Time passed faster than I had imagined.
Before I realized it, about a month had already passed since we arrived at the lands that the King of the Giants had granted me. During that period, my daily routine changed considerably. For the first time in a long while, I spent more days dealing with reports, crops, residents, and administration than fighting monsters or taking part in battles.
Surprisingly, I didn't dislike the experience.
In fact, I began to understand why some rulers devoted so much effort to the development of their regions.
Watching a land prosper with your own eyes brought a different kind of satisfaction.
It was something far removed from the excitement of battle.
But it had its own value.
That morning, I woke up early and headed to one of the agricultural areas to see the harvest results.
The sky was clear.
The weather was pleasant.
A gentle breeze swept across the fields.
When I arrived, I found many giants hard at work.
Some carried enormous baskets.
Others organized the harvest.
Many of them were smiling.
That alone already said a lot.
The man responsible for the local administration came to greet me.
He was an experienced giant named Brogan, someone who had helped me greatly throughout that month.
"Good morning, Lord Takumi."
"Good morning, Brogan."
He pointed toward the fields.
"The harvest was completed this morning."
I looked over the enormous amount of produce that had been gathered.
Even by giant standards, the harvest looked impressive.
"Were the results really that good?"
Brogan smiled.
"Better than we expected."
That made me happy.
For weeks, we had worked to improve the region's situation.
The purification performed by Liriel had played an important role in that.
The influence of the miasma had decreased dramatically.
The land had begun to breathe again.
The crops responded quickly.
Brogan began presenting the detailed figures.
The profits would be significantly higher than in previous years.
Production had increased.
Losses had decreased.
The quality of the food had improved as well.
Everything indicated that the region was entering a new phase.
As we walked through the fields, many residents approached to thank me.
I still felt a little uncomfortable whenever that happened.
I had never been very good at handling praise.
But it was impossible to ignore the happiness on their faces.
One of the older farmers approached with a smile.
"Thanks to the purification, our crops have finally returned to normal."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"The last few years have been difficult."
I looked around at the surrounding fields.
Now it was easy to understand his words.
The signs of the old problem had almost completely disappeared.
After speaking with several residents, I returned to the temporary residence.
When I arrived, I found the girls gathered on the veranda.
Scarlett and Rai'kanna were arguing about something related to their training.
Elara was reading a book.
Lyannis was gazing at the distant scenery.
Liriel was talking with her assistant.
The scene felt peaceful.
Perhaps even too peaceful for someone who had spent so much time surrounded by war.
I sat down beside them.
"How was your visit to the fields?"
Elara asked.
"Much better than I expected."
Liriel smiled.
"I figured."
"The harvest increased quite a bit."
"That's wonderful."
I nodded.
It really was.
During that month, I began to realize that small improvements could produce enormous results over time.
One good decision.
One well-made investment.
One simple solution applied at the right moment.
All of it created positive consequences.
It was different from battle.
But it was just as important.
Over the following days, I continued overseeing the final tasks related to the region's administration.
Several trade agreements were established.
Reports were completed.
Resources were distributed.
The local infrastructure also received improvements.
With every completed task, it became increasingly clear that my stay there was coming to an end.
Eventually, I would have to return to Vailor.
Other responsibilities were waiting for me.
Besides, it wouldn't be possible to remain away from the mansion indefinitely.
Even so, I wanted to make sure everything would continue to run smoothly after my departure.
For that reason, I began searching for someone capable of taking over part of the administrative responsibilities.
After speaking with several residents and considering various options, my choice ultimately fell on Brogan himself.
He knew the region.
He was respected by its people.
He had experience.
And above all, he demonstrated honesty.
The following morning, I invited him to talk.
We sat down in a small room near the temporary office.
"Brogan."
"Yes, Lord Takumi."
"I'd like to make you a proposal."
He looked curious.
I explained my idea.
I wanted to appoint him as the local administrator responsible for overseeing the lands during my absence.
Naturally, I would remain the owner of the region.
But he would take care of its day-to-day administration.
For several seconds, the giant remained silent.
He seemed surprised.
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
"There are people more qualified."
I shook my head.
"I disagree."
He looked even more surprised.
I continued.
"You know these lands better than anyone."
"But..."
"Besides that, you've earned the trust of the people."
Brogan remained thoughtful.
After a few moments, he finally accepted.
"I'll do my best."
I smiled.
"That's all I need."
With that matter settled, I spent the last few days organizing the remaining details.
The finances were properly divided.
Part of the profits was allocated to maintaining the region.
Another portion was reserved for future investments.
I also set aside resources to help the nearby village.
The residents were extremely grateful.
By the end of that month, the results were clear.
The lands were thriving.
Production was increasing.
The people were satisfied.
And there was someone trustworthy to continue the work.
That was exactly what I had hoped to achieve.
Shortly before our departure, I received an invitation from the King of the Giants.
He wanted to meet with me one last time before my return to Vailor.
Naturally, I accepted.
The following day, I went to the castle accompanied by the girls.
As always, the grandeur of the place was impressive.
The enormous corridors.
The gigantic columns.
The monumental architecture.
Everything there conveyed power.
We were welcomed by the king and the princess.
The princess seemed a little saddened by our upcoming departure.
Though she tried to hide it.
After some casual conversation, the king brought up the main subject.
"I've received the reports."
"I hope they're good."
He let out a hearty laugh.
"They're excellent."
I smiled.
That was good to hear.
The king continued.
"The lands have prospered much faster than we expected."
"It was a collective effort."
"Even so, you deserve recognition."
I thanked him.
I've never been very good at receiving praise.
But I knew his words were sincere.
During the conversation, we also talked about the miasma.
About the state of the world.
About the movements of the demons.
Unfortunately, that topic never stayed far away for long.
Even during times of peace.
At the end of the meeting, the king presented me with an additional reward for my services.
I accepted after some insistence.
Then we said our farewells.
The princess also came to say goodbye.
We talked for a few minutes.
I promised that I would return in the future to check on the lands.
She seemed more at ease after hearing that.
As we left the castle, I felt that this chapter of my journey was coming to an end.
The following morning, we loaded the carriage.
The preparations were completed quickly.
The residents came to see us off.
Brogan assured me once again that he would take good care of the region.
The king sent representatives to accompany our departure.
Even the princess came.
When everything was finally ready, we began our journey back.
As we traveled, I watched the giant landscapes slowly disappear behind us.
The mountains.
The forests.
The cities.
Everything gradually faded into the distance.
Even so, I felt satisfied.
That month had been productive.
I had learned a great deal.
I had grown as an administrator.
I had improved my magical abilities.
I had strengthened relationships.
And I had left something positive behind.
Several days later, we finally arrived in Vailor.
The sight of the mansion brought a pleasant sense of familiarity.
The servants welcomed us enthusiastically.
Everything looked exactly as we had left it.
After putting away our belongings and taking care of a few pending matters, I went upstairs to my room, carrying the ancestral mage's book with me.
I sat down by the window.
The sun was beginning to set.
Only a few pages remained.
Very few.
I carefully opened the book.
My eyes scanned the final chapters.
I knew I would soon reach the end of that reading.
Part of me even felt a certain sadness because of it.
Because that book had become much more than a simple object.
It was a constant source of learning.
A companion throughout that peaceful period of my life.
As I looked at the remaining pages, I realized I was about to discover the final words left behind by that extraordinary mage.
And for some reason, I felt that they would be important.