't last that long. I just hoped it would help everyone deepen their friendships.
By the next day, the Angel Race’s drinking party had finally wound down. However, I found Malbit hunkered down inside a kotatsu. When I questioned her, she insisted it was part of her "winter preparations."
I laughed as I began to confiscate the kotatsu. "I don't think so. Now, stop resisting!"