Farming Life in Another World

Beezel was sulking in a way that was easy to read.

Apparently, he had managed to meet his mother in Five Village, but she brushed him off, saying he was interfering with her work.

On top of that, he was also unhappy about the fact that his mother had formed a women’s association in Village Five and was enjoying herself quite a bit.

She was the former Countess Chrome, after all.

If she had that much free time, couldn’t she help Shirukine-san, the current Countess Chrome?

Just having someone to consult with would make a huge difference, right?

Then again, Shirukine-san had her own work in the beauty business.

She called it a hobby, but it also played a role in maintaining her social connections in noble society.

So, forming a women’s association in Five Village wouldn’t hold much power—

Or so I thought, until I learned that the members of this association were the mothers and grandmothers of influential nobles in the Demon King’s Kingdom…

Beezel grumbled so much that Frau finally placed Fracia on his lap to shut him up.

It seemed that even Beezel couldn’t keep sulking in front of Fracia.

Hmm…

Come to think of it, people sometimes place a child on my lap too.

Is there some hidden meaning behind that?

I don’t recall complaining that much, though.

「You were lamenting about how you don’t get enough parent-child communication, remember?」

Loo said this with a knowing look.

Ah… I see.

Well, I don’t dislike it.

Yeah.

Spending time with one’s children is important.

That said, right now, Loo was sitting on my lap.

「Is there a problem?」

No, no problem at all.

-0-

Since I had the chance to see Versa, I asked her autographs for the caretakers at Mereo breeding facility.

Better to do it before I forget.

The signed book was then locked away in a secure safe.

「You’re treating it that carefully?」

Well, if I don’t store it somewhere with a proper lock, Zabuton will scold me.

After all, it’s something the kids might see.

I don’t intend to interfere with Versa’s hobbies, but I’m also hesitant to let the children get too involved.

Maybe it’s irresponsible, but I’d rather just let things take their natural course.

「By the way, Village Chief.」

Hmm?

What is it?

「I heard you met Bee-baa.」

Ah, yeah.

On my travels… I guess that’s how I should put it. It was by chance.

「She’s a tough one—so eager to read new books that she started illustrating them herself. She even points out errors in the text, which is a huge help.」

Is that so?

「Yeah. And apparently, she’s related to you?」

Bee-baa is Frau’s great-grandmother, so that makes her my relative, no doubt about it.

「Then… do you plan to bring her to this village someday?」

Well…

I did invite her, but she didn’t seem too keen on coming.

「She’s probably interested, but… there are a lot of angels in this village.」

Hmm? Ah, right.

Bee-baa is a demon.

And considering her age, she must’ve lived through times when demons and angels clashed.

I guess there’s still some lingering tension there.

「She knows the angels here don’t cause trouble, but still…」

I hadn’t considered that.

「So, please don’t force her to come.」

Of course.

I wouldn’t drag someone here against their will.

Just as I said that, one of the kuro’s trotted over, smiling.

The little one was still young—probably born last year.

Chasing after the child was one of the oni maids.

She gestured for the kuro pup to come to her, but the little one used me and Versa as a shield, refusing to go.

The pup looked up at me with pleading eyes, as if to say, ‘Dragging someone away when they don’t want to go is bad, right?’

Yeah, that’s true.

Forcing someone against their will isn’t good.

But I still picked up the kuro pup and handed it over to the oni maid.

It gave me the ‘This isn’t what you were just talking about’ look.

Bath time is non-negotiable.

-0-

Fūma Suishō—Wind Magic Crystal.

It was the magical mineral Bee-baa used in her buried house.

Depending on the region, it’s also called Blue Magic Crystal or Sky Crystal.

Curious if we had any, I asked Loo.

She found some right away.

We had extra-large, large, medium, small, fragments, and even powdered form.

Didn’t expect so many variations.

「The required size depends on its use.」

Powder, though? What’s that used for?

「Hmm… Fire, I think.」

Fire?

「If you mix it in, things ignite more easily.」

Ah, so it’s like a fire-starting agent.

「There are better ones, so it’s not commonly used for that. Oh, but sometimes it’s mixed into mud walls. Especially in underground rooms—apparently, it can help people survive in emergencies.」

Emergencies?

「Like if you get buried alive.」

Ah…

「It’s more of a reassurance than a guarantee, though.」

Wait wait, it should have been proven before, right?

「There’s no way to prove it. People can survive even without wind magic crystals mixed into the walls.」

Hmm, I see.

So, the small amount in the walls wouldn’t provide much oxygen after all.

Then again, Bee-baa said wind magic crystals are consumables, meaning they might lose effectiveness over time if used regularly.

「People who work underground usually carry medium-sized blue magic crystals as good luck charms. That means it might be more effective than it is thought to be.」

I-I see.

Makes sense.

A medium-sized crystal would be far more reassuring than some powder.

「So, what do you plan to do with these?」

Ah, well, I was wondering if I could make something with it.

「You’ll show me when it’s done, right?」

Of course.

—Ah, I almost forgot the main thing.

You made a magic tool—a jar that makes air a long time ago, didn’t you?

「A jar that makes air?」

Yeah, about this big.

「……Ah! Oh, that one! I do remember making it. But, it didn’t actually makes air, you know?」

It doesn’t?

「It was more like a window. The magic circles at the bottom of two jars connected, letting air flow between them naturally. That’s why I marketed it as a voice-transmitting device instead.」

Heh.

So, like a magical speaking tube?

That explains why it was a jar.

「The problem was it only worked over short distances. People realized shouting directly was faster, so it didn’t sell well and got undervalued. Why bring it up now?」

Ah, well… those jars work in pairs, right?

「Yeah.」

One of them… uh, got destroyed when we were cutting down that small hill.

Can you make another one?

「I could make something way better now, you know?」

No, no, just make the same one.

Bee-baa was insistent about it.

Very.

Very insistent.

Since her house has already been dug out, she doesn’t need to use it anymore.

It’s just about replacing what was broken.

I thought about just compensating her with money, but she got mad and said she doesn’t want money.

「Got it. If you bring me jars, I can finish it in less than a day.」

Appreciate it.

I’ll leave it to you.

-0-

A few days later, I delivered a set of jars to Bee-baa in Village Five.

Their function was the same as before.

No doubt about it.

「But these jars are high-quality ones, aren’t they?」

Well, I ordered them from Goroun Company.

「You can’t just leave something like this outside! These are the kind of jars you’d see in the finest room of a noble’s mansion!」

She accepted them—but not without scolding me.

Apparently, she’ll use them for communication between rooms from now on.

-0-

Loo: 「Blue magic crystals can save you if you’re buried alive… but there’s also talk that they’re dangerous in a fire.」

Village Chief: 「Ah… because they burn?」

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