We took our seats as Monica had suggested. "How is the village?" I inquired of Monica, who remained standing. "Yes. The iron farming tools we received are being shared, and everyone is expressing their gratitude. They're also thankful for the cleared land to expand the farmlands, and everyone is venerating Tatsuya-sama as a grand mage." I wish they wouldn't put me on a pedestal like that... And they've switched from calling me "Yamada-san" to "Tatsuya-sama"... "How's the radish situation?" "We harvested and ate them. They're delicious, but quite spicy." They must have eaten them raw... They can be a bit too spicy when eaten raw, indeed. "Is everyone aware of the fertilizer?" "It seems Cody-san told his family. After that, it's been like a game of telephone." Well, that figures. It's a close-knit community, after all. "What's their general reaction?" "They are mostly half in doubt? It's extraordinary, so skepticism is natural. But a lot of them also think along the lines 'Well, if the grand mage is doing it then maybe...'" I see. "Thank you... Village Chief-san, I have brought the 10 sets of farming tools and the fertilizer you mentioned." I expressed my gratitude to Monica and then reported to the village chief. "Wow, that was fast!" Well, it arrives right at my doorstep in just a click. "Yes. I'd like to hand it over to you right away, but there's something we need to discuss regarding the future." "The future, huh... What might that be?" "First, what do you think about my idea for Monica?" Let's start by confirming the important details. "I've heard about it. You've been employed, I see. Looking ahead, I also thought it would be best to have you on board. Monica is talented and has the villagers' respect." When the village chief said this, I glanced at Monica who gave a composed smile and a slight nod. She would have blushed before, but now she seems like a completely different person. "Yes, I came to the same conclusion. Monica suggested that creating a local specialty would be beneficial." "I've heard about that as well. As for the specialty, we'll leave that to Tatsuya-dono, and we're currently exploring merchants to sell it to." That's some quick work. This person must be really capable. "I'm grateful for that. Village chief-san, you'll continue to support me even if I take over as chief, right?" "Of course. I love this village and its inhabitants. It feels like my final duty given my limited time left." That's a heavy responsibility... I can't afford to fail now... "Understood. We will definitely succeed." "Yes." Village chief-san nodded deeply. "Village Chief-san, Monica. I've been thinking of making this our local specialty." With that, I placed the two freshly picked apples on the table. "A red... fruit, is it?" "I've never seen one before." The village chief and Monica examined the apples closely. "Yes, they're called apples. They were growing right in front of my house." It wasn't a lie. "Indeed... they have a considerable weight to them." "That they do."

The two of them took the apples and felt their heft. "You can eat them as they are, so please try them... Oh, wait, let me cut them." I would assume a girl wouldn't bite into them directly, and I'm also concerned about the village chief-san's teeth. "I'll do it." When Ruri offered, she took out a plate and a knife and began slicing the apples. Her knife skills were impressive, as expected from someone accustomed to household chores. "Please enjoy." After Ruri finished cutting the apple, she offered them to both. The village chief-san, Monica, and Miriam all tasted the apple. "Wow! This is incredible!" "It's sweet... and incredibly tasty!" "Meow!" Ignoring that little animal for now, the two humans are enthusiastically enjoying the apples. "What do you think? Could this become a local specialty?" "It will! It absolutely will!" "Yes. I've never tasted fruit this good, even in the capital." "Meeeow!" Ruri picked up Miriam up and made her behave. "That's a relief. The challenge is these trees take years to bear fruit, but our usual fertilizer might just solve that." "Indeed! With it, we could ensure an early and stable supply!" Village chief-san is visibly excited. "Tatsuya-sama, as things stand, choosing the right wholesalers becomes critical. If we pick one who nitpick everything, they may try to drive down our prices." Is this a problem in every world? "We need to find a trustworthy partner... though, admittedly, I don't have any contacts." "Yes. That's precisely the problem. Neither village chief-san nor I know any merchants." I guess that's to be expected. "So, what's our next step?" "The simplest solution would be for me to report directly to His Majesty as an auditor. If I present these apples, they will surely be recognized, and we might get a merchant referral." "Do you see that as the best course of action?" Is there an issue? "Well, by doing so, we risk alienating the merchants in the neighboring town. Worse, we could provoke the town's lord. Since we rely on nearby towns for business and supplies, it's best to avoid hostility. Who knows what kind of trouble they could cause us?" There could be some complications with logistics. I'm not familiar with this world, but dealing with tariffs could be a real nuisance. They could also harrass the village to finish us off. A small village like this could be easily wiped out. "So we should try to involve that town in the process?" "Yes. It would be wise to explain the situation to the lord and seek his cooperation. Luckily, Claude-sama, the lord of the nearby town, hasn't been the subject of any bad rumors. In fact, he has even offered a bit of assistance to this village." He's been assisting us... That makes it even harder to simply ignore them. "Got it. I’ll head there as soon as I’m ready." "Yes. In the meantime, I will go to the royal capital and report the official appointment of Tatsuya-sama as village chief and the promising outlook for the village. On my return, I'll stop by Claude-sama to thank him for his support, update him on the village's progress, and broach the subject of apples. It will take over 20 days for the round trip to the capital, after all." We need to act quickly, then. "Understood. I’ll get the village in order and start on the apple orchard by that time." "I’m counting on you. Now, I must be off." With a bow, Monica-san left the house. "People really can change..." She exudes such competence. "She was probably meant to be a politician rather than a magician..." She had magical talent, but that may have obscured her true gifts...