10-I'm four years old




 After a hot summer and a cold winter, it's spring.

 My birthday is April 7, by the way.
 Yes, that means I'm four years old! It's nice to be old enough to care about these parts of the world, because as you get older, you have more freedom to take care of yourself. As we grow older, though, it might get depressing as we get older.

 By the way, Mother Erna is finally thirty years old. Honestly, with that look, I'd believe it if you told me she was eighteen years old, but she's so beautiful.

 Nord Dad is thirty-two years old. He hasn't changed at all. The same as always. It's short, but it's true. If you ask me what's going on, I'll say, 'Do you want to go to magic school?' He even asked me if I wanted to go. Of course I said no. Why do I have to go to such a place? Let the horses eat that stuff! I'm still going to enjoy my childhood life.

 Sister Elinora is ten years old. I think she's grown taller lately. Also, maybe she's becoming too hard-headed and stubborn from being so devoted to her sword. Why don't you study?

 Brother Silvio is seven years old. He continues to read books and study swordsmanship. Silvio's brother wants to work in the future, he says. He wants to be a civil servant or a chief of staff?
 They say that the latest craze is picking wild vegetables, and they often bring wild vegetables for dinner. It's amazing that I never bring anything I can't eat.


  The changes I've made in my body are that I'm taller, and I'm able to run faster. The rest of the time, I'm happy to say that my magic power continues to extend rapidly as usual. Maybe now I can even transition in kilometers. I've never been to such a faraway place, though. If I can't visualize the place, I can't transfer to it. So I'll have to go to the troublesome and distant royal capital at least once. And I also have to go to the sea to transport fish.



 By the way, by the way, my Nordic father is going to take me to the village today.

 Yeah, that's right. I've been to the rivers and plains and such, but I've never been to the village before. I was curious, but in the aristocracy, when a child is four years old, he and his father, the lord, are supposed to go around the village of the people. That's why I didn't go.

 It's like a light tradition only for lords around here, though.

 So today, Nordic father and I are going to make the rounds of the village.

"Off you go!

Let's go.

 Mother Erna sees me off and we leave the mansion and head to the village using the single road that leads to the village. This road is well maintained so it's easy to walk on and wide. It seems to be wide enough for one carriage to pass by.

 I think this might be the first time I've been out with my Nordic father alone.

 We're walking down a single track and it's surrounded by mountains, mountains, fields, fields, fields. It's a beautiful country road. There is a lot of greenery, like a carpet.

 When we walk, we can smell the faint scent of green grass and earth. And every time I breathe in, the clean air comes into my nose.

 The air is delicious. I could have three cups of rice just by this. There is no rice here, though.

 Speaking of rice, it might be on the eastern continent. It was mentioned that there was rice in "The Adventures of Dumfrey". I heard that Dumfrey wasn't quite sure about it, though. You're a fool, Dumfrey, you know that? Very stupid. Because you've just given up the greatest adventure of all. The adventure of rice!

Al, we're about to see the village.

 Oops, I was tripping a bit dangerously.

 The first thing I noticed was the many wheat fields.

 And if you look far enough away, you can see a row of houses here and there that look like old houses. They were not just here, but lined up here and there as well.

 What kind of houses are they built like?

 Is it being built in pieces because the population isn't that large?

Dad, what do you grow here?

We grow wheat, barley, rye, beans and vegetables. Also chickens, sheep, cows and a few other things.

Heh.

'Oh! My lord!

Oh, it's true.

 When I was asking my father about the village, the people in the village who were working on the farm came to me one by one.

Thanks to this spaghetti or something the lord taught us, everyone is doing well.

It's true. My wife gobbled it up like it was so good.

 Gahahaha, the two men laugh in unison. They looked very cheerful and I was relieved to see that there didn't seem to be any hunger or anything like that in our village.

'That's good to hear. Actually, it's our son Alfried who thought of that.'

 My dad, Nord, puts me in front of the two guys and tweaks me.

"This boy?

Yes,

 Dad Nord's expression is a little proud as he says this.

'Was it Alfried-sama? How old are you?

I'm four.

You seem very calm.

My boy is a different animal. It's a good one.

 Uriuriuri, a foul-mouthed old man pokes me on the cheek.

 He's the son of a lord, for one thing. It's rude.

"Hahaha, I think so too. I think he's a very strange boy.

 Father Nord. That's just the way you've always perceived me. I'm just a regular kid, you know?

Well, I'd better get going.

Yes, please come back.

If you're a man, Alfried, why can't you be as strong as your lord?

 Finally, the old man puts his hand on my head and says, "What is this old man doing here? What is this old man's friendliness? Is this the country way? Then I have to answer to him.

"The old man also does his best even if he is a wife's ass.

 When I replied, the old man opened his eyes wide and crunched his mouth like a fish.


'Ugh, how the hell does he know I'm on my wife's ass? I'm no match for Natalie anyway.

Oh, come on, don't be such a downer.

Shut up! You're a newlywed, you don't know how I feel.

"Hahaha, Master Alfried, are you really four years old?

 From behind us as we walked out, we could hear the old man's sad voice and the young man's voice quieting him down.

 After all, that type of old man is a classic example of an old man being laid on his wife's ass, isn't it?



 Hoooo.


 I followed my dad Nord and went straight to the center of the village.

 It's just before noon now. In the square, the villagers are bartering for the vegetables and barley they have harvested in their own homes. They are bartering for the fruits and mushrooms they have harvested in the forest.

 Hmmm, pears and chestnuts and mushrooms. What's that? You can eat it? Those mushrooms are amazing.
 It's brightly colored, but is it okay?

 People with bows that look like hunters are walking around with rabbits and deer on their backs. I see, it's just like that, they cut up the meat and exchange it.

''Heh, there's enough room for us to gather in the square and barter.

'Yes. 'Yes, you have to do it even if you can't afford it, but when it's this big, it shows that the villagers are rich.'

Wow. So you're awesome.

Not at all. The village of Coriat is originally rich in nature. Also, it's a small village on the edge of the countryside, so we don't have much to put away.

Oh, I see.

'Well, well, well, Master Nord, and Master Alfried, I suppose?

 As I was walking through the square, an old man, about middle-aged, came over. He was dressed in slightly high class clothes, so I wondered if he was the village chief.

Yes, sir.

I'm glad to see you're growing up. Master Alfried, how is the village?

It's nice to see everyone looking good.

 The village chief smiles happily as I answer that.

'That's right. How about you, Nord-sama?'

'This year is more prosperous than last year. You can see it in the faces of the villagers.

That's right. We had a good harvest last time. There were no deaths from starvation and we were able to survive the winter with plenty of time to spare. There are various reports. Would you like to come to our house?

'Yes. Maybe I should ask you how you're doing these days.

Dad, can I hang around here?

Okay, but you shouldn't go too far, okay?

Yes, sir.