Chapter 34

As the hand of Antimishka's conquest reached out to the village, and thanks to our efforts, we managed to protect the village from that evil hand—several days have passed since that day.

"Come on, Mauer! Meala! Hurry up, hurry up!"

"Wait, Mako!"

"You're going too fast..."

The sky was a clear blue—cloudless, a perfect sunny day (even though we're not in Japan).

I, Mauer, and Meala were running through the meadow where the battle took place.

"Ahaha! It feels so good!"

The wind coming down from the mountains hit us, pleasantly cooling our sweating bodies.

Today, we came to this plain to run.

There was no particular reason.

Just exercise.

Running outside on such a sunny day is healthy and feels great.

When I used to work, I hardly moved during the day, so on my days off, I would mostly lie around.

But now, freed from that labor, I suddenly felt an urge to do this kind of exercise.

It must be that my motivation, a different gauge from physical strength, has risen.

"Hahaha! Lady! This is just a morning routine for me!"

Mauer, Meala, and I, along with Entia, had changed from our regular clothes into light exercise wear and run all the way from the mountains to this meadow.

When I lay down on the grass, the smell that tickled my nose was the same as when I first came to this world.

"Mako, you're amazing. I'm already exhausted."

Mauer, who also flopped down on the meadow, said with a laugh.

But Mauer is still a child with plenty of energy and stamina; his breathing wasn't that labored.

"But it feels so good! Right, Meala?"

"Haa... haa... y-yeah."

On the other hand, Meala was quite out of breath.

But it's not that Meala has less stamina or anything like that.

Up to this point, Meala had been running at a near-sprint, overtaking me and trying hard to keep up.

"What's up, Meala? You seem really determined."

"...I want to get stronger."

Meala muttered softly.

"Meala, you're already strong. You always stand in front to protect Mauer and stay strong."

"No... not like that, like Gurai..."

Previously, Meala was saved by Gurai when he was about to be attacked by stray dogs.

Perhaps from that experience, he has some admiration for Gurai.

"Strong... enough to protect Mauer... and... Mako too."

"Huh? What did you say?"

"N-nothing!"

Meala shouted with enthusiasm. Yeah, he's still full of energy.

"Alright, let's take a break and head back to the village!"

"Ugh, we have to run the same distance back?"

Mauer sprawled out on the ground. Hehe, Mauer, you don't get it yet.

"Mauer, the main goal today is what comes after we get home."

"Huh?"

That's right, the intense running.

After working up a good sweat, there's an even more delightful reward waiting for us.

"So, let's go!"

"Wait, Mako!"

Mauer, Meala, and Entia hurriedly ran after me.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

We returned to the village of Abatokus, where Beowulfs live.

Today, everyone is working hard in the fields.

On the other hand, recently, some of the Beowulfs have been heading to the mountains for development.

They are cutting down strange plants and improving the soil with liquid fertilizer.

Since we were helped a lot by the wild boars last time, we want to create a comfortable environment for them too.

"Hey, Mako! How far did you run!?"

"You look like you had fun!"

"I'm thinking of growing some fruit in my field! Come and see it!"

Lam, Bagos, and Uga, the usual trio, called out to us as we returned.

The Beowulfs work hard and will probably drink all night at a party tonight.

But I understand that feeling after a good workout.

We headed home, and there, Gurai had already prepared various tools on the garden table.

"Thanks, Gurai!"

"What's this, a metal bucket?"

On the table was a large metal bucket.

It might be closer to a tub.

The dull-colored container was filled with water, and inside were fresh fruits—peaches, apples, and bananas—soaked in it.

The fruits were a gift from the head of the Weeblue family.

"Wow, it's cold!"

Mauer, who put his hand in the bucket, was surprised by the cold water.

"It feels like being in a river!"

"Hehe, thanks for the reaction."

This bucket was created by my alchemy and is a special metal product.

It's a bucket made of stainless steel with a high thermal insulation and heat retention effect, a so-called vacuum-insulated structure.

Even in the summer heat, it can keep drinks and other items cold and refreshing.

"Hehe, and more..."

I took the cold fruits out of the bucket, cut them into bite-sized pieces with a knife, and mashed them carefully with a grater I also created through alchemy—then poured them into glasses.

This completes a 100% fruit juice smoothie with pulp!

"Here, Mauer and Meala! Gurai too!"

We all drank the finished product.

The cold juice seeped into our bodies, which were warmed up from the exercise under the sun.

The sweetness and acidity were in perfect harmony. The fruits must have been really good.

"Delicious!"

"Mako, this isn't something you can buy at a store, is it?"

Wow, you guys are getting better at reacting.

With this, you could even become food critics! Not that you have to!

In this way, we enjoyed the delicious fruits, either as drinks or by eating them directly, and had a very healthy meal.

As we did, I couldn't help but think about what I wanted to do next.

After all, we had exercised and sweated a lot.

So, naturally...

"Taking a hot spring bath in the middle of the day sounds nice... Should we make a bath?"

"Eh! A bath?"

Mauer and the others were surprised.

Actually, until now, we had only used the nearby river or well water to wash off.

So, I decided to make a bath today while we were at it.

It's not that difficult to make.

"Is this how it should look?"

"Yeah, that's it! Exactly like that, Gurai."

We built a stove by stacking stones in the backyard.

Then, on top of the completed stove, I used alchemy to create a giant "drum can."

An empty "drum can" is actually sold at home centers (and comes in various sizes).

We filled the drum can with water and lit a fire under the stove.

Once the water boiled, the hot spring was complete.

"Mako today... is even more amazing than usual..."

"An embodiment of action..."

"Hehe, it must feel great. Well, the water is boiling now."

As I started to take off my jacket, Mauer and Meala looked at me with wide eyes.

"M-Mako!?"

"Huh? What's wrong? You two should join me."

We have enough space for me, Mauer, and Meala to fit.

But... the two of them looked away awkwardly.

"I-I'm fine... I'll pass..."

"Me too..."

Their cheeks slightly flushed, they muttered.

...Ah, maybe they're shy?

Oops, I forgot, they're both boys.

"Ah... I see, what should we do then?"

Their innocent reactions made me feel a bit strange too.

My eyes wandered, and I saw... Gurai.

"......"

"......"

......

......No, no way! No way, Gurai! No way!

"Anyway, I'll go in first..."

So, I asked the boys to step back, and I went into the hot spring alone.

"......Ah"

Indeed, the first bath in a while felt incredibly good.

The warmth seeped into my body, and a sigh escaped from deep in my throat.

"......Ah"

Under the blue sky, with a refreshing breeze, the midday hot spring was the best.

I want to let Mauer and the others try it later and hear their reactions.

Maybe they can become hot spring critics too. Probably not, though.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

After getting out of the bath and sitting on a bench in the yard to dry my hair, I sensed someone standing in front of me.

"Hey, Mako"

"......Ah! Iksa!"

It was Iksa.

"Did you just get out of the bath? Good timing."

"Is it? ...Well, never mind. Why are you here today?"

After a brief exchange, Iksa sat down next to me.

I could see Suaro watching us intently from a distance.

Since Suaro is here...

"I came to inform you that the post-battle procedures are complete."

By "procedures," he probably meant the transfer of rights and other matters related to the victory in the battle between heirs to the throne—no doubt a lot of complicated stuff.

"At the very least, I've made sure that Antimishka won't seek revenge on you. She's weakened and doesn't have the resources for it anymore."

"Thanks, Iksa."

At that, Iksa suddenly became serious.

"Hmm?"

"......I am now the third prince, having taken the title from Antimishka. Moreover, I ascended by directly defeating other heirs to the throne. This is seen as a declaration of war against the other princes and princesses. I am prepared to fully engage in this competition."

He narrowed his eyes and continued.

"I believe your power can be a great weapon... I would like you to be by my side..."

But then, Iksa's gaze seemed to take in the scene of the village again.

"Iksa?"

"......No, it's nothing."

Iksa smiled and stood up.

"I'll drop by from time to time. See you then."

"Sure... Iksa, you can come visit anytime, you know?"

"Really? Does that mean you're inviting me to the research institute to study the mechanisms and nature of your magic and the magical artifacts you create?"

"No, I didn't mean that."

Stay calm, stay calm.

Suaro is looking at us with a really scary face, Iksa.

"Lord Mako oooooooh!"

The Weeblue head let out a scream and ran over to us.

What a sudden appearance.

He's really gotten used to running at full speed.

"Hey, this is Prince Iksa! It's a pleasure to see you! But more importantly, Lord Mako!"

This guy is amazing, pushing past the prince to get to me.

"Actually, I came today with a proposal!"

"A proposal?"

"Yes! The crops and crafts produced in this village have become quite popular in the city, creating a real craze!"

Wow, that's impressive.

I didn't realize it had gotten to that point.

"So, I was wondering if you would allow me to open a direct store in the capital to sell the village's specialties!"

From what he's saying, it sounds like he wants to create something like a flagship store.

Wow, this is getting serious.

I still have a lot I want to do, but trying to do everything at once might be too much...

"What do you think, Lord Mako! Please!"

"Let's do it, Mako! It sounds fun!"

"We'll help too, right, Gurai?"

Mauer and Meala, and Gurai, who had been listening, joined in.

"Wow, that sounds fun. I'll help too!"

"We'll help!"

Orchidea and Fressa also chimed in.

"Wow! This is getting big!"

"Mako! Of course we'll do it! This is an opportunity we can't miss!"

The Beowulfs also joined in.

Seeing everyone excited and cheering, I couldn't help but smile.

Yeah.

Sure.

Let's do it.

I stood on the chair and addressed everyone.

"Alright, let's make this village even more vibrant!"

It's like a spring festival, and that's fun too.