Night had fallen. The festival was still in full swing, but I had moved from the venue to a tent pitched within the academy grounds. This would be my lodging for the night. Even calling it a tent was an understatement; it was a large-scale pavilion used by the Demon King’s Army. The ceiling was high enough to walk around comfortably, and the interior was partitioned by curtains into several smaller rooms. About twenty of these massive tents were pitched in total, and one of them actually housed our camping carriage. The pavilion served as a shield to keep the carriage out of sight.
"The location of the carriage could allow people to deduce the Village Head’s whereabouts," Gratz had warned. I wondered if there was really a problem with people knowing where I was, but Gratz had looked so solemn when he provided the tents that I decided not to argue.
I sat on a large cushion I’d brought inside the tent and relaxed. It was almost time for bed, but perhaps because of the change in environment, I felt wide awake. I could have forced myself to sleep, but that felt like a waste. There shouldn't be any problem if I woke up a little late tomorrow, so I wanted to cherish this time to unwind.
Should I try making something like a cup with the Universal Farming Tool like I used to? Or maybe stay up late and have a snack... As I was contemplating this, Donovan and his group arrived. They were hauling a sake barrel, so I thought they were inviting me for a drink, but it turned out to be more than that. Following the dwarves were Malbit and Ruincia of the Angel Race, then Mettora, Asa, and Earth. Finally, the Demon King, Beezel, Gratz, and Randan joined the circle.
Apparently, there was something to discuss. Everyone used the spare cushions to form a ring. I didn't even have to move.
Donovan was the first to speak. "The alcohol sold in the Royal Capital is swill. I believe something must be done about it."
The sake provided by the Goroun and Dalfon companies consisted of beverages brewed throughout the Demon Kingdom. Some came from Village Five, but most originated elsewhere.
"Specifically, the Grepu wine," Donovan continued. "They gather Grepu harvested from various fields and brew them all at once. While this can produce a drink with its own character, they also toss in the poor-quality Grepu. You cannot make good sake that way."
Donovan seemed thoroughly dissatisfied with the quality of the capital’s alcohol.
"The solution is to strengthen the sorting of the Grepu, or to brew the wine using fruit from only a single field."
That made sense. Randan, however, raised an objection. I told him he didn't need to raise his hand; he could speak freely.
"Thank you. Er, I believe the 'disgusting' wine Donovan-dono is referring to is the wine drunk in the Royal Capital as a substitute for water. Therefore, its poor quality is somewhat unavoidable."
I asked Randan to elaborate. He explained that gathering Grepu from multiple fields to make wine was done to standardize the taste and stabilize the price of the fruit. Since Grepu was a crop, the harvest volume depended on the weather. If income fluctuated based on both harvest volume and taste quality, farmers would lose the incentive to grow it at all. Thus, they blended everything together.
"Since they don't demand high-quality Grepu for that tier of wine, it’s inevitable that it tastes poor," Randan concluded.
I understood his point. However, if the price was fixed regardless of effort, fewer farmers would strive to produce truly exceptional fruit.
"That is true," Randan admitted, "but this was originally part of a regional policy to encourage even small fields to produce Grepu. During times of food shortage, people naturally want to grow edible crops rather than fruit for alcohol."
So, to ensure they had the raw materials for sake, the government set a fixed price to buy up whatever was grown.
"Yes. However, this isn't done in every territory. In lands where the Lord is a lover of sake, they invest funds to improve their winemaking. Of course, the wine produced there rarely enters the open market..."
So the sake-loving Lords monopolized the good stuff.
"That is the case. Some territories—for example, the Leg Territory—do sell high-quality sake without hesitation, so it enters circulation. Though the price is quite steep."
The Leg Territory? Was that Hou’s land? Come to think of it, Hou had mentioned brewing sake in her territory. I was surprised she didn't just hoard it all.
"Hou monopolizes the sake from the territory she directly manages," Randan explained. "The Leg Territory is ruled by a relative of Hou's older sister. Hou has the status of an Elder there, so she can offer her opinion, but the Lord holds the actual decision-making power."
So the Lord was selling it despite Hou's likely protests. That was impressive.
"I heard the Lord wants to curb Hou's drinking, which is why they sell it off..."
Well, that was certainly a Lord who cared about their Elder’s health in their own way.
"Indeed. They were very happy to hear the news of Hou's marriage. Also, a word of advice: Hou gets grumpy if you call her an 'Elder' to her face."
I made a mental note of that.
So, the situation was this: Donovan was concerned about the poor taste of the wine in the Royal Capital. Randan argued that the low quality was a necessary economic evil. Since delicious sake existed elsewhere if you were willing to pay, Randan felt they should just leave it be.
But what did they want me to do? Did I really need to provide a countermeasure for a problem in the Royal Capital? Wasn't this the Demon King’s job? When I looked at the Demon King, he averted his eyes. Apparently, he didn't interfere in such granular policy matters. Even so, I didn't think I needed to provide a solution, but I couldn't exactly turn Donovan down.
Donovan’s ideas—sorting the fruit better or using single-field harvests—were met with Randan making an 'X' with his arms. It wasn't realistic. I tended to agree with Randan on that; you couldn't make everything high-quality. To keep the supply cheap and plentiful for the masses, volume was more important than flavor.
However, I also understood Donovan's desire for a better drink. Even if it was a water substitute, it was better if it tasted good. I decided to propose a plan to improve the taste of the capital’s wine.
"Randan, the wine used as a water substitute is produced by each territory, right?"
"That's correct. It's generally handled at the territorial level, as a single village or town rarely harvests enough Grepu for large-scale brewing."
"In that case, the method to improve the taste is simple."
"Is that true?" Randan asked.
"Well, it's not a guarantee, and it won't change things overnight, but I think it will have an effect. So Donovan, please, give me some space." The dwarf was looming a bit too close for comfort.
"The method is to create a ranking system. A 'Sake Deliciousness Ranking.' We announce it once a year in the Royal Capital. Along with the ranking, we clearly state which territory produced which wine. If we do that, those who have the resources will surely compete to reach the top of the list by producing better wine."
Randan considered my proposal. "Certainly. They might compete for the prestige of their territory. However, won't the ranking just be filled with the expensive wines that are already famous for being good?"
"You said earlier that delicious sake doesn't circulate much, right?"
"Yes."
"Therefore, the ranking will be decided by the votes of the residents in the Royal Capital. Both nobles and commoners get to vote."
Beezel, Malbit, and Ruincia all made 'X' signs with their arms to show that wouldn't work, so I adjusted.
"For example... how about nobles getting a hundred votes per person and commoners getting one vote per person? With a system like that, the wines that actually circulate would be more likely to reach the top. There's less worry about production volume dropping if they’re trying to appeal to the masses. And if you make it a public vote, it’s hard for influential people to call disgusting wine 'delicious.' If they did that, they’d end up being served nothing but that swill at every banquet they attended."
"I see," Randan said. "There are several logistical hurdles, but I will look into how we might realize this."
Since Randan seemed satisfied, I glanced at Donovan. He was nodding, so he appeared to be on board as well.
Of course, that wasn't the end of the night's business. That conversation had only involved Donovan and Randan. Next was Mettora, who gave a report on Torain and Maa’s life at the academy.
"Regarding Torain-sama, it's hard to tell if he's being doted on by Tiselle-sama or if he's just being used as a toy..."
Well, I had a feeling it might turn out that way. Mettora had asked for someone who could keep Tiselle in check, and Torain had been chosen, but... I felt a bit sorry for him.
"No," Mettora continued. "I believe giving Tiselle-sama the goal of nation-building was for the best. It has given her scattered interests a clear direction. Furthermore, Torain-sama seems to be reflecting on his behavior during the parade in the Royal Capital and is currently holding back. Whether it’s good for him to be wrapped around Tiselle-sama's finger like that is another matter... but after a year of experience, I'm sure he will perform as we hope."
She was quite strict. Then again, expecting him to be ready in just a year might actually be a generous evaluation. As for Maa, she was reportedly taking good care of Torain. However, when she was away from him, she apparently spent her spare time manufacturing things and causing noise complaints. Even though it was during the day when other students were out, Mettora was wondering if she should intervene.
I told her not to hesitate. Scold her if she's being too loud.
Once Mettora was finished, it was Asa and Earth's turn. Recently, the two of them had been conducting background checks on the people Tiselle had recruited as subordinates.
"We have investigated them thoroughly, both publicly and privately," Asa reported. "There are no individuals with major problems."
"Does that mean there are people with minor problems?" I asked.
"Only issues small enough to be ignored."
Earth took over the report. "Generally, their relationship with Tiselle-sama is good. No one bears her any serious enmity. However, Erika-teze, the former Duke's daughter from a human kingdom, had a bit of an altercation with Urza-sama."
"An altercation? Is Urza all right?"
"Of course. Urza-sama was the victor."
Even so, I would have preferred they were stopped before it came to blows.
"It began the moment their eyes met," Earth explained. "By the time we realized what was happening, it was already over. My apologies."
If Urza was unharmed, did that mean Erika-teze was injured? Wait, I’d seen her at the festival today, and she looked perfectly fine.
"Erika-teze was sent rolling for quite a distance, but she suffered no major injuries," Earth said. "In fact, the two of them seemed to be fostering a friendship afterward."
What was the reason for the fight? Malbit was the one to enlighten me.
"It was likely a ritual for establishing their hierarchy."
A hierarchy... I suppose Ria and the other High Elves did something similar whenever new members joined. Is this just a common practice?
"For the record," Earth added, "both sides used a body-slamming technique called a Tetsuzanko. Erika-teze initiated the move, but it seems Urza-sama's execution was faster. As expected of Urza-sama."
So she countered with the same technique and won? At any rate, I decided I’d praise Urza later rather than scolding her. That was the right move, right?
After Asa and Earth finished, Malbit and Ruincia spoke. Theirs was more of a reflection on the festival. At the start of the event, they had been so excited to see their friends that they’d spent the whole time dancing. However, they had properly performed their duties as waitresses afterward, so I didn't see any reason to make an issue of it.
That left the Demon King, Beezel, Gratz, and Randan. The Demon King spoke for the group.
"I thought it was about time we decided on something."
"What’s that?"
"The King for the nation Tiselle is building."
Right, a new country needs a ruler. Who was the candidate?
"That's the problem; we have no one," the Demon King admitted. "Tiselle hasn't made any recommendations either. She dumped the whole matter on us, claiming that it was too politically charged and would affect the Demon Kingdom’s internal affairs."
It wasn't so much a 'dumping' as it was a sensible decision for the Demon King to handle it, especially since the person would be negotiating between the Demon Kingdom and the various human nations.
"Precisely," the Demon King said. "And because they’ll be a mediator, we can't appoint someone too biased toward the Demon Kingdom. On the other hand, the human nations wouldn't take kindly to a member of the Angel Race."
With the news of the Orthodox Garlet Kingdom’s surrender and potential annexation, the human nations were already suspicious that the angels were the ones pulling the strings. Anyone associated with the Garlet Kingdom was also out of the question.
"The ideal would be someone from a human kingdom who understands the Demon Kingdom... I tried sounding out the people associated with the Elf Empire who are currently in the capital, but I was flatly refused."
I wondered if I should talk to Kinesta, the former Imperial Princess of the Elf Empire. If it meant she could be a Queen, she might accept.
"Village Head," Asa interrupted. "I have a letter here from Kinesta-dono. She told me to present it the moment the selection of a King was brought up."
Asa handed me the letter. Apparently, word had already reached her through her contacts in the capital. The letter was an absolute, unequivocal refusal. I guess she had no interest in the throne. She had, however, provided a long list of recommendations for other people—mostly other members of the Elf Empire, I noticed.
"Well, this will have to be put on hold," I said. It wasn't something we could decide here, nor was it really my place to choose. I’d have to wait for the results of the Demon King’s deliberations.
We spent a little more time chatting and going over tomorrow’s schedule before calling it a night.
But despite the meeting being over, no one left.
"A late-night snack?" I asked. It had gotten quite late, and I was feeling a bit hungry myself.
Donovan simply held up his sake barrel. We hadn't even started on it yet. I understood.
We all moved into the tent housing the camping carriage. For our snack, I prepared kitsune udon using the small pots Gatto and his team had forged. I was glad I’d brought them along. I told everyone they could add mochi or an egg if they were still hungry.
A few people grumbled that it didn't pair well with sake, but I told them not to be picky. I brought out a special bottle of sake I’d been keeping hidden, and it turned out to go perfectly with the noodles.