The parade had been momentarily halted by the chaos of my carriage swap, but it resumed shortly after.
Following my float were three more yagura carrying the village children, led by Alfred, Urza, and Tiselle. I spotted Isree up there as well; she had been hesitant about riding, so Urza likely had to talk her into it. Yoko’s daughter, Hitoe, was also present, and it was heartening to see her blending in so well with the others.
Behind them came a yagura filled with the High Ogre Maids. They were dressed in pristine white cook coats rather than their usual maid uniforms, which made for a refreshing change. Several carriages packed with ingredients followed in their wake. They were likely hauling the giant boars hunted earlier this morning, though the sight was a bit graphic for a parade.
Tailing those carriages was the group of Dwarfs, escorting several more wagons heavily laden with barrels—undoubtedly full of sake. The Dwarfs were decked out in armor, ostensibly positioned to guard both the meat and the alcohol, but it was painfully obvious which one they prioritized. From my vantage point, I could see that the sake wagons were under much stricter surveillance. Well, there wasn't much chance of an ambush here, so I suppose I could overlook it.
Next in line came the residents from Village One, the Minotaur Race from Village Two, the Centaur Race from Village Three, and the Village Four Devil Race and Dream Demon Race Team. They all put on a magnificent display, marching with a precision that showed just how much they had practiced.
Speaking of the Dream Demons from Village Four... could they really not have done something about those outfits? I understand that they prioritized mobility, but I’m fairly certain that much skin shouldn't be showing. And I'm positive those strings don't count as clothing. Fortunately, the Devil Race of Village Four eventually forced them to don cloaks. Good call.
Trailing slightly behind the Village Four contingent was a carriage carrying the Phoenix Chick, the Eagle, the White Swan, and the Black Swan. Phoenix Chick Aegis and the White Swan had originally insisted on leading the entire parade, and they had been quite a handful until we promised them a prominent spot in the upcoming outside parade to pacify them.
Next came the group from the hot spring area—the Death Knights and the Lions. There were some suspicious-looking skeletal creatures among them that I hadn't seen before. Apparently, they were companions of the Death Knights. I’ll have to make sure I get a proper introduction later.
Then came the group of Lizardmen. They marched with matching 4-meter long spears, keeping the tips perfectly level without the slightest tremor. They must have undergone some serious training.
Bringing up the rear were the members of Zabuton's Children who hadn't joined the earlier group. The smaller spiderlings rode atop the larger ones, like Makura, as they processed. I even spotted Red Armor and White Armor in the mix.
Oh? It was impressive to see them weaving silk on the fly to create flags—depicting the Great Tree and a spider. It looked quite sharp. However, even with such a large number of flags, they had nowhere to hang them... until they started attaching them to the tips of the Lizardmen’s long spears. Since the Lizardmen didn't skip a beat, this must have been a rehearsed maneuver.
The Lizardmen carrying the flagged spears picked up their pace, surrounding the Village Head's Yagura. I realized then that the flag designs weren't limited to just spiders; they had woven a flag for every race alongside the Great Tree—Dragons, Inferno Wolves, the Angel Race, High Elves, and so on. They had captured the unique characteristics of each race perfectly. They were truly well-made.
I waved to Zabuton's Children in the distance and continued the procession.
That made up the entirety of this year's parade. Usually, the Demon King’s party, the representatives from Village Five, and Michael-san from Shashato City would join us, but they were absent today. They were all far too busy with the logistical nightmare of the outside parade. Only Gratz had managed to sneak in, blending into the Minotaur Race contingent from Village Two. I wondered if he was actually allowed to be here, but I suppose it wasn't my concern. Yoko had intended to participate as well, but ultimately stayed behind in Village Five out of worry for the preparations there.
After the parade wound its way through the designated route, each group disbanded as they reached the central plaza. We weren't doing anything too extravagant this year, as the flashy displays were being saved for the outside parade. Kudel was the only one who grumbled about the lack of flair, so it wasn't much of a problem.
Once the parade concluded, we held a barbecue using the supplies from the carriages packed with ingredients that the Dwarfs had been "protecting." Of course, we used other ingredients as well; the stuff on the wagons was mostly for show.
The High Ogre Maids, still in their cook coats, handled the cooking efficiently. They even brought out several large pots, suggesting we’d be having more than just grilled meat. The Beastman Race and Lamia Race helped out as well, which was a welcome sight.
"Alright, everyone who isn't busy, help set up the tables. Zabuton, I’ll leave the decorations to you and your children. Lizardmen, please get a large bonfire going in the middle of the plaza. Kuro, you and the pack handle the perimeter."
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.
"I haven't forgotten, Kuro. I’ll make sure your shares are set aside."
"...Dwarfs. We’re going to tap those barrels, but just because they were in the parade doesn't mean you have to drink all of them right now. Dragons, no drinking in your dragon forms. You'll make the sake disappear in the blink of an eye. You're taking up too much space anyway, so stay in your human forms."
"And you, Mountain Elves. I know you worked hard. You’ve been pulling all-nighters right up to the finish line, haven't you? Don't push yourselves. It’s okay to go get some sleep. You want to eat first? Fine, but don't overdo it. Leave the post-mortems and redesigns for tomorrow. If you try to work while sleep-deprived, you’ll just end up redoing everything anyway."
"Oh, one more thing while I’m at it. For the outside parade, I want you all to participate as marchers. No 'we're better suited for backstage' excuses. Even the Civil Official Girls are joining the procession."
While they seemed excited at the prospect, I had to warn them not to start thinking about how they could "heavily customize" the carriages they’d be riding. I really wanted them to appreciate the beauty of a normal vehicle for once. Well, those were details for tomorrow. For now, I told them to wait somewhere out of the way of the prep work.
"Civil Official Girls, you should rest too. The outside parade is going to keep you on your feet, isn't it? Take this chance to relax. Yes, I know I'm the one who accepted the schedule..."
They seemed to want something more.
"I'm truly grateful for your help. Wait, that's not it? Uh... I am expecting great things from your continued hard work!"
I knew the formal tone didn't really suit me, but they seemed satisfied.
This year's village parade came to a successful close, and the subsequent banquet lasted until the following morning.