Chapter 16

Summer passed and autumn came, and finally, I turned 7 years old. And a major event was about to take place in the village.

Once the crops were harvested, everyone looked forward to the Harvest Festival.

"Alright, Aul, from today we'll start harvesting the crops. I plan to have you mainly handle the wheat. We'll head out after breakfast. I expect it to take about a week, but if you can't finish, I'll help you, so do your best!"

At 7, I had grown a bit taller. I think I've been growing steadily because I eat a lot of animal protein and exercise every day.

My father seems to have toned his muscles, and my mother doesn't look a day older. In fact, her skin is incredibly firm, probably because she eats nutritious meals. For some reason, there are days when she looks especially radiant, but why? On those days, my father looks particularly worn out...

He was saying, "It's not hitting the mark..." as if he was aiming for something.

"Well, I've had a hearty breakfast, so let's get started."

But even so, it would take days to harvest such a large field... This small sickle has its limits. If only there was a way to harvest everything at once... Ah, that's it! I could use a wind cutter to harvest everything at once, like cutting down a tree. I need to be careful not to damage the crops, but if it works, it would be much easier!

Alright, let's try it. Wind cutter!

...Did it work too well? At this rate, I might finish harvesting all the wheat today. Well, if it makes things easier, that's fine. Still, why is our wheat so bountiful? We only use the Green Heel spell once a week, but is that the reason?

I haven't seen other people's fields much, but I think it's safe to say this is a bountiful harvest.

I continued to use the wind cutter and store the crops, but it was going so smoothly that I was almost disappointed...

Before I knew it, I had finished, and my parents came home while I was making sweets at home.

"Hey, Aul. I didn't let you harvest before, but how was it? Did your back hurt?"

I felt a bit irritated by my father's smirking face. He probably thinks I'm in pain and will ask for help because I can't finish.

But that's not going to happen.

"Yeah! I'm already done!"

"Really? I used to cry while... Wait, you're already done? You must be joking..."

I said, "Really," and took him to the back of the house. The wheat I had just harvested was tied in bundles there.

"Really... How did you do it!?"

When I told him I used magic to harvest, he fell to his knees in disappointment.

"Damn... I was planning to get revenge for the maid cat-ear incident... My son is so capable, damn it... I'm happy, but I can't shake this feeling..."

What!? It seems this musclehead was planning to get revenge on me. He must still be holding a grudge over me telling my mother about his infatuation with the maid... He might be more petty than I thought.

Despite this, the harvest was successfully completed. Since other families were still harvesting, I helped Mirei's family. They gave me two large burlap bags of wheat as a reward. I said we didn't need it since we grow our own, but they insisted I help again next year if I have the time. I couldn't refuse after receiving the wheat, but I was happy to see Mirei's smile.

A few days later, all the families finished harvesting, and the long-awaited Harvest Festival began. It's a tradition for the whole village to enjoy, and even the village patrol team participates. They hire adventurers for the festival, so it's very safe.

Actually, every year, the village chief hires adventurers to bring in the meat of a creature called the Four-Eyed Rampaging Bull. This meat is the highlight of the festival, and everyone looks forward to it. However, with the increasing number of villagers, I think the amount of meat per person is decreasing.

So I thought, why not fill the villagers' stomachs before the Four-Eyed Rampaging Bull is served at the night campfire?

I secretly prepared a lot of special bacon and a secret dish: oak meat simmered in soy sauce and sugar, served in pita bread with leafy vegetables. Pita bread is new to this world, so it should be a novelty.

By the way, I'm selling everything for 5 copper coins. Honestly, the profit isn't much, but the Four-Eyed Rampaging Bull is so delicious that it's worth it.

...Oops, I'm drooling.

The festival began, and the adults were enjoying themselves. At this festival, you can enjoy yourself or do business; the important thing is to participate.

I asked Mirei to help me with the stall. I offered her 20% of the profit, and she agreed.

The sweets I was researching are dango. When I asked Lebrant, he said there's a similar food across the sea. I was a bit disappointed at first, but he had just bought some glutinous rice flour and sold it all to me.

...By the way, Lebrant's inventory is terrifying.

When I asked him before, he gave a merchant's answer.

"I'm always looking for something unique before coming to this village. I do a lot of business here, and I also buy things I think Aul might like. I also observe what Aul is interested in when he looks at my goods."

Is it really that simple...?

Recently, his store in the capital has been doing very well. He's already the owner of a large store, but he still goes to buy goods himself. He's especially determined to visit Oren Village.

...I'm grateful for his efforts.

"Aul is a valued customer."

So, I got the glutinous rice flour. Having glutinous rice flour means there's mochi rice. Maybe the place across the sea is like ancient Japan...

I decided to make mitarashi dango. I love it, so I was excited to finally make it. I have enough for myself, so I'm not stingy about selling it, and I really want to eat it.

"Thanks, Mirei. Let's get started! I'll leave the customers to you. I'll prepare the goods."

"Okay! Let's make a lot of money!"

Once we opened the stall, customers never stopped coming. Apparently, Mirei's father had advertised for us beforehand. The dango sold the most. In just two hours, we sold out. Most of the buyers were women, while the men preferred the bacon and pita bread sandwiches.

"Hey, Aul, can I have one of everything?"

"Ah! Lebrant! I know the Harvest Festival is bigger in other places, but why are you here?"

"Well, that's true, but I had a feeling Aul would do something interesting. And you didn't disappoint. Your business acumen, knowledge, and boldness are impressive for a 7-year-old. Why don't you work for me?"

"Haha, I'm not that great. I'm still 7 and a farmer. But I do plan to travel and see more when I grow up, so I'll visit you as a customer and a merchant. Thanks in advance."

"Ah, a troublesome competitor. To help you grow, how about you help me expand my business now?"

Lebrant liked the mitarashi dango but found it hard to carry. He was impressed by the pita bread, so I gave him the recipe. In return, he offered 5% of the profits from pita bread sales.

"Aul, this pita bread is revolutionary! It keeps well and is so soft. You can put all sorts of things inside, and it will sell. And you're giving me the recipe... How can I repay you? How about 5% of the pita bread profits every year?"

"Sure! And I always appreciate your help."

...To have passive income at this age is amazing. I'm grateful.

Lebrant sold some goods and bought more before leaving.

We sold everything, so I joined the festival. We made 30 gold coins, and I gave Mirei 6 gold coins. She was surprised by the amount but decided to save most of it and spend a little at the festival.

And then, as expected, the Four-Eyed Rampaging Bull skewers were served. As planned, the women didn't come for the skewers, so I got to eat more than usual.

...Ah, it's delicious. It's like A5-grade Wagyu beef on Earth. This once-a-year treat is the best.

Thus, the autumn Harvest Festival ended successfully, and winter came. Winter is a dormant period for monsters, so it's a good time to hunt them in the forest.

Meanwhile, a pita bread craze hit the capital, further boosting Lebrant's business. Aul didn't know this, but the next year, he received a large passive income, which surprised him.

Two years passed, and I turned 9. A turning point came when my mother became pregnant. She had been feeling unwell for a while, and I was worried, but it turned out she was pregnant.

A few months later, a baby girl was born. She was so cute, and just looking at her was healing. We named her Shia. She has silver hair and big, round eyes. She will definitely grow up to be beautiful. Yes, definitely.

To provide a better life for our new family member, I decided to work harder.

I'll update this bit by bit.

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