Chapter 33

"Victory is ours!"

The people of Beowulf, who had been eagerly awaiting our return, immediately started preparing for a feast as soon as we reported our victory to the village. Before we knew it, the celebration was in full swing.

You guys really move fast when there's alcohol involved, don't you?

But once the grand feast began, everyone involved in this battle gathered in the village square, celebrating with a ruckus. It felt like a festival. This feast might as well be a famous attraction of Abatos Village by now. If we turned it into a festival and invited tourists, it would surely be a hit.

"Good work, Mako."

Iksa came over to me, who had been watching the scene from the side, lost in thought. He was holding a glass of alcohol, and his cheeks were slightly flushed, indicating he was tipsy.

"Iksa, good work. Thank you for rushing here and for all your help."

"Winning against Antimishka and gathering allies were all due to your leadership. I admire you for that."

Iksa looked around the village.

"It's a good village, this place."

"Yeah, it's a good village."

"…I've seen many beastman villages, but this is the first one with such vitality."

Iksa spoke with a distant look in his eyes. He seemed to dream of a country where beastmen and humans could live equally. Was this idea born from his rebellion against his father? Or was it a wish that arose from his past? I didn't know, but…

"It's thanks to Mako."

Maul and Meala, who were sitting next to me, said to Iksa.

"Since Mako appeared before us, the village has become much brighter."

"…Is that so? It's become brighter?"

Alcohol and food were flying around, and the people of Beowulf were singing and dancing. We also invited the wild animals, including the boars, who played a crucial role in this operation, to join us and offered them vegetables and fruits as a token of appreciation. Joyful grunts could be heard.

…Were they grunts?

"Mako… my interest in you never wanes. If anything, this incident has only increased it—"

"Ah, Suaro-san! Prince Iksa seems to be quite drunk, so please stay with him!"

I quickly retreated from the scene after telling Suaro-san, who was passing by. I could hear Iksa calling out to me and Suaro-san scolding him from behind. I was grateful to Iksa, but his intense pressure was a bit scary…

"Hey, Mako! You're the hero of this victory!"

"Let's drink today!"

"Thank you, but I'm not good with alcohol."

I exchanged greetings with the enthusiastic people of Beowulf. They didn't force me to drink when I said that. They seemed to have a good sense of judgment even when drunk, and they wouldn't cause trouble for the general public.

"Boss! If any weirdos come again, leave it to us, Kora!"

"We'll chase them away together like this time, Kora!"

"Thank you, everyone. Please eat your fill."

I was truly grateful to the boars and the other wild animals. I wanted to improve the polluted forest and mountains where they lived. Using my "Liquid Fertilizer" and the power of the Orchidea and others, we might be able to make some environmental improvements. If that happened, it could become a theme park where people could interact with wild animals, and the general public might enjoy it too…

…Wait! I realized I was already planning the village's revitalization! I shouldn't do that without everyone's permission.

"Miss Mako~"

"Miss Mako!"

While wandering and thinking, I met Orchidea and Fressa. The two, who were half-plant, were quietly drinking fruit juice, as they didn't eat the same food as us. …Hmm? Orchidea, are you feeling a bit floaty again?

"Orchidea, did you drink alcohol again?"

"No, I just had this fruit juice."

"Hey, that's fruit wine!"

"Miss Mako!"

Fressa clung to my leg.

"Thank you for punishing the bad people who took our homeland!"

"Ah, but Fressa, it wasn't just me. Orchidea also did a great job, right?"

"That's right, Fressa. If bad people come again, I'll take care of them with a big bang."

Orchidea, you're quite drunk. As she spoke, she hugged Fressa.

"So, you don't have to worry anymore. We won't lose our precious place again."

"…"

Precious place. It was heartwarming to know she thought of this village that way.

"Ah, Orchidea. The land that Antimishka took is now under Iksa's control, so the area where the Alraune kingdom used to be will eventually be restored!"

"Really? That's great! …But…"

Orchidea glanced at me with a shy look.

"I've decided to marry into this village… I want to help restore the Alraune village, but I want to plant my roots in the same place as Miss Mako…"

"If Iksa reports back, we'll go and check it out!"

I left the scene again, as if fleeing.

"Miss Mako, it was a joke~"

* * * * *

The feast reached its peak and eventually came to an end. I saw Iksa and Suaro-san off at the edge of the village, and the boars returned to the mountains. With that, the day was truly over. I was exhausted. Life in this world would continue tomorrow as well. I decided to sleep soundly tonight. We returned to our newly built house. The spacious interior had only a few pieces of furniture. I thought about working with Garai to make more storage and kitchen furniture…

"Phew, I ran around a lot today and I'm full. I'm sleepy, Boss."

Entia stretched out on the floor. As long as he was here, I wouldn't need a bed for a while.

"Hehe, good night, Entia."

"Good night."

"Hey, Maul, Meala, good night, zzz…"

As Maul and Meala climbed on top of him, Entia quickly fell asleep.

"Well, then."

"…"

I looked at Garai, who was standing next to me. The last time we talked about sleeping together on the Entia blanket, he had declined…

"Then, Garai—"

"No, I—"

Garai hesitated again. I grabbed his arm and pulled him.

"Hey, I'm sleepy too, so don't make it difficult for me."

"…"

Maul and Meala were in the middle, and Garai and I lay down on either side of Entia. Garai wasn't putting his full weight on Entia, but even with him on top, Entia didn't make a sound, as expected.

"Thank you always, Garai."

"…"

Today, I learned a lot about Garai. I didn't bring it up, but he used to belong to a high-class dark guild. I didn't know if the stories he told me about his guild days were true or not. However, he seemed to have lost his place due to some circumstances after being deeply involved in dirty and dark jobs. He was a human with half-demon blood, a demihuman. But he was still the same person who helped us and contributed to the village. He said he enjoyed being with me and doing what I wanted to do. That was enough for now.

"Let's work together from tomorrow too."

"…Yeah."

With his usual gruff and awkward voice, Garai responded. We closed our eyes. In the silent night, our consciousness drifted into a drowsy state. Maul grabbed my side, and I leaned into her. Then, Meala grabbed my arm from above Maul. The warmth of their bodies and the softness of their animal ears were transmitted to my skin. As I leaned in further, my head touched Garai's outstretched arm. Whoa, it was a pillow arm. It might be my first time experiencing a man's arm as a pillow. I rested my head on Garai's strong and reliable forearm. It felt so good that my consciousness gently slipped away.

……

Title…

……

What is it?

……

Title… based on the title of "DIY Master"…

……

My status window opened in my head, but I couldn't read it clearly. It felt like looking at a phone screen while half-asleep, an incomplete sensation.

……

Title… based on the title of "DIY Master"… skill "—" has…

Title… based on the title of "Pet Master"… skill "—" has awakened…

Title… based on the title of "Green Master"… skill "—" has…

……

Hmm… I can't see it clearly. Oh well.

Tomorrow, tomorrow.

There's so much more I want to do from tomorrow and beyond. For now, I'll just enjoy this comfortable situation and go to sleep.