The day after the Village Parade ended.
Around noon, just as the cleanup from the banquet was mostly finished, the Death Knights and Lions—who were preparing to return to the Hot Spring Area—introduced me to the unfamiliar, suspicious creature that had been accompanying them.
In terms of appearance, it was a skeleton.
It felt similar to a Death Knight, but its size was a little over three meters tall, roughly double their stature. It was about the same size as a member of the Giant Race. Because of its height, its bones were naturally thick. Furthermore, it possessed three large faces, six arms, and four legs.
Since it had three faces and six arms, I wondered if it was an Ashura. Then again, an Ashura is supposed to have two legs, so perhaps this was something else. It was a skeleton, after all.
While its upper body was that of a skeletal Ashura, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the lower half. Structurally, the limbs looked like human legs, but the four of them were oriented toward the four cardinal directions. I had my doubts about how it could walk straight like that, but it seemed to be moving along without any issues.
Well, the fact that a collection of bones was walking at all was already a mystery, so there was no point in nitpicking the details now. Magic really is an incredible thing.
This unfamiliar, suspicious creature had apparently reached the Hot Spring Area very recently and had begun living alongside the Death Knights and the Lions. They had decided that reporting the matter to me could wait until the Village Parade.
I see. Well, I suppose there hadn't been any urgent need to rush the report. Given that the Death Knights and Lions were the ones who brought him, I assumed there was no danger.
Now then, erm... what was his name?
He didn't have one? His memories were vague?
Apparently, he had realized at some point that he was buried deep underground. After spending an unknown amount of time unable to move, a recent landslide had finally allowed him to break free. He certainly had a rough time of it.
I told him I didn't mind if he settled down here. When I asked if the Hot Spring Area was acceptable, he seemed satisfied.
I made sure to tell him that I wouldn't let him be a slacker, though. I’m sure he understood, but I expected him to work. Like the Death Knights and the Lions, his job would be to ensure the safety of the Hot Spring Area. I welcomed him aboard.
Still, not having a name was inconvenient. I asked if I could call him whatever I liked, and he agreed.
In that case... let's go with Ashura.
I felt a bit bad for the lack of creativity, but Ashura headed back to the Hot Spring Area with the Death Knights. I hoped he would do his best.
However, leaving him as nothing but bones felt a bit miserable from an aesthetic standpoint. It also meant he was essentially naked. I wondered if I should ask Gatto and his team to prepare some armor and a helmet for him.
Zabuton's Children approached me then, raising their front legs as if to say everything was under control. Apparently, they had already provided him with clothing.
I thanked them; that was a huge help. However, they informed me that he still lacked weapons and asked if I could put in a request with Gatto.
That was true—he would need weapons to perform his security duties properly. I agreed to handle the order myself. When I asked if Ashura had expressed a preference for any particular type of weapon, they told me he wanted slightly curved swords—scimitars.
Got it. I would ask Gatto for... six of them?
Right, six scimitars. Understood.
However, producing that many would take some time. For the time being, I decided we would make do with swords purchased from Village Five. They shouldn't be bad quality. I would contact Yoko and have her prepare them immediately. After relaying this to Zabuton's Children, I returned to the Village Head's Mansion.
Now that the Village Parade was over, I wanted to move straight on to the Outside Parade, but various logistical adjustments meant it wouldn't happen immediately. The Demon King, Yoko, and Miyo from Shashato City had told me they wouldn't keep me waiting for ten days, so I figured it would likely happen ten days from now. Usually, these things took about that long. If they worked incredibly hard, maybe nine. That was just the way of the world.
While there was no need to rush the Outside Parade, I didn't want the festive atmosphere to linger indefinitely. A sense of discipline and boundaries is important in all things.
I was also worried about the physical condition of the Mountain Elves. They had taken a break immediately after the Village Parade, but now they were busy dismantling the Yagura that had broken down during the procession to investigate the cause. Furthermore, they were dragging out the old prototype Yagura and carriages to brainstorm improvements and modifications.
Considering the Mountain Elves' health, a later date for the Outside Parade would be better, but I knew they would simply pour every available second into their work regardless of the deadline. It was probably better for their sake if the period of overexertion was kept short. Therefore, having it set for nine or ten days from now was probably for the best. Besides, they would likely make it work one way or another, and even if they didn't, we could just use normal carriages.
Thinking about it, I was also a bit concerned that those staying nearby for the parade might grow tired of waiting—specifically the Wyverns stationed near Village Five. I had heard there were no issues, and they were reportedly refraining from hunting to avoid causing trouble in the surrounding areas. I thought it might be a good idea to send them some food supplies as a gesture of goodwill.
Then there were the Unicorns who were also set to participate in the Outside Parade. While they were quietly containing their joy over their healed horns, they were keeping to themselves in a corner of the Ranch Area. Normally, Unicorns are free-spirited creatures, but once their horns are broken, they become timid and retreat into the depths of the forest. Apparently, that personality shift doesn't revert just because the horn is healed.
The sight of the Unicorns lingering awkwardly near the energetic horses was quite rare. However, the Beastman girls who looked after them reported that some individuals were starting to show signs of exhaustion from the social pressure. I would have to keep a close watch on them. On the bright side, several of the tougher individuals had expressed a desire to settle in the village permanently. I would likely need to consider expanding the Ranch Area soon.
The next day.
Ria and the rest of the High Elves were lined up in front of the mansion's entrance as I stepped out.
"We shall be off now," Ria said, saluting me. The High Elves behind her followed suit.
They were heading to Village Five at Yoko's request. Apparently, the construction of the viewing spaces for the Outside Parade was behind schedule, and they needed extra hands. Given that the carpenters they had befriended while building the Village Five Shrine had also petitioned for help, Ria and the others had readily agreed. I was grateful for their help but cautioned them not to overdo it. I also warned them that they would likely be saddled with all sorts of extra chores once they arrived.
By now, the majority of the Civil Official Girls had also moved to Village Five. Apparently, the starting point for the Outside Parade was going to be the Mountain Shrine near Village Five, and they were busy making final adjustments for the performance there. Since Frau was staying behind in the village, Yuri was currently in command on-site. I asked Ria to check in on them if she had the chance.
"Understood," Ria replied, and then the High Elves departed for Village Five.
Shortly after, the Mountain Elves followed them. They had realized that even if they finished the carriages in the Village of the Great Tree, they would still need time to transport them to the shrine. They planned to stay in the dormitories at the shrine and continue their work until the very last second.
Fortunately, the shrine had plenty of vacant lodging, so they wouldn't have any trouble finding a place to stay. I just hoped they wouldn't be a nuisance to the Silver Fox Race.
Wait... would I need to send someone to handle the cooking for them?
With Ann and Ramrias pregnant and unable to move around much, it was difficult to spare any of the High Ogre Maids. I decided I would make it a point to go check on their progress periodically.