Chapter 17

Having obtained the seed of the Kira Plant, I decided to return to the field and plant it.

I lightly tilled the soil beside the field and planted the seed, then watered it.

When I used the power to promote growth, leaves sprouted quickly from where I had planted it.

In the center, there was a small, round face that opened and closed its mouth.

"The Kira Plant has already grown, huh?"

Leidia, surprised, peered at the Kira Plant that had sprouted so quickly.

"Can you remember us, whom you met just now?"

When I asked, the Kira Plant nodded its round face.

It seems that even after growing from a seed, it retained its previous memories. It also didn’t show any intention of attacking us and remained calm.

"I am the Pillar, and the one next to me is the High Elf Leidia. The one behind me is Rento. We want you to guard the field we are cultivating. If any beasts or monsters come near, feel free to eat them. In return, we will take care of you."

After introducing ourselves and explaining its role here, the Kira Plant nodded firmly.

"Well, before anything else, you need to grow as quickly as possible."

"I think this size is cuter, though."

Leidia, stroking the Kira Plant’s head with her finger, said.

When it was large, it had thorns and looked poisonous, but when it was small, it was cute.

It felt like I had a little pet.

"Maybe we can place some of these small individuals to get rid of small insects."

These pests come from nowhere and eat the fruits and leaves. They are the enemies of farmers.

I eliminate them whenever I notice them, but after some time, they come back. Some crops have already been damaged, so it’s a problem I want to address.

As I was thinking about this, the Kira Plant spat out a small seed.

"…What’s this?"

When I picked it up, it was a very small seed.

"Could it be that if we plant this, a Kira Plant that eats insects will grow?"

The Kira Plant nodded in agreement with Leidia’s words.

"Wow, really! That’s a big help!"

"Let’s plant it right away."

I planted the seed given by the Kira Plant next to the fruit field where Gravelingos and Pink Cherries were planted.

I also planted it next to the Mochi Mochi field and watered it, then used the growth promotion power.

Then, a slightly smaller Kira Plant sprouted.

Looking at its overall size and leaves, it was much smaller than the original Kira Plant. The color was also lighter.

"It seems a bit different from the Kira Plant, doesn’t it?"

【Insect Killer】

A specialized species created by the Kira Plant, specialized in capturing insects.

It cannot capture large animals but can release a scent that attracts insects.

"Insect Killer… a specialized species that captures insects."

"I’ve heard that such monsters occasionally appear, but this is the first time I’ve seen a plant-type monster."

As Leidia was marveling, several insects were drawn to the Insect Killer.

Troublesome insects that make holes in the leaves and lay eggs on them were being sucked into the Insect Killer’s petals and swallowed whole.

It was also capturing and eating small insects flying in the air by extending its vines.

"Wow, this is really helpful."

"With this, we don’t have to worry about the crops being damaged by insects."

When the Kira Plant grows larger, it will eat beasts and monsters, greatly enhancing the field’s defense. This will make it easier to cultivate crops, which is a great thing.

◆

"Huh? Leidia, did you put out the fire in the hearth?"

In the evening, when I tried to start a fire with the embers, I noticed it had been extinguished.

I had planned to leave some of the morning’s fire to reuse, but it was gone.

Rento, who is afraid of fire, wouldn’t have touched it, so it must have been Leidia.

"Yes, I put it out because there were embers left."

When I asked, Leidia admitted to putting out the embers.

"I left it so we could start the fire quickly for dinner, so please don’t put it out next time."

"I understand, but isn’t it safer to put it out since you can easily start a fire with magic?"

"I can’t use magic, though…"

I was at a loss when she said it so matter-of-factly.

"Huh? You can use such amazing abilities but can’t use magic?"

"Yeah. I’ve never even tried to use it."

Leidia, on the other hand, seemed surprised that I couldn’t use magic at all.

"That’s a waste. It would be so convenient if you could use it."

"Do I even have the aptitude for it?"

"It depends on your magic power and talent, but most people can use it with practice. If you want, I can check for you."

Despite receiving ample blessings from Elphira, I still have a fascination with the fantastical power of magic.

It would be convenient to be able to start fires, produce water, and create wind, so I really want to be able to use it.

"Please check."

"Then, I’ll need your help."

When I said that, Leidia took my hand and closed her eyes.

Feeling her soft hand, my heart rate quickened.

However, this sensation reminded me of my sisters from my previous life, making it feel nostalgic.

After a while, Leidia opened her eyes and let go of my hand.

"You have an aptitude for Earth Magic, Water Magic, and Wind Magic!"

"Wow! What about the other types of magic?"

"There’s Light Magic, Dark Magic, and Fire Magic, but you don’t have an aptitude for those. Especially Fire Magic, which is the worst match. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to use it."

"R-Really? I can’t use Fire Magic?"

I thought it would be convenient to be able to start fires easily, but it seems I can’t.

Usually, even if you’re not good at a particular type of magic, you can still produce small effects with effort, but it seems I can’t even do that. Leidia chuckled, saying she had never seen someone so completely unable to use a type of magic.

It’s probably because I have the blessing of the plant god of abundance.

Fire is the enemy of plants and is incompatible with them, so my body can’t accept it.

I’ll have to accept that this is just my nature.

"How do I use magic?"

"First, you need to perceive the magic power within your body. Your heart circulates not only blood but also magic power throughout your body. Can you feel it?"

Following Leidia’s advice, I tried to focus my awareness on my body.

"I can’t feel anything at all."

"Well, that’s to be expected. Let’s start by watching me use magic. When I activate magic, my magic power becomes active, so try to feel it."

"Got it."

When I nodded, Leidia began to mutter something.

Then, a wind blew around my body.

Even in a well-ventilated house, the wind wouldn’t blow continuously like this. This must be a phenomenon caused by Leidia.

"How about it? Do you feel anything?"

"The soft wind feels nice on my skin."

"…I’m not a fan, you know."

Even so, I could only feel the wind. It’s not easy to suddenly feel a fantastical power like magic.

"Then, how about Earth Magic?"

Leidia said, creating a clump of earth in her palm.

"Hmm? I felt something indescribable just now."

I couldn’t put it into words, but I felt something within me. It was a vague, fuzzy sensation.

"Sure enough, you have a particularly strong aptitude for Earth Magic, so it’s easier to sense. I understand. We’ll use Earth Magic a lot to develop that sensation."

"Got it."

That day, I practiced using Earth Magic with Leidia until the sun set, trying to develop my sense of magic.