In this world, children were considered a valuable part of the workforce.
However, our village had more than enough of a workforce that children didn’t have to pitch in as well.
Given that, I decided to build a school where they could study for the sake of their future.
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For now, it was a 6-year program for children ages 5 to 10.
In addition to teaching how to read, how to do basic arithmetic, and history, we would also be teaching the children about this world’s Gifts, magic, skills, monsters, and monster-infested areas.
We would of course be adding more topics later on, such as hygiene and physical education.
As for who were going to be the teachers, they would be selected from the villagers based on their Gifts as well as their suitable occupations—as determined by my villager appraisal.
“Luke-sama, I believe we must also teach theology and worship.”
Millia, the village’s one and only priest, proposed so.
Now that I think about, I do feel like religion-related topics were also taught in school in my previous life. But who’s gonna teach it?
“Please leave it to me. As the village’s priest, it is my duty to guide the children in such matters.”
“Okay, but are you sure? I mean, you’re already doing the worship meetings, right?”
“Oh, there’s no need to worry; I won’t run out of things to talk about anytime soon, after all. (*Fufufu…now I can brainwa–err, give them special education while they’re young…*)”
“……?”
By the way, no particular day of the week was ever set for the village’s day of worship, so the day she would teach at the school and the day she would hold the village’s worship meetings could be freely moved around.
Afterwards, I also built a library and an art museum in the village.
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In this country where war has become commonplace, it wasn’t rare for books and artworks to be destroyed or simply neglected.
Those who immigrate to this village would sometimes bring with them such items, so I figured we should buy as many as we could and preserve them.
On a certain day, a group of women arrived in the village.
Some were in the latter half of their teens, while some were in their twenties.
All of them had rather thick make up and strong perfume.
“A pleasure to meet you, village chief. I’m Fana.”
Their representative, a voluptuous woman in her mid-twenties, introduced herself so.
“Yes. You see, all of us previously worked as prostitutes back home. However, circumstances have forced us to leave our home city behind and go to this new land. We were hoping that there would be a demand for us here in this new, rapidly-growing city of yours.”
I had no clue what happened to them, but if what I heard was true—that prostitutes usually had poor work environments—they probably decided to take a chance in the village when they heard of us in the rumors.
“Yes, of course, I’ll direct you all to proper jobs.”
“…proper jobs?”
“Yes. For example, there is currently a good demand for women in the clothing atelier and the restaurants…”
Due to the childbirth boom right now, there have been a lack of manpower lately, meaning a lot of jobs up for offer.
I could appraise this group later on and tell them which jobs they should first try based on their aptitudes and potential Gifts.
“Does the village chief perhaps think that prostitution is an improper job?”
“!?”
I gasped when she pointed out something unexpected.
“Ahm, well, no…”
“Of course, I admit that it isn’t a job that one would usually openly boast about. Many in this line of work do it out of necessity and would probably prefer a normal, respectable job. A proper job, as some would put it. However, there are those among us who do take pride in our job.”
“……”
Her words were incredibly thought-provoking.
I realized that I did have a prejudice against prostitution.
“Well, let’s just say that for women who loves doing the deed by an extraordinary amount, this profession is a true calling! Ahh, all this talk’s making me want to put a man’s thing inside me as soon as possible!”
“There are some things better off unsaid, you know!”
Like that, I reluctantly decided to build a brothel for them.
< >
“Fufufu, say, you don’t look like you’ve known a woman’s touch, mister village chief. I will gladly take your firs–––Hiii!?”
“……?”
Fana-san, who was staring intently at me, suddenly became ghastly pale for some reason.
“F-forget what I said just now~~!”
After saying so, she left as though she was running away.
“……?”
I looked behind me to see if there was anything that could cause Fana-san to be like that, but all I saw there was Millia with her usual, gentle smile.