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

Second Winter

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

When winter set in fully, travel between territories decreased sharply and society entered a dormant state. The Valentine territory was no exception. Once again, its hundred or so residents waited for spring to arrive within their closed community.

During the clear daylight hours, the villagers worked on cultivation or castle construction and tended to the vegetable gardens beside their homes. Apart from those tasks, there was little outdoor activity. This season, when free time increased, was also a precious period for everyone to rest their bodies.

One winter day, about 20 villagers gathered in the great hall of the lord’s manor. They were there to study. As the territory’s agricultural productivity improved and opportunities for cash income increased dramatically, Mika wanted the villagers to learn how to use their money wisely. He decided to teach them the basics of arithmetic and money management. The villagers were divided by age group, each group meeting once a week at the manor for lessons.

Even during winter, Mika often worked outside using magic together with the idle villagers, so the one teaching the gathered group in the manor was Ayla.

“Now, let us check how well everyone has learned last week’s homework. I will ask some questions, so whoever I call on, please do your best to answer. Jeremy, what is three times eight?” (Ayla)

“Uh, 24!” (Jeremy)

“That is correct. Then, what is seven times six?” (Ayla)

“Uh, um… 46!” (Jeremy)

“Close, but the answer is 42. You were nearly right.” (Ayla)

“Ah, I missed it!” (Jeremy)

Jeremy groaned in disappointment and scratched his head, and his exaggerated reaction drew laughter from the young villagers gathered that day. Ayla also laughed softly.

“Next, Jelena. What is four times nine?” (Ayla)

“Let me see… 36!” (Jelena)

“Correct. Then, what is eight times nine?” (Ayla)

“72!” (Jelena)

“Correct again. Now, what is 12 times four?” (Ayla)

“Um… ah, 48?” (Jelena)

“Amazing, that is absolutely correct.” (Ayla)

Jelena, the young woman said to be close with Jeremy, answered even the more advanced question perfectly. Ayla raised an eyebrow in slight surprise and praised her warmly.

Since simple addition and subtraction were necessary for farming and trading with merchants, most villagers already knew them. They could manage two-digit addition and subtraction with some time, though mistakes were not uncommon.

Multiplication, however, was another matter. Therefore, Mika set the memorization of the multiplication tables as their goal. While they memorized the tables, he also taught the logic behind multiplication, aiming for the quicker learners to handle numbers greater than ten. That was the objective for this winter.

Mika had said that, especially for the younger villagers who would shape the next generation of the Valentine domain, he hoped that within a few years they would master not only multiplication but also division, and be able to use written methods for calculations up to two digits. To support that goal, Ayla took on the role of teacher.

Through the process of teaching, she also deepened her connection with the villagers. At first, they had been puzzled by her presence, but as they spoke, they realized that her only unusual trait was her appearance. Once they understood her nature, they began to treat her normally. Over time, they came to see her as a wise woman who knew many difficult things and regarded her with respect.

Ayla believed that Mika had foreseen this when he entrusted her with this task. Understanding that, she felt even greater admiration and affection for him.

After finishing the arithmetic lesson, Ayla moved on to teaching about money management.

“The money collected as taxes from everyone is not used only for the lord’s household. It is also spent on maintaining weapons and armor for the lord and his retainers, on keeping horses if there are any, and on the upkeep of watermills, bathhouses and bridges. The previous lordly family spent much of that money on their own luxury, but the Valentine Household is different. Here, the money is distributed properly for the good of the entire territory, meaning for the benefit of all the villagers.” (Ayla)

The villagers listened with interest. Having known only the mismanagement of Lord Dondon, they had thought of taxes merely as something the lord’s family took away for unclear reasons. Correcting that perception and helping them understand how their society functioned was important for future governance.

“The tax income is also not spent all at once. Some is saved in case of sudden disasters or wars. Every lord keeps a reserve fund for emergencies to buy food from other territories or repair damaged facilities when needed.” (Ayla)

Judging from the records, Ayla knew that the Dondando Household had kept almost no reserve, but she did not say it aloud.

“So, everyone should also save some money. I have heard that each household needs about five silver coins a year to live on the bare minimum. If you have twice that, ten silver coins, then even in a year of poor harvest when you earn almost no cash, you will still be able to repair your tools, buy salt and cover unexpected expenses. Since poor years can continue, saving several years’ worth would bring peace of mind. Of course, saving so much at once is difficult. So, for example, if you earn 25 silver coins in cash, you could save five of them. Saving one fifth of your earnings is a good habit. Does anyone have questions so far?” (Ayla)

Ayla spoke in simple terms, and the villagers listened eagerly, asking questions when uncertain. In both education and daily life, the society of the Valentine domain was gradually developing.

 

—

 

At the turn of the year, in mid-January of the Holy Era 1044, Mika was working north of the village on the castle construction site one clear afternoon.

From this year, each villager was required to perform several half-days of labor duty each month. Together with the villagers on duty that day, Mika dug up earth and heaped it into mounds to form the castle’s foundation hill. When they paused for a short break, Ayla arrived at the site, bringing fruit water for everyone as refreshment.

“Mika, thank you for your hard work.” (Ayla)

Dimitri and the villagers bowed lightly to the lord’s fiancée, and Mika walked over to greet her.

“Thank you, Ayla. Did you come to see how the castle is coming along?” (Mika)
“Yes. I wanted to see the progress up close. The shape of the foundation is becoming clear already. You and everyone else are doing wonderfully.” (Ayla)

Ayla looked around the man-made hill with delight. As it was midwinter, the air was cold, and both she and the Hewitt servant beside her were wrapped in thick cloaks. In her arms, the stuffed toy Amber also wore a tiny wool cloak, making it look rounder than usual.

“Breaking the ground can be done efficiently with my magic, but piling the soil depends on manpower. The steady progress so far is thanks to everyone’s hard work.” (Mika)

Mika looked toward the construction site as he spoke. Though small, building a hill by hand was an enormous task. He had expected it might take over a year, yet with the efficiency of thought-based magic in civil work and the villagers’ diligence, the project was advancing far better than he had hoped.

“The reason everyone works so hard to build your castle is because they respect and love you deeply.” (Ayla)

“Perhaps so. If that is the case, I am truly honored.” (Mika)

Mika smiled shyly, and Ayla returned a gentle smile. She let her gaze rest on him.

“Seeing you wearing a cloak like this reminds me that you came from a distant land.” (Ayla)

In this world and age, cloaks were usually fastened at the neck or shoulder like a cape. The style differed slightly between northern and southern Dariander. In the south, people commonly wore a plain cloth mantle and, when cold, added a separate hooded cape to cover the neck. In the north, cloaks were made with hoods attached, which could be left down the back on milder days.

While Ayla and the villagers wore hoodless mantles, Mika wore the hooded cloak he had brought from home. The hood hanging down his back was a small reminder that he had come to this land from far in the north.

“A northern-born magic user and a southern-born eccentric woman meet, fall in love, and this autumn will become husband and wife. It feels as though we are characters from a story.” (Ayla)
“If we are the main characters of a story, then it makes life seem joyful. Let us continue to live a happy life together, like a tale of love, here in the castle we build.” (Mika)

Ayla gazed at him with affection, and Mika smiled at her with tenderness in return.

 

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