Character Introductions: Futa: A member of the Mercury race. Wears mage-like fashion. Hii: A member of the Mercury race. A middle-aged military officer in Village Five. Roku: A member of the Mercury race. A young civil official in Village Five. Nana: A member of the Mercury race. In charge of information gathering in Village Five. Wears village girl fashion.
Lilius, Rigul, and Ratte were hauling heavy loads through the residential area. I assumed it was part of their physical conditioning. "So, Hakuren," I asked. "What kind of challenge did you set for the boys?" "It’s important that they don’t cause us worry when they finally head out into the world, right?" "True." "So I told them they needed to be able to defeat at least one forest boar." ... "Isn't that a bit dangerous?" "But it’s more worrying if they can’t defend themselves to some degree, isn't it? I've heard there are plenty of bad people out there." Well, being able to fight was certainly safer than being defenseless. I see. When put that way, it seemed like a reasonable trial. As I gave my nod of approval, Lu, who was standing beside Hakuren, nearly choked on her drink. "R-Ria and the others might be thrilled about it, but I think defeating a boar is asking a bit much. In a one-on-one fight, those boars are actually tougher than an Inferno Wolf." Hearing Lu's assessment, I glanced at one of Kuro's children nearby. It was a hot day, and he was currently sprawled on his back in the shade, fast asleep. ... Even if I was told the boars were stronger than him, it was hard to use that as a benchmark. "That might be true," Lu continued, "but you should probably swap it for a more realistic task once they've made some progress. It would be a disaster if they overdid it and got hurt, and you wouldn't want them to resent you, would you?" She was right. I certainly didn't want them injured, and I had no desire to be hated. Perhaps I should change the task later. "Yes, definitely," Lu urged. I see. Hmm. The boys were giving it their all. If I suddenly changed the task, I might end up crushing their motivation, which was its own problem. For now, I'd give them strict orders not to head into the forest for a hunt without permission. I'd tell them that if they entered the forest alone, the whole discussion about leaving the village was off the table. If I was that firm, they would surely listen. They would listen... right? I thought about confirming this with Lu and Hakuren, but both of them were the type to just charge ahead themselves. I decided I should speak to Lilius and the others directly and ask for their word. I had already asked Kuro's children and Zabuton's children to keep an eye on the boys, but it wouldn't hurt to ask them again. As for changing the trial... I would have to be very careful about the timing. I'd decide while keeping a close eye on their progress.
I'd started to worry about another aspect of the children's growth: at what age should they start going shopping by themselves? Since it didn't seem like Lu, Tia, or Hakuren would have much insight, I turned to Frau. "Eh? Merchants bring their wares directly to the mansion, so there’s never any reason for a child to go shopping alone." ... Now that I thought about it, Frau was the daughter of a high-ranking noble. That was simply her reality. "How about you, Galf?" "We mostly deal in bartering, so we head out in large groups to trade." Ah, that made sense. In that case... who else could I ask? I needed someone with a more 'common' experience of parenting. Yoko was nearby, holding Hitoe and glancing over at me, but I doubted she'd ever sent her daughter on an errand. "I could never let her do something so dangerous," she said firmly. I thought so. Hmm. Was I asking the wrong people? In the Village of the Great Tree, there weren't even shops where adults could browse, let alone children. Aside from our trade with outsiders like Michael-san and Beezel, everything was internal. Perhaps worrying about the age a child shops alone was pointless here, but... Lilius and his brothers were already planning their lives outside. While I distributed reward medals to help them practice using money, they currently functioned more like exchange tickets. It would be a problem if they didn't understand how to handle actual commerce. I decided to broaden my search. I asked Jack, the representative of Village One. "Going shopping means carrying money, right? If you give cash to a child, they’ll just be targeted by unscrupulous adults. No one sends their kids out alone." I-I see... "I suppose they start shopping once they're capable of defending themselves." "I understand. Thank you." Next, I asked Gordon of the Minotaur race, the representative of Village Two. "Ah... no, we've never sent them alone. Between bandits and wild animals, we always go to buy things in groups." Finally, I asked Gluewald of the Centaur race, the representative of Village Three. "In the first place, leaving a child unattended is unthinkable. To let them outside the village grounds by themselves would be considered abuse." The consensus was unanimous: children didn't shop alone because it was far too dangerous. I see. But if that was the case, how were they supposed to learn the value of money? "Usually, they learn by going shopping with their parents," answered Futa, a member of the Mercury race from Village Four who managed our teleportation gate. "Oh? Do you have experience raising children, Futa?" "I don't. It’s just what I observed while assisting Yoko-sama with her work." I see. So, they learn alongside their parents. Hmm. Would it be best if I took them shopping myself whenever I could? "Since they are your children, Village Head, I imagine the merchants would bend over backward to come to them even if you never taught them a thing." That might be true, but I wanted them to understand how the rest of the world lived. "In that case, why not send them with an adult? If you're heading to Village Five, Hii or Nana would be perfectly safe escorts." That was a good point. Hii and Nana were both Mercury race members from Village Four, and both were more than capable in a fight. They could certainly protect the children if something went wrong. ... I noticed Roku's name hadn't come up. Was Roku not an option? "Roku is a fine fighter as well, but... well, if Roku is pulled away, Yoko-sama's administration will grind to a halt." Yoko's work. I understood. I would rely on Hii and Nana, then. "I'll help out as well," Futa added. "I'm counting on you." I said my thanks and returned to the mansion. I really wanted Lilius and the others to understand money before they set off. However, if I suddenly started their financial education in Village Five, Ria and the others might feel slighted. I’d have to time this carefully. Looking back, Gol, Sil, Bron, Alfred, Urza, Tiselle, and Torain had all gone out into the world, and I probably should have made sure they understood commerce a bit better. Then again, if someone asked me if I was an expert at handling money, I’d be hard-pressed for an answer myself. As I was lost in thought, Lu spoke up. "Handling money? I made sure they studied that thoroughly before they left. I'd be mortified if they fell for some common scam." "Oh?" It seemed the education in our village was more comprehensive than I’d realized. Perhaps I had been worrying over nothing. "Ahaha. Though, I don't think having them practice in Village Five is a bad idea," Lu added. "You think so?" "Yes. It's relatively safe with Yoko in charge, and Zabuton's children are everywhere. Plus, it would give Hii and Nana more chances to bond with the kids." "Bond with them?" "Depending on their roles, some people see your children much less than others. Yor at the hot spring and Tou on the universal ship see them when they visit the village, but Hii and Nana are practically stationed in Village Five full-time." Ah. I had to consider those internal politics as well. "I doubt Hii or Nana would ever complain, but it’s better for the children as they grow up." "Is it bad if they only rely on a few specific people?" "I just want them to be able to learn from a wide variety of perspectives." "I see. By the way, why didn't Roku's name come up?" "Because if you take Roku away, Yoko will suffer." I figured as much. I really needed to look into hiring more civil officials. "True," Lu sighed. "They're trying to recruit students from the academy Alfred attends to come work for us after graduation, but since they're competing with Miyo, we can't get our hopes up." "Is there a shortage in Shashato City too?" "Tiselle's nation-building project is snatching up every competent person they can find." "Ah." "Well, when it comes to officials, it’s better to let Yoko and Miyo handle it anyway. They're the ones who have to work with them." "I heard the poaching of subordinates has become a bit of an issue lately." "That was mainly to get the new academy in Shashato City off the ground. Once it stabilizes, we should start seeing a steady stream of graduates." "Hmm. And how many graduates have we seen so far?" "Eh? Well... um... the students there are very... research-oriented. But! Their research is definitely generating a profit!" "I'm glad to hear that, but does that mean the number of graduates is zero?" That wasn't going to help replenish our staff at all. "I-It'll be fine! We'll get graduates eventually. And they'll be incredible officials—masters of reading, writing, arithmetic, and cutting-edge research." I'll try to keep my expectations high.
Miyo: "That place isn't an academy; it's a glorified research lab." Yoko: "The graduates from there... wouldn't they just embezzle the budget to fund their personal hobbies?" Lu: "Th-That’s just malicious slander!" Miyo: "Realistically, wouldn't they just graduate and immediately open their own private research facilities?" Yoko: "Well, if they're making magic tools... I suppose I could just buy up the patents." Village Head: "So, no new office staff for us, then?" Angel: "What a shame. If only we weren't so hated, we’d jump at the chance. Truly, what a pity." Miyo: "..." Yoko: "..." Village Head: "Don't just start plucking their feathers in silence because you're annoyed. Look, they're writhing in pain." Miyo: "They'll be working in disguise anyway, so wings are just a liability." Yoko: "Indeed. They must face the consequences of their mockery." Angel: "I-I'm so sorry! Please stop!"