Chapter 26

After parting ways with Philo, I walked for about ten minutes and arrived at my home garden.

"Phew... I walked quite a bit..."

I exhaled deeply and spoke to Giselle, who stood beside me.

"Yes, Brother. After we finish the work, let's take a good rest. Actually, Mother bought some new tea leaves yesterday. They were a bit expensive, but they had a wonderful aroma, and I thought Brother would like them..."

Compared to me, who was slightly out of breath, Giselle spoke fluently. Despite the long walk, she hadn't broken a sweat.

"Y-Yeah... I'll look forward to it."

"Brother? Why are you looking away? Brother?"

The hole for planting the tree was already dug in the garden. I had the Otem dig it this morning. This spot gets plenty of sunlight and won't obstruct movement.

I grabbed the soil attached to the roots of the tree the Otem was carrying and placed it on the mound of soil that had been dug up. Then, I took a small bottle from my pocket and sprinkled the powder inside. This powder is a mixture of powdered magic beast bones, leaf mold, and crushed magic metal.

Next, I mixed the two types of soil and the powder with my hands. The soil quality differs between the village and the forest. The Hootle tree has its own preferred soil type. The purpose of mixing them is to create a suitable environment for the tree.

Once the soil was mixed, I waved my small staff, mentally constructing a magic array as I did so.

"Turpun"

I chanted the spell. The mound of soil glowed faintly. Good, the soil is ready.

I spread the prepared soil evenly in the hole. Once I was satisfied, I stepped back and clapped my hands.

"Fill it in."

The Otem, responding to my voice, moved to place the Hootle tree into the hole, starting from the roots.

After the Hootle tree was in the hole, I filled the gaps between the tree and the hole with the soil I had prepared. Finally, I pointed my staff at the soil.

"Pani"

Water overflowed from the tip of the staff and poured onto the roots of the tree. By watering the roots, I helped them acclimate to the soil.

With that, the transplanting was complete. I touched the Hootle tree, considering which branches to prune and which to keep.

"Giselle, give me the one I handed you."

"Sure!"

Giselle handed me the bundle of papers she had been holding. It was heavy. If she had held it for too long, her arms would have been sore. I gently returned half of the bundle to her.

This was part of a compilation of teachings that the chief had received from his grandfather long ago, detailing how to create an Otem while keeping the plant alive. I had obtained permission from the chief and added my own notes throughout.

There is actually someone more knowledgeable about living Otems than the chief. The Kalko and Rietta families in the Maaren tribe make a living by creating living Otems. However, for them, Otems are tools for business, and I doubt they would teach me.

Living Otems will wither quickly if not planted in magic-infused soil. This is the other half of the reason I made that soil.

From living Otems, special leaves can be harvested. These leaves can be used as ingredients for medicines, but their primary use is as tobacco. The leaves are dried, chopped, and placed in a pipe, from which the smoke is inhaled—a Maaren tribe delicacy.

In the Maaren tribe, these leaves are called "aromatic leaves" and are believed to have a calming effect. The smell also transfers, so they are used as a kind of perfume.

There seems to be no age restriction in this world, but it is quite expensive and takes time to get used to, so it is not often seen in children. At most, children might sneak a little from their father's stash out of mischief, try it, and then return it to its original place after coughing it up. They would then be scolded for using it as a toy when the remaining amount is noticed.

Five years ago, I did the same thing. Sibby also mentioned having the same experience.

I had no intention of smoking again, but apparently, as part of the ceremony to celebrate a boy's sixteenth birthday, he must smoke aromatic leaves for a long time. I said I didn't want to, but my father, as usual, dismissed me, saying it was an important ceremony.

I suspect that the ancestor of the Kalko family, who aimed to make a fortune by getting the villagers addicted to aromatic leaves, incorporated this into the custom.

The Maaren tribe does not have a proper monetary system. Bartering in the square is the main method of exchange. Sometimes, magic metal marked by the chief with magic is used as coins, but not everyone accepts them. Instead, bundles of aromatic leaves, which are light, easy to carry, and have a stable value, are often used. Aromatic leaves are that valuable in the Maaren tribe.

To me, it's not very interesting. As it is, most of what I hunt is taken to the square because of my father's aromatic leaves. If I start smoking them too, my consumption will double, and I will have to go hunting every time.

I've heard that the Kalko family's son doesn't go hunting and only occasionally cultivates aromatic leaves using methods inherited from his parents. The rest of the time, he just hangs around at home. He must spend his free time at home, studying magic. I can't stand it.

So, I decided to grow my own aromatic leaves. I had no interest in smoking, but if I had to, I would do it myself. I won't give them any money.

Once I made that decision, I started searching the chief's house the next day and had all the materials about living Otems moved to my house. The chief had a grudge against the Kalko family and had once tried to mass-produce living Otems to spite them. He was quite quirky. He said it was a youthful indiscretion, but he could only make bad-tasting aromatic leaves.

The chief's house only had materials on living Otems. He couldn't catch up with the two families that had been improving their methods for generations.

However, I am confident in my Otem-making skills and consider myself the best in the Maaren tribe. I formulated several hypotheses about the optimal shape of the Otem and what the soil needed, based on the chief's failures.

This is my first attempt at actually making one, but I am confident. There isn't much time until my birthday, so I don't have time to try many different conditions. It would be endless if I tried many different conditions. My curiosity to try making one is a big factor. I don't intend to make it too seriously. If I mass-produce them, I might attract the attention of the Kalko family and face harassment. They are known for being tyrannical and underhanded.

If the worst happens and I end up with a terrible product, it means my knowledge and skills were insufficient. I will endure and smoke it during my coming-of-age ceremony. I won't become addicted to aromatic leaves, so I can avoid the hunting hell. If I succeed, I can continue making them myself, and I can avoid the hunting hell. I can even provide for my father.

I returned the bundle of papers to Giselle and took out a wood-carving knife. I knocked off the branches of the Hootle tree, leaving only three branches for the nose and arms. The leaves will grow on the arm parts. The nose is more decorative.

I shaved and shaped the bark around the nose and trunk. After carving the face, I used a brush made from magic beast hair to paint the parts of the tree except for the arms. Finally, I cast a healing spell to restore the weakened life force.

Good, this is perfect. If I supply magic power daily for two weeks, it should produce fine aromatic leaves. Living Otems have few branches and leaves, so they cannot perform photosynthesis and need external magic power to survive. Two weeks should be more than enough for my coming-of-age ceremony.