Hakuren and Graffaloon finally returned just as I was beginning to wonder if they were ever coming back. They had been delayed assisting Tiselle with her project. Apparently, they had taken their dragon forms to dredge the mud and silt from a nearby riverbed to help reconstruct a port that had fallen into ruin.
Graffaloon too? That must have been a lot of effort.
I guided Graffaloon to the kotatsu where Draim was already hunkered down. Draim had been playing happily with his grandson, Kukulkan, inside the warmth of the table, but the moment Graffaloon arrived, the toddler abandoned him to cling to her instead.
It seemed his timing was simply unfortunate.
"Sorry about that, Draim. Are you all right?"
He seemed to take it in stride, so I let it be.
"Oh, by the way, where is the Flying Carpet? Isn't it usually stuck to Kukulkan?"
Apparently, one of the High Ogre maids had taken it away to be laundered while it was finally free. Even knowing that Kukulkan would be upset, it must have been so filthy that she couldn't stand to leave it unwashed any longer. I'd have to make sure to thank the carpet later—and the maid who cleaned it.
Incidentally, the act of clearing mud from the bottom of a river is known as "dredging." It took me a while to recall the specific word. I’ve heard it before, but since I rarely use it, it didn’t come to mind immediately. I can’t tell you how many times I almost gave up and just called it "mud-shoveling," but I managed to remember it in the end. Thank goodness.
The village also periodically dredges the reservoirs, the waterways, and the nearby river. However, since the Pond Turtles handle the reservoirs and the Lizardmen take care of the waterways and the river, I haven't participated personally in quite some time. No wonder I struggled to remember the term. I should reflect on that. I'll make sure to join the next session, even if I'm just watching from the sidelines to stay out of the way.
Hakuren brought back a letter from Tiselle. It contained an update on her recent activities, an account of Hakuren and Graffaloon’s hard work, and news about Mettora’s wedding.
So, she finally got married. I’ll have to send a celebratory gift.
Wait, what? Four male Mixed-Generation Dragons arrived to oppose the wedding? I knew Mettora was popular, but...
Reading further, it wasn't quite like that. All four of those dragons were already married. It wasn't that they wanted to marry Mettora themselves; rather, they viewed the groom, Gienel, as a "beacon of hope" as long as he remained a bachelor. They wanted to protect his freedom at all costs.
I don't quite understand the logic there, but it sounds like they have a lot of personal baggage.
In any case, the four dragons were reportedly ready to kidnap Gienel by force, even if it meant fighting Mettora. However, once they saw Hakuren and Graffaloon were present, they immediately gave up. Mettora decided that since they were there anyway, she’d put them to work leveling the ground and hauling luggage.
Well... thanks for the help? Or is she just punishing them for trying to ruin her wedding? I understood her anger, but I decided to write in my reply that she shouldn't push them too hard.
At the end of the letter, Tiselle requested seedlings for trees that could withstand sea breezes. She wanted to create windbreak forests while also stabilizing the soil. Since I was the one who suggested she build a city near the coast, I was more than happy to cooperate.
What kind of trees are resistant to sea breezes? Based on my knowledge... perhaps Olives, Loquats, and Bay Leaves? That should do for a start.
We have Olives and Loquats in the fruit tree area, and Bay Leaves are grown as a spice in Village Four. However, we didn't have any seedlings ready for transplanting.
Time to put the Universal Farming Tool to work. I headed to Village Four to grow them to a suitable size. I suspected they might grow instantly given the tool's power, and sure enough, they were ready in no time. I wonder if the tool's performance has improved lately?
Regardless, I began preparing the seedlings for shipment, planning to entrust the transport to the Goroun Company. I also remembered that Pine and Camellia are good against salt spray. Pines provide resin, and Camellias yield oil, so they wouldn't be a waste. I grew some of those as well.
Then there was the Willow. I always associated them with riverbanks, and I remembered they were used to reinforce soil because of their strong root systems. I grew some of those to send along too, though I wasn't sure what else she could use them for. I think they were used as toothbrushes in ancient times, but I couldn't really picture that being a popular use now. They're mostly for decoration, I suppose. I’ll just tell her she can send them back if they aren't what she needs.
With Hakuren back, Hikaru and Himiko returned to her care. Raimeiren looked a bit dejected at the loss of her charges, but Hiichiro and Lananon were doing their best to comfort her. They really are good children.
As for Dos... he was busy drinking sake with Giral, Draim, and the Ice Monster. Raimeiren kept glancing over at them with a sharp eye, so I wanted to tell him to keep his laughter down a bit.
Also, Aegis. I needed to tell that phoenix chick to stop sitting on the Ice Monster’s head. The top of the spirit's head was melting into a bizarre shape. Fortunately, the melted ice seemed to refreeze into part of its body before it could drip, so the chairs and floor weren't getting wet.
The Ice Monster’s cold aura was quite potent, but he could adjust the temperature to some degree. From my perspective, his range went from "commercial walk-in freezer" to "mild air conditioning." I really wish he’d visited during the summer. Well, for now, I just asked him to keep it within a comfortable range.
He was staying in a kamakura outside the mansion. When I asked if he was okay, he said he was perfectly comfortable. However, he mentioned that the stares from the Cocytus Wolves and the Fenrirs were a bit distracting. I’d explained to them that he was Urza’s acquaintance, but maybe I needed to be more specific.
Just as I was about to go over to them, one of the Cocytus Wolves trotted up to explain. They weren't being wary or aggressive; they just wanted the Ice Monster to build them things like ice slides and mazes.
Asking an ancient spirit to do manual labor felt like a bit much, but the Ice Monster said he didn't mind at all. I thanked him for his kindness. I told him he could start tomorrow, but he insisted on doing it immediately because he was invited to a mahjong game the following morning. He said he liked lying on an ice bed, and since he was a monster, he didn't need sleep anyway. Plus, his night vision was perfect.
"I see. Well, if you're sure... then I'll leave it to you."
I wanted to give him some kind of reward, so I asked what he wanted. He asked me to tell Urza that he had worked hard, and more importantly, to ask me to tell her not to be so reckless. I didn't know the full story, but it sounded like she had put him through the wringer. I promised I would pass on the message.
The next morning, the Village of the Great Tree was home to a massive ice slide and an enormous ice maze. The children were absolutely thrilled.
However... I had to ask him to make some adjustments. Having the maze connect directly to the mansion's entrance made daily life incredibly difficult. And if we weren't careful, someone was going to get lost in there and go missing.