After a break in the inspection, I took a leave of absence from the Adventurer's Guild.

　We can leave that place to your father-in-law and Gacita and we'll be fine. Although there are some elements of anxiety like Stanville, I can report that to Marika and she will be able to squeeze it out of me.

　Leaving the guild, I decided to inspect the next location.

　In addition to the Adventurer's Guild, there is another facility of utmost importance, the heart of the village.

　It is the Mithril Forge.

　It is the only place in the world where the mysterious mineral mithril is processed and turned into a variety of useful tools.

　The weapons made from mithril produced here are spread throughout human territory and are used to create great wealth.

　It is the wealth generated by Mithril products that has made Lux village so rich, so what happens to this place would be a real problem.
　So I'll have to check up on them often.

◆

''Welcome, welcome to the village chief!

　The one who greeted me was Sakai-kun, the blacksmith who leads the forge.
　I've been with him since the reopening of this blacksmith's shop, but he's fully imbued with the dignity of a skilled blacksmith.


What?　You're kidding me!　I'm not even close to being a master yet!

　Old Smith is the master who taught Sakai the art of blacksmithing.

　He was the foremost expert in mithril processing, and the blacksmithing that is now practiced here was also laid by Grandpa Smith, who laid the groundwork and taught it to those who came after him.

　Sadly, old Smith, along with his golden, precious technical knowledge, has passed away where no one can go back.

　Sakai, as the apprentice of that genius blacksmith, did well to pass on his skills and enliven the forge.

　More than anyone else, the blacksmith shop and Lax Village have grown to this point, thanks to Sakai-kun.

''No way!　Thanks to the village chief for establishing a sales channel!　Thanks to you, the more you hit, the more money comes in and we get to make new ones!　It's an ideal environment for a blacksmith!

　This smithy has been able to invite alchemists of the demon race to create not only weapons for humans, but also magical tools for the demon race.

　Their different knowledge combined with each other's, weapons and magical tools that have never been seen before are being created in a big way.

　The dryad black market acquired five years ago is also functioning, and many goods are being sent to the demon territory.

　Business seemed to be going well.

''Not only the skill of the village chief, but that man's cooperation is also important.......!

　Sakai-kun is very particular about someone.

Oh, that guy...?
He's the one who does the test run of our new product and gives us some creative ideas, and that's the inspiration for our development!
So where is this guy?
'I'm still getting a look at the prototype. It's flying.

　The sky?

　When I went outdoors and looked up, I saw a single shadow flying around like a falcon in a clear, cloudless sky.

'Ohohohohohoh!　It's very good!　These new mithril wings are so comfortable to use!

　It was Zebiantes.

　I'm flying around in the sky with wings made of some kind of metal on my back.

''........Huh?　Wasn't that the one I made a long time ago?
''No, it's not!''

　Sakai-kun told me with an awesome sword.

''A movable mithril wing that was prototyped five years ago!　That's its later development!　By making various improvements, we have increased the magic conduction rate and significantly increased the speed, trajectory control, and flight duration!
''Oh, yeah...?''

　When I let Sakai-kun talk about this kind of thing, I can't control it.

　By the way, the Zebiantes in the sky above us are flying around at an unstoppable speed and finally landed right in front of us with a swoosh.

''Sakai-kun!　This new model is really quite good!　You're going to praise him for all his hard work up to this point!
Haha!

　Why are you so high and mighty?

'Huh?　They're coming to Dariel?　You've been drawn to my good looks, haven't you?
..........
"I don't do it, I don't do it, I don't do it, I don't do it!

　I felt annoyed, so I put a pencil between his ring and middle fingers and then squeezed his four fingers as hard as I could.

　........well.
　Five years ago, this guy was free enough, but now that five years have passed, the situation has changed a bit.

　The Zebiantes are now fully settled in Lax Village.

　I'm not sure if I've ever heard of it, but I'm sure I've heard of it.

　The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Army have retired.

　When Radie reached the Demon King-sama, she was removed from the position of the Four Heavenly Kings.

　This was not for any special reason, but it was customary.
　It was the role of the Four Heavenly Kings First to protect the Demon King from the advance of the brave men. Since the brave man reached the Demon King's side, he was relieved of his duties for failing to fulfill his role.
　This is because he doesn't have the ability suitable to call himself the Four Heavenly Kings.

　This was a rule that had been decided hundreds of years ago, and there was no greater humiliation for an elite demon race that had been selected as the Four Heavenly Kings.
　Henceforth, for the rest of his life... or even after his death, he would have to continue to receive scorn and ridicule.

　However, despite being placed in such a harsh situation, Zeviantes was still full of energy.

''I wasn't interested in the Four Heavenly Kings to begin with, so it doesn't matter!　I'd rather be free from all obligations and have fun playing around in this village!

　No, don't play around with it.
　That said, it's hard to complain about this guy because he's cooperating with Sakai-kun's weapon and magic tool development in a playful mood and has achieved a certain level of success.

　Isn't dismissing this guy from the Four Heavenly Kings a way of putting wings on the tiger and releasing him into the field?

　And one more.....

'There you are, village chief.

　A crisp-looking woman walked over to us.

　It was Droyer.
　She used to be the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Army and received the title of 'Fertile Ground'.

　But now she's not at that level, she's working as my secretary in Lux village.

　Why?
　I'd like to know what's going on.

His wife said she was going to take a look around the village today. How can we know what we're going to see if we don't hear about it first?
Yes, I'm sorry...?

　Just like Zebiantes, he was dismissed from his position as the Four Heavenly Kings because he was at fault for causing a brave man to break through.
Droyer's new choice is to work here in the village of Lax.

　Her new life choice is to work here in the village of Lax.

　When she came to apply for the job, her words were unforgettable.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.

　-- 'I lacked everything in the end. I didn't have the knowledge, the ability, the determination...!''
　-- ''I want to cultivate those things from the ground up under you!　Can you let me work for you!''

　Even if I were to feed him, I don't think there's any time to make use of him as you've already been dismissed from the Four Heavenly Kings.

　I can't be ruthless and say that I can't just let him work for now as he wishes.

　Even if I return to the demon tribe territory now, I'll just be waiting for the rest of my life to be pointed at as an incompetent person who failed to stop a brave man.
　It's a little too cruel for her, who tried to diligently serve as the Four Heavenly Kings.

　So.........
　There were two former Four Heavenly Kings living in Lux Village now.

''Report, village chief. ''I have received a request that you have opened more living quarters.
There are more and more people on the block.
As you said, the influx of people into the village is still going strong. If we don't make preparations as soon as possible, the overflow will lead to a deterioration in public safety.

　Droyer serves me much more politely than he did when he was the Four Heavenly Kings.
　I guess she has the personality to follow her assigned duties by nature. She is just as agile and capable as I imagined, so I'm very grateful that she has come to work for us.

''Hm?　Hmm?　He's thinking about me, isn't he?
I'm not talking about you, so keep it to yourself.

　Zebiantes is an idiot, but he's not incompetent by any means, so he's hard to handle.

The village chief, please allow me to accompany you on your inspection. I'll be able to summarize all the requests and problems that have been noticed from various parts of the world without losing sight of the details....
'Thanks, but the next place I'm going, especially on my own. You guys can wait for me.
''Huh...?

　''I'm sorry Droyer, but you won't want to visit with too many people.

　While we're visiting various places.
　I think I'm going to see that guy.