My name was Hiraku. Hiraku Machio.
For the longest time, I had introduced myself simply as the Village Head of the Village of the Great Tree. Recently, however, I had begun to change that introduction.
Now, I would state that I was the Village Head of several settlements, with the Village of the Great Tree being the primary one.
If anyone were to ask if I had previously lacked the awareness that I was the head of those other villages, I would argue to the contrary. After all, administrative matters and petitions from each village naturally found their way to me in my capacity as their leader.
However, I had initially refrained from calling myself their Village Head out of a sense of reserve, assuming that someone else would eventually take over those roles for the settlements outside of the Village of the Great Tree.
Lu and Tia were the ones who finally pointed it out to me. They told me that since such a change wouldn't happen for decades, there was no need for such modesty. On the contrary, they explained that my reluctance made the residents of those other villages feel anxious. They advised me to assert my authority as their Village Head more clearly to put them at ease.
It made sense once they put it that way, so I corrected myself. I might still slip up and use my old introduction out of habit every now and then, but I hoped everyone would forgive me for that.
Still, was I really going to be the Village Head for decades to come?
It certainly seemed that way.
Not that I minded. I had grown quite fond of each of the villages. I would just have to keep doing my best.
The Village of the Great Tree finished its spring harvest and transitioned into summer. Even with the change of season, my daily lifestyle didn't change much. I spent my time on fieldwork, patrols, and handling various petitions and administrative tasks that came in from the villages.
The only clear indicator of summer was seeing the children off as they energetically headed toward the pool after lunch whenever the weather was fair. Since the work for the summer fields was already finished, my days were mostly spent in a relaxed, leisurely manner.
Today, having wrapped up several administrative matters, I was sitting comfortably in the tatami room, enjoying a peaceful cup of tea. Nestled on my lap was Himiko, the younger of the twin sisters born to Hakuren.
Himiko was only a little over two years old. When she was first born, she couldn't quite handle her innate powers and would accidentally plunge her surroundings into pitch darkness, but lately, she seemed to have gained a respectable degree of control. Perhaps because of that, she possessed a quiet composure and a sense of dignity that belied her young age.
Maybe I was just being a doting father, but the way she carried herself made it seem as though sitting on my lap were her absolute, undisputed right. She was truly impressive.
In her hands, she held building blocks I had crafted. She wasn't actually stacking them; instead, she was meticulously comparing the flat surfaces of each block, searching for the single most perfectly level piece in the set. I didn't entirely understand the significance of her search, but it was clearly a matter of great importance to Himiko at the moment. She looked incredibly serious.
Watching over her with gazes full of affection were a Devil Race midwife and Hitoe, Yoko's daughter.
I understood why the midwife was there, as she looked after Himiko daily, but what about Hitoe? It turned out that Hitoe had recently taken to acting as Himiko’s protective older sister.
I see. Himiko was still quite small, so I thanked Hitoe and asked her to keep looking after the girl.
As for Hikaru—the older of the twin brothers born to Hakuren—he was currently being carried around the house by Dos. They stayed strictly inside the mansion, though. Hikaru was still an infant, and even Dos wasn't bold enough to try taking him outdoors.
Apparently, Dos had tried once, only to be soundly scolded by Hakuren. That sounded about right.
Speak of the devil—Hakuren arrived just then to collect Himiko. It was time for the girl's nap. The midwife gathered Himiko into her arms, and Hitoe followed closely behind them as they left.
"See you later," I said. Himiko gave a proper greeting in return; she was such a good girl.
...Still, I couldn't help but feel she could have put up a little more of a fight before leaving. My lap felt rather lonely now.
Dinner arrived. Since it was summer, we often had light, refreshing dishes. However, hot pot would occasionally make an appearance, as if the kitchen staff had suddenly remembered the recipe. Even in this heat?
"There were requests for it," explained the High Ogre Maid who brought the pot to me. She glanced toward a magic tool sitting in the corner of the dining hall.
It was a device that regulated the room temperature. Thanks to that magic tool, the interior remained perfectly comfortable even during the peak of summer. Thus, eating a hot pot dish wasn't actually an issue.
Still, I wondered... Ah, so it was the dwarves who had made the request. They wanted something to enjoy alongside their sake.
"Also, we wanted to make use of the Napa cabbage and other leafy greens harvested at the end of spring before they spoil," she added.
That made sense. While I could grow crops regardless of the season using my Universal Farming Tool, that didn't change the fact that they began to age the moment they were harvested. Vegetables spoiled quickly in the summer heat. This hot pot was the result of the dwarves' desires and the maids' inventory management aligning perfectly.
I certainly wasn't complaining. It wasn't as if I was suffering from summer exhaustion or a loss of appetite. I was always in peak condition. Thank you, Healthy Body blessing. Bring on the hot pot.
I might have overindulged just a bit. While I was relaxing and reflecting on my appetite, a group of ten Angels arrived. They were scheduled to relocate to the Six Dragon God Kingdom, so they had come to offer their formal farewells.
Some time ago, we had received a request for assistance from the Six Dragon God Kingdom. They specifically needed help with negotiations involving the Orthodox Garlet Kingdom. Given that the Angel Race had been the ones guiding the Garlet Kingdom before its split, having someone who understood the historical context made a massive difference in how the talks progressed. It was a perfectly logical request.
While Ruincia was already at the Six Dragon God Kingdom, her primary role there was educating Tiselle. She couldn't very well be pulled away to handle diplomatic negotiations.
Malbit, the Angel Race Leader, had intended to fulfill the request by sending about thirty of the less industrious members of the tribe... but she had been met with fierce resistance.
The "lazy" Angels didn't want to leave the Village of the Great Tree. Faced with the threat of being moved, they suddenly began working with incredible energy. While maintaining their usual aerial patrols, they started helping the High Ogre Maids, teaching the children, acting as assistants to the Civil Official Girls, managing construction materials, handling air transport between the villages, and even apprenticing under the Tofu Artisan.
They even went so far as to assist Yoko with village administration and help out at the shrine, claiming that if they absolutely had to move, they would prefer it be to Village Five rather than somewhere far away. Their newfound work ethic was actually quite helpful, and their reputation among the villagers was soaring.
This left Malbit in a bit of a bind, but fortunately, several Angels who still held a lingering attachment to the Garlet Kingdom stepped forward as volunteers. The ten standing before me were the ones selected for the mission.
The reason they were visiting me after dinner was because they were departing for Village Five immediately to hold an all-night farewell banquet. They had pleaded with Malbit for at least this much of a parting gift and had managed to secure a reservation at Sake & Meat Niz. I had even contributed some funds for their drinks.
Since they were expected to be out of commission with hangovers the next day, their actual departure for the new kingdom was scheduled for the day after that. I offered my prayers for their safe journey and for their success in the negotiations. The ten Angels firmly declared that they would return as soon as the matters with the Garlet Kingdom were settled, and then they made their way toward Village Five.
The next day, shortly after noon, I received a message from the Goroun Company. The summer auction would be held exactly as scheduled. If everything went according to plan, it would take place in the middle of the season.
I also received a letter from Prada, the Ancient Devil who was assisting with the auction. She invited me to come and check the items before the event began. She also mentioned that there were a few matters she wished to discuss.
I hoped it wasn't a sign of impending trouble. Then again, knowing Prada, it was likely about money. Perhaps she wanted an increase in her commission. If that was the case, I'd actually be relieved...
Well, there was no point in fretting over it now. I would give it my full attention when the time came to meet with her. With that thought, I reached out and petted Kuro and Yuki, who had settled themselves comfortably on either side of me.