While the harbor is under construction, the sailing boat is docked at the old port on the west side.

　Early morning.

　I was loading items for a mini expedition, food, and feed for three horses into that boat with Chiyo.

　Rattle rattle: ......

Huh. That's about as good as it gets.

　Chiyo said, and pang pang! He waved his hand away with a small smile.

'Chiyo, thank you,'

Heh.

　Nodding his head, Chiyo shyly straightened the twist of his loincloth on his buttocks with a cooing motion.

'I've told everyone to get together after lunch, so come back to the village one time, Chiyo.

Yeah!

　The female martial artist replied and rode her horse back to 'Kimura'.

　Yeah, Chiyo's riding has gotten a lot better.

　Now I just need to raise a horse. ......

　With that in mind, I decided to leave for a while.


　◇


I'm home.

　And when I returned to the mansion, I found Garcia alone in the living room playing the abacus.

　I sat down on the sofa and asked her as I sat down.

"Do you know if there was a letter in the mail this morning?

You can go to ...... and leave on your way.

　Then Garcia is in a bit of a bad mood.

　What's the matter with you?

You know, mister. You're always worrying about your letters, aren't you?

Really?

Yeah. What's going on?

No, it's not your business.

......

　Garcia looked away and handed over a bundle of letters.

'Oh, thank you.

　I say that and furtively check it out: ......

Hey. Is this all the letter you've got?

Yeah, but...

I see. ......

　I thought it was time for Zahalbert to settle down: ......

　I lit up a cigarette, discouraged.

　Huw: ......

By the way, where's Igarashi-san?

She's at her parents'.

"! ...... What's the matter with you again?

No, no, it's the opposite. Since then, your husband has been staying at Igarashi's house all the time, haven't you?　I heard that's how they're getting along with their parents...

　Garcia's mood suddenly changed to a good mood.

'Could it be that you're going to help plant rice?

Yes. To be precise, I heard that he went to help with the paperwork to distribute the "seedlings" needed for rice planting.

　The Igarashi family was responsible for the cultivation of rice seedlings for planting in the rice paddies.

I see. We have some time before our departure, so ...... would you like me to go and check out Mr. Igarashi's house for a moment?

Well, I'll be along. I'm almost done with this ledger.

　So I headed with Garcia to the Igarashi residence in "Nakamura".


　Wai Wai ......

　When I arrived at the garden, it was bustling with villagers carrying out seedlings.

Oh, my lord, how are you? How are you, my lord?

　Meanwhile, an old man with a "horned haircut" starts talking to me in a very familiar manner.

　Who is this guy, a new character? I thought I'd go to .......

It's me, sir. It's me.

　You mean, ISAO?

How did you get here?　That corner cutter.

This one was reaped by ...... fumie-san. Ugh.

　Isao-san is in tears.

　Well, from my point of view, this hairstyle looks much more 'cool old man' than the long hair, but as expected, I feel a little sorry for him when I think of how much he liked it.

I'm sure it will grow back. It will grow back.

My lord: ......

　I patted the old man on the shoulder to encourage him.

By the way, my lord," he said, "this year's seedlings are different. By the way, my lord, this year's seedlings are different.

Breed improvement.

That's right. Yes, my lord sent me the power of the good hair, so I was able to make rice seedlings with that blue light. That blue light made it possible for us to make safe seed rice.

　Oh, it's a pleasure to see you.

　It's a good thing I sent Isao-san some experience points when he was still low on experience points.

　After that, he gave me a report on the herbs and then went back to distributing the seedlings.

''My husband is becoming more and more like a lord, isn't he?

　Garcia says such a cocky thing beside me.

'Oh yeah?'

That's right. Well, it's all thanks to this land that I have a great wife.

　The merchant said this and pointed with his thumb toward the Igarashi residence.

　Then I saw the tight-skirted secretary sitting upright on the edge of the engawa, silently writing a book.

"Next: ......

　All the people who had been given the seedlings lined up in front of Ms. Igarashi to declare their names.

　It's interesting that everyone is a bit awkward because of Ms. Igarashi's beauty.

Well, it's just pretending to be my fiancée.

I think we can call it husband and wife now. What the hell is the matter with you?　Igarashi-san, isn't she an amazingly good girl?

Didn't you first say, 'I hate women like that'?

I didn't say that.

　Tsk, the world is full of liars.

I think it would be better for ...... husband to get together with Igarashi-san as soon as possible so that he can continue as a "lord" in the future.

What's that supposed to mean?

　Garcia fell silent for a bit as he returned that.

　I wondered if he would still not say anything more, but after a while the merchant opened his mouth again with a pout.

''Husband ....... When is your husband's 'golden age'?

You're not making any sense.

'Seriously, a**h*le. A golden age in life ...... brave party era?　When you were adventuring with Mr. Cross and Tiana?

　I felt my chest tighten a little and failed to answer it, and Garcia said, lowering his eyebrows.

'I am now.


　At that moment, a drum begins to sound in the sky of the territory.

　It's a drum to encourage people to start planting rice.

　More and more don, more and more don: ......

　In that play, the beautiful blue of the sky is dyed into a deep, local color that is unique to 'here'.


　I sighed and replied.

''...... Garcia. I don't really know what the Golden Age is all about, though. At least I think the 'current crew' is you, Igarashi-san ...... and everyone else in the distant clouds.

Husband ......!

But you're missing the point.

Huh?　What is it?

　Garcia lets out a quick voice.

Igarashi-san is not the type of woman who can blend in with the marriages that are set up by others. Igarashi-san is not the type of woman who can fit in with the customary marriage. That's why. The fact that I'm the lord of this place doesn't mean that she will be happy if I force her to marry me.

What are you talking about at ......?

It's not for a businessman who's not familiar with romantic feelings. I mean, you know. It's best for Igarashi-san to marry the person she's in love with, based on her own feelings.

　When I said that, I thought, 'I'm sure Garcia must respect me,' but he stared at me with a curious expression that seemed to twist the universe out of his ass and

Really, you're a real tough guy: ......

　And he looked terribly tired.

　Tsk...... what the hell is that?


　And while we were talking with Garcia at the eaves of the house like that, Igarashi-san noticed us.

"Eiga-sama ......

　She bowed while sitting on her knees, her ponytail swaying like a lily of the valley, very beautiful.

　I raised one hand and walked over to the engawa.

"Igarashi-san. It's energizing.

No. ......

Oh, it's your son-in-law!

Thank you, son-in-law.

　Then the people of the Igarashi family sneaked out from the back of the house.

''Welcome, son-in-law, Etsuko, you need to take a break.

　The young wife is so smiling that it's hard to believe she's a poor horn cutter.

　That's right.

　As long as I, the lord, am 'pretending to be her fiancé', Igarashi-san (with a good relationship with her parents' house) can work with us to her heart's content.

　Although I feel like the latent job nature [wife] is a bit of a waste, it would be best for me to continue 'pretending to be her fiancé' until she finds someone she likes.

'Eiga-sama, it's coarse tea, but ......'

　As I sat down on the veranda with this in mind, the secretary, as usual, leaned close to zero distance and offered me a cup of tea.

Thank you, Igarashi-san. I hope the rice paddies have a good harvest.

...... Yes. Because stable food self-sufficiency is a prerequisite for a strong nation.

　However, for now, she herself seemed to be occupied with the task of strengthening this territory or hometown.