Improving the Fields

In the end, Ren—who had retreated to his room following our talk—was conscientious enough to come and find me the next morning to say his goodbyes.

“I’m going to try and talk sense into Totto,” he said.

He seemed determined, his expression set with a newfound resolve.

I, however, still had my reservations.

I hope he can convince him, but with Balan—the Mastermind—looming in the background, I doubt this will conclude without some kind of incident.

“Wait a moment,” I called out.

A rare Teleportation Mage was on the verge of settling in my territory. I couldn't simply let this opportunity slip through my fingers. I intended to provide whatever support I could to ensure his success.

I handed Ren a prototype Magic Tool in the form of a Misanga.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“A prototype Magic Tool. If you find yourself in a bind, it should be able to help you out.”

It wasn't a guarantee that he would become an ally yet. Considering the risk of the item falling into the Mastermind’s hands, I had designed it as a disposable, single-use tool. While the effect itself wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, for someone like Ren, it could very well be the difference between life and death.

“Thanks. This helps.”

Ren immediately tied the Misanga around his wrist.

Watching this, Fee knit her brows slightly. Her gaze was fixed intently on the Misanga now adorning Ren’s arm.

To be honest, that thing would be almost useless if Fee tried to use it...

Suppreasing a wry smile, I reached over and patted Fee on the head.

“I’ll make one specifically for you next time, so forgive me for now, okay?”

“R-Really?! Thank you!” Fee’s eyes went wide before she broke into a radiant smile.

“Look, I feel incredibly awkward just standing here,” Ren cut in. “Can I go now?”

“Why is it awkward? Well, whatever. Just be careful out there.”

I watched Ren leave, feeling a bit puzzled.

The act of moving via Teleportation Magic was unexpectedly abrupt. A door-like shape manifested in the air; Ren stepped through it, and a moment later, both he and the portal vanished without leaving so much as a footprint behind.

---

After seeing off the Teleportation Mage, we headed down to the fields.

As soon as Al spotted me, he came rushing over.

“Meat Big Bro! You actually came!”

“I heard everyone was experimenting with different methods, so I wanted to see the progress for myself.”

I looked over the plots. As the reports of "thin soil" had suggested, almost nothing was growing properly.

“I see... Just as I thought, we need to restore the soil’s fertility first.”

“Soil fertility?” Al tilted his head.

“It means the Earth lacks nutrients. For now, let’s try spreading compost on one of the plots.”

Because I had been so thorough with the installation of the Sewerage system, collecting enough compost was actually proving to be a bit difficult. I’d have to consult Alan about that later.

“If the soil is this far gone, maybe we should try converting it into a rice paddy to reset the land... It’s probably best to test multiple methods simultaneously.”

“Got it. Can you teach me how?”

“I’m not exactly an expert myself,” I admitted.

It would be a lot easier if we had a professional farmer in the territory.

I dug through the archives of my memory, pulling out whatever vague knowledge I had to instruct Al. The boy listened intently, hanging on my every word as if he didn't want to miss a single syllable.

And yet, despite his focus, my instructions somehow suffered a strange mutation by the time they reached his brain.

“I get it! So I just have to go to the bathroom in the field, right?”

“No, you don't get it at all! Yes, human waste can be used as fertilizer, but if you use it raw, you'll just spread pathogens and ruin the crops.”

“Hmm, this is hard.”

“Al, all you need to do is spread the fertilizer we deliver, let the field rest for a while, and then try planting. For now, we'll focus on preparing the rice paddy, right?”

“Understood! One for resting, one for the rice paddy, and one for the Meat Field!”

“...The Meat Field?”

A term I had never heard before jumped out at me.

Is there some kind of method to 'grow' Monsters? I wondered for a second, but Al’s logic turned out to be far more literal.

“I heard once that if you plant meat in the ground, you can harvest tons of it! I’ve been waiting to try it out ever since we started the fields!”

“Yeah... that’s a lie.”

“What?! T-There’s no way!”

“Think about it, Al. Meat comes from Monsters. You’ve been a hunter; you should know that better than anyone.”

“Well, yeah... I have. But I thought if it grew in a field, I wouldn't have to do anything dangerous anymore...”

“What you’re looking for is livestock. We’ll prepare those eventually—animals we raise specifically for their meat.”

“Wait, that exists?! You can grow meat?!” Al’s eyes sparkled.

Was it just my imagination, or did he still think the meat itself was going to grow like a plant, just with the label 'livestock' attached?

“Anyway, that’s the deal, so give up on the Meat Field. Instead...”

I had been trying to think realistically, but I suddenly remembered that this world functioned on Magic Power. What would happen if I applied that to agriculture?

I happened to have some leftover Magic Stones that Emma had used for practicing her Light Magic. I wondered what would happen if I ground them into Magic Stone Powder and scattered it over the soil. Since I couldn't predict the outcome, a trial run seemed appropriate.

“Can you sprinkle this powder for me?”

“White powder!” Al chirped.

“It’s not white, and it’s definitely not anything illegal.”

I corrected him immediately; he was making it sound far more suspicious than it was.

“So I just sprinkle this, right?”

“Yeah. And I want you to grow a control group alongside it—a plot where you don't use the powder at all. I want to compare the difference.”

“Then we should start all the tests at the same time.”

Getting Alan to supply the compost and digging out the rice paddy would take time. However, for a proper comparison, starting them simultaneously was the right call.

“Agreed. I’ll go tell Alan to get the supplies ready. Al, I’m counting on you to handle the rice paddy preparations.”

“Leave it to me!”

Al scurried off to gather the other children and began barking out orders. Even excluding the three working at the inn, there were over ten children here. Every single one of them was equipped with a Stone Hoe I had modified with a Magic Stone. Apparently, the tools were a huge hit because they allowed even a child to till the Earth with ease.

In a nearby shed, they had also stored Stone Axes, Stone Sickles, surplus seeds, and lumber. I was told the children had built the shed themselves.

They had become a significant labor force. Their Levels were still too low for them to be viable in a fight, but with the right training, they might eventually become a military asset as well.

With those thoughts drifting through my mind, I stood by and watched as the children set to work on the rice paddy.

---

The day after the compost arrived and we officially began our agricultural experiments, a frantic Al came sprinting to the manor early in the morning.

“Meat Big Bro! It’s an emergency!”

“What happened?! An enemy attack?!”

“N-No! Just come see! Hurry!”

Al grabbed my hand and practically dragged me toward the fields.

When we arrived, I froze. “What... What is this?”

Despite only a single day having passed, the crops had grown so large they were already bursting with the signs of a ripe harvest.

“I woke up and saw this and freaked out, so I ran to get you!” Al explained, breathless.

If we can replicate this, the food shortage is as good as solved.

“This plot... is it—?”

“The one with the white powder!”

“It’s not white. But yes, the Magic Stone Powder plot.”

As I suspected, Magic Power could produce incredible results.

“Since they’re here, let’s try harvesting some.”

“Yeah!”

Al began picking the vegetables. As I watched him, a nagging worry entered my mind. Was food grown with Magic Stones actually safe for human consumption?

I took a freshly picked vegetable and took a bite.

Immediately, I realized there was a fatal flaw.

“...It has no taste.”

The vegetables grown with the Magic Stone Powder looked perfect, but they were utterly flavorless and odorless. There was likely zero nutritional value in them as well. It seemed the powder acted as a catalyst for growth and nothing else.

“We can't use these as they are.”

On the bright side, there didn't seem to be any immediate ill effects from eating them. If I could fine-tune the dosage, I might be able to use it as a legitimate Growth Stimulant.

“What now, Meat Big Bro?”

“For now, we wait for the results from the other plots.”

In the end, the rice paddies and the compost-enriched fields eventually produced healthy, normal crops. We shifted our focus to those methods, while I continued to run experiments on whether mixing in a tiny fraction of Magic Stone Powder could bridge the gap between speed and quality.