We arrived at the Royal Capital without any issues. It took about five days, I think?
We didn't make any major detours along the way, but I was curious about the wild cattle, so we stopped by the grassland where we'd met Tida and the others. However, there was no sign of the cattle there.
I happened to talk to an adventurer who was hunting nearby, and apparently, after the problematic behavior of Tida and Luna, the other cattle herds that had been roaming this area had moved somewhere else.
I was worried that the cattle population might have been significantly reduced because of what happened, but apparently this grassland had multiple herds beyond that one, and the loss of a single herd wasn't considered enough to cause extinction.
I wanted to know how the cattle were doing, so I asked whether any of them had been hunted recently. The adventurer hastily shook their head in denial. According to them, a restriction on hunting had recently been communicated through the Guild to those who used this grassland as their hunting ground.
The regulation classified hunting targets into "pests" (creatures like rats and rabbits that damage crops or harm people), "invasive species" (organisms from foreign lands that breed, or pose a risk of breeding), and "native species" (non-pest creatures originally inhabiting the grassland), and basically prohibited the hunting of native species. However, as an exception, when culling was deemed necessary, adventurers or parties judged trustworthy by the Guild would receive direct commissions. Incidentally, I was told this system had been announced to the Royal Capital and surrounding Guilds under Tida's name.
At the entrance to the Royal Capital, I told the gate guard that I had received a commission from Maria and showed them the certificate. After a brief identity check, we were allowed in. I was curious about the estate as well, but I figured the proper thing to do was report to Maria first, so we headed straight for the Royal Castle.
It seemed word about us had been relayed to the Royal Castle in advance, because once I gave my name, family crest, and explained the commission, we were immediately granted entry and guided to the carriage parking area by the gate guard.
Kurif and Aina were already waiting at the carriage parking area, and they led us to the room where Maria and the others were waiting. I tried to hand over the souvenirs at that point, but Aina told me I couldn't accept them before Maria and the others did, so I'd have to give them later.
In the room we were led to, all the major members except Tida and Luna were present, with Maria seated in the most prominent spot. The King, who should have been the nation's leader, sat quietly beside her... On the surface or not, the arrangement made it clear who truly held the power.
"Good work, Tenma."
"This is the reply from Viscount Hana."
Normally, Maria (or rather, the King) would receive it, verify the contents, and formally announce the Viscount appointment. But since Maria had been the one to propose this in the first place, Hana's ennoblement was practically a done deal. That's why I deliberately referred to her as Viscount, and upon hearing this, Maria broke into a smile even before reading the contents, confident that her plan had succeeded.
"I've received it. Once again, good work. Here is your certificate of quest completion."
With this, the commission I'd been given was officially complete. Well, technically I still had to bring this certificate to the Guild, but I could do that anytime (they'd be angry if I waited too long), so it wasn't an exaggeration to say things were effectively finished the moment I received the certificate.
"So, how was the south?"
Now that the commission was over and she'd shifted back from the quest-giver/adventurer dynamic, Maria began asking detailed questions about what had happened in the south.
Though not as enthusiastically as Maria, the King and Lyle also looked eager to hear about the south, but they couldn't get a word in edgewise against her momentum.
"As I thought, things are quite different from the Royal Capital... By the way, that girl... Amour — does she plan to return to the south in the future?"
"Hmm... If Tenma goes to the south, I'll follow... but if he doesn't go, then I won't go either..."
"Welcome to the Royal Capital. As long as you don't cause any trouble, you're welcome here."
Upon hearing Amour's response, Lady Maria beamed with a warm smile and welcomed her. It seemed that Lady Maria had somehow caught wind of the secret agreement between me and Grandpa — the deal with Lady Hana to take in Amour in exchange for a escape route in case of emergency. That was probably why she seemed somewhat relieved after hearing that Amour had no intention of returning.
"By the way, here are some souvenirs from the south."
I handed Lady Maria the scarves and other southern goods first, then distributed the souvenirs to everyone else. For Tida and Luna, who weren't present, I left their shares with Lady Isabella, and Lady Mizaria's share went to Lord Zaine.
Lady Maria and Lady Isabella draped the scarves over their shoulders and exchanged comments about them, and both seemed quite pleased — a relief for me, all things considered.
As for the men of the group — Lord Kurif excepted — they couldn't exactly change on the spot, so they held the samue against their own bodies and compared impressions... Honestly, watching a bunch of middle-aged men excitedly gush over clothing was not exactly a sight I wanted to see. Well, only the King and Lord Lyle were the overly enthusiastic ones; the other two simply held the garments against themselves and examined the stitching and texture.
"Tenma, I can't thank you enough for something this nice."
It was the King who stepped forward to express his gratitude for the souvenirs, in place of Lady Maria who was still buzzing with excitement... Well, I figured it was only natural for the King to take the lead in these matters, but when you considered the difference in power between the King and Lady Maria — not political power, mind you — you really couldn't blame him.
"That's a fine outfit."
"Easy to change into, and it seems perfect for after a bath."
"It'd be handy on hot days. Thanks for Mizari's share too."
"I'll be using mine as loungewear and sleepwear."
In order came Lord Ernest, Caesar-sama, Lord Zaine, and Lord Lyle. The souvenirs I'd prepared this time came in two varieties: long-sleeved, long-legged 'samue' and short-sleeved, short-legged 'jinbei.' The two were supposed to be clearly distinct garments, but over at Lady Sana's place, the terms for both had gotten all mixed up. Apparently, in this world there was no strict standard separating the two, and people just used different names for them depending on the individual.
"Thank you for getting one for us as well."
Next to offer their thanks were Kurif and Aina. I'd added a knife purchased in the south to each of their handkerchief sets. It had started when Kurif expressed interest in the southern weapons that had come up during the conversation with Lady Maria, so I'd included one of the knives I'd bought for myself. The reason for adding one to Aina's gift was the same.
After the excited chatter about souvenirs died down, it was time to head back to the manor. According to Aina, the cleanup of trash and broken walls had been completed, but they couldn't just dispose of it on their own, so everything had been placed inside the Magic Bag they'd entrusted to Jeanne's group.
I had already told Lady Maria about my plan to purchase the adjacent land, so she assured me that the necessary documents, including the deed, would be ready in a few days.
After seeing everyone off and stepping outside, I ran into Jeanne-san, who had apparently been waiting out front. Come to think of it, Din and the others had been missing — it turned out they were out on the grasslands in the suburbs conducting field training. They'd split the Royal Guard into two groups to take turns training, and as it happened, the first group was a solid lineup of my acquaintances, minus Jeanne-san.
I asked him to pass along the souvenirs to the usual Royal Guard members, and Jeanne-san was delighted to find that the personal gift I'd set aside for him contained sweets. When I'd been buying the gifts, I'd remembered that Jeanne-san had a daughter, so I'd picked out some sweets — and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. They were hot spring manju, though, and personally I found the sweet bean filling a bit underwhelming, so taste preferences could vary. At the very least, Jeanne-san himself would eat them.
After parting ways with Jeanne and making my way back to the carriage stand, I asked Aina—who had been guiding us—about recent events. The biggest topic of conversation was the land next to our estate; other than that, nothing much had changed. I'd been thinking things were peaceful, but apparently fires in the Royal Capital are rare to begin with, and one destructive enough to destroy most of a property's worth happens maybe once every few decades at most. When Grandpa heard that, he remarked, "Come to think of it, I don't recall ever hearing about anything like that..."
"So the fire was the only big commotion—other crimes have been at their usual numbers."
Even in the Royal Capital, where security is tight, some degree of crime and trouble is inevitable when so many different people gather. In fact, I'd say the numbers are low given how vast the Royal Capital is. There aren't exactly precise statistics, but compared to Seigen or Gunjou City, the greater number of guards means fewer crimes and incidents—and compared to major cities in my previous life, it's probably fewer as well. Well, there are differences in population and such, but more than that, I imagine the big factor is how readily the slave system and the death penalty are applied.
After Aina and the gatekeeper saw me off, I headed back toward the estate, and as I drew closer, I could clearly see the difference from before.
"The neighboring estate really did burn down clean, huh."
"It sure did... We weren't all that close with them, but seeing it in person really makes you feel a bit lonely."
"Tenma, it's not just the estate—the whole street in front is full of scorch marks."
While Grandpa and I were busy staring at the neighboring estate, Amour noticed the charred traces and scattered embers on the street in front.
"It's a good thing the fire didn't jump to other buildings... If someone had died, the neighbor might've lost his life over it."
"That only they themselves were affected is a blessing in disguise."
If the fire had spread beyond their own estate to the surrounding area, the death penalty could have been on the table. Saying "death penalty for a fire" sounds harsh, but that's how serious it is to cause a fire in the Royal Capital. To put it dramatically, if the fire had spread, neighboring nations could have exploited the ensuing chaos to launch invasions, or factions might have seized the chance to stage a coup. If it only ended with compensation payments, then—to put it bluntly—that would be a bargain... Well, "bargain" or not, the neighbor is on the verge of bankruptcy.
"I'm home."
"We're back."
When we arrived at the estate, we ignored the onlookers milling about, passed through the gate, and called out to Jeanne and Aura, who were working in the garden. The two had been directing the golems stationed around the estate—clearing away debris from the broken wall, picking up fragments of charred wood, and cutting away the burnt sections of lawn.
"Tenma, Merlin-sama, welcome home."
"Welcome back... Wait, why is Amour here?"
Jeanne didn't seem to think anything of seeing Amour, but Aura voiced her confusion outright. I explained that we'd reached a secret agreement with the Southern Autonomous Region's
New Viscount
to take Amour in. Aura didn't seem to fully grasp the situation, but she accepted it with an "I guess since Grandpa decided it, it's fine" attitude—or rather, she simply stopped thinking about it.
Since there was no rush to finish the garden work, I asked Jeanne and Aura to clean out one of the spare rooms in the estate for Amour. There were several empty rooms, but it would be best if it was far enough from Grandpa's and my rooms, so ignoring the displeased look on Amour's face, I picked a room near Jeanne and the others.
After that, I took a bath to wash off the grime of traveling, gave the two their southern souvenirs, and finished today's schedule. Bringing souvenirs to Kelly and the Three Idiots could wait until tomorrow or later, no problem. After all, I wanted to take it easy on the day I got back.
The next day, I was able to sleep in for the first time in ages. Well, I ended up oversleeping so much that it was closer to noon than morning, but I didn't have any particular plans, so a lazy morning was fine for once.
Today's task was repairing the garden and the wall. I'd been told Jeanne and the others couldn't just repair things on their own, so for security reasons, fixing the wall had to come first. I'd already told Maria and the others I'd be buying the neighboring land, but due to paperwork, I still couldn't modify the adjacent property or deploy any Golems there yet. However, from a thief's perspective, having no wall at all might look like an invitation, so the plan was to at least put up a simple wall for now.
"All right, here goes."
Standing where the broken wall had been, I conjured a new wall using earth magic. It wouldn't be as tough as the walls I'd built in the dungeon, but unless someone used magic, it wouldn't be easy to break through—and it was hard to imagine anyone casting spells without me, Grandpa, or the guard Golems noticing, so even a shortcut wall would more than do.
"Honestly, looking at this now, that was one serious fire."
The wall had been caught up in the collapse of the neighboring estate, and the timber used for its framework had been completely carbonized. The flames must have been fierce. The broken wall was some distance from the burned-out estate next door, but it had apparently fallen unlucky—right toward our side. On top of that, trees planted near the broken wall had also been destroyed, and the Golems had apparently felled them to prevent the fire from spreading.
"I need to pull out the stumps too."
I tied ropes to a stump, used earth magic to soften the ground around it, then summoned a few Golems and had them pull on the ropes.
Thanks to the softened ground, the Golems yanked the stump out without much trouble. Seeing the result, I prepped the remaining stumps one by one and had the Golems pull them out in succession.
"That should do it. The big roots are mostly out—some leftover bits in the soil shouldn't matter... Still, there are quite a few cicada larvae in here."
While inspecting the uprooted stumps, I noticed an unexpectedly large number of cicada larvae. They weren't creatures you normally saw, and they certainly weren't cute bugs. Having this many wriggling around was honestly a bit gross.
"Well, I do feel sorry for them. I might as well relocate the ones I can see to another tree."
I took a bucket out of my Magic Bag and collected the visible cicada larvae. Gathering them up only made them grosser, but I tried not to look too closely. I dug a few holes at the base of trees in different spots—away from the burned wall—and released the larvae there. I loosely covered them with soil, though I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do. Even if it didn't work out, they wouldn't cause any real damage, so no harm done.
After finishing the cicada relocation, I realized it was snack time and decided to grab something to eat in the kitchen. On the way there, two more people and two more critters joined my entourage, hoping for leftovers, and I invited two others and one more along since it was no trouble. For the record, the ones who tag-teamed their way in were my head maid (provisional)'s sister, a freeloader, and two gluttonous beasts... When it came to food, these people and animals had an almost supernatural sixth sense.
Incidentally, what I made as a snack was okonomiyaki. I didn't have sauce on hand, so I seasoned the batter with soy sauce and a rich dashi, topped it with mayonnaise, and ate it that way—it turned out pretty good.
Everyone gave it high marks, but I got the feeling the mayonnaise received more praise than the okonomiyaki itself. It was my first time making mayonnaise in this life, and apparently it was rich, creamy, and addictive (according to Aura and Amour). Jeanne, Grandpa, and even Slarin seemed to like it, so it would probably become a staple condiment going forward... though I'd be the one making most of it.
A few days after the arrival of mayonnaise, Chris and Aina came by with the deed to the neighboring property. According to them, the moment I received this deed, the adjacent land officially became mine. That's not "mine and Grandpa's land," by the way—it was purchased under the Otoutori family's name, so as the head of the household, it became my land. As it happened, Grandpa also took the opportunity to transfer the land under our current estate to my name (apparently it counted as a lifetime gift... though he didn't seem likely to die for another few decades at least...), which meant starting this year, I'd have to pay taxes on both properties. The annual tax came to 50,000 G × 2 (since the original plot and the neighboring one were roughly the same size), for a total of 100,000 G, and since I was told I could prepay several years at once, I went ahead and paid fifty years upfront.
It was unusual for a commoner to pay such a lump sum in taxes—or rather, it was apparently the first time anyone had—but since it was common practice among high-ranking nobles, my payment was deemed precedent-setting and approved without any issues.
"That wraps up my work for today~... Come on, Shiromaru."
It seemed Chris, having finished her work for the day, intended to camp out at my place while petting Shiromaru.
"Honestly, Chris... I'm so sorry for bringing her along."
Aina apologized for having brought Chris (as a nominal bodyguard) while checking in on Aura and the others' progress.
Several hours after Chris had started petting Shiromaru—and Aina had begun supervising Aura and the others—a visibly tired Aura came to the living room for a break. Upon spotting Chris, still blissfully absorbed in her petting marathon, Aura's expression began to sour.
"Aura, you're making an ugly face."
"How rude!"
Aura rebutted Amour's blunt remark in a sharp tone, but Jeanne and I, who had been watching her face, nodded in agreement with what Amour had said.
"Really, how rude of you! ...Chris~ I've got something even nicer to pet, you kno~w!"
"She's gotten even uglier!"
Completely ignoring Amour's second observation, Aura rubbed her hands together as she approached Chris. She looked just like one of those tacky solicitors from the red-light district... I've never been, but I've seen them. This is important so I'll say it again: I've only
seen them.
That's all!
"Ugh!"
Sensing a sharp gaze boring into my back, I whipped around to find Aina staring at me from a short distance away.
*(You've really never been, have you? Swear on Lady Maria?)*
*(I can swear to that with full confidence!)*
I immediately mouthed a response back to Aina's silent question.
Aina, apparently satisfied with my answer, turned an even sharper gaze toward Aura than the one she'd been directing at me. But unlike me, Aura was entirely preoccupied with Chris and didn't seem to notice a thing.
"Something even nicer to pet?"
"I'll go get them right no~w!"
Aura hurried out of the living room in a flash. She passed right by Aina on her way out of the room, but Aura hadn't noticed Aina's presence at all... or rather, Aina had completely erased her own. That must be the "Art of Presence Concealment," personally taught by Kurif... I just made that up on the spot, but it sounds like something that could really exist, which is a little terrifying.
"Sorry to keep you waiting~ Here's the adorable little one you requested~"
When Aura returned a short while later, her clothes and face were dirty, her hair was a mess, and she handed the Dimension Bag over to Chris.
"So it's in here, is it? Let me see... hnngh!"
Without a shred of doubt, Chris opened the mouth of the bag and peered inside, when a black creature launched itself out with tremendous force and slammed right into her face. Aura remembered what had happened to her when she'd introduced the lambs, and had arranged for Chris to experience the same thing under the pretense of introducing Lamb I.
Incidentally, among all of us, the only one who'd taken Lamb I's body tackle head-on was Aura. Grandpa, Amour, and I dodged it normally; Shiromaru deflected it; Solomon was out of reach. As for Slarin, the instant it charged, Slarin grabbed it and was left completely immobilized. Now, Jeanne had been the target when Slarin caught Lamb I, but since Slarin
stepped in the way
there was no damage. As for Aura, she'd watched all of us handle it and let her guard down, thinking Lamb I's body tackle couldn't be all that impressive — and the very moment she did, she took it right to the face.
"Meeeeeh! Meh?"
Having successfully landed its body tackle on Chris, Lamb I let out what sounded like a cry of triumph — but before it could get away from Chris, it was caught in midair. And then...
"MOOF MOOF MOOOOOF! MOOF MOOF MOOF MOOF, MOOOOOOF!"
Chris had lost it... no wait, Lamb I was being squeezed in a crushing embrace by the shrieking Chris, having every inch of its body thoroughly fluffed. Chris ignored the bewildered lamb, burying her face in the fur on its back while both hands continued to fluff the fur on its belly.
"Me... meeeh..."
Chris finally released Lamb I roughly thirty minutes after she'd started fluffing it. During that time, having been utterly helpless to resist the relentless fluffing, Lamb I was staggering around like a boxer on the verge of a KO. Meanwhile, Lamb II? It was fast asleep in the Dimension Bag, letting out soft little snores.