As we continued along the roads of the Kingdom of the Giants, the landscape kept changing before my eyes. The farther we traveled from the capital, the more evident it became that this region had an identity of its own. The city's enormous buildings had given way to vast fields, small villages, and extensive farmlands.
I watched everything through the carriage window as the royal general guided us.
The territory seemed much larger now that I was seeing it in person.
Maps were useful.
Reports were as well.
But none of those things could convey the true scale of a place.
It was different being there.
Feeling the wind.
Watching the people.
Seeing the crops.
Listening to the sounds of the region.
All of it made the experience far more real.
Beside me, Elara was also admiring the scenery.
"It's truly beautiful."
"I thought so too."
"These lands have a lot of potential."
I agreed.
Ever since we had left the capital, I had already seen several areas that appeared to be extremely fertile.
Well-preserved forests.
Wide rivers.
Vast fields.
It wasn't difficult to understand why the king considered this region so valuable.
Some time later, the general raised his hand.
The caravan slowed down.
"We've arrived at the first village."
I looked ahead.
A small community could be seen in the distance.
Houses built from wood and stone were scattered around a central area.
Cultivated fields surrounded much of the village.
Some giants were working normally while others were talking near a well.
As we approached, several people began to notice our arrival.
The general dismounted his horse.
We also stepped out of the carriages.
Soon, an older giant walked toward us.
He had gray hair and a calm expression.
He looked like someone accustomed to carrying responsibility.
The general made the introductions.
"This is the village chief."
The giant gave a respectful bow.
"It is an honor to welcome you, Lord Takumi."
It still felt strange hearing that kind of title.
But I did my best to respond politely.
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
The man smiled.
"We heard that you would be coming."
"I hope I'm not causing any trouble."
He laughed.
"Quite the opposite."
Soon afterward, we began walking through the village.
The residents seemed quite curious.
Some waved.
Others watched discreetly.
Many children seemed especially interested.
Perhaps because it wasn't common to see human visitors in this region.
As we walked, I spoke with several villagers.
I asked about the harvests.
About trade.
About local difficulties.
About the community's needs.
Most of the answers were positive.
The village was in reasonably good condition.
There were a few problems.
But nothing too serious.
The village chief explained several things as we walked.
"Agricultural production has declined a little over the past few years."
"Because of the miasma?"
I asked.
He nodded.
"Yes."
That made sense.
The problem had affected virtually every kingdom.
Even after the defeat of the demon generals, the effects still remained in many regions.
We continued the tour.
At one point, several children approached us.
They looked at our group with obvious curiosity.
One pointed at Rai'kanna.
Another pointed at Scarlett.
Soon they began asking questions.
Scarlett answered first.
And immediately turned it into some kind of competition.
A few minutes later, several children were already surrounding her and Rai'kanna.
The two of them seemed to be having a great time.
I watched the scene and smiled.
It was nice to witness simple moments like that.
Over the past few years, we had fought so many battles that ordinary situations had become something special.
After finishing our visit to the village, we resumed our journey.
Throughout the afternoon, we visited several other smaller communities.
Each had its own characteristics.
Some focused more on agriculture.
Others on raising livestock.
Some depended on trade.
Others made use of the region's natural resources.
As I observed everything, I began to better understand how these lands functioned.
It wasn't just one large estate.
It was a network of connected communities.
Different people.
Different needs.
Different realities.
Managing all of that would be far more complicated than simply reviewing reports.
During a rest stop, I sat beneath a tree while looking over one of the cultivated fields.
The general approached me.
"Are you worried?"
"I thought managing land would be simpler."
He laughed.
"Many people think that."
"Now I understand why."
The general sat down nearby.
"People are harder to manage than armies."
That made me laugh.
"Speaking from experience?"
"A great deal."
We talked for several minutes.
He explained many aspects of the local administration.
How taxes worked.
How resources were distributed.
Trade between villages.
The investments made by the crown.
It was an enormous amount of information.
But it was also interesting.
For the first time, I began to see these lands as more than just a reward given to me by the king.
They represented responsibility.
Something far greater than money or prestige.
While we were talking, Liriel's assistant walked around the area, observing everything.
She seemed fascinated.
At one point, she approached us.
"Now I understand why the gods spend so much time watching mortals."
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
She looked over the fields.
The houses.
The people working.
"Their lives are simple."
"They are."
"But there's something beautiful about that."
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
I understood what she meant.
After so many wars, destruction, and battles, it was easy to forget exactly what we were trying to protect.
Places like that served as a reminder.
By the end of the afternoon, we arrived at the main area of the territory.
There stood a building much larger than the others.
It wasn't quite a fortress.
But it was large enough to serve as the local administrative center.
The general pointed toward it.
"From now on, this will be the center of your lands."
I looked at the building.
It was sturdy.
Well built.
And it stood in a strategic location.
From there, it was possible to overlook much of the surrounding area.
Several local administrators were already waiting for our arrival.
We spent the rest of the afternoon reviewing documents and reports.
This time, however, everything made much more sense.
I had seen the villages.
Met the residents.
Observed the fields.
The information was no longer just numbers written on paper.
Now it had context.
As I reviewed the records, I realized the region's potential was enormous.
Especially if we could solve the problems caused by the remaining miasma.
Agricultural production could increase significantly.
Trade as well.
Perhaps far more than even the administrators themselves imagined.
By the time the work was finally finished, the sun was already approaching the horizon.
The distant mountains began to take on orange hues.
The scenery became even more beautiful.
I left the building and walked a short distance alone.
I needed to organize my thoughts.
The wind blew gently.
In the distance, I could see some of the villages we had visited.
People were returning to their homes.
Children were playing.
Farmers were finishing another day's work.
It was a simple scene.
But an incredibly pleasant one.
A little later, I heard footsteps approaching.
It was Elara.
She stopped beside me.
"Thinking?"
"A little."
"About the lands?"
"About everything."
She looked out over the landscape.
"You seem different."
I looked at her.
"Different how?"
"More responsible."
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Is that a compliment or a criticism?"
"A compliment."
We remained silent for a few moments.
The view truly was beautiful.
Then Elara spoke again.
"Are you going to stay here for a while?"
The question made sense.
At first, I had only planned to visit the territory.
But after everything I had seen that day, my opinion had begun to change.
I looked once more at the fields.
At the villages.
At the distant mountains.
Then I answered.
"I think so."
She smiled.
"I thought you would."
So did I.
At that moment, I had already made my decision.
It wouldn't make sense to visit these lands for just one day and then leave.
If I truly wanted to understand how to manage them, I would need to spend some time there.
Get to know the people better.
Understand the local problems.
Learn how everything worked.
Only then would I be able to do a good job.
When we returned to the group, the general asked,
"So, Lord Takumi?"
I looked at him.
"We're going to remain here for some time."
The giant gave a faint smile.
"That's exactly what I was hoping to hear."
And as the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains of the Kingdom of the Giants, I realized that a new stage of my journey was beginning. This time, not as an adventurer, hero, or warrior.
But as someone who needed to learn how to care for the lands and the people who were now under his responsibility.