Chapter 452 – Drinking Hot TeaIt"s winter now.
It"s cold outside.
However, the interior of my mansion is warm.
There are tools using thermal insulation stone installed in various places.
The hall of my mansion is wide and it"s difficult to warm it up but I put up part.i.tions and curtains so that warm air won"t escape.
Thanks to this, we can enjoy our everyday lives in the mansion without needing to wear something thick.
It"s comfortable.
Therefore, right…
Some people are even enjoying shaved ice while wearing light clothes.
Malbit and the fairy queen.
Both of them seemed to have chosen strawberry syrup.
I don"t really care if you want to enjoy shaved ice but can you please think of the season a little more?
And how did it even become popular with the children?
Coming from the kitchen, Alfred, Tiselle, Ursa, Nutt, and Guraru all have shaved ice with the flavor of their choice.
Their shaved ice serving is only small. The oni maids probably considered the children"s health.
You may eat that much.
But don"t let your body get too cold.
Also, if you"re going to a cold place, be sure to wear thick clothes.
Why am I not eating shaved ice?
Ah, should I?
I enter the kotatsu and enjoy zenzai.
There are two mochis in it.
I was also served with green tea.
The room is warm so the thermal insulation stone in the kotatsu was removed.
We put emphasis on the atmosphere.
When I looked outside from the window of the guest receiving room, it was snowing.
Fufufu.
The guest receiving room has gla.s.s windows.
This gla.s.s window was made in Village Five.
Its transparency is the result of the efforts of the gla.s.s engineers.
I"m thankful since I can enjoy the outside scenery even if I don"t open the window.
Seeing snow descending from the window like this makes me think that it will piled up according to my past experience.
It looks like I can"t go out for a while.
It will be even colder outside.
Are the sheds of horses, cows, goats, and sheeps okay?
I was thinking of an anti-cold measure for them but I guess I"ll have to visit them later.
Alfred, what are you holding in your hands?
I know it"s a board.
What are you a.s.sembling it for….ah, a mountain elves" work.
It"s a mini pool.
There seems to be a device that made it able to withstand water pressure.
Yet it"s so simple that even children can a.s.semble it with ease. Remarkable.
No no, wait wait.
Are you really going to use it?
You already prepared your swimsuit.
You are indeed ready.
Malbit poured water into the mini pool using magic.
Got it.
I won"t stop you.
However, Malbit, you should have poured hot water instead of plain water.
Also, don"t forget to clean up after playing.
The area around the mini pool will surely get wet.
I look outside while warming myself in the kotatsu.
Don"t get cold tomorrow.
I enjoyed drinking hot green tea while listening to the lively voices, which is completely off-season, behind me.
Even if it snows, the centaur liaison officers Village Three will regularly contact us.
「Are you okay?」
「Yes. Thank you for worrying. There"s no problem.」
According to the report, there"s no problem in both Village One and Village Two.
Well, it"s not like a problem occurs frequently.
「But there"s this one thing. Rashaashi-sama will be the one to report.」
One of the civil servant girls, Rashaashi, usually travels with the liaison centaur.
She"s Village Three"s caretaker.
For the past few days, she has been going back and forth between Big Tree Village and Village Three.
「I will now report. The representative of the centaurs, Glueworld-sama, wants to marry one of the villagers of Village Three.」
Is that so?
I"m happy for her.
「The other party is a migrant who came with Baron Polo. Ident.i.ty check has also been completed. There are also no problems in terms of ideology and can be considered as a good partner for Glueworld-sama, however, there"s this one thing.」
「What thing?」
「Difference in status.」
「Eh?」
「Glueworld-sama is a viscount of the demon king"s kingdom. On the other hand, the man is a commoner without peerage.」
「Ah….I understand that it is a problem but if the couple in question doesn"t care, there"s no problem, isn"t it?」
I imagine the denizens of the demon king"s kingdom as people that don"t care about peerage or t.i.tles.
When I asked Beezel, Glueworld was given with the t.i.tle of viscount immediately.
Ronana, which Glatts is pursuing, is a commoner, right?
「The couple in question indeed doesn"t care but….there are others who do. Especially those who serve Baron Polo.」
That…
Ah, no, so what will happen?
At the time of the migration of Baron Polo"s group, Glueworld, who is the representative of Village Three, became a viscount in order to put consideration of the difference in status.
「Then, I suggested something…. How about returning the t.i.tle of viscount?」
「Return?」
「Yes. In fact, I have been consulted by Baron Polo that she"s not able to act as a n.o.ble of the demon king"s kingdom so she wants to return her baron peerage.」
Is that so?
「Yes. If you put it together….it"s fine if they return their t.i.tles together but I suggest Baron Polo to return her t.i.tle first and after a while, Glueworld-san should return her viscount t.i.tle next. 」
「Do what you think is better. What does Glueworld say about returning her t.i.tle? 」
「Very positive desu. 」
「Very?」
「Yeah. She seemed to be burdened heavily because of it….」
「I see. Then, I"ll consult Beezel about that.」
He"s the one I consulted first when she was given with the t.i.tle of viscount. Returning it because of inconvenience is a bad reason.
「Is it easy to return a peerage?」
「For village chief, it is easy.」
Maa, if it"s easy then I"ll take care of it.
「Thank you in advance. Glueworld-san"s marriage, we"ll arrange it once the issue with peerage is settled.」
「Okay.」
I"ll follow Rashaashi"s proposal.
I don"t think it"s good to make those who wish to marry wait too long.
Next time I see Beezel, I"ll talk to him about it.
「Do you want to play with Grandpa?」
When I looked back, I saw Beezel holding his granddaughter Fracia.
My heart is not ready yet but let"s talk.
Rashaashi, excuse me but, can you bring two hot teas?