Chapter 843: Rainy Days Measure
「We won’t lose to rain! Even if it rains, we would like you to continue holding the race!」
The swan said.
Odile interpreted the swan’s opinion to be exact.
Odette, who was in charge of the race, seemed to want to say something so I asked her.
「I’m just wondering why I wasn’t selected as the interpreter…?」
Don’t mind it.
Let’s continue talking.
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Even if the swans, who are racing, won’t mind the rain, the guests who would come to watch will.
What kind of measures should we do….when it’s raining?
「Why not just put a roof over the bleachers?」
Roof.
Would it be better to have a roof that would also act as sunshade?
「I don’t think a wooden roof is necessary. A cloth roof is enough, right?」
「That won’t repel the rain, wouldn’t it?」
「We can just use water repellent fabric.」
「Fabrics like that are scarce. It is impossible to cover the whole audience seats with that.」
The angels were debating but Youko assured them that it would be fine.
Will it?
「The web of Zabuton-dono and the others repel water.」
Eh?
I looked at the clothes I was wearing.
Repel water?
They absorb sweat just fine.
「When they make clothes, they probably use water absorbing webs.」
T-that’s possible.
Thank you, Zabuton.
Thank you, spiderlings.
「So, now that we got water repellent fabric for you, all you have to do is to pay for it.」
As expected, Youko wouldn’t ask Zabuton and the others to provide cloth for free.
「I’m sure if village chief asks them, they would make them but……」
That’s exactly why I won’t.
This swan race was started by Odette and Odile and I only took the lead and invested some money and effort to make it fair.
Though I must admit, it’s almost a Village Five project right now.
In other words, the swan race has nothing to do with Zabuton and the others.
I have to offer them a reward if I want to request them something related to it.
「Since you’re saying so, I will say no more.」
Sorry.
Youko withdrew saying that but one of the angels took over.
「By the way, how much should be paid?」
I think it should be at least as much as holding a potato party for them.
「I’m not sure I’m following but……is that expensive or cheap?」
「Expensive. How much do you think one box of those potatoes costs?」
Considering the amount of money we made from the event, it was very expensive.
It’s high quality stuff after all.
Well, for now, I’ll put asking Zabuton and the others as the last resort.
Let’s do what we can on our own.
Is there anything we can do about the roof?
「What about change it to the solid wooden roof you said earlier?」
Yeah.
That’s a good idea.
However, the race has only been held once.
There are not enough funds to roof all the spectators’ seats.
I could pay for it myself but if I were really going to do that, I would just ask for Zabuton’s help.
「Ano, village chief. How about the floating garden that Loo-san was making? Maybe you could ask her to make a big one that could be used as a roof.」
Ah.
Not a bad idea.
However, they already let us make a lot of those floating gardens. If we build a floating garden big enough to be a roof here in Village Five, the dragons will surely react.
「That reeks of trouble. Let’s not do that.」
You think so?
If we can convince Dors, we might be able to make something out.
「Let’s not.」
It looks like the angels have fully decided to go against it so let’s not.
Also, the floating garden would cost a great amount of money if it were priced formally.
「Village chief, village chief, rather than sticking on making roof, what about controlling weather with magic?」
「Wait a minute, weather manipulation is a greater magic. Who can even use it?」
「Malbit-sama and Ruincia-sama can, right?」
「They can but……that would only work for a little while and the preparations needed before using it is too difficult.」
Is that magic useful?
「Unless you’re on a battlefield, that is something that you wouldn’t even consider using.」
「Considering the amount of magic power it uses, it can be considered as a useless spell. It is more effective to just bombard the enemy with magic rather than controlling the weather.」
「That’s true.」
While the angels were talking, Odette said something.
「If you don’t like the rain, why not just postpone it until it clears up?」
Yeah but how much rain is falling before we decide to postpone?
Some rains are just drizzle, but some are downpour.
If it’s a downpour, the guests will definitely agree with the postponement but what if it’s only a little bit?
Those who don’t like getting wet might say “It’s raining” while those who don’t mind getting wet might say “this isn’t even rain”.
And what if it was not raining until just before the start of the race and a sudden downpour starts just before the race starts?
If you don’t decide in detail what criteria you will use to postpone the race, it will only be a source of confusion and trouble.
Personally, I would like to postpone the race not because of the weather but as an evacuation measure in case the swans and the guests are in danger.
For example, a typhoon coming, or a monster appeared.
So, for my part, I am not in favor of postponing the race just because of rain.
The swan also said they will continue to race even if it’s raining.
「Then, how about roofing the venue with the current funds we have? I don’t think we suddenly need to roof everything at the same time.」
And so, the silver fox Kon’s suggestion was adopted.
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According to the swan who actually raced.
「It’s fun that there are a lot of courses.」
I thought the guests would get bored if all the races held were the same so I changed the distance and the course layout for each race.
Laying out of the courses did not take long as all we had to do was modify the big buoys that float in the pond and the course floats that connect the big buoys.
「One of the customers complained that it was annoying to have a vague idea of the distance but not know the details of the course until right before the race.」
I see.
Perhaps it would have been better to show a diagram of the course.
Let’s do that next time.
Hnn?
Swan, is there anything more?
「Yes. Well, the winners of each of the races had a decisive battle in the tenth and final race however, the course distance of each race was different so there was a difference in the level of fatigue. Also, think about the winner of the first race and winner of the ninth.」
Right.
We’ll have to consider that too.
This one is just a trial so I had race 10 as the final but I wonder if it’s fair to do it on the same day.
In fact, this swan, who won race 10, is also the winner of the short course of race 3.
Well, I’m not saying that that’s the only reason he won.
「Please do something so that the other swans won’t complain.」
Right.
I’ll see what I can do……
We will continue with the tenth race as the finals but in the future, we will try to gather winners of the races held on different days.
It would also be possible to have a finals for each distance.
The content of the race will be decided beforehand by Odette and Odile after discussing it with Kon and the others.
It will be difficult to decide on a course and distance that will not spoil the motivation of the swans and will not be boring to watch but we hope that various races will be organized and that the most suitable races will be held.
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Ah, right, Odette, Odile.
The film crew of Irre praised your live commentary and analysis of the race saying it was really good.
「Fufufu, is that so?」
「I’ll do better next time.」
As for the live commentary, there were residents of Village Five who wanted to give it a try.
Odette and Odile might not be able to do it all the time so it’s a good idea to train others.
「Understood. And there is also someone who wanted to be the caretaker of the swans.」
I’ve heard about that too.
I’ll leave that matter to Kon.
If you hire that person, make sure he knows what he’s doing.
「By your will」
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After that, we continued to discuss various issues.
It was a meaningful meeting.
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The next day.
A tent has been set up in the audience area.
I glanced at the tent and saw some spiderlings.
……
It seems like they have heard about yesterday’s reflection meeting elsewhere.
They told me there’s no need to thank them……
It would take more than a few of them to set up a tent that covers the whole bleachers.
Perhaps Zabuton and the others in Big Tree Village have cooperated.
No, it seems like the high elves cooperated as well since there are several pillars standing up.
And there is a mechanism to fold the tent too.
That means the mountain elves are helping too.
Fumu.
Since you said there’s no need to thank you, I’ll accept them gratefully.
And tomorrow, let’s have a potato party at Big Tree Village.
It’s not a reward for you.
I just wanted to.
So you don’t have to worry about it and just enjoy the party.