Farewell Party In Sampto

“What’s going on?”

“Boxes I’ve never seen before are being carried in one after another.”

The people gathered in the square that had become the venue for the farewell party began to stir. The guards carried unfamiliar boxes, cardboard boxes, one after another. They piled them up near the table where the drinks had been placed. In accordance with that, guards with free hands lined up disposable cups on the table and began preparing.

Once preparations were finished, Chuck spoke to everyone.

“Everyone, listen up. This is a message from the Acting Lord. He said that since everyone has gathered like this, water alone would be lacking, and though it is only a little, he wants everyone to drink this together, so he has provided alcohol and juice. Incidentally, the amount is not small at all. There is enough to bathe in. Drink without holding back.”

“““Yahoo!”””

““““All right!””””

“Long live the Acting Lord!!”

“I’ve never seen the Acting Lord, but he really was here. Thanks!”

Everyone was delighted by the unexpected contribution. Then the alcohol was taken out of the boxes, poured into cups one after another, and distributed. Incidentally, the alcohol prepared was clear sake. Beer would have been fine too, and if they used the underground warehouse, serving something cold would not have been impossible, but considering the trouble of carrying it, he chose it because it could be enjoyed deliciously even at room temperature. Fruit juice was prepared and similarly distributed for those who could not drink alcohol and for children. Everyone fell silent while holding cups filled with drinks.

“Then, Town Head, give the greeting.”

Chuck, who had been managing the venue until just earlier, passed it to the Town Head. Then the Town Head came in front of the seats where Kent and the others were sitting and tried to take out a memo paper to give his greeting.

“Talking while looking at a memo in a place like this would be rude to Kent and the others!”

“““That’s right!!!”””

“Ugh…”

The others did not know it, but even if only nominally, it was a greeting to the Acting Lord and the lord’s daughter, so he had written down what he would say in advance to avoid any discourtesy. However, because of everyone’s booing, he reluctantly put the memo back into his pocket.

“Ahem, well… Kent-kun, Caro-san, and Al-san. Thank you very much for providing us with various guidance and support this time under the name of agricultural guidance for the sake of the town. Since you will be returning tomorrow, we decided to hold a small farewell party together with everyone as a way of expressing our thanks. Please enjoy yourselves tonight.”

Unable to use his memo, the Town Head gave a concise greeting.

“Then I’ll go next!”

Saying that, Chuck took the lead.

“Kent, Caro, Al, thanks. We won’t forget how hard you worked for Sampto. Then, cheers!!!”

“““““Cheers!!!”””””

After Chuck finished leading the toast, everyone put the prepared drinks and food into their mouths.

“What delicious alcohol.”

“This is a flavor I’ve never had before.”

“I can drink as much of this as I want.”

Everyone happily drank the drinks Kent had prepared.

Kent watched that scene with satisfaction. Beside him, Caro and Al were watching in the same way. Since Al could not drink anything except water, mineral water had been prepared for her in advance, and she was sipping it little by little.

“Caro-san, you must not drink alcohol, all right? It would be troublesome if you got drunk strangely and caused a problem.”

After bringing out the alcohol, Kent remembered Caro’s bad drinking habits.

“It’s fineee… If Kent-san says so, I won’t drinkkk.”

Saying that, Caro was gulping down water?

“Caro-san, could you lend me that cup for a moment?”

“Sureee?”

Kent received the cup Caro was holding and checked the smell.

“Ugh, I was already too late.”

The cup smelled of alcohol. Various people had come to greet them, so while he was dealing with them, someone seemed to have handed it to Caro. Caro was already drunk.

“This is kind of funnn. Ah, Verna, Verna, come over here for a moment.”

“Eek, what is it?”

Verna, surprised by Caro’s different-than-usual state, came over after being called.

“You know, what is with that attitude of yours toward people your own age? We are going to apologize right now.”

“Eh? Do not pull so hard!!!”

Caro pulled Verna away with unbelievable strength and took her somewhere. When Kent looked beside him, Al had also disappeared at some point.

Kent was left alone at the guests of honor seats, but the farmers he had met through agricultural guidance came to greet him one after another, so he became busy dealing with them. Once that settled down, a young woman suddenly spoke to him.

“My husband has been in your care in many ways.”

“Eh?”

The person who spoke to him was Chuck’s wife. The small child was… being looked after by Chuck. She was probably around the same age as Elnette. She wore commoner clothes, but she was a woman who somehow had a sense of elegance.

“I heard from my husband. It seems you worked very hard as the Acting Lord. I believe you have also heard from my husband what my former status was, but though I have already been disowned, my father also manages a territory, yet I do not think he has ever worked this hard for the sake of his people. Life in the town has become more abundant, and everyone has begun to smile. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you.”

“Thank you very much. This is a change of topic, but I heard various things from your husband. You went through many hardships, didn’t you? But I think it is amazing that you could abandon your former position and still be together.”

Kent said what he thought.

“Elnette said that to me too… Um, Elnette is a close friend of mine from our student days, and after she learned I was living here, she began coming to check on me from time to time. She is someone precious to me.”

“Elnette?”

Kent was surprised when a name he knew suddenly came up. Come to think of it, the first time he met Elnette was inside the carriage heading to this town. He remembered hearing then that she was going to meet a close friend.

“Do you know her… no, do you know her?”

Chuck’s wife asked Kent.

“You mean Elnette, the duke’s daughter, right?”

“That is right. You are close enough to call her without a title, then.”

Because Kent called Elnette without a title, Chuck’s wife seemed interested.

“Ugh, technically, the Duke gave me…”

Kent explained his relationship with Elnette.

“Oh, so that is what happened. Now I have something to tease her with the next time she comes. Even though she used to say she would live only for the sword.”

After that, he talked about various things with Chuck’s wife.

“Well then, I have been leaving the child-rearing entirely to my husband, so I should return soon. I am glad we were able to talk about many things.”

Saying that, she headed back to Chuck.

“Please forgive me already…”

“No, not yettt.”

Caro dragged Verna around, and whenever she found children of the same age or younger, she made Verna apologize to them.

“I am sorry for acting so arrogantly until now. I am reflecting on it, so will you become my friend from now on?”

“If Verna says that, I guess I could become your friend.”

With Caro, who had worked for the town, standing there, the children could not forcefully reject Verna. Because of that, Verna’s apologies were accepted by everyone.

“Verna, you can do it when you try. Let us keep going like thisss.”

“Eeeek!”

Led around by Caro, Verna’s apology pilgrimage still continued.

“Now then, everyone is in the middle of enjoying themselves, but…”

Al secretly slipped out of the venue and came to the farmland. Since almost everyone was participating in the farewell party, she could not sense anyone nearby.

“Then, shall we begin?”

Saying that, Al raised the mandrake she held in her hand upward. It emitted a faint light and changed its form into a small fairy.

“It seems there is enough magic power too.”

Al said that in satisfaction while looking at the mandrake that had absorbed Verna’s magic power and grown into a fairy. This fairy would become Al’s dependent, an existence that obeyed Al, its master.

“New fairy. I command you. The protection of this farmland shall be your duty.”

“Understood. My master.”

Saying that, the newly born fairy disappeared deeper into the farmland.

“I am counting on you.”

Al muttered that and returned to the farewell party venue.

A fair amount of time had passed since the farewell party began. There were people who got dead drunk and fell asleep on the spot, children who became tired from playing and fell asleep, and those who were strong drinkers gathered together and continued the banquet. Before Kent and the others could give a greeting, the party naturally dissolved. Beside him was Caro, who had drunk herself unconscious and was sleeping with her legs spread wide while snoring loudly. Kent had also drunk a fair amount of alcohol, so his steps were unsteady, but he decided to carry Caro back to the hut.

“Do your best, Master.”

Al, who had no intention of helping at all, cheered from beside him. Somehow, he made it back to the hut, laid Caro on the bed, and took a breather.

“Thank you for your hard work. Tomorrow is finally the day we return.”

“That’s right. I do not think we could have done this so well if you had not been here, Al. Thank you.”

“It makes me very happy to hear you say that, Master.”

Al said that with satisfaction. If Al’s ability to accelerate growth had not existed, even if they had focused on farm work, the results would have taken months to appear. The fact that they could shorten that time could be highly praised. Even though she had done it because they had formed a contract and she had been ordered to, Kent was grateful to Al.

“Master, you must be tired today. Please rest well.”

While being held by Al, Kent became sleepy and fell asleep in the bed beside the one where he had laid Caro.