Oh, Delivery Is Possible! (1)
“Meow-?”
The cat-folk who had pulled the wagon flicked its tail back and forth at the sudden proposal. It didn't seem like the offer was particularly welcome; rather, it looked quite confused. Asking them to become mail carriers who pulled wagons?
“I can’t decide this on my own, meow.”
“Of course. You should return and discuss it with your kin.”
“There are many in my family who would find it bothersome to drag a wagon from this village to that village, meow.”
“I fully anticipated that, of course. However, wouldn't a fair price help in making that decision?”
“A price? What are you giving us, meow?”
“Naturally. All labor must be met with appropriate compensation. We in the North do not use the labor of our residents for free.”
“But we don’t really need anything.”
A look of annoyance flickered in the cat-folk’s mysterious green eyes. It seemed that continuing to talk about work didn’t suit its temperament.
“Now that you have become a proper member of the North, you must get used to currency as well.”
But Aiden was not one to give up.
“Ah, first, please have some snacks.”
Aiden pulled a long yellow cord hanging beside his desk, and as if waiting for it, a maid entered with refreshments. In truth, Aiden didn't usually eat snacks between meals. He only drank a bit of tea. This was a setup he had arranged beforehand, before bringing the cat-folk up to his office.
Clack.
A plate of snacks and a cup of warmed milk were served on the table.
Sniff, sniff!
The cat-folk’s nose twitched involuntarily as it faced the plate. Seeing it gulp down its saliva, it was clear he had hit the mark on its preferences.
“I’ll eat well, meow!”
Chomp.
“Oh!”
The cat-folk dove into the snacks as if it couldn't hold back any longer. It stuffed its mouth full, chewing while tapping its feet. Ears perked, tail puffed up. It was performing a full-body demonstration of ‘I love this!’
“It’s salmon jerky. It seems to suit your palate.”
“Sam-on-jer-ky.”
Its pronunciation was muffled by the food filling its mouth, but the way it repeated the name over and over suggested a resolve not to forget it.
“We take fatty salmon, marinate it thoroughly in salt, sugar, and spices, and then let it dry in the wind for several days.”
“This is delicious, meow! I’d be grateful if you gave me some as a gift, meow!”
“I would love to, but it costs quite a bit to produce. We have to use expensive sugar and spices without reserve... It’s something we only bring out when honored guests visit the Lord’s Castle, so a gift would be difficult.”
“Meow...”
At Aiden’s refusal, its ears drooped. It looked on with anxiety as the salmon jerky on the plate kept disappearing.
“Well, it’s not that you can’t buy it if you have money...”
“Money? If we have money, we can buy it, meow?”
“Of course. With money, you can buy anything. Not just salmon jerky, but tender beef jerky, sweet and fluffy pork jerky... Ah! Getting a glossy carpet made of fox fur would be no problem either.”
“Carpet? I don’t care about such—”
“It’s like this. Would you like to sit on it once?”
Aiden slid a small fox-fur cushion that had been on his chair toward the cat-folk. The cat-folk, which had shown no interest, brushed it once out of courtesy, then—
“......!”
Poof!
Purr, purr, purr, purr.
It reverted from its human form back into a cat, curling up on the fox-fur cushion and beginning to purr vigorously. Eyes closed, rubbing its body back and forth, looking extremely satisfied.
‘There’s no way a cat wouldn’t like this.’
This was the perfect luxury item for a creature that wouldn't dream of leaving a microfiber blanket even in the middle of summer.
“I like it, meow. But our elder said that if we monitor human prisoners and catch monsters living near the mountains, we get paid. Isn’t that right, meow?”
“That is correct. That is indeed what was agreed.”
“Then why do we need to bother pulling wagons and being mail carriers or whatever, meow?”
The cat-folk, having returned to its human form, hit the nail on the head. Even if it wasn't used to human society, it wasn't a fool.
“Monitoring prisoners alone won't be enough for the entire cat-folk tribe to eat meat at every meal.”
However, to put it another way, it is difficult for a beast-folk unaccustomed to human society to overcome Aiden, who has maxed out his stats in dealing with the public. It meant the opponent was out of his league.
“Now that the spiders that were in conflict with the cat-folk have retreated, the monsters won't be as rampant as before, right? In that case, the prey will gradually decrease.”
“Meow...”
“As time passes, the cat-folk’s income will slowly decline. Will you be okay with that?”
“We lived just fine without human goods before, meow!”
“Of course, that is true. The power of the beast-folk is immense. But if you use even a tiny fraction of that power for the sake of humans, humans will bring even greater prosperity to the cat-folk.”
Even if it seemed like he was buttering them up, the essence was different.
‘It’s hard to downsize your lifestyle after living in a big house.’
It would be one thing if they had never experienced it from the start. But giving up the convenience they had experienced once? That’s not easy, no sir.
“Just go back and talk to your family about it once.”
“Meow...”
“If the cat-folk take on the role of delivery agents, you will have steady income, and your relationship with the humans of the North will improve significantly.”
“Relationship with humans?”
“Indeed. Cat-folk delivering awaited letters and goods across the harsh Northern roads. Wouldn't that be a great way to improve the tribe’s image?”
“Meow.”
The cat’s green eyes narrowed. It was a look of contemplation. Contemplation meant its heart was wavering.
‘They say discrimination against beast-folk is rampant in the center of the continent.’
Would the cat-folk not know that? Even so, the reason they wanted to enter the human village wasn't just because they were tempted by a few wagonloads of meat.
‘They must have needed a place to settle down.’
That was why they needed a compromise with humans. Perhaps, to them, the friendly gaze of humans was more valuable than luxury items like salmon jerky or fur cushions.
***
A few days later, at the Lord’s Castle. With five representatives of the cat-folk in attendance, the postal service’s delivery wagon was finally unveiled.
A banner appeared as expected. The painter who had been hired by the Lord’s Castle’s public relations office was now busy sketching, giving instructions on poses as if he were used to it. These paintings would later hang on the walls of the Lord’s Castle or the Administrative Welfare Center, serving as a testament to Aiden’s achievements.
On the thick cloth covering the wagon’s cargo bed, cat footprints were drawn; it was clear this would become the symbol of the postal service in the North from now on.
‘Cute is best.’
The original plan had been a red swallow, but it was overhauled extensively once the cat-folk became the delivery agents. Cuteness can even save a country.
“The first postal wagon is departing. Everyone, please send them off with applause!”
At Jamie’s words, the onlookers sent cheers and whistles along with their applause.
“We’re counting on you!”
“Please deliver them safely!”
“Watch out on the road!”
“Meow-!”
The two cat-folk on the wagon, seemingly flushed by the people’s cheers, scratched their reddened cheeks and set the wagon in motion. A two-person team was the standard. Even if it made the costs a bit higher, it was unavoidable for safety.
“Did you know?”
“What?”
“That the reaction would be this hot.”
“People’s hearts are all the same, after all.”
Kalisa asked quietly. The first postal wagon was a massive success. While some decided to use the paid delivery out of curiosity since it was the first time, the majority had welcomed it with open arms.
— *Really? You’ll send goods to that far-off place just by paying money?*
— *For only that much money... Is it for real?*
— *Oh, honey! Go to the warehouse right now and get some jerky, dried fish, and flour. Why? Why do you think! To send it to our youngest daughter who married into that distant village and is living who knows how!*
— *Are you really going to Karsten Village? My best friend moved there... Wait, how about a letter—! No, no. I should send winter clothes in advance. Where did I put the ones I hunted...!*
Usually, commoners in this world rarely left the village where they were born until they died. However, people inevitably left their villages for marriage or to make a living. The problem was that in a world without phones or the internet, living in a different place was effectively the same as never seeing each other’s faces again for the rest of their lives.
Nobles or the wealthy might travel abroad with attendants, but it wasn't easy for commoners who lived day-to-day to set out on a journey that took over a dozen days on foot just to see a loved one. And it wasn't even a safe road, was it?
“Because the heart that wants to deliver something to a loved one is the same for everyone.”
Furthermore, since Aiden had personally declared that he would deliver iron farming tools to each village, trust in safe delivery had likely formed. *‘And the cat-folk stepping up was the finishing touch.’*
If the delivery agents had been humans, everyone might have hesitated a little. Worried that if they entrusted valuables, the delivery agent might gulp them down halfway. But it was a different story with beast-folk. Since there was still a strong perception that beast-folk were beings different from humans, many believed it would actually be safer in this regard.
Neighhh!
Clatter, clatter.
Kicking up dust, the wagon began to race off into the distance. The villages far from the Lord’s Castle didn't know the news of the postal delivery yet. What kind of commotion would occur when the wagons arrived with gifts and letters? A smile played on Aiden’s face as he thought of the residents who would be overcome with happiness upon receiving unexpected love.
And the postal delivery began to create a slightly different event. The origin was a cook who had worked in the Lord’s Castle kitchen, a woman who had recently quit to take care of her health because she was pregnant with her third child.
“Honey, honey! I sent a hat and shoes to my father-in-law, he’ll like this, right? Huh?”
“Oh my, thank you. My father will be so happy.”
“The world has really gotten better, hasn't it? Being able to sit still and send gifts to my father-in-law who lives so far away. Our Administrative Officer is the best, after all!”
“That’s true. Sitting still and sending gifts... Sitting still... Sitting still...?”
“Huh? Honey, what did you say?”
“No, wait a second. Be quiet for a moment. Let me think.”
Thinking of her father who would receive gifts while sitting still, the Administrative Officer popped into the woman’s mind. Always sitting still in his office, working, and eating sandwiches in that same spot—
“...Can’t we deliver food, too?”
“Huh?”