Bell and Yor brought back various parts related to the multi-purpose humanoid mobile heavy equipment—the Artie Horses. The vast majority of these were maintenance tools and replacement parts; there was nothing that appeared to be weaponry. I suppose that was only natural, given they were found near a mining site. There were drills likely used for excavation, "Rippers"—claws meant for crushing rock—and large carrier boxes probably intended for transport. I hoped we could find a way to use them effectively.
Even without weapons, the find was a mountain of technical data for the Mountain Elves. I had them continue their investigation.
Regarding Unit No. 1, also known as Siegfried, which had its limbs removed for transport: the limbs were reattached, and it had returned to its humanoid form. I was relieved it went back together properly. There had been a distinct possibility they might take it apart and then find themselves unable to reassemble it. Even if you think you're fine because you took notes, sometimes fitting parts back together requires specialized tools.
Wait, there weren't any parts they couldn't figure out how to put back, were there?
...
Why wouldn't they meet my eyes? And what was in that box over there? I told them not to hide it and let me see.
Inside were several parts with shapes I couldn't even guess the use for. Weren't these important? Was it really okay to leave them out? They weren't planning to operate Siegfried like this, were they? They were going to take it apart and reassemble it again?
...
I only hoped that the number of "extra" parts wouldn't increase.
Then there was the pilot suit. It had a double-layered structure: a snug-fitting inner layer that suppressed magic power and a protection-oriented outer layer worn over it. Since it was a men’s model, they told me I should be the one to wear it, but I hadn't put it on yet.
The reason was that Yor had already worn it. This pilot suit was designed to be worn while completely naked. Furthermore, it featured a waste disposal system built into the crotch area. Even if I was told it hadn't been used and had been thoroughly washed, I had a certain resistance to wearing it. People told me not to be embarrassed like a child, but was I really expected to strip down and wear a skin-tight suit that a female acquaintance had just worn while also naked? More than embarrassment, a feeling of being disrespectful toward Yor came first. So, I refused to wear it.
Lu and Tia were currently analyzing the magic-suppressing components of the suit, while the Mountain Elves were looking into the waste disposal system. We also needed to investigate the material of the suit itself, so Zabuton's Children kindly made a few samples for me. I thanked them, but I still wouldn't wear them. No, it was simply impossible. Since the waste disposal system wasn't attached, the crotch and buttocks were completely exposed. As one might expect, I couldn't do that.
There were five Artie Horse units in the village. Unit No. 1 was Siegfried, and the topic turned to what we should name Unit No. 2 and the others. I didn't think we necessarily needed names, but Yor and Yuri seemed keen on the idea. I didn't mind, so long as the names weren't too strange. I told them they were free to name them as they liked.
They insisted I think of some too. I felt it was reckless to expect any naming sense from me, but they suggested I pull characters from old stories. In that case, I offered up names like Momotaro, Kintaro, Urashimataro, and Hanasaka.
Ah, I see. They liked that direction. A discussion between Yor and Yuri followed as they weighed several proposals. The Civil Official Girls who enjoyed the classics also joined in, and they spent quite a while deliberating.
Finally, they reached a decision.
Unit No. 2: Benze. Unit No. 3: Poka. Unit No. 4: Larock. Unit No. 5: Hanasaka.
It seemed my suggestion for Hanasaka made the cut. Benze, Poka, and Larock were characters from the classics. Apparently, their formal names were much longer—Benzemarkyle, Pocahontas, and Aelarocktack—but they decided to stick with abbreviations. Long names were supposedly inconvenient.
...
For Aelarocktack, I wondered if "Aela" wouldn't have been a better abbreviation than "Larock." When I asked, they explained that Aelarocktack had an older brother named Aemarocktack and a cousin named Aegartatack. I see. They all started with "Ae," so they would overlap. That was why they chose "Larock," while the brother and cousin would be "Marlock" and "Gartatack."
I asked if Marlock or Gartatack had been candidates. Apparently, Marlock was a piece of trash who laughed as he abandoned his younger brother, and Gartatack was just a foil used to show how strong the enemy was, so those names were difficult to adopt. If there were reasons like that, then I suppose they were indeed hard to use.
Yuri mentioned that names like that were often used as labels for archery targets during military drills.
"More importantly," Yuri said, "regarding the name Hanasaka that the Village Head suggested—we chose it because of how it sounds, but what kind of character is he?"
"I would like to know as well," Yor added.
I struggled for a moment on how to explain it. I figured I didn't need to mention he was an old man. If Hanasaka was rejected, we’d just have to start the naming process all over again. I wasn't particularly attached to the name, but it was the last of my suggestions to survive. I wanted to protect it.
While I was thinking, one of the Civil Official Girls who liked the classics pulled out a book. It was one of the stories I had recorded for the children. The title was "The Old Man Who Made the Dead Trees Blossom."
...
So they already knew! If they lived in the Village of the Great Tree, of course they would know. Now, what would they do?
"He is a virtuous man who makes flowers bloom on withered trees," the girl explained. Both Yor and Yuri seemed satisfied with that. Thank goodness.
Past noon, I ran into Kurakasse, Count Pugyal’s daughter. She was one of the original members of the Civil Official Girls who had come to the village with Yuri and Frau and eventually settled here. She was currently in the kitchen making curry—a summer vegetable curry using a bounty of produce harvested that season.
The fields in our village completely ignored the seasons, so I wondered if it was technically correct to call it summer vegetable curry, but I decided not to sweat the small stuff. When she first arrived, she had made quite a few blunders due to cultural differences, but now she was a full-fledged member of the village. Her cooking had improved remarkably, too. Back in the day, she used to serve ingredients raw and untouched.
"This curry contains the daikon that Draim-sama harvested," she said.
That sounded delicious. By the way, this curry wasn't for lunch or dinner; it was a late-night snack for the Civil Official Girls.
"Curry eaten in the middle of the night is truly something special," she noted.
I could understand the sentiment, but I wondered if she’d get complaints about the smell from those trying to sleep.
"That's why I'm making it in this large pot."
So she planned to silence them with a portion.
"No, no. It’s simply so they can enjoy it together."
I see. But the Civil Official Girls didn't usually get busy until after the autumn harvest. I asked if their work was already so pressured that they needed night snacks.
"If that were the case, I wouldn't be leisurely cooking like this," she replied. "We're just making bit-by-bit preparations for the end of autumn when things get hectic. Oh, there’s no need to worry. We aren't overworking ourselves. We’re just letting ourselves wake up a bit later in the morning, shifting our schedules away from everyone else’s."
I asked if it was just her.
"There's also Rosalind and Roage."
Those were Rosalind, the second daughter of the House of Count Glitch, and Roage, the second daughter of the House of Viscount Mamonros. They were the two always with Kurakasse.
"We're a trio of close friends," she said.
I told her she should cherish that friendship.
"Of course. So, did you need something? Were you planning to make something in the kitchen?"
Actually, no. I told her I wanted to consult her about Count Pugyal.
"About my father? Should we go somewhere else?"
No, I told her it was fine to talk while she cooked. She couldn't exactly stop stirring the pot.
"I appreciate that. I’ll take you up on the offer, then."
As Kurakasse continued her work, I consulted her regarding her father. Specifically, I mentioned that he had helped us in many ways, and since we had received so much one-sidedly, I was trying to think of a suitable reward.
"But my father insists that no reward is necessary," she stated.
Yes, and he had even said that being given a reward would actually be a nuisance.
"That is strange. If one doesn't seek a return for such actions, their assets will only continue to dwindle," she remarked.
That was exactly my thought.
"Furthermore, if he is perceived as a noble who doesn't require rewards, his income will drop, and he'll lose control over impudent lower-ranked nobles who might expect the same treatment."
By "impudent," she meant those who would come to him asking for favors without offering anything in return.
"Yes. Therefore, one normally expects compensation for their actions, yet Father says it's unnecessary..."
Stirring the curry, Kurakasse thought for a moment before speaking.
"My father has always behaved strangely at times. I suppose you could say he doesn't follow logic. For example, at a fork in the road, even on a path where he normally always goes left, he might suddenly decide to go right."
I suggested that sometimes people just wanted a change of pace.
"That's true, but only when Father does that, there ends up being a rockfall or a collapse on the left path."
...Was his intuition that good?
"It feels more like he has some kind of absolute conviction. It might be an ability, but I've never heard him mention one. Knowing his personality, I think he would brag about it if he had one."
Hmm.
"It's just that whenever Father acts like that, things often move in a positive direction. My sisters and I have been saved from crises several times because of it."
He sounded like a good father who protected his family.
"He is. So, if Father says a reward is unnecessary this time, then it truly is. If you wish to do what is best for him, please just honor his request."
Honor his request... I understood. I wouldn't force a reward on someone who didn't want it. I had been considering giving him special consideration regarding the airship's flight routes, but I decided to hold back on that as well.
"Thank you very much," Kurakasse said as she lifted the large pot of curry off the fire. "It’s finished. Would you like some, Village Head?"
I asked if it was okay, since it was meant for the night snacks.
"Freshly made curry is delicious in its own right, after all."
She was right about that. I accepted a small portion. The freshly made curry was truly delicious.