Chapter 310: Introductions

I finished greeting everyone who had come, not just Leticia-san.

Since I had heard they were former slaves, I had expected some of them might be in poor condition, but everyone who arrived was healthy.

None of them seemed overly frightened either. Maybe Chris-san had rescued them before they were ever seriously mistreated.

There was almost no way they could have been rescued in this condition without the use of force, so I found myself torn between disapproval and approval.

All of them were beastkin, but of different species.

There were four dog beastkin, three cat beastkin, and one each of tanuki, rabbit, and wolf beastkin.

Most of them were similar to Leticia-san—human-like except for ears and tails—but the wolf beastkin man, Waruf-san, was different. His entire body was covered in fur, with visible fangs and a more wolf-like appearance.

Apparently, the degree of beast traits depends on blood purity, and Waruf-san was a quarter-blood, meaning his beast heritage was strong.

He was also physically strong compared to the others.

However, Waruf-san seemed to have a complex about his appearance. Even in summer, he wore long sleeves and long pants, and kept his face hidden under a large hat.

To me, though, he just looked cool—strong and very wolf-like.

I hoped that insecurity would ease over time.

First, I decided to show them where they would be living.

The men would assist with construction, so a large house had been prepared near Rozzo-san and Sid-san’s area.

The women would help with farming, so their house was set near the Dragonkin village.

As for Leticia-san, I hadn’t confirmed her placement yet. She was highly capable and could do almost anything, so I felt it would be best to let her move freely.

“This will be the place you’ll be living in. You’ll start work the day after tomorrow, but take it slow until you get used to it.”

“Sato-san, thank you so much. I never thought you’d prepare such proper accommodations for us. I’ll work hard to repay this kindness, so please look forward to it.”

“You don’t need to feel indebted. We’re actually short on manpower, so this helps us too. We couldn’t manage a proper welcome party, but tomorrow we’ll be holding a summer relaxation gathering, so please join us.”

“I don’t really know what a summer relaxation gathering is, but I’ll definitely attend. I’m looking forward to it.”

After finishing the introductions, I let them rest.

They had all traveled on foot again, just like last time, so they must be tired.

Tomorrow would be the summer event: somen flowing noodles, watermelon splitting, and fireworks at night.

Yato-san, Rose-san, Milagros-san, and Asu-kun would all be there.

Velvet-san was also coming from the royal capital, so it was a perfect opportunity for introductions.

With that in mind, I returned to farm work.

The next day.

It was the day of the summer gathering, but we still had work to do.

Preparations for the event were left to Rozzo-san, Sid-san, Norman-san, and Jacob-san.

We focused on finishing the work early.

With help from Milagros-san and Velvet-san, everything was completed before noon.

Everyone bathed or showered to wash off sweat, and preparations were perfect.

This year, the somen flowing system had increased to five machines, allowing many people to participate.

The seating arrangement was decided carefully: returning participants were placed in the back rows, while first-timers and the “clumsy group” including Yato-san were placed in the front.

Dragons, Dragonkin, Dark Elves, my familiars, Milagros-san and Asu-kun from the Human-Demon Race, and the newly joined beastkin all mixed together.

The beastkin didn’t stand out at all—in fact, humans were now the smallest group.

I couldn’t help but feel we had created a pretty good environment.

“Sato-san, the somen is ready. We boiled a huge amount, so it shouldn’t run out… probably.”

“Thank you, Norman-san. How about the dipping sauces and condiments?”

“Perfect. We’ve got everything from basic broth to plum flavor, shiso-lemon, and even meat-based soups.”

Looking where he pointed, I saw six different dipping broths prepared in pots.

Every one of them looked delicious. Norman-san’s growth as a cook was incredible.

“Six kinds is amazing! Even in my world, we rarely had this much variety.”

“It’s because I’ve been cooking different things with you every day. I can feel my skills improving rapidly. I can never thank you enough.”

“No, that’s my line. Thank you as always.”

I bowed deeper in return.

Without Norman-san, most of these events wouldn’t even be possible.

I offered my deepest gratitude—and looked forward to enjoying all six kinds of dipping sauces.