Since an SP Request had popped up for Mahariku as well, I decided to tag along in Tria's body.
Alto-chan was at the controls for her character, Alto. It was time for some escort duty!
According to the request details, the mission involved a bandit subjugation and the rescue of the client's daughter.
Bandits again... and this time, we had to start by tracking them down.
"Since we're in the mountains, that means it’s Roku's turn to talk to the plants, right?" Alto asked.
"Exactly! Looks like she’ll be useful right away."
"Hmm. Well then, Roku, let's try asking that sapling over there for information."
"Yes, certainly, Mahariku-sama."
The spot happened to be the site of the original ambush. If that were the case, there would be "witness plants" growing there, even if there were no human witnesses.
Roku approached a tree about as tall as she was.
"Hello there. Did you happen to see any humans being attacked around here? Do you know which way they went?"
The tree remained silent.
"I see, I see," Roku muttered.
"Roku, what did it—"
Wham!! Roku delivered a sharp kick to the sapling's thin trunk.
Then, she pinched a leaf and gave a branch a threatening tug.
"Do you honestly think you're in a position to negotiate? If you don't start talking, I'll pluck every single one of your leaves off, one by one."
The tree seemed to shudder.
"Yes, you should have just been cooperative from the start instead of saying such drowsy things."
With that, Roku released the leaf.
"...I guess plucking leaves is the plant equivalent of pulling out fingernails as a form of torture," I noted.
"Do plants even feel pain?" Alto wondered.
"They do," Roku explained. "It’s about as shocking as pulling out a tooth that’s already loose and dangling. However, 'losing food' is what truly hurts them."
Losing food. It made sense when I thought about it—plants survived through photosynthesis. Beyond absorbing nutrients through their roots, the energy produced by their leaves was vital.
"I see. So it’s like forcing a ten percent income cut on them," Alto said.
"Precisely. If that doesn't work, I break a branch next, and then I cut the trunk. 'Shall I turn your kin into a Log House?' makes for a wonderful threat."
"Plant values... No, if you think about it in human terms, that’s terrifying," I said.
"It really is! To a plant, a Log House must look like a pile of corpses lined up in a row!"
"Hehe. Well, it has graciously provided us with the information we need," Roku said with a smile. "Apparently, the bandits headed that way while concealing their tracks."
"Well done, Roku."
When Mahariku patted her head, Roku giggled.
Is Roku the only one still stuck in Outlaw Mode?
"...As a reward for the information, perhaps we should give it a little Plant Nutrient?" Mahariku suggested.
"What a waste!" Roku protested. "They live in the wild; their current state is more than enough for them!"
"Proper compensation must be paid. That is the philosophy of a superior merchant."
"I... I am sorry for speaking out of turn!"
Ah, her Affection Level just went up.
Mahariku then poured some of the nutrient onto the roots. "I’m sorry for the threats," she whispered.
I’d seen this before. This was the classic Good Cop/Bad Cop routine—a method where one half of a duo plays the villain to make the target more willing to give information to the "ally."
The other plants watching this would undoubtedly find it much easier to answer Mahariku’s questions now. Especially since it looked like they’d get a reward for it.
"...By the way, what was Option 3?" Alto asked.
"The third option was: 'I’m going to shove this nutrient up your ass, so get down on your knees and grovel,'" Mahariku replied.
"Ohoho! It looks like only options that would send the Affection Level through the roof were left!"
"If it goes up from that, we’re talking about fanatic-level devotion. Right, Tria?"
"It’s a bit late for that," I said. "Aren't all the Spirit-possessed girls already like that?"
Miti would definitely be at that level. Not that I’d ever see it, thanks to the Erotic Skip.
After checking for more information with two or three other trees, we located the bandits' hideout.
We skipped time until they were fast asleep, then annihilated them using Numbing Molotov Cocktails.
Since we used Paralysis rather than poison this time, the presence of captives didn't complicate things. Once the cave was cleared, we successfully rescued everyone, including the client's daughter.
These Molotovs had been crafted by Miti. I’ve been stacking up my own Crafting Experience Points too!
"Come to think of it, wouldn't this have worked against the Thief Master as well?" I asked.
"At the time, that base was so large that searching for the captives would have been a hassle," Mahariku explained. "Plus, Numbing Molotov Cocktails are more expensive, aren't they?"
That made sense.
In any case, the SP Request was settled with a minimum of effort.
We also received one point as collaborators.
I wondered if it was okay for us to take it since we hadn't really done much, but Mahariku insisted. "An escort fulfills their duty just by accompanying the client, even if there is no combat." So, I accepted it without further hesitation.
Man, seeing a boss distribute rewards fairly like this really makes my Affection Level go up.
"What a good employer," I remarked.
"Ohoho! She’s a great boss who listens to my reckless requests quite often, too," Alto added.
"Alto, you really need to learn the meaning of self-restraint... No, that's your specific flavor, so a boss's job is to provide a place where you can make the most of it. Sigh."
Mahariku must have a hard time in the real world. Hang in there.