For its first solo run, the airship set course for the abandoned mine where Siegfried had been discovered.

Flight operations will be handled by twelve angels.

As a precaution, three mountain elves with prior crew experience will accompany them.

The passengers are the investigators Bell and Yoru.

Several members of the test excavation team will guide them on site.

Roughly twenty devils and dream demons from Village Four will work as survey workers.

Fifteen angels will serve as the main escort.

Along with them travel fifty spiderlings.

Unlike last time, the spiderlings will stay behind the lines.

The spiderlings will only step in if the angels cannot handle a threat.

Even so, they will guard the test excavation team and workers with their full strength, so they will not be idle.

We also need cooks, but the oni maids are busy, so a few beastgirls who can cook have agreed to come along.

Preparing meals for so many will be hard, yet I am counting on them.

In addition to this group, the angel Suarurou will join the voyage to audit the angels working aboard the ship.

Suarurou is the mother of Suaruriu and Suarukou and once claimed the title of strongest angel before Tier.

She is more than qualified to serve as the angels’ inspector.

She will also be a formidable reserve fighter should the worst occur.

-0-

This time, it’s a one time trial mission, so I’ve asked them to return in ten days, no matter what they find out there.

Any longer than that, and the Universal Ship might decide to go retrieve them on its own.

I really hope they come back safely and on schedule.

Just as I was thinking that, Tou, the captain of the Universal Ship, came running in.

[Village Chief, the Universal Ship is getting restless!]

…The airship hasn’t even been gone for an hour, has it?

Can it really wait for ten days?

I’m worried.

-0-

Roasted sweet potatoes.

It’s still a bit early in the season, but Zabuton and most of her spiderlings will start hibernating while waiting for winter.

We roast the sweet potatoes we harvested from the summer fields.

A few of the spiderlings did a little dance of joy.

They’re adorable.

Some villagers who had free time helped out with the roasting.

Thanks, everyone.

-0-

The sweet potatoes are done.

As usual, the villagers love them.

Zabuton and her spiderlings also eat a lot, looking happy with every bite.

Ah, seconds are fine too.

We still have plenty of sweet potatoes, so eat as much as you want.

Let’s keep roasting them.

Depending on the variety, some sweet potatoes are fluffy while others are sticky, but they all disappear just the same.

Well, there’s no need to argue over which one tastes better.

They’re both delicious.

Isn’t that enough?

For the record, I prefer the fluffy kind, but I’ll eat the sticky ones too.

-0-

Lately, Zabuton and her spiderlings have been focusing on one particular task.

They’re making an outfit for Alfred.

Apparently, he asked them to.

It’s a suit with a chic design, mainly black, accented with purple and red.

It has white frills at the wrists, ankles, and around the neck, but it doesn’t look too flashy.

It gives off a refined impression.

Even on the mannequin, it’s clearly made for a tall, slender man.

……..

As I looked at the mannequin dressed in the suit, I asked Loo something.

Why does Alfred prefer such tall height?

I don’t think he’s short as he is, but… could it be a complex of some sort?

[Ah–um–well–]

Loo hesitated.

It seemed like she knew the reason Alfred favored height.

[It’s not that he prefers being tall. He just needs long arms and legs…]

?

[Let me show you.]

Loo transformed into a tall figure, like how Alfred appears.

Her arms and legs were long, and her frame was slender.

[Beautiful, right?]

You are indeed beautiful.

[And now… this stays between us, okay?]

Loo struck a pose.

Whoa, she looks just like a lady of the abyss!

Then she shifted to another pose.

Now she looks like a mysterious female executive!

[Cool, right?]

You look cool!

It was a new side of Loo I hadn’t seen.

[So…]

Loo made herself look younger.

About the same age as Alfred when he’s not transformed.

She took the same poses as before.

[How is it? Do I look beautiful and cool?]

Well… if I had to say, you’re more cute than anything.

Yeah.

Definitely cute.

Like a child doing a little performance… Ah.

[Exactly. In Alfred’s current form, even if he poses, the cuteness stands out too much.]

I-I see.

So that’s why he prefers a taller form.

[Longer limbs also make the poses look better. It gives more room around the body.]

Loo, back in her tall form, brought her hand up in front of her face.

[See? If your elbows are too close to your body, it looks cramped.]

That’s true.

So that’s why Alfred likes having a tall figure.

Alright, that clears it up.

Thanks.

[You’re welcome.]

Loo returned to her usual appearance.

Still, you knew a lot about this.

[…It’s something everyone goes through.]

?

A new question formed in my mind, but Loo didn’t answer.

-0-

Setting my questions aside for now, I handed the menpo to Zabuton, as requested.

TN: Menpo is a particular type of Mengu or facial armor which covers the lower half of the face, specifically the entire nose and chin. It’s what the samurais were using.

The menpo doesn’t cover the entire face. It hides everything from below the eyes down.

Since there wasn’t a specific material requirement, I used wood from the forest.

It was carved with an angry mouth design, and within that design, small, discreet holes were added for breathing.

That was part of the request, but… won’t wearing this with the outfit make it look a bit too intimidating?

When I asked Zabuton, she said it would be fine.

Apparently, a cloth extending from the neck will act as a mask to hide the menpo.

Hide it?

Then what’s the point of the menpo?

Before Zabuton could answer, Loo stepped in and explained.

[It’s for when he’s in serious mode.]

…Ah, so when the menpo is visible, it means he’s going all out.

I see.

Then what about the high-collared black cloak placed separately from the rest of the outfit? Does that have something hidden too?

This time, Zabuton explained.

The color changes?

When magic power is infused into the stone at the collar, it activates Mereo’s transparent liquid… and patterns appear as the color shifts.

That transparent liquid from Mereo can be controlled with magic power?

Loo stepped forward and puffed out her chest proudly in front of Zabuton.

[It’s the result of my research.]

That’s impressive.

There are so many ways this could be used.

[Right?]

Yeah.

I’d like to explore all the possible applications.