Winter.
Snow had fallen during the night.
A lot of it.
So now, it had piled up.
Hmm… about up to my knees.
But judging from past winters, this was still just the beginning.
The thought weighed on , but…
The weather at midday was clear.
For now, with this much snow, I could still walk around the village.
As long as I didn’t slip, that is.
Just as I thought that, one of kuros, who was guarding from behind, lost its footing and tumbled over.
…
It looked so embarrassed so I didn’t laugh or tease it.
Shall I just pretend I didn’t see?
Well, it can’t be helped.
I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.
The rest of you too, understood?
Alright then, let’s refocus and make the rounds through the village.
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Ranch area.
The cows had gathered around the spots where the hot stones were placed.
I thought cows were supposed to be hardy against the cold…
Well, it doesn’t an they ‘want’ to stay out in the freezing air.
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The horses, on the other hand, were plowing through the snow and running about.
A few of them had decided not to leave the warmth of the hot stones, though.
Once the snow piles up too high, they won’t be able to run around anymore, so better to enjoy it while they can.
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The goats spotted and ca running.
Hmm.
If that’s all, it would be cute.
But of course, they went straight for with a tackle.
And in a group, no less.
Naturally, the kuros, on guard duty, stepped in to protect …
Though, they liked to stay hidden until the goats got ‘very’ close.
Too many pranksters among them.
Ah, now the goats have noticed where the kuros were lying in wait.
They tried to turn back in a panic, and a few slipped and fell.
The ground’s slippery, so they’ll need to be careful.
No injuries?
Good, good.
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The beehive hut in the fruit tree area…
It had been reinforced, so the snow wouldn’t bring it down.
No problems there.
The fat queen bee was… the sa as always.
I had so of the bees move over to Village Four, but… they should be doing well there too.
I’ll have to check on them soti.
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In the forest.
In a hidden field of strawberries and other crops that I made.
…
A fence had been put up around them for protection.
I didn’t build them, though.
Probably the work of the high elves.
I made this field hidden from everyone last year, but… looks like they found them anyway.
Well, considering they sotis trail behind for guard duty, it’s only natural they’d find it.
It’s not like I was trying to hog them for myself, so no problem.
Still, harvest is a little ways off.
I’ll keep it in mind.
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At the Big Tree Village’s dungeon.
The place where teleportation gates to other places were installed.
A good number of people lived there, mostly around the Arachne Arako.
There were plenty of lamia and titans as well.
Off the main path, they’d been cultivating bean sprouts and white asparagus year-round.
The growing area expanded every year, so the harvest must be pretty large by now…
But most of it ended up as snacks for the arachnes else who tended them.
The arachnes are evolution of spiderlings so they naturally loved potatoes too.
They’d been cultivating all sorts of potatoes as well.
I’m sure you already knew, but, careful with using fire inside the caves.
If you need sothing roasted or boiled, I’ll take care of it.
If you can’t bring yourself to ask directly, then pass a ssage to….
Just then, a cow walked past behind .
Heading to the hot springs, I suppose.
Uh, no, don’t tell the cow.
Youko and Rorone are busy too.
Send word through Klim or the ghost sorceress who move between the hot spring area and the village.
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Near the brewery, I found the dwarves drinking sake while watching the snow.
Snow-viewing sake.
Though, honestly, I think the only thing they were watching was the sake itself.
Not just the sake?
Ah, they said they were eyeing the snacks too.
Well, just don’t drink too much.
And definitely don’t sleep outside afterward.
Not because you’ll freeze to death, but because it would be a problem if the kids tried to copy you.
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In front of my mansion, the spiderlings Red Armor and White Armor greeted .
Oh? What’s this?
Today, Red Armor had a Snipe Spider riding on its back.
Snipe Spiders were the evolved form of spiderling. Most served as guards for the Patisserie Fairy Fairy, while so handled security aboard the airships. Naturally, a few were stationed here in the Big Tree Village as well.
Helping out as mansion gatekeepers, huh?
Reliable.
I’ll leave it to you.
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One of Urza’s subordinates, the ice monster, had been clearing the snow.
Much appreciated.
Thanks to that, though most of the places around had been buried on my way out, there was no snow left in front of houses or on the paths.
The snow that thas been moved is collected in the garden and square of the mansion and is now being used by the children.
Not quite enough for skiing or sledding, so their play centered around snown, snow rabbits, snow sculptures, and igloos.
…
The sculptures were probably the ice monster’s handiwork, but who helped with the igloo?
It is pretty big.
Dors and Girar?
They’d been working hard since early morning?
I see.
And where are Dors and Giral now?
Went to fetch a kotatsu a while ago but haven’t co back?
Figures…
They were probably caught trying to carry it off by Raiiren or Guronde and are currently resisting.
If I see them, I’ll lend a hand.
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When I peeked into the igloo, I found the wine sli inside.
So that’s where it went, not with the dwarves.
Must be because the ice monster was here.
Lately, the wine sli was often found in its company.
It had developed a taste for liquor poured over ice balls, perfectly rounded spheres carved from ice.
Even now, it was slowly sipping while swirling its glass.
From what I’d heard, that drink was ant to be enjoyed for the balance between the liquor and the ltwater from the ice…
The wine sli actually gets it, huh?
Impressive.
Though speaking of which, I’ve long since given up on its drinking habits, but where did it get that glass from?
Surely not…
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「Twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four… twenty-four… twenty-four… One is missing. 」
In the mansion’s dining hall, an oni maid was polishing glasses with a very scary expression.
And the glass she was holding looked…. awfully familiar.
I went ahead and tipped her off that the culprit was the wine sli.
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