Chapter 44

"Monmither."

"Y-Yes?!"

When I called out to him, who was standing there with a dazed look, he was startled and turned his gaze toward me.

"I will entrust you with the role of managing and supervising the work."

"Y-Yes, I will take responsibility for it!"

Monmither was a cautious man, not a fool.

Even if the current situation was hard to believe, he could still make a judgment.

"At least you'll manage it better than I will."

In response to my words, he cautiously asked,

"Sir... Lord."

"Hmm?"

"However, what do you plan to plant here...?"

He judged that the wheat seedlings we had bought in advance would not be enough to cultivate such a vast area all at once.

Given that he knew the situation, it was strange for me to act as if I were about to plant something immediately.

"What do you think we should do to quickly accumulate wealth in a poor fief?"

In response to my question, he rolled his eyes.

"That is..."

"I plan to plant Moon Grass. All over this place."

"Moon... Moon Grass?"

His expression suggested that he thought he might have heard me wrong, but I didn't bother to explain further.

The challenging weather conditions, the state of the land, and the temperature changes make it impossible to cultivate Moon Grass on the eastern continent.

However, it is essential for the magic tower, alchemists, and temples that make potions, so it is imported at a high price from the western part of the continent.

Not only is it expensive, but the supply is limited, making it a true blue ocean in the agricultural sector!

It would be an impossible dream under normal circumstances...

But if I just change the weather conditions to suit the growth of Moon Grass, that's all it takes.

Of course, everyone except me doesn't know that I can change the weather and conditions of the fief, so they are worried.

"Lord, with all due respect, Moon Grass cannot grow in a place with such distinct seasons."

That's right. It only grows in the tropical regions of the western continent.

"It's fine. The heavens will be moved, and this place will have a tropical climate for a while."

His expression was one of disbelief, but I didn't explain further.

"Then, all we need to do now is find where the forest vegetarians live, right?"

-Elves are incredibly stubborn. I don't particularly like that meticulous race. It's best to avoid them.

"I feel the same way."

Indeed, the problem was that the court wizard, Apollo, was of elven origin.

"He has brought shame to his race all by himself."

-Just looking at the actions you remember, I don't want to get close to him.

Perseus's shuddering expression was genuine.

While I don't know the man, he has a way of making women feel an intense aversion.

I mounted my horse and immediately galloped toward the forest that was once full of goblins.

* * *

The lush greenery exuded a clear and refreshing vibe.

Someone's footsteps reached this place, which, unlike other forests, seemed to have received the blessing of the spirits, creating a beautiful landscape.

It was a man in a green robe.

"May the blessings of nature be with you. I heard your call, Medis."

"May the blessings of nature be with you. Please forgive my abrupt visit, Lady Yuria."

The young girl smiled weakly at the elderly blonde man.

"Your visit is always welcome. Please come in. I just received some good tea leaves."

As Yuria invited him, the man called Medis quietly sat on a chair made from a tree stump and looked at the girl in front of him.

With her sparkling sky-blue hair and emerald-green eyes, the girl was of extraordinary beauty.

She appeared to be in her late teens.

However, for a race that doesn't age after reaching adulthood, her appearance was not a reliable indicator of age.

Indeed, the girl with a calm expression in front of her was the leader of the people living in this forest.

The people who made the forest their home and believed in the blessings of the spirits.

Unlike humans, they had long ears, making them the forest race, the elves.

"Yuria, my friend. I had a dream."

Medis, looking at his tea, brought up the main topic with a troubled expression.

"A dream, my teacher. What kind of dream could have made you come to this distant place so urgently?"

In response to Yuria's calm question, he bit his lip tightly.

"I had a dream that a curse of the spirits was cast upon this forest. My friend Yuria,"

Medis's words were met with silence from Yuria.

"Long ago, you said that the affairs of the spirits are the workings of nature, like natural phenomena."

"Yuria... that..."

Yuria, looking at Medis with a sad face, seemed on the verge of tears.

"The forest is drying up. This forest is doomed. Everyone should return to the Sacred Tree, our true home."

"My teacher, Medis."

Yuria smiled at Medis's words.

"This place is now our home. That place no longer wants us."

"Yuria..."

"However, it would be good to take the others here with you. They won't be cursed by the spirits."

He had maintained a minimum of composure until a moment ago.

"If they stay here, they might all die."

"That is also the workings of nature."

Medis sighed at his calm and composed demeanor.

Yuria, looking at him, gazed into the distance and muttered weakly.

"Perhaps someone will save this place. The wind is active. It's a good omen for a meeting."

"That is..."

"By the way, does the tea made from cricket wings taste good? I was quite proud of it."

"Phew!!"

Yuria's words made Medis spit out what was in his mouth, forgetting his dignity.

He then looked at her with a dark, deadpan expression.

He had forgotten why she was called a psycho or a heretic among the elves.

Yuria, smiling brightly, had a genuinely innocent and bright smile.

"The wind is active. It seems a distinguished guest will come today."

19. Cultivating a Lump of Money!

Crunch... Crunch...

The quiet forest path was devoid of any signs of life.

Originally, it was a forest inhabited by wild animals, but recently, goblins had settled there, causing the wild animals to disappear.

Of course, the goblins had also been swept away by the vigilantes, making the forest eerily quiet.

-But it's surprising. This forest isn't just a small one like a backyard hill, and I didn't expect elves to have settled here.

Elves are an extremely rare race on the continent.

This is because there are very few elves left on the continent.

Moreover, it is said that after a major incident about 300 years ago, most elves disappeared from the continent, so it's rare to see an elf, and many people don't even know if the race exists.

The merfolk, orcs, and dwarves are relatively better known.

The merfolk, though few in number, have superior physical abilities and are often secretly hired as mercenaries by various kingdoms.

The dwarves, with their incredible craftsmanship, are the race that interacts most with humans.

In contrast, the forest elves are not.

'Too much excellence can be a bad thing.'

The race of beauty.

These forest elves, with their stunning appearances, have often been the target of many schemes.

It's a simple story.

That's why the forest elves are a race that is hard to find.

However, after coming here, I didn't take long to discover their existence.

"Hmm... It should be around here."

Looking at the eerily quiet forest, I picked up a stone from the ground.

After observing the surroundings, I threw the stone into the empty air.

The stone, thrown lightly, wasn't particularly fast or powerful, but the mana it carried was extremely alien.

Zzzt!

The stone, which flew to a certain point in the air, sparked and disappeared.

At the same time, a cold wind began to blow in the direction the stone had flown, as if an alarm had been triggered.

It was a wind imbued with the power of the spirits.

Given that this is the forest of the elves, who live in harmony with the spirits, it's not surprising.

-I'd rather not meet them, but if I need to get the seeds of Moon Grass, I might run into the elves.

"If I meet them, I'll deal with it as it comes."

It's a situation where an arrow could fly at any moment, but I wouldn't back down out of fear.

I took a step forward, past the faintly shimmering barrier.

* * *

The ecology of the elven forest is different from that of a regular forest.

Perhaps it's because the density of the spirits' power is overwhelmingly different.

"Truly, this is an amazing forest."

Mysterious plants and trees that are not found in the human realm are abundant.

Before crossing the barrier, this place was no different from a regular forest, but now it's a completely different world.

The forest, filled with blue skies and lush greenery, had a faint, mysterious purple powder floating in the air.

And, between them, something faint and indistinct began to appear in my vision.

I couldn't see the spirits clearly because I hadn't made a spirit contract.

Of course, I could sense their presence, which is why I found this place.

Spirits are curious and free beings.

During the time I led the vigilantes to exterminate the goblins, a few of them, unable to resist their curiosity, came to watch, and that's how I discovered that there was an elven forest here.

Based on Perseus's memories and the stories I heard from the court wizard Apollo about the elven forest, I believe what I need is here.

-But, can I recognize the appearance of the Moon Flower, which contains the seeds of Moon Grass? I don't know that much.

"I know that, Apollo used to say all sorts of things when he drank."

I said he brought shame to his race, but I don't hate him.

The deep frustration I felt while talking to him would eventually become a memory.

Walking quietly and looking around, I began to see animals that were not wary of humans.

Elkdeer, with their massive antlers, and fairy dragons, which coexist with the spirits and are herbivores.

"Even in a small forest, everything that should be here is here."

When I reached out my hand to the elkdeer, which were looking at me with innocent eyes, they came closer one by one and began to rub their heads against my hand.

They were quite friendly, probably due to the elves' care.

-But, they must know the difference between humans and elves.