It was morning.
I took Kuro’s children with me as I made my usual rounds through the village. The pups, who were notoriously bad with heights, wagged their tails with pure delight, as if to say this was exactly how a walk should be. It was a heartwarming sight to see.
However, according to my schedule for the day, I had to head back to Village Four. I felt a twinge of guilt as I looked at them. Should I really tell them? I agonized over the decision.
Development on the Floating Gardens in Village Four was proceeding at a steady pace. The Universal Ship was constantly hauling in massive quantities of construction materials, while the High Elves had begun building houses. Repair work on the Main Island Castle was also being carried out in stages.
We had initially considered rebuilding the castle from scratch, but the sentiment in favor of restoration was far stronger.
"We have lived here for many years," Gou had explained, speaking on behalf of the residents.
I understood; they were clearly attached to it. However, I soon learned there were also plans for renovations and expansions.
"Precisely because we have lived here for so long, we have gathered quite a list of grievances..."
I suppose that made sense.
"That is just the way of things," he added.
Several of the Castle Fields were being cleared to make way for ornamental gardens. This was part of a plan to restore the castle’s proper functions. Gou’s priority seemed to be securing a clear path from the Main Gate to the audience chamber, but I insisted on designating specific areas within the castle to remain as dedicated fields.
Even if it had been a necessity while they were holed up during the castle's isolation, having fields scattered randomly all over the interior was a hassle in many ways. Once I voiced my concerns, Gou happily set about selecting which fields to keep and which to demolish. Of course, he didn't make these choices based on his own whims; he consulted with Bell and Kuzuden first. He was quite diligent in that regard—something I felt I should try to emulate.
In the Floating Gardens that served as Water Tanks, the Lizardmen were busy diving and performing various underwater tasks. According to their feedback, the water felt as though it became viscous as one approached the outer edges, pulling them sideways and ensuring they wouldn't accidentally fly out of the tank. While it was a useful safety feature, they requested more visible walls. Apparently, it was difficult to tell exactly where the perimeter was while submerged.
That was a fair point. However, surrounding the Water Tanks with solid walls would ruin the aesthetic. Since their primary purpose was water storage, perhaps I didn't need to worry too much about appearances, but I wondered if I could create something like a magic mirror—transparent from one side but opaque from the other. Well, that was something I could figure out eventually. It wasn't as if we were using them as swimming pools.
Over in the Floating Gardens designated to become fields, workers were busy spreading soil. Nearby, a Nyunyu-daphne was busy performing light-level checks. The Village Four Main Island was protected by a field that regulated light, wind, and atmospheric pressure. Since the Floating Gardens remained within that field, there shouldn't have been any issues, but I had asked for a check just to be safe.
The Nyunyu-daphne’s verdict was positive. "No problems here."
"That's good to hear," I replied.
"However, as for the soil..."
It seemed she had some complaints. Well, I hadn't plowed it with the Universal Farming Tool yet. For the sake of the Nyunyu-daphne who had done the checks for me, I decided to plow a small section.
"Ohhh! This fluffiness! Yet it is perfectly moist! Nutritious and mold-free! It is the perfect soil, as if it were created specifically for us!"
Well, I had plowed it with the Nyunyu-daphne in mind.
"No, no, this is on an entirely different level from the fields you made when the Elder Trent visited! What is this? Village Head, when did you become this powerful?!"
Was that really the case?
"I can't bear to leave it! If it were permitted, I would take root in this very spot!"
I did want one or two Nyunyu-daphne to move to Village Four to act as liaisons, but...
"I volunteer!"
In that case, I told her, I would actually prefer it if she stayed on the Main Island.
"Ehhh? But I don't want to leave this spot..."
"I’ll plow the Main Island just like this," I promised. "And I'll make the fields a bit larger, too."
"Please, leave it to me!"
I laughed and thanked her. However, I reminded her that any migration would need the approval of Igu, their representative.
"What?! It will definitely turn into a scramble then! Please, Village Head, give me your recommendation!"
"Wouldn't it be easier if I just plowed the ground on the surface as well?" I asked.
"As expected of the Village Head! A brilliant idea! Wait... but if you do that, there will be less reason to migrate here..."
That was true. I apologized, suggesting I should perhaps only plow in Village Four.
"No way!"
I finished my work for the day while chatting with the Nyunyu-daphne.
That evening, I had dinner with the pregnant Ann, Ramrias, and Sena. Sena’s due date was still some time away, but Ann and Ramrias were very close to giving birth. All three seemed to be in excellent health.
The conversation during the meal centered mostly on the Floating Gardens of Village Four. I made sure not to mention Torain, as it would only make Ann and Ramrias worry. I also avoided any talk of Urza or Tiselle, as the mere mention of their names would cause all three women to clutch their stomachs in stress. I didn't want to place any undue burden on them. I tried my best to keep the mood light and the topics worry-free.
That was why I had to ask Miyo and Yoko to wait until dinner was over.
Once the meal was finished, I sat down to listen to them. Miyo handed me a Personnel Recommendation List. Apparently, these were people who could be useful for Tiselle's Nation Building project. She had compiled the list without being asked, mostly as a preemptive measure to protect her own vital staff from being headhunted.
I understood and promised to get the list to Tiselle as soon as possible. I asked her if there were any king candidates on the list.
"As you might expect, there are none," she replied. If she had someone that talented, she wouldn't dream of letting them go.
Yoko’s request was that expanding only Village Four was unfair. she wanted me to expand the Village Five Fields as well. They were currently in the process of securing the necessary land, hiring adventurers to drive away monsters and magic beasts. I told her that once the land was ready, I would visit Village Five to plow the fields. I also wanted to check on the shrine.
"I’m counting on you," she said.
However, before I could get to Village Five, I had to create fields in Village One, Village Two, and Village Three. They had already put in their requests.
"Ho. Does every village envy Village Four?" Yoko asked.
No, those requests had actually come in before the Village Four expansion plan was even a thing. I used to go periodically to increase their fields, but the residents had been trying hard to expand on their own. Unfortunately, in these forests, you can't get a decent harvest unless the ground is first plowed with the Universal Farming Tool. After a great deal of trial and error, they had finally turned to me for help.
"Hmm. Perhaps I should try my hand at swinging a hoe as well?" Yoko wondered aloud.
"Have you ever worked a field before?" I asked.
"No, never."
I laughed and told her not to push herself. Yoko already helped me in so many other ways with her administrative work. I wanted her to focus on what she was good at. I told Miyo the same; her help was greatly appreciated.
I promised to speak firmly to Tiselle and Lu about the recruitment situation. We would not poach anyone from Shashato City who wasn't on the approved list.
"Yoko, that applies to you too," I added.
"Hmph. So you noticed?"
After our business was concluded, the three of us shared a drink. It was still a bit strange to see Miyo drinking in her young girl form, but she was technically older than I was.
"I make it a point never to drink in the city," Miyo explained.
I asked if it was because of the optics.
"No. If people know I can drink, the invitations to parties never end. Dealing with drunken guests is a massive hassle."
As Miyo spoke with a weary face, Yoko nodded in fervent agreement. "I completely understand."
I thought Yoko would enjoy drinking with others, but she shook her head.
"No, no, drunks are the worst, whether they are guests or subordinates. Actually, drunken subordinates are even more troublesome. they use it as an excuse to air out all their daily grievances."
Yoko looked quite bitter as she spoke, and Miyo nodded right along with her. It seemed they both had their fair share of struggles. I decided I would have to think of a way to reward them for their hard work soon.