New chapter of May Our Village be Happy is out (2/2 chapters)

A Blessed Late Autumn

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After Mika’s magic had thoroughly tilled the arable land for the year, from late October into November, the sowing of wheat and rye commenced.

This task relied largely on manpower, and for the villagers, it was routine work. Mika, having no practical experience in farming, played no direct role, leaving the operations under Marcel’s supervision, which proceeded without issue.

Once the autumn sowing was complete, the villagers and Mika resumed the labor of further cultivation and winter preparations. Pigs were led into the forest to feed on acorns, and children were mobilized to gather firewood. While the villagers executed these tasks, Mika focused on tree felling. Branch trimming and root removal would later be accomplished en masse by the villagers, now finished with winter preparations. His objective was to fell as many trees as possible in advance and excavate their stumps.

During forest work, encounters with animals or non-lethal magic beasts occasionally occurred, prompting the villagers to halt their labors to initiate a hunt.

“They’re heading that way! Don’t let them escape!” (Villager)

In the southern forest, a villager sprinted, shouting. Ahead of him ran a magic beast known as the Obsidian Deer, a creature slightly larger than an ordinary deer, famed for its dark, lustrous coat.

While the Obsidian Deer’s meat was delicious, its greatest value lay in its hide. Sleek, black, and extraordinarily durable, the pelt fetched several gold coins among affluent buyers, and its magic stones were prized for use in potions and other materials. Success in capturing it was thus a significant achievement, prompting multiple villagers to pursue it vigorously.

Jeremy, hidden on the right-hand side of the deer’s path, leapt into action.

“Here! You cannot escape this way!” (Jeremy)

Seeing Jeremy, the deer veered left, only to encounter another villager emerging from behind a tree. This pattern continued, gradually corralling the deer. The Obsidian Deer, pursued by several humans, sought an escape through an intentionally left gap, only to face a sudden obstacle, a fallen log that had lain unnoticed on the ground.

“Take that!” (Mika)

Mika waved his hand, releasing a radiant magical flux that propelled the log into the air with tremendous force. It struck the deer’s torso directly, knocking it unconscious from the impact of a log weighing several dozen kilograms.

“Yes!” (Mika)

Mika exclaimed in delight at the capture of such a valuable prey. Beside him, Dimitri, prepared to shield him had the deer charged, relaxed with relief.

“Mika-sama, incredible! Yet again, you felled it in a single strike!” (Jeremy)

“To think such a rare Obsidian Deer could be taken so easily…” (Villager)

The villagers, including Jeremy, gathered to praise Mika.

“This is the second Obsidian Deer, correct… As expected, Mika-sama, another brilliant strike.” (Dimitri)

“It was thanks to everyone driving the deer as well. Moreover, the forest, teeming with beasts and magic beasts, aided greatly… Hehe, this means we can earn quite a bit more and increase our meat stores.” (Mika)

Dimitri drove a dagger into the fallen deer to ensure its death, while Mika lifted its body with magic. The deer’s legs were tied with rope and hung from a tree, and the neck was cut to drain the blood.

Since assuming lordship and beginning development of the land nearly four months prior, Mika had secured one Obsidian Deer, two ordinary deer, one wild boar, one bear approaching human settlements in search of food before hibernation, and two magic beasts known as Great Hares. Dimitri’s count confirmed this was the second Obsidian Deer.

Hunting such creatures was no trivial matter. Bears in particular could easily turn the tables on humans. Obsidian Deer and Great Hares were non-lethal magic beasts but even more challenging to capture. Obsidian Deer possessed exceptionally resilient hides, thick layers of elastic fat beneath, and robust bones. Even sword or arrow strikes could fail to harm them effectively. Their speed made precise targeting exceedingly difficult, and when cornered, their size-enhanced charges posed significant danger to humans.

Great Hares, as the name implies, were large, roughly the size of a big dog, and could retaliate violently if provoked. A single kick could cause severe injury, rendering hunting them arduous.

Yet under Mika’s mind magic, such creatures were far from formidable. Obsidian Deer fell unconscious under the force of a well-placed strike, and Great Hares, confronted with sudden moving logs, could be felled without opportunity for evasion or counterattack.

Repeatedly, Mika eliminated these beasts and magic beasts upon receiving reports, resulting in substantial meat reserves for the Valentine territory, ensuring, according to Helga and Ivan, that this would be “the most plentiful winter the village has ever known.”

“…Forgive me, but you will serve as sustenance for the village.” (Mika)

Addressing the lifeless eyes of a suspended Obsidian Deer, Mika spoke softly. His use of magic for ambush attacks made him an unnatural, almost unfair adversary. He found it emotionally challenging to meet the gaze of living prey, though he had long accepted the harsh law of survival shared with his villagers. To ensure they all survived the winter, he could not hesitate to wield his magic as a weapon.

 

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The deer was swiftly disassembled into pelt, meat, magic stones, and bones by villagers experienced in animal processing. The meat was salted in small portions, and the hide treated with extracts from magical plants to prevent decay.

A few days later, Ernest, a traveling merchant, arrived, bringing proceeds from previously sold trophies as well as a completed axe and shovel specifically for Mika. He welcomed him to the great hall.

“Ah, to think I might purchase both the pelts and magic stones of two Obsidian Deer… I am indeed fortunate to conduct such prosperous transactions in succession.” (Ernest)

Ernest’s joy was evident. Two pelts and stones represented no less than seven gold coins in value. Mika’s share amounted to five gold coins, allowing Ernest a profit of two or three gold coins simply from resale.

“I am delighted you are pleased. I am grateful to have a trustworthy merchant for my transactions. Your more frequent visits than before are also most helpful.” (Mika)

“As a young, small-scale merchant, I am rarely welcomed so openly in other territories, nor granted large transactions. I am most grateful for Lord Valentine’s patronage, and thus endeavor to visit frequently and fulfill your requests. If I may continue in this way, I hope to prosper as a merchant under your auspices.” (Ernest)

“Ahaha, indeed, let us continue our prosperous partnership.” (Mika)

Previously visiting the village roughly once every two months, Ernest now appeared more than once per month, becoming Mika’s most trusted and exclusive merchant. He viewed Mika as a client capable of providing substantial, continual profits, and he evidently saw significant opportunities for advancement as a merchant through this relationship.

Mika reflected on his decision to follow Marcel’s advice to engage Ernest as entirely correct. Though young, Ernest proved competent, swiftly converting stored trophies to cash and delivering the ordered tools efficiently and affordably, even compared to the larger guilds and artisans of Eltopol.

Through continued mutual profit, Mika would achieve success as a lord, and Ernest as a merchant. Once the Valentine territory developed further, Mika intended for him to establish a permanent shop, fostering coexistence and mutual prosperity as the lord’s merchant.

“Now, I have a few items I wish to order. May I trouble you to listen?” (Mika)

“Of course. I would be delighted to hear them.” (Ernest)

Mika outlined his requests. Due to the unexpected abundance of meat, additional salt was needed for preservation. With the axe and shovel delivered, he also wished to commission new equipment to implement agricultural reforms in the coming year. To sustain the villagers and further develop his domain, the acquisition of necessary goods was essential, making the presence of a reliable merchant ever more important.

 

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