Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

I received a report that most of the people who came to Village Five for the job observation tour had found work.

That is a good thing.

I am glad to hear it.

However, the surprising part was the kind of work they chose.

The most popular choice was farming.

I had heard they refused to return to their homelands because they did not want to lower their standard of living, so is that really okay?

「It is perfectly fine. They are being given housing, land, and guidance after all」

In response to my question, Frau explained with a bitter smile.

It is true that we provide houses, but they are only being loaned out.

And they are small.

They are large enough for one or two demons to live comfortably, but a family of four would probably find them cramped.

For larger races like the Minotaurs, even with effort, they could probably only support two people.

Also, those houses were built by apprentice carpenters.

「It is true that apprentices built them, but full-fledged carpenters supervised and instructed them. Safety inspections were also conducted, so there are no problems. Besides, the latest flush toilet system you requested was installed」

In order to install that flush toilet system, we needed water supply and sewage systems, so the houses had to be built together in clusters to some extent.

As a result, they ended up being a little far from the farmland.

「That is safer than having a single isolated house. And with only a short walk, they can reach the foot of Village Five. That is exactly the kind of lifestyle they were looking for」

Well, that is true.

Still, the land is only being loaned to them as well.

The contract states that if they continue farming properly for ten years, both the land and the house will be transferred to them.

However, while rebuilding the house after the transfer is allowed, the land itself must continue to be used as farmland.

「Anyone other than the heir would not receive land even if they returned home. Even if it can only be used for farming, the chance to someday own land is still extremely appealing」

The land was cleared while opening the new Five Villages road, so there is no guarantee farming there will succeed.

「Since it is land cleared by Village Chief, it will be fine. Besides, there are instructors」

Veteran farmers working in Village Five were chosen as instructors.

However, since they also have their own fields to manage, their role is not to teach everything directly, but rather to provide advice whenever problems arise.

Would that not make people uneasy?

「No, not at all. The conditions are exceptionally generous. Normally, people would have to pay rent for both the house and land, then begin by clearing forests while fighting off demon beasts and monsters. In some places, you even need to provide a security deposit first」

Youko had been lamenting that despite the extraordinary conditions, it was still difficult to gather enough farmers…

「Very few people would move here alone and choose farming」

Hmm.

The first recruitment target was three hundred people.

We did not even manage to fill half of that.

This latest round added around fifty more people, but there is still plenty of room.

Seeing the houses built by the carpenter apprentices remain empty pains my heart.

It reminds me of Village One.

「Well, umm… I think part of the problem is that the conditions are simply too good, which makes people suspicious. This time, however, Torain-kun and Kierbit-san explained things, so people seemed willing to accept it」

I see.

「Besides, Village Five are already full of people connected to the kingdom’s nobility, one way or another. Since these jobs are being filled by graduates who chose not to return home, I think they felt more reassured than worried. Let us hope they do well」

That is true.

「The problem is that their parents might come to Village Five to complain…」

Ahh, so they might even come to drag them back home.

「Village Five security force has already been informed, so they should not be able to force the issue」

I would prefer for things to be resolved through discussion.

「Indeed. Also, Demon King-sama said he would take some kind of measures as well」

I suppose it would also be a problem if the complaints continued going to the academy.

「Yes」

Let us hope the Demon King’s measures work out.

-0-

As a side note, the second most popular field during Village Five job observation tour, after farming, was the food service industry.

People gathered around ramen shops, Marla branch stores, and the mobile sales business run by the Patisserie Fairy Fairy.

However, enthusiasm alone is not enough. Without proper skills, things would become difficult, so under normal circumstances, many applicants would be filtered out through very strict hiring exams… but this time, their backgrounds were reliable… well, are they really? In any case, since the academy provided a certain level of background assurance, the hiring exams were apparently made somewhat less strict.

Even so, unless they were immediately useful workers, those who were hired would remain provisional employees for the time being.

They are paid properly, of course, but things like being late to work will push formal employment further away.

Most of those who found work in Village Five food service industry seem to be continuing to use the dormitories prepared by the academy as a countermeasure against being late.

I hope they work hard and earn formal employment.

「It seems those who cannot drop their noble language habits are struggling with customer service」

……

Should not people like that fail the hiring exams?

「It is something that can be corrected」

Is that really how it works?

「It is」

-0-

「Why was it that no one from this job observation tour came to the Village Council? Graduates of the noble academy should be capable of handling Village Council work as well」

Youko asked me that during dinner.

Unfortunately, of people capable of working for the Village Council.

In other words, those who could handle administrative work were not idly wandering around even if they did not return to their homelands.

Before this job observation tour even began, they had already found work in the royal capital, Shahaato City, or Village Five.

「There are some in Village Five as well?」

Yeah.

Eliza, the civil servant girl in charge of printing operations, reported that they had hired several people related to the printing business.

Since they do not openly announce who they are, it is hard to notice them.

「I see. Hmm」

Do not try anything forceful.

「I know. Even if we drag them in by force, they would not become useful workers」

Meaning you plan to lure them in with pay and treatment.

「Fortunately, Village Five’s finances are healthy」

That is true.

Still, leave the printing-related people alone if possible.

Eliza would get angry.

「I know, I know」

Ah, right.

Have you seen the new cargo cart the mountain elves made?

「The Tracking Cargo Cart? I have seen it. It is excellent. Though it seems mass production is still some time away…」

Preparations have already started to build a dedicated workshop in Village Five.

It seems stable production will not begin until around winter.

Until then, only one or two can be produced every few days in Big Tree Village.

「That is the kind of thing where the more we have, the better. I want them to hurry」

Obtaining the materials is difficult.

It also contains magical tools made with the cooperation of Loo and Tier.

「Could we not have the Goroun Company and the Dalfon Company gather the materials?」

They are already working on it.

Michael-san alone has already ordered a thousand units.

Though the price is likely going to become fairly high.

「Village Five would want at least that many as well」

I know.

That is why we are building the dedicated workshop.

We will have them aim for mass production using a conveyor belt-style assembly line.

-0-

Oh, talking about work the whole time will bore Hitoe.

「Oh, my apologies, Hitoe. What were you doing today?…Preparing for pool cleaning?」

The pool is managed by the lizardmen, but with summer use approaching, a major cleaning is carried out beforehand.

That large cleaning is scheduled for tomorrow.

The children, including Hitoe, had been helping prepare cleaning tools and such so the pool could be opened sooner.

「I see, I see. Very well, let us go swimming together. It is a promise」

Is it really okay to make promises so casually?

「It is fine. I have excellent secretaries. Things will be fine even if I am absent for a day or two」

Well, Youko working too much had already been considered a problem for a while now.

At the very least, spending some time playing in the pool with Hitoe should be manageable.

If necessary, I can just work harder in Village Five instead.

「Village Chief, people also say you work too much」

Hahaha.

I should be careful not to forget how to relax.