They say a single genius can feed and sustain a nation.
I never truly believed such talk, having never experienced it myself… until now.
The abilities possessed by one Berdetto were more than enough to warrant such an evaluation.
Village development.
Personnel management.
Merchant guild operations.
Not long after I told them to show me what they could do—just as they grasped the structure—they reworked it into something smoother and cleaner. It was like taking our somewhat slapdash processes and systematizing them.
Adviser.
Now I had one too. I thought I could do without, but no.
Though Berdetto lacked physical prowess, their sharp thinking allowed them to handle every situation with great flexibility. Thanks to this, the structured departments became even more efficient, boosting productivity.
Morning reports used to involve multiple people, but soon it was just Berdetto coming alone. They’d consolidate opinions and present them to me.
Truthfully, I found it convenient. “I want to do this in this way.” “There’s a problem here; I plan to solve it like this.”
Getting my approval and proceeding. All I had to do was sign off—how easy!
Of course, there were times when I checked things directly since summarized opinions differ from raw field feedback.
Before we knew it, spring was halfway over. The village’s evolution was so rapid it could now be called a city.
As for me? I focused on personal skill development, occasionally listened to secret news, and gave peaches to the System. That was about it.
Everything else was progressing fine without me needing to interfere. If something went slightly awry or I had a helpful idea, I’d toss it out to correct things. That was my role: overseeing the flow of the town.
Big projects were mostly my domain, like the weaving factory, potion-making using forest herbs, and establishing the armory.
Clothes being quite valuable, I entered the textile industry to increase freedom and reduce scarcity. The monastery handled most healing, but we opened a potion business for emergencies. As for the armory, it was to produce better equipment in tandem with the ironworks.
When I explained these ideas, Berdetto would understand and ensure their smooth implementation in the village. While I handled the initial groundbreaking for major construction, subsequent work and labor allocation fell under Berdetto’s purview.
All I had to do was assign tasks. Though it made me feel like a bad boss, ultimately it was all about everyone living well together.
“Lord, I shall report.”
“Hmm.”
Our mornings began with tea while facing each other. Of course, Berdetto always arrived with Lucy, the cute green-eyed child peeking from behind her father.
“Hello!”
“Hey there. Yul will be out soon, so could you wait just a bit?”
“Yes!”
Lucy had become another symbol of dashing around the village with Yul. Waiting anxiously while tapping her feet, she’d rush over with a wide smile upon seeing Yul’s innocent red eyes.
“Lucy, come on!”
“Yeah!”
“Are we going to the forest?”
“Forest? Aren’t you scared?”
“Nope! There are nice friends in the forest. Let’s go see the birds.”
“The World Tree?”
“Yeah! Yul will show you!”
“Okay!”
With that, they hopped on the pink bicycle and zoomed off. With security always nearby, I wasn’t worried. Besides, the forest was not just friendly—it overflowed with loyalty. Accidents there were unimaginable.
“The World Tree, huh. So there’s a big tree, then?”
“Something like that.”
A faint wistfulness hung on Berdetto’s face whenever he saw the children’s closeness.
Even though he was my closest aide, I hesitated to reveal the truth about the World Tree, so I let it slide.
“Anyway, let’s proceed with the report.”
“Alright.”
“The armory was completed yesterday. Master Bayeye is in charge, and we’re currently producing and selling tools and daily necessities for the farmers.”
“Good.”
“The weaving factory should start operating within two days. Since your hemp supply is crucial for its operation, I’ll report back later on the appropriate manpower and consumption levels.”
“Don’t worry about the hemp. We’ll have cotton by autumn, so prepare for that as well.”
“Noted. Regarding potion production, we’re encountering some difficulties due to the lack of skilled personnel. Various opinions exist on herb usage. Selling the herbs as-is might not be a bad option if we want to utilize current resources.”
“It’s fine. We have vast forest resources, so mistakes are acceptable. This isn’t about making money but nurturing talent and alleviating inconvenience.”
“Understood.”
“Anything else?”
“Hmm… Given our proximity to the coast, we might consider trade routes. Building a shipyard or a separate trading post could be beneficial.”
“I’ll think about it. Do we have spare manpower?”
“Plenty.”
“Got it. Any other suggestions?”
“Ah… The monastery mentioned that the village streets are dark at night, making it difficult to find lost children.”
“That’s a good point. We should install street lamps.”
“What exactly are street lamps?”
“They’re lights set up along the roads. I’ll explain later. Anything else to report?”
“No.”
“Alright, thanks for today’s work.”
“Thank you.”
It feels fulfilling when the village runs smoothly. After all, this is where my children will grow up, where Yul lives, where my family thrives. My selfish hope is for it to be a happy place. Policies generally stem from that mindset.
“Jack?”
“Eh?”
“Shall we go?”
“Eh!”
Jack’s pronunciation had improved significantly. After Berdetto left, Jack and I headed to the forest. The path to the World Tree was always refreshingly cool.
Holding my hand tightly, Jack’s steps were brimming with vitality.
We spotted a pink bicycle en route—a clear sign of Yul. Wet footprints marked their passage.
The ever-growing World Tree loomed ahead, now majestically covering the sky. Upon arrival, we found two adorable kids chatting while playing near the tree. Nearby, deer and rabbits rested, birds chirped, and an elf smiled warmly.
The scene calmed my heart. Just looking brought tranquility and comfort.
Together with Jack, we joined the group.
“Father!”
“Having fun?”
“Yeah!”
Yul enthusiastically ran over to me.
[Guardian! Welcome!!!]
The World Tree’s boisterous welcome.
“Benefactor. Welcome.”
The elf’s warm greeting.
Unreserved animals gathered around me. Birds perched everywhere, squirrels climbed as if I were a tree.
“Aha ha ha! Father’s surrounded by animals!”
Yul laughed, joined by Lucy. Jack also smiled upon seeing me.
What a hilarious sight. Unable to view myself in third person, I regretted not capturing the moment.
I need to develop a camera soon.
While infusing Jack with energy as usual, I proceeded with the routine treatment.
Tuck.
A popping sound. A thin piercing noise reached my sensitive ears.
It came from Jack’s throat.
“A…”
A distinct voice emerged from Jack—not hesitant or blocked, but fully unobstructed.
Finally…
“A…”
Tears welled up in Jack’s eyes. Looking at me, they embraced tightly.
“Th… thank you…”
Jack’s voice was fairly clear, albeit still awkward and imprecise. But it was undeniable that language and Jack’s voice had emerged from his throat.
“Woo hoo! Guardian!”
Yul rejoiced, sticking close to Jack. Previously difficult interactions were now possible.
“Heehee.”
“Heeheehee.”
Yul’s laughter—or perhaps Anne’s—spread joyously.
The children’s shared laughter announced Jack’s recovery from aphasia. It was wonderful news.
“Hard work pays off.”
[I didn’t do anything!]
“Thanks to you.”
[Hehe.]
Expressing gratitude to the World Tree, I held Jack’s hand and returned home. Yul and Lucy pedaled off toward the village upon seeing us leave. Their camaraderie was heartwarming.
On the way home, Jack practiced one word repeatedly. Knowing its significance, I silently cheered him on, assuring him of his excellent pronunciation during our checks.
Once home, Jack carefully entered after I opened the door.
“Jack?”
Without a word, Jack hugged Evangelin. Concern crossed her face as she looked at me. I simply smiled.
“Is something wrong?”
Jack mumbled softly, a crystal-clear voice emerging.
“Sis.”
“…!”
“Si-sis.”
“How…?”
Evangelin’s shocked expression was rare. She soon pulled Jack into a tight embrace.
“Sis.”
An imperfect yet perfect word from Jack. Simple, but tears streamed down Evangelin’s face. Jack’s eyes also watered.
“Are you okay? Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah.”
“…Thank goodness. Truly.”
“Treatment…”
“You received treatment?”
“Yeah.”
I gently wiped her tears as she clutched Jack. Her reddened eyes met mine as her fiery hair swayed.
“With the help of the World Tree.”
“…”
“Every morning, we worked hard together. A few more sessions and it’ll be fully cured.”
“Thank you… so much.”
“It’s only natural. Family is sick.”
At that, Evangelin began sobbing uncontrollably. Her torrent of tears prevented conversation. Jack’s eyes were also red with emotion.
I simply embraced them both tenderly, patting them gently.
“Now we can greet each other every morning, right?”
“…Yes!”
Jack’s clear response brought a radiant smile to Evangelin’s face—the most beautiful I’d ever seen.
Even stained with tears, the joy and happiness couldn’t be hidden.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
