A Normal Day at Puta
"Master, I have located the caretaker of the young organisms."
Nana enters the courtyard with an elderly woman behind her.
Being carried in her arms are some preschool-aged kids shouting happily.
"I-I am the previous director of the orphanage."
The ex-director appears to have some trauma against nobles, as she talks to me in an uneasy tone while avoiding eye contact.
"Its the director!"
"Granny!"
The kids in Nana's arms shout happily. If it wasn't for their support, I might have suspected the ex-director of being a bad person.
"Thank you for taking the time to come. I would like to discuss the rebuilding of the Puta Orphanage."
"R-rebuild? But Baronet Poton told me 'Puta needs no orphanage, if the children are starving then give them work.'"
The ex-director must hate Baronet Poton quite a bit, as she mimics his voice in a loathsome tone.
"Nevermind that. Marquis Lloyd has promised his backing."
"M-Marquis?!"
The ex-director shows her surprise at my words.
In exchange for the promise, I gave him the recipe and selling rights for ketchup. Not exactly free, but that's not a big deal since I didn't plan to profit off it.
"He plans to use the orphanage to teach the kids how to grow tomatoes, then dispatch them throughout the territory as farming instructors."
"Oooooh."
She ex-director still seems frozen in shock. It appears this development was a bit too sudden and she needs time to process it.
I had thought it would be better to just teach adults in the first place, but apparently he has a plan to squeeze as much money as possible out of the ketchup business.
By the time the older orphans reach adulthood, they will have started the groundwork for tomato farms all throughout the Oyugok Duchy.
I should have expected as much from a high-rank noble, he's not just a glutton after all.
Of course, he also promised to send some over to the Muno territory.
Tomatoes should be shared with everyone.
"I would like for you to take the role of orphanage director once more. Will you accept?"
"Y-yes, Noble-sama. I will continue serving as long as there is life in these old bones."
The ex-director accepts with a slightly grandoise tone. Next, we turn to discussing the details, like hiring other workers and management.
As for the financial side--.
"Master, I'm done. The old ledger was pretty terrible. Their accountant ran away with a huge chunk of cash."
--Surprisingly, Arisa was able to clean that up quickly.
"Thanks, Arisa. The ex-accountant looks like he's hiding out in the next town over. I'll grab him and make sure he gets his due punishment."
"Wow, if Master was the detective, mystery novels would end in a single page."
Actually, I always fall for unreliable narrator tricks, so I'm terrible at mystery novels.
"Well then, would you mind showing the ropes to the new accountant?"
"OK! There's probably not enough time to teach double-entry bookkeeping, but the basics should be fine."
I leave the rest to Arisa, then disguise myself and leave to capture the criminal.
◆
"Take this, nanodesu!"
I heard a cute voice, so I head over and see Tama and Pochi along with Kon and his monster hunting party.
If I remember correctly, Tama and Pochi mentioned this morning that they would be going out hunting.
Meanwhile, Liza and Lulu said they would help out in the tomato field and learn how to grow them.
"A spotted bear in one hit?!"
"These little ladies sure are something."
Pochi hides her face in embarrassment at the female hunter's praise.
However, her tail is wagging happily back and forth.
"Kon, you're losing pretty bad."
"Shut up, it's not just me. Kena and the rest of you all are losing too!"
"Pretty cheeky of you, Kon."
"He's annoying, but he's not wrong."
Kon and the female hunters start bickering as they look at Pochi. Next to her is the bear she killed, which appears to have fur suited for forest camouflage.
"Found weird thing~?"
Tama jumps down from a rock, carrying her prey above her head.
"A scale lizard? That's pretty rare."
"The taste isn't bad either, so give it to the lady who was good at cooking."
"Aye~?"
The thing in Tama's arms looks kinda like an armadillo.
"I can't keep losing like this. Let's hurry up and find a goblin nest."
Kon gets himself pumped up and runs off. However, I look at my map and see that he's heading in the completely opposite direction.
I might as well help him out a bit here.
"Oh? Hello there."
"Noble-sama!"
"Chevalier-sama, what are you doing in a place like this?"
"I was just looking for Pochi and Tama."
At my entrance, Kon and his party happily run over to me along with Tama and Pochi.
For some reason, these female hunters are getting incredibly close to me and invading my personal space.
"How's the prosthetic arm holding up?"
"I still can't move the fingers well, but it's perfect for strapping a shield on! I was able to kill a goblin yesterday!"
"Looks like you're doing all right. Keep up the good work."
As I compliment Kon, he gives a satisfied smile.
His patchwork armor is covered in goblin scratches.
I'll be staying in town a bit longer, so I might as well make him some new armor in my free time.
"Oh right, I saw a goblin at the base of that mountain a little while back. Maybe there's a nest over there."
"Aw yeah! Kena, that mountain over there, let's go!"
"H-hold on, Kon."
"He's running off already."
"My apologies, Chevalier-sama. We need to chase after that idiot."
"No worries, take care."
As Kon dashes off on his own, the female hunters furiously chase after him.
They reluctantly glance back at me a few times, and then continue off. Did they have other business or something?
"Alright, let's drain out the blood and head back."
"Aye~?"
"OK nanodesu."
I start working on Kon's armor as I wait for Tama and Pochi to butcher the meat.
The female hunters also had some fairly tattered and revealing armor, so I'll make them a breastplate from the leftover materials.
By the time Tama and Pochi were done, I had made a breastplate out of insect monster shells and a camo cloak out of the spotted bear hide.
Kon and the others will hopefully be happy with these.
"Food~."
"So much meat nanodesu."
I head back to Puta alongside the satisfied Tama and Pochi.
The excessive amount of meat was shared with the orphanage, and we had a barbeque party to fill the bellies of the children.
"Chevalier-sama, I'm going to be a hunter when I grow up!"
"Me too, I'm going to get so much meat!."
"I'll butcher!"
"I'll learn cooking!"
Driven by their appetite, the children grab meat skewers in both hands and shout out their dreams.
"I declare that the wishes of the young organisms will be granted. Master, bring the instructor!"
"Private Pochi, Private Tama, instruct these children at once."
"Aye aye sir~."
"Roger nanodesu."
Nana is expressionless as usual, but she seems strangely excited. Well, that's fine every once in a while.
As I take a sip of tomato juice, I gaze at the moon above the distant mountains and catch a glance of the black dragon.
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