Silkyne-san returned. She looked like she had something on her mind. I wondered what it was.
"Um... first of all, what's the deal with that beast?" She looked at the Young Beast, who was currently making himself small in a corner of the Meleo Breeding Ground.
He was the offspring of the creature that claimed this area as its territory. Since it would be a problem if the breeding ground were attacked like it had been this time, I’d had him wait there, thinking I would have him work as a guard. If this were the Village of the Great Tree, I could have settled it on my own authority, but Silkyne-san seemed to be the one in charge here. Even Beezel hadn't been able to give the final okay.
"Is he going to live here?" she asked.
I explained that I was going to have him live a little distance away, so he wouldn't usually be in her line of sight. He’d told me not to worry about his meals, either—apparently, he’d manage on his own.
"And what about his compensation?"
Normally, I wouldn't mind if he worked for free as an apology, but unpaid labor wasn't right. I told her I’d take care of his reward.
"In that case, what are we supposed to do?" she asked.
I wanted them to fight alongside him if things got dangerous, and to stop anyone who tried to hunt him. Of course, I promised that I’d step in if he caused any trouble.
"I understand. Bee-kun—my husband—mentioned that the Male Meleo will be staying here. We’ll treat the beast as his bodyguard."
That was a relief.
"Next... well, it seems the facility has changed quite a bit?"
I’d only reinforced the walls to protect the Meleo Breeding Hut and patched up some of the more dilapidated spots. Since I’d used the leftover materials from Hakuren’s Pack Frame, it hadn't taken much effort. Oh, and I dug two new wells. Water gushed out the moment I struck ground. The Universal Farming Tool really was incredible. I’d also put together a small Field for Meleo and Net Turtle Meals over there.
"I don't think I'd call that size 'small'..." she murmured.
I didn't think it was that big, really. It was only about the size of two of my mansions back in the village. Was that actually large? It couldn't be helped. To make sure the Meleos and Net Turtles could tend and harvest it themselves, I’d spaced the trees out, which naturally made the field larger. It would be asking too much of the caretakers to manage the farming as well. Since it was food for the Meleos and Net Turtles, I figured they should put in the work. They probably wouldn't see a harvest this year, but maybe next year or the year after.
I had, of course, gotten permission from the caretakers before digging the wells and the field. They were actually the ones who had requested the wells.
"Um, can the Meleos and Net Turtles really take care of a field?" Silkyne asked.
They’d told me they would, so they were going to give it their best shot. Silkyne-san just smiled and nodded, then headed over to Beezel, who had arrived to pick her up. She immediately clung to him. They were certainly lovey-dovey. I’d wanted to ask about the info she’d gathered in the forest, but I decided to leave them to it for now.
Hakuren, the Young Beast, and I moved to a spot a short distance away to build his new home. I chose the location while listening to his preferences. He wanted a cavern, but since we couldn't find a natural one, I decided to dig it myself. With the Universal Farming Tool, it took no time at all. I cleared some trees on a suitable slope for lumber and then started digging.
I figured it should be fairly spacious. He’d eventually grow as large as his father, and he might even find a partner one day. I also dug out a nearby water source and planted several dozen fruit trees. He’d said he would find his own food, but a few snacks wouldn't hurt.
"Village Head, he says he wants the floor to be a bit harder," Hakuren relayed.
I packed the ground down with the hammer form of the Universal Farming Tool. "Is this enough?"
"He says it's perfect," she replied.
I wondered why he was using Hakuren as a translator when he’d been talking to me just fine a minute ago.
"He says it's too scary to talk directly to the 'God Who Changes the Earth'."
Was that supposed to be me? I'm just a normal person.
"He says a normal person doesn't terraform a forest this quickly."
Hmm. He’d seen what I did at the breeding ground, so it felt a bit late to be scared now.
"Apparently, he thought you could only do that because that was human-managed land."
Fine, whatever. I just told him not to be so stiff, or I might start getting an ego.
We had the environment mostly ready, but I asked if he needed anything else. He asked me to shave down a small hill to improve his line of sight. As I was leveling the hill, something emerged from the dirt. It looked like a stone structure.
"Is it an old house?" Hakuren asked.
As I dug it out, a sturdy little home appeared. It wasn't brand new, but it was in good shape—the kind of small place an elderly couple might share. The wooden roof hadn't rotted at all. It was clearly protected by magic. I wondered how long it had been buried.
"Aren't you going in?" Hakuren asked.
"Well, you know... even if the house is protected by magic, the people inside might be... well, dead."
Looking at the trees nearby, this place hadn't been buried recently. It had probably been there for a century or two. I didn't mind seeing dead game from a hunt, but I had no desire to see human remains.
"Hmm. Then should I just incinerate the whole thing with my Flame Breath?"
I told her to wait, as there might be valuable antiques inside.
"There wouldn't be anything like that in a house this plain," she countered.
She had a point. But if we burned it from the outside, the interior would eventually become visible.
"My flames don't leave things like that behind... oh, wait! How about I just breathe fire down the chimney? That way it burns from the inside out, and you won't have to see a thing."
The chimney was clear of dirt—more magic, I assumed.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"...Fine, let's just do it."
"You got it!"
As soon as Hakuren agreed, the front door swung open violently.
"Don't you 'let's just do it' me!"
A short elderly woman marched out, brandishing a broom and screaming at the top of her lungs.
So, she was alive... or rather, she was a resident. I felt terrible.