Chapter 32

Waking up, I stored the rock that served as the door to my bedroom, and before I knew it, Bell and Rain charged at me. I hurriedly held them, and just as I was about to ask what was going on, the excited Bell started talking.

"Yuta, guess what. The sprouts came out!"

"Kyu-kuu-"

Indeed, that's why Bell and Rain were so hyped up.

"The sprouts from the seeds that Bell and Rain planted came out too!"

"Kyu-kuu-"

"Wow, that's great. We should go check them out right away."

"Hurry up!"

"Kyu-"

Pulled by Bell and pushed by Rain, I headed towards the field. When we arrived, Dine, Nomos, and Turu were already there, looking at the field.

"Oh, Yuta, good morning. The sprouts have come out!"

"Yeah, the growth is pretty good."

"...They came out."

"Good morning, everyone. Let me see too."

Looking at the field, I saw a small but vividly green sprout. Even in a place where nothing grows, a small sprout stands out. I squatted down to observe it up close.

The thin, almost translucent stem and the two small, divided leaves were adorable. When was the last time I was moved by growing plants? I remember being happy when the morning glory bloomed in elementary school.

"Yeah, yeah. There are definitely plants growing in the field of death."

"Yuta, this is the one Bell planted."

"Kyu-kyu-"

Bell and Rain proudly showed me the sprouts that came from the seeds they planted. I petted them enthusiastically, sharing their joy of seeing the sprouts.

"Still, they really did sprout."

I had wished for them to sprout, but I was surprised to see the actual sprouts. After all, this was a land where nothing grew.

"Yuta, you did a great job. I think you're the first to grow something in the field of death in a long time."

"Yeah, those who tried to cultivate on a large scale only managed to get a meager harvest. You should be proud."

"...Well done."

Dine, Nomos, and Turu praised me. It felt pretty good.

"Hmm? Speaking of which, where's Sylphie?"

She usually praises me right away.

"Sylphie went to fetch the forest spirit as soon as she saw the sprouts. The environment is harsh, so she probably didn't want them to wither right away."

Oh, I see. I always rely on Sylphie. I want to thank her, but... I can't think of anything other than alcohol. I should look for something else she might like.

"I see. That's very kind of her. When will she be back?"

"Hmm, it depends on the other party, but she should be back by noon."

"Yeah, Sylphie was really excited, so she might be back even earlier."

Sylphie must be happy too. I feel genuinely happy for her.

"By the way, Rain, did you finish watering?"

"Kyu-ii-"

Rain shook her head.

"Since the sprouts might break if you hit them directly with water droplets, can you spray them with a mist like before?"

"Kyu-"

Nodding, so it's okay. The other types of seeds haven't sprouted yet, so there's still a lot to look forward to.

After Rain finished watering, I had breakfast with Bell, Rain, and Turu. The seafood was the same as usual, but the prospect of vegetables made me more excited.

If the forest spirit comes, the plants might grow rapidly. If that happens, we might have green vegetables for dinner! I'm looking forward to it.

After finishing the meal, I was looking around the field again when Bell told me Sylphie was approaching. That's quick. I decided to greet her at the field. Spotting Sylphie, I waved my hand.

"Welcome back. Yuta."

"Welcome back, Sylphie. Thanks for going to fetch the forest spirit so quickly. Is this the forest spirit?"

"Yes, that's right. Her name is Dolly."

"Nice to meet you. I am Dolly, the Great Forest Spirit. This is the junior forest spirit who came with me. Yuta, right? Nice to meet you."

The Great Forest Spirit bowed gracefully. She had long, straight green hair that was silky smooth. She was a delicate and beautiful girl with a gentle smile, giving off an air of a sheltered young lady.

And the junior forest spirit she brought was incredible. That's cheating, right? Her fluffy, mokomoko body, especially her tail, was amazing. Her fur was close to gold and shone with a luster. The little fox looked up at me with big, round eyes. She was so cute that I wanted to hug her.

"Yuta?"

"Ah, sorry. I'm Yuta. Please call me Yuta."

"Hehe. You can speak casually. Sylphie told me about you. You can call me Dolly, and there's no need for formal language. I just have a habit of using it, so don't worry about it."

"O-Okay. Dolly, thank you for coming. I really appreciate it."

"Dolly, we meet again."

"Kyu-"

"No problem. I was interested after hearing about you from Sylphie. Bell, Rain, nice to see you again. You did a great job with your task, well done."

"Hehe-"

"Kyu-"

Wow, Bell and Rain are melting. The power of a sheltered young lady is formidable. Or maybe it's the negative ion effect of a forest spirit.

Bell and Rain, now interested in the little fox, rushed over, hugging her while saying "so fluffy." I'm envious.

"Dolly, it's been a while. How have you been?"

Dine suddenly appeared, hugging Dolly and rubbing her cheek against her. They must be close.

"Here you are. I've been waiting."

Nomos and Turu also arrived. Turu seemed a bit uncomfortable, so I directed her towards the little fox. Turu cautiously approached the little fox, slowly enjoying the fluffiness. That's nice.

"Dine, Nomos, it's been a while. I've been doing well. I heard about what you've been up to. It sounds like you've been having fun."

"Hehe, it's been fun. It will be even more fun with Dolly here."

"Hmm, not boring at all."

"Dolly, let's put the reunion aside for now and check the field. I came here quickly because I was worried they might wither."

Oh, right. I almost forgot the most important thing.

"Sorry, you're right."

Dolly gently touched the sprouts and examined the soil, making me tense up just watching.

"Indeed, they are growing well. The soil balance isn't great, but these are hardy varieties that can withstand harsh environments. They should grow fine."

Wow, vegetables are almost here. I wonder how long it will take before we can eat them. ...I was just moved by the sprouts coming out, but now I can only think about eating them.

"That's great. Is there anything I should be careful about?"

After thinking for a moment, she answered.

"Even though they are hardy, there are limits. Please keep the soil moist but not too wet."

"I've asked Rain to water them. She uses a mist to keep them moist. Can you check it later?"

"Sure, I'll go with you."

I have no idea about the amount of water, so that's a big help.

"Thanks."

"Can Dolly stay here?"

"Yes, the environment is suitable for plants to grow, so I can stay. However, this field will eventually reach its limit, so we need an environment where more plants can grow. There is one more condition, but I'll tell you about it if you can create such an environment."

Wow, good job, Nomos. It's a good thing we prepared a space for a forest as you suggested.

"In that case, we have a space for a forest as Nomos suggested. Can you check it out?"

"Oh, you've already prepared it. That's wonderful."

I led Dolly to the south side of the base where we planned to create a forest.

"Here it is. It might be a bit small for a forest, but please bear with it."

"Wow, there's a spring in the center. The soil is very similar to the field's. There are fewer microorganisms, but... this should work."

Great reaction. If this didn't work, I wouldn't know what to do. The microorganisms haven't increased yet.

"I see. The microorganisms are just mixed in, so they should increase over time. If there are no problems, can you tell me the last condition?"

"Sure. The last condition is that you don't give up on developing this land. From what Sylphie told me, it seems like you might not be able to come back easily once you go to town. Since you've worked so hard, I hope you continue to develop this land. What do you think?"

I worked hard to create this place. I never intended to give it up, but what does it mean to not give up on development? I can't fully commit to development. I want to enjoy this world too.

"Hey, Sylphie, how long does it take to get to the nearest town?"

"Well, the nearest town is about three hours away if I carry you. But Bell and the others can't come. Still, anywhere on this continent is within a half-day's travel."

The Great Spirit of Wind is amazing. Even carrying me, she's faster than Bell. But with that speed, I can always come back here.

"Sylphie is amazing."

"Of course. Don't underestimate the Great Spirit of Wind."

Yeah, I can accept that smug face. Being able to travel anywhere on this continent in half a day is incredible.

"Ah, Dolly, I don't intend to give up on this land, but I don't plan to fully commit to its development either. I want to enjoy this world while gradually improving this place. The development pace will be slow, and the area won't expand unless necessary."

"As long as you don't abandon this land and continue to develop it, even if it's on a small scale, that's fine. I will stay here."

The sheltered young lady of the Great Forest Spirit and the charming fluffy junior fox spirit have joined us.

Thank you for reading.