Noon.
The pond turtles are sunbathing on the shore of the reservoir.
Some pond turtles were swimming in the reservoir with their shells showing out of the water.
………
One of the pond turtles looked a little strange.
Areh, that’s not the back shell but the belly part, right?
No way, are you telling me that the pond turtles can swim backstroke?
Hmmmmm?
Looking at it closely, some of the pond turtles are indeed swimming butterfly style or crawl.
Did they learn it from the children when they swam here last summer?
No, they don’t need to learn how to swim, don’t they?
Or perhaps it’s just that one turtle?
Ah, the pond turtle’s population is increasing.
I guess someone who thinks differently might really come out.
Right.
Just don’t overdo it and hurt yourself.
I’m surprised that turtles can do backstroke and crawl given their skeletal structure.
No, I know they are basically different from the turtles I know but I just can’t help it.
-0-
I came to the reservoir to check the pond turtles but that’s not the sole reason.
The main thing is that I came to check Swan and Black Swan who should be in the reservoir…..
They’re not here.
Where are they?
And what is that hut by the reservoir that I’m seeing the first time?
The hut is around the size of…..12 tatami mats.
From the looks of it, it doesn’t look like it was built by the high elves.
There is a large wooden deck that extends from the hut to the reservoir.
There is no railing on the wooden deck so I guess that’s designed to not obstruct the view from the wooden deck.
While I was looking at the hut and the wooden deck, Black Swan in human form came out of the hut onto the wooden deck.
Black Swan set up a beach chair, a side table, and a parasol on the wooden deck and sat on the beach chair.
And she also brought a big book from somewhere.
This is exactly what someone who’s enjoying her vacation looks like.
Before Black Swan could read the book, she noticed me.
I waved my hand and headed for the wooden deck where Black Swan is.
「Village chief, is something wrong?」
No, I didn’t hear the usual commotion at the mansion so I thought you should be in the pond and came to check on you…..
What are you doing?
「If we start a commotion in the mansion, the oni maids will glare so I evacuated.」
If there’s no commotion, there’s no need for you to evacuate. By the way, where’s Swan?
Also, what’s this hut?
「Built it this morning.」
By you and Swan?
「Swan wouldn’t do anything troublesome. I made it myself. The materials were given by the high elves.」
Ah, I see.
Ehto, what’s the purpose of this hut?
Aren’t the two of you sleeping in my mansion?
I don’t think this hut is necessary.
「If I won’t build a place where I can isolate Swan, she will cause trouble.」
I see.
If you had told me, I would have cooperated with you.
Also, I’d like to be informed first before you build anything in the village.
「Areh? Were you not informed? I asked Swan to do it.」
Black Swan, that’s not very smart of you to leave anything to Swan.
「S-sorry.」
Well, it’s okay.
So, where’s Swan?
「In the hut desu」
Can I look inside?
「Yes, of course.」
Black Swan was about to stand up to show me around but I declined and peeked inside the hut.
………
Inside the hut, the floor was a level higher than the ground.
In the center was a short haired fur carpet, with a kotatsu on it.
That kotatsu is definitely the kotatsu that the oni maids confiscated as soon as spring arrived.
Swan is lying down on it with her waist down inside the kotatsu.
And it’s not just her, the phoenix chick Aegis and the eagle were also in it.
They are pecking stewed food on a small plate that must have been prepared by Black Swan.
And there’s also a medium size barrel of sake.
………
You guys, this is cheating!
This is basically a secret base!
Look, the wine slime is here too.
There’s no doubt about it.
I’m going to take over a side of this hut.
And build a secret room there.
It will look like a normal bookshelf.
Hnn?
What’s this door?
Ah, a toilet.
Double doored considering soundproofing and deodorizing?
Nice work.
-0-
I made a hidden room of around two tatami mats in a place that does not interfere with the toilet.
I was satisfied with the room.
I won’t use it that much though.
However, I hope that Swan and Black Swan will use it.
Then, I returned to my mansion and asked the first oni maid I saw.
Did you miss that kotatsu in the hut?
「We judged that if we want to keep Swan-san quiet, it is inevitable.」
I see.
Then, I’ll try to not mind it either.
「Thanks for that.」
By the way, where are Ann and Ramurias?
「The two of them are relaxing in Ann-sama’s room.」
I see.
I heard that it will still take time before they give birth but their bellies are getting pretty big.
Even so, they still move around a lot.
If they are relaxing in a room, that’s good news.
I headed to Ann’s room to check on them.
They had missed this year’s parade because they were pregnant and they did not participate in the parade outside the village.
I hope that didn’t make them feel like they’re trapped.
I want to be as considerate as possible.
-0-
In Ann’s room, I found Ann and Ramurias arm wrestling.
I’m not sure but, pregnants are not supposed to do that, right?
I panicked and stopped them.
No, even though you say you’re only using your arms and not bellies……
I hope relaxing to you means something like knitting or reading.
No, I don’t mind if you do other things but arm wrestling is different.
Look, didn’t the angels prepare a puzzle for pass time?
How about the two of you work together to solve it…..
It was so difficult that you two can’t help but throw it away?
You shouldn’t give up.
I’ll help you. Let the three of us do our best.
What kind of puzzle is it?
The one stuck in the wall?
You literally threw it?
It looks like……it’s not broken.
It’s great that it’s made of metal.
Let’s see, it’s a three dimensional puzzle.
You have to push or pull some parts of this three dimensional object to take out the stone inside it.
This is a difficult puzzle.
If you do it like this, this will move so you just need to do this and, easy…..
……….
If I move this one, it will get stuck here and not move?
Then, let’s do the opposite……or not?
Eh?
What am I supposed to do here?
Ann and Ramurias both said they thought about it for three days but weren’t able to solve it.
I see.
-0-
I gave up after a day.
I can’t solve it.
The three of us tried to come up with a solution but it didn’t work.
Let’s leave this kind of thing to someone who can solve it.
Let’s see who can.
The dragons could do it easily but they might try to solve the puzzle with force so I did not ask them.
Loo.
She has a surprisingly short temper so I don’t think she’s the right person for this.
Tier.
This puzzle was made by the angels so there’s a chance that she knows.
I feel like there’s no point in asking someone to solve a puzzle she knows how to solve from the start.
Then, how about Ria or Ya?
Or will Gulf or Daga give me a surprise?
I went around the village with the 3D puzzle on hand.
I was a little unconvinced that the only one who managed to solve it was Swan.
-0-
Black Swan: I showed the hut to village chief and he made a tool room.
Swan: It’s too small for me.
Wine Slime: Hides sake
-0-
Ann: He comes quite often to check on us
Ramurias: Right
-0-
Hakuren: Why don’t you just crush it?
Rasuti: Right
Ria: Can I break it?
Ya: Let’s dismantle that thing.
Senna: Difficult……
Gulf: Impossible
Daga: To think this is structurally possible
Swan: I’ve solved it
Black Swan: Swan is good at this kind of thing…..
Tier: I’ll throw that thing too
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