#1207 This Year’s Orkubo’s Castle 

Winter has come again. 

As long as time flows, the seasons change and the world’s colors shift with them. 

Before I knew it, the farm had become a glittering expanse of white.  
My kids immediately plunged into the snow, building snowmen and engaging in playful snowball fights. 

“Rainbow spikeball!” 
“Choukyuuuu Haouuu Deneeedannn!” 

They were already putting their newly learned miracle balls to use on the battlefield of snow… 

Life at home was peaceful, but I couldn’t afford to lounge about for long.  
This winter promised to be anything but dull. 

After all, there’s the Farm Kingdom to keep running.  
Even in winter, the development work presses on, and there’s no shortage of things that need my direction and support. 

On top of that, there’s our annual winter tradition. Our calendar is already packed to the brim. 

What’s this winter tradition, you ask?  

It’s none other than Orkubo’s Castle. 

Orkubo’s Castle... 
Is both the name of the fortress built in a certain province and the name of the event that swirls around it. 

Every winter, countless challengers gather to storm its impenetrable stronghold. 
The castle is armed with all manner of traps and defenses, determined to greet every attacker with a “you shall not pass”—and a friendly reminder that no one leaves alive. 

…At least, that’s the premise of the attraction. 

Those who manage to reach the end are rewarded with prizes, and many return year after year.  
It’s become quite the popular event. 

It all started when some members of our farm casually suggested, “Hey, let’s build a castle.”  
I gave the go-ahead without a second thought, and before I knew it, this annual spectacle was born. 

I never could have dreamed it’d turn into such a fixture. We always winged it, prioritizing the thrill of live action, and somehow, here we are. 

The event’s economic ripple effect means we can’t simply call it off now, even if we wanted to. 

But we’re having fun every year, so that’s a win in my book. 

What should we do this year?  
Maybe we can leverage the Farm Kingdom’s fame in our promotions? 

Should the grand prize for clearing every gate be “an eight-day, seven-night resort stay in the Farm Kingdom?”  
…Then again, we’re not that kind of a brand. 

I’ll talk it over with Lord Dalkish. 

Who’s Lord Dalkish?  
He’s the human feudal lord of the territory that hosts Orkubo’s Castle, and we share a friendly alliance. 

Orkubo's Castle stands on land he governs, and we hold the annual event there by his gracious permission.  

Naturally, I come each year to discuss the castle’s operations before the season begins. 

This year, I packed the obligatory gift box of sweets… and figured I’d also ask for any support he could spare towards the Farm Kingdom. 
After all, he’s the lord of this land, he can hardly say no. 

Yet when I arrived, I found Lord Dalkish wearing a grave expression. 

Is something wrong? A poor harvest? 
I heard the summer and autumn were mild and plentiful. 

If his lands were in trouble, we’d just have to make Orkubo's Castle a roaring success to boost the local economy. 
 

Regional development is one of the event’s greatest merits, after all!!! 

...Huh? 
There’s no need for that?! 

What do you mean?! 

*** 

“Please, believe I would never slight you, Lord Saint...! We are eternally grateful for your presence and kindness! Our prosperity is thanks to you, and we are humbled by your mercy!!!” 

That day, I was visiting Lord Dalkish's manor, sitting across from each other at a table in the drawing room. 

But he looked incredibly uncomfortable, and the conversation was going nowhere fast. 

“Lord Dalkish…! Please, calm down. I promise, I’m not taking this as a challenge or anything…! I’d just appreciate a little more context, that’s all…!” 
“You are absolutely right, Lord Saint…! I shall bare every last corner of my heart to you! Let us illuminate the space between the small and large intestine, and be truly of one mind…!” 

Okay, just take a deep breath... 

Still, I can’t blame him. If someone suddenly told me an event was being shut down without warning, I’d be thrown for a loop too. 
That’s basically what Lord Dalkish is trying to say, right? 

We can’t do Orkubo's Castle here anymore? 

The thing is, we’re only able to host the event because we’re borrowing this land. If the landowner says “no,” we’ve got no choice but to pack up and leave. 

But surely we can talk things through before it comes to that. 
Let’s keep the dialogue going, figure out where we stand, and aim for a win-win solution. 

So let me ask. 
Why the sudden cancellation of Orkubo's Castle? 

“I’ve long wondered… is this really the right path for us?” 

Hmm? 

“Ever since Orkubo's Castle began being held here each year, our domain has prospered like never before. Tax revenue is up eightfold. People are coming in from outside in droves. Our economy’s grown and our name’s gotten out there. Nowadays, people hear ‘Wallachia Frontier’ and immediately think Orkubo's Castle. We even made the top five in the latest ‘Most Livable Domains’ rankings!” 

So. Orkubo's Castle has brought great benefits to Lord Dalkish’s domain. 
That honestly makes us proud, too, as the ones who’ve been borrowing the land for the event. 

“But it’s not something we earned through our own effort or ambition. This growth was just a lucky break that came from Orkubo's Castle happening to be held here. I’ve always feared the danger lurking behind that prosperity.” 

Now I’m starting to get where he’s coming from. 

Basically, the domain is thriving, but the engine behind all that is Orkubo's Castle.  
If something outside your control holds that much sway over your fate, that’s definitely something a ruler has to worry about. 

Sure, things are great now. 
But what if the people running Orkubo's Castle suddenly said, “We’re moving it elsewhere”? 

Believing prosperity will continue even after its foundation is pulled out is just wishful thinking. 

But Lord Dalkish isn’t turning away from reality. He’s facing it head-on. That says a lot about him as a ruler. 

I’m guessing that behind the success of Orkubo's Castle, he’s been putting its wealth to good use. 
He’s improving the domain, expanding farmland, launching new industries. Every move he’s made as a feudal lord has been sharp and calculated. 

“Still, Orkubo's Castle has done so much to help our growth. We don’t want to let go of it lightly. And it would be ungrateful to turn our backs on something done for us out of goodwill.” 

Hmm…  
Then why now? 

“Because Lord Saint… this year, you’ve started a major project: founding the Farm Kingdom. You’ve stepped onto the main stage for the first time, and your dedication is evident, even I’ve heard about it in detail.” 

And so, Dalkish said... 

“That’s why I reached this conclusion. I can’t burden you with us anymore. From here on, you’ll need to focus all your energy on your own country. You won’t have the time or attention to spare for this place. And if you’re going to run local revitalization events, it’s only right to do them in your own land.” 

Lord Dalkish…  
You thought it through that far? 

Not just for your own people, but for others, too. Your decision contributes to the greater good of the whole world. 
You really are an outstanding statesman. 

“But wouldn’t scrapping Orkubo's Castle all of a sudden have major consequences?” 
“I’ve already thought that through as well. Orkubo's Castle is beloved by so many people now. Even as the host, I don’t believe we have the right to just decide its fate on our own. As long as the participants still wish for it, the show must go on.” 

Then, Dalkish bows deeply and says... 

“So please, would you entrust the operation of Orkubo's Castle to us?!”