Vol 3 Prologue (2/2)

However, so that everyone could have even a little better tasting milk. She’s giving her all without holding back.

And she followed through till the end.

「It’s done. Cyril-niisama, did you see it? Until the very end I kept the thermometer on the red」

「Good work. You worked really hard」

「Yukino, did good?」

「Yes, you did, yes you did」

I pat her head. Among the three girls I like this one the best. I like quiet kids, I like the color silver, and I like how she looks.

In the firefoxes, there is a variation of the color of the tail and hair. And certain colors seem to have stronger magic powers. The color hierarchy goes like this, Gold Yellow≧Silver>Black・Yellow・White>Red・Grey. And yellow is the most common, gold yellow there’s only Kuu and silver there’s only Yukino.

「Yukino, won’t you become our daugher?」

「What about Kemin and Kurone?」

「Hmm, three is a little difficult」

「Just Yukino then no. ……. It’s really a shame, but I’m sorry」

「It’s a joke. Don’t think about it too hard」

I’m actually half-serious. I considered the idea of the elves adopting young children as a measure for reconciliation. I meant it as an example of that.

Even without that reason, it’s true that adopting Yukino would make it comfortable. Having just one firefox in the house would make it cool in summer and warm in winter. There’s also no need to use firewood every time you cook something. If I felt like it, I could build a freezer and by lowering the heat every day something similiar to a refrigerator could also be made.

Above all, she’s cute and she hugs me, and being together with her is healing. And young like her, Lucie would not get jealous. Probably not. No, for some reason I’m getting worried. …… Let’s check with her. If I do this wrong I could be stepping on a landmine.

「Cyril-niisama, please check if its alright, if it is we’ll start to bottle」

「Yes, it’s well done. Even I can’t do it this well. Yukino is incredible」

「Yes, Yukino, incredible 」

Then we entered the phase of putting the processed milk in gla.s.s bottles.

「How many today?」

「Today, you guys will need two hundred and twenty」

「Almost everyone drank it then, good」

Right now, they bottle the milk everyday, and then distribute amongst everyone. The rule is that at the evening the elves leave the empty bottles in front of their houses and the firefoxes collect them. If they don’t leave the empty bottle, they don’t receive milk the next day. So only when they want milk the next day, the elves leave the empty bottles.

I made the bottles using Kuiro and there’s no many of them so they’re quite precious. If they don’t drink the milks is a waste to give more so we decided on this.

「The sterilization is over, praise Kuro too」

The black haired Kurone, says from a little farther away. Then runs over carrying the empty bottles. As if looking at a heartwarming scene, the adult firefoxes follow behind her carrying the rest of the bottles.

After was.h.i.+ng the bottles, they’re go through a cycle of boiling water, Kurone is responsible for this job. Was.h.i.+ng the bottles in mid winter, it’s a simple job but still hard.

「Kurone also did good. Everyone, just a little more」

「Do our best」

「Our best」

Then the bottling starts. The warm milk that Yukino heated up is cooled with magic, then it’s scooped out with a ladle and put in each bottle. Each bottle holds about 500ml.

There will probably be some leftover today.

「Today’s the firefoxes turn to get the cheese」

「You’re going to put cheese on the barley porridge?」

「Yukino heard it. Kemin working at the kitchen and said there would be cheese. 」

「Looking forward to it!」

The firefoxes start to get excited while bottling the milk.

The milk that is left over is turned into cheese. But we can only make a little. So the cheese is distributed in a four day rotation basis. The cheese made from the first three days goes to the elves, and the cheese from the fourth day to the firefoxes.

The little things each race started to do on their own. Because of this rule, the uncooperative elves, even though they normally don’t drink they started to force themselves to drink only on the day before the firefoxes turn, just to leave the empty bottles. I’ll have to do something about that. I heard that some even throw away the contents entirely.

「Cheese, Cheese♪」

「Yukino-chan, make it tasty. Kuro likes cheese」

「Leave it to me, Kuro. Yukino likes it too so i’ll do my best」

After the bottling is done, Yukino and Kurone start to make cheese.

The milk remaining after the bottling, is heated up to 65ºC again.

「I’ll add the vinegar」

「Bring it on」

Then, after warming it up enough, Kurone throws in a small dose of vinegar. After a while a lump of ma.s.s white as snow floats up. That’s what will turn into cheese.

Kurone stirs the pot slowly. After a while the separation is complete and the quant.i.ty of the white lump increases.

Then it’s filtered through a piece of cloth, after the liquid drains a solid body of cheese remains. The components of the milk are separated so the liquid gets transparent yellow.

This liquid is also full of nutrients and sour because of the vinegar so it’s easy to drink. The goat’s peculiar smell comes from the fat so the smell is also gone.

For the people who won’t drink the milk no matter what, I plan to distribute this liquid.

This time, we made what’s called cottage cheese, a type of cured cheese. There’s a good amount of protein and calcium, and a soft fluffy texture with a gentle taste, a cheese that’s so easy to eat it you can become addicted to it.

「It’s done」

「Looks tasty」

Then they wrap the cheese very cautiously. I’m certain lunch will be very lively.

「Everyone, good job. So, go and deliver. There’s no need me to accompany you right?」

「Right」

「We want you to come with but we’ll endure it」

Then, Yukino, Kurone and the other put the bottles in a cart and walk towards the village. It’s hard work for girls, but i’m sure they can do it.

「They really don’t need me anymore」

They are all good girls and very enthusiastic, they also learn the jobs fast. Even without my help today they did everything well.

Next, let’s take a look at the turnips.

「Everyone please step away from the greenhouse. I’m coming in」

In the turnip field, Kuu starts to gather fire mana and use magic.

She’s melting the snow that piled up on top of the greenhouse. I she didn’t, the sun wouldn’t reach the turnips.

The turnips are being raised at the greenhouse.

Even you say you can plant them during winter, it’s a little late to be planting it so it needs mild temperatures and sunlight.

「Ah, Cyril-kun, you came」

Kuu sees me, and calls out.

「That’s right. On the goat’s side is already fine」

「This side is also going well. Here, take a look」

At the place Kuu points at, the firefoxes are removing weeds from around where the turnips are starting to sprout. Inside the greenhouse turnips are growing, but the weeds that normally don’t grow in winter are growing too.

「Even so, Kemin is really working hard isn’t she?」

Like Kuu said, Kemin is in the middle of the greenhouse using fire magic.

It’s a magic I created especially for the greenhouse, a large ball of fire. I also left a thermometer here so three times a day, they check it and use the ball of fire to adjust the temperature. Unlike my own magic theirs is a little more crude so It doesn’t even last half a day.

But, thanks to them, I don’t have to call out Kuiro so I’m grateful.

Using this magic and the greenhouse, I think we could even grow potatoes if we tried.

But the magic is difficult, so the only firefoxes who can use it are Kuu, Kemin and Yukino only.

「Cyril-niisama, you came!?」

After creating three b.a.l.l.s of fire, Kemin comes over completely exhausted.

「Have to take a look here too」

「Yukino and Kurone are doing alright? Yukino keeps her own pace and Kurone is always in daze」

「Both of them are doing their jobs really well」

「Really? That’s good」

Kemin looks relieved and pats her own chest. She’s the leader of the three, so she probably worried.

「Then, I have to work hard too. Cyril-niisama see you later」

After saying that she goes back to the greenhouse and starts to pull weeds with the rest of the firefoxes.

She should be tired from using magic, but she’s working even harder than the other firefoxes.

「She’s a good girl」

「Yes, Kemin is a little sister I’m proud of 」

Kuu sticks out her chest. She also wanted to help with the weeds but, Kuu has the duty of looking over everything. She tried to help but the other firefoxes stopped her.

「Kuu, tomorrow we’ll be holding a war council. I want you to come as the firefoxes’ representative」

「Understood. They’re coming after the snow clears right? The hateful………. Empire.」

「That’s right. That’s why, we have to sharpen our fangs. If we continue like this, we’ll certainly lose. That’s why we have to discuss some things」

That’s right. If they have more than two thousand, we can’t win on a head on collision. That situation has not changed.

But that’s based on the premise that we force a head on collision. Right now I don’t intend to do that, actually I have no intention of fighting fair.

「Cyril-kun, you’re making a dark face」

「A little. I’m thinkin of a evil plan. The empire soldiers will probably face a fate worse than death. Even if they live, they’ll never be able to fight again. It will break their minds. A plan like that」

「I see. That’s…… good. It’s good to let them feel a bit of the suffering we did 」

In Kuu’s eyes a gloomy light remains. She’s usually fine, but inside her the flames of revenge are still blazing.

Hatred does not give birth to anything someone said but, it’s joined together with the joys of life. And it’s not about losses and gains. If you don’t do it, your feeling don’t settle.

「The turnips look fine. As long as the timing of the fertilizer is not wrong, it should be alright. Thank you, with this I can also relax」

「If you to thank someone, thank those girls. They be happy for being praised by Cyril-kun」

「That’s true」

I nod, and walk towards the firefoxes who finished the work and are leaving the greenhouse. Let’s praise them a lot.

I confirmed that on the both the turnips and the goats fronts, the firefoxes are doing their job well. With this the firefoxes will get their independence and will be able to find a place they belong. If they can to that, I’m certain the elves will accept them.

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