The Village of the Great Tree was home to horses, unicorns, and pegasuses.
While the beastman girls handled most of their care, the population had grown enough that we were starting to feel shorthanded. Fortunately, a few members of the Angel Race stepped in to fill the gap.
I was grateful for the help. Grooming, mane care, and hoof maintenance take quite a bit of effort, after all. In the case of the pegasuses, there was also the matter of their wings.
Some of the unicorns hated being groomed, but if we left them alone, they quickly started to look ragged. Without regular brushing, they were prone to skin diseases, and if their manes were neglected, they grew so long they obstructed their vision. They were free to refuse horseshoes if they really wanted to, but I insisted they let us maintain their hooves and the soles of their feet. Cracks or damage to the hooves could make it hard for them to run.
I kept telling them that the grooming wasn't a chore; it was for their own good.
Of course, I was only capable of brushing. My skills weren't even particularly impressive—I’d only learned the basics to help out the beastman girls. Even so, several horses would trot over to me, seemingly content with my amateur efforts.
"There, there. Good horses. I’ll bring you some melon later."
It wasn't so much brushing as it was bribery with snacks. Naturally, I intended to give some to the horses that didn't come over as well.
The Angels were meticulous in their care. They were clearly quite accustomed to it, going so far as to braid the manes. I found myself wondering why they went to such lengths.
"A handsome man or a beautiful woman astride a magnificent horse... it makes for a perfect picture, doesn't it?" one of them said.
"W-well, I suppose."
"That is exactly why we do it."
I see.
"Also, would it be all right if we had some melon as well?"
"Of course. Help yourselves during your break. I’ve prepared other fruits besides melons, so don’t be shy."
"Thank you very much."
As for the beastman girls... they were absolute veterans.
The horses followed their instructions perfectly, lining up and waiting their turn. A few horses would mess around with each other, but almost none of them dared to play pranks on the girls while being groomed.
Was it because the beastman girls controlled the food? No, that couldn't be it. While the girls did feed them, the horses were free to graze in the Ranch Area whenever they liked. We even had fields dedicated to growing crops specifically for them.
Food wasn't the only factor. It had to be a bond of trust—the result of the girls providing affectionate care and the horses reciprocating. Yes, that had to be it.
...
I sent a look toward the horses. Since I had just convinced myself of that, I really didn't need them mentally complaining to me about how terrifying the beastman girls could be. They only scolded you because you were misbehaving.
Come to think of it, I’d seen them knocking over a water bucket earlier while playing around. That explained why they’d come to me even though they usually didn't. They were trying to use me as a shield, but there was nothing I could do for them.
"Hey, don't run away!"
One morning, while I was relaxing at the mansion, Yoko summoned me to Village Five. It was apparently an emergency, seeing as she had sent Nana all the way to fetch me.
I arrived at the Village Five Council Hall and walked past the Village Head's Office toward the preparation room for the Audience Chamber. I hadn't even known we had an Audience Chamber; it was a room I had never seen before.
I let them dress me in some extravagant-looking clothes. By now, I was used to being told where to sit. I took the grand seat in the center without any resistance. Yoko sat to my right, and Nana, having changed into a maid uniform, stood nearby as her attendant.
Wait... if Nana was with Yoko, who was going to assist me? Was I just supposed to wing it? I looked around for help, but my escorts standing against the wall—Galf, Daga, and Reginleiv—studiously avoided eye contact.
There was nothing for it. I would just have to go with the flow. As I said, I was used to this by now.
A trio entered the chamber. The guest of honor was a young girl, roughly seven or eight years old. Two men in their thirties stood a step behind her to the left and right; I assumed they were her servants or guards.
"I am honored to be granted this audience," the girl said, bowing her head.
Yoko responded in her place. "You have traveled a long way. Well done. It took quite some time to arrange this meeting after your request was made. For that, I apologize once again."
Yoko was apologizing? Had there been some kind of blunder? If so, I usually would have received a report. For the moment, it seemed my only job was to stay seated and look the part.
The girl and Yoko exchanged a few brief words. One of the men produced a letter, which Nana retrieved and brought to Yoko. Yoko didn't open it; she simply handed it to me.
I wondered if I should read it then and there, but a glance from Yoko told me to just accept it and keep the proceedings moving. Understood. I handed the letter to one of Yoko's secretaries who had appeared out of nowhere.
The girl and Yoko spoke for a few more moments, and then the audience was over. The trio departed.
As soon as I felt the tension leave my shoulders, Nana guided me to one of Yoko's offices. Yoko was already there, waiting.
"Forgive the sudden summons," she said before explaining the situation.
First, the trio. They were the royal party of the Gozran Kingdom, a human nation. The girl was the Third Princess, and the two men were her relatives—not servants or guards. While the Gozran Kingdom was large compared to its immediate neighbors, it wasn't what anyone would call a great power. They had been invaded, driven from their lands, and had been wandering as exiles ever since.
"And they came here because of Tiselle?" I asked.
"Indeed. She encountered them during their travels. The princess was bedridden with illness when Tiselle found them and provided treatment."
Treatment... she must have used a World Tree Leaf. I had given her a large supply before she set out.
"At the time, she advised them that if they were to seek refuge, they should head for Village Five in the Demon Kingdom."
"So that's why they're here."
"Yes. And that letter from earlier... it was from Tiselle."
"Is that so? I should read it right away."
"I want you to read it, but first, you should hear the rest of their story."
I sensed a "but" coming. "Did something go wrong?"
Yoko looked a bit troubled as she continued. After Tiselle treated the princess, she suggested they flee to Village Five. The royal party wanted to follow her advice, but they were penniless. Traveling to the Demon Kingdom by land would have been brutal, and they couldn't afford the fare for a sea route. So, Tiselle gave them money on the condition that they personally deliver a letter to Village Five.
So far, it sounded like Tiselle had just done a very kind thing.
"Tiselle is not the problem," Yoko said. "The problem was Village Five."
I blinked. When the party arrived, they tried to make an appointment with the person Tiselle had specified: the Village Head. Even if their kingdom had fallen, they were still royalty; normally, such a request would have been prioritized. However, because they were exiles and weren't asking for anything beyond delivering the letter, they hadn't identified themselves as royalty.
As a result, they were treated as ordinary visitors. And because I wasn't around...
"We kept them waiting for forty days," Yoko admitted.
"Forty days! How did that happen?"
"If it were just a matter of seeing me, I could have met them within a few days. But because their benefactor told them to give the letter to the Village Head, they insisted that no one else would do."
I felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry. If I had spent more time here..."
"No, I am not blaming you. Things should continue as they have been. Regardless, while they waited, the money Tiselle gave them ran out. They were at their wits' end."
They were exiles in the Demon Kingdom with no one to turn to. Eventually, hoping the shared human connection would count for something, they approached the Goroun Company for a loan. Michael's people insisted on knowing who they were before lending any money, and that was when the truth came out—including the fact that the letter was from Tiselle. The Goroun Company contacted Yoko immediately.
That explained the formal audience. It was Yoko's way of showing the highest level of courtesy to make up for the oversight.
"Was it all right for me to treat them like that if they're royalty?" I asked.
"It's fine. Besides, we can't just take the letter and show them the door."
Since the audience, the party had been given the red-carpet treatment. They were currently in a guest room in the Council Hall, finally being served a proper meal.
"Apparently, they were living in extreme poverty while they waited for us," Yoko added. "And while only three appeared for the audience, their group actually totals fifty people."
"I suppose that makes sense for exiles. Where are the others?"
"Resting at an inn we've arranged. Village Five will be covering the bill, of course."
"I see. So, what's my role in this?"
"I want Village Five to provide them with a reward, but I'd like you to decide on the amount."
I thought about it. Since we'd kept them waiting so long, I wanted to be generous, but Yoko was right—we had to consider their future. Did they want to settle here, or were they heading somewhere else? We needed to talk to them.
"We can discuss that after they've finished eating," I said.
"Agreed. Also, Tiselle may have written something regarding them in her letter."
"True."
I reached for the letter. "Haven't you read it yet, Yoko?"
"It is a letter from a daughter to her father. I could hardly read it before you, could I?"
"Fair point. I'll read it now."