ALL NOVEL 11: Let's Start Tilling the Soil!
All right! Time to start farming!
It’s a warm, sunny day—perfect for farm work.
Today’s companion is Hugo, one of the five stewards. He’s the second in rank, a big, bear-like man with thick black hair. Just as strong as he looks, he has great physical strength and is skilled in earth magic.
There are a lot of earth mages among our residents. Perhaps it’s because our ancestors were pioneers?
First, I check the slope of the ground. The slope is gentle, not enough for the soil to wash away. It might still be safer to create terraced fields.
I’ll leave about five meters untouched from the protective wall of our house. That’s enough space for horses and carriages to pass. I need to consult with Poko, the earth spirit, about reinforcing the soil.
Poko beats his chest as if to say, “Leave it to me.” Well, he didn’t actually speak, but I could understand him. Telepathy, maybe? As expected of my spirit!
“Ah, Poko. Please level the road and reinforce it.”
“Got it. Here we go!”
Poko is amazing! Thanks!
I don’t know how Hugo views these lively spirits. Best not to think about it.
With Poko’s miraculous power, the road around the wall was quickly reinforced. It’s solidly packed. It’s not paved, but the bumps and ruts are gone, leaving a smooth path. Poko is a genius! I’ll ask for his help regularly.
“Impressive work,” Hugo said, clapping as he watched from the ground. Why are you lounging around? You’re my guard, right? You can use earth magic too. Don’t you want to help? No? You’re busy keeping watch? I see… Liar! Slacker!
Switching gears, next up is dealing with the weeds. I want to gather useful plants like Heal Grass, Mana Grass, and any edible wild plants.
Oh, right.
“Hey, Hugo. Where does Majo Grass grow?”
“Majo Grass? It’s pretty much everywhere, but it’s small and doesn’t grow in clusters, so it’s hard to find… Oh, here’s one.”
He answered while pulling out grass beside him.
“What? It’s here?”
Poko, Guri (who appeared out of nowhere), and I hurried over to Hugo. The older man, surrounded by a toddler and small spirits, smiled and showed us the Majo Grass. He was even petting Guri while he was at it! Hugo seems to like kids.
Majo Grass has light purple flowers with five petals. The underside of the leaves is also purple. The leaves alone could add a nice touch to a garden. They look similar to Purple Heart. However, the plant is so small that it hides among other weeds, clearly lacking in reproductive power.
“This thing has tiny seeds that fly everywhere with the wind. That’s why it’s scattered around, but its germination rate is low. Plus, its roots are weak and get overtaken by other weeds.”
I see. So that’s why there aren’t many of them? Tiny seeds need special conditions to sprout, like exposure to light or avoiding being blown away by the wind. Birds might eat them too.
(Majo Grass / Prefers areas rich in magic. Dislikes being transplanted due to its taproot. Grows into a large plant if in the right environment. / The scent repels magic beasts from the area. Burning dried plants enhances this effect, also effective against undead.)
The plant cultivation skill appraiser is excellent. Just by looking carefully, it provides explanations. I couldn’t help but sniff the leaves. They have a unique smell. It kind of reminds me of camphor. It works against both magic beasts and undead. Amazing!
“Guri, Poko, can we find this grass and grow it in the botanical garden?” I started consulting with the spirits. Wouldn’t it be great to grow seedlings in pots in the botanical garden and plant them along the roadsides, wall sides, and forest edges? Both nodded enthusiastically.
Alright, let’s activate plant cultivation magic!
Please gather all the visible grass! Identify and store useful grass and weeds separately. Also, sort out the pebbles and toss them into the storage. Could they be turned into blocks or bricks later? Really? Then please do so!
Popopon. Spopopon. As far as the eye could see, grass was pulled from the ground and floated in the air, getting sucked into the storage magic circle amusingly. Guri and Poko were jumping around in joy. Nice, nice. Hugo’s face, watching in astonishment with his mouth open, was priceless. This is like a little magic show! The dance of flying weeds! I couldn’t help but laugh. It’s so fun!
After removing the weeds and stones, I evenly spread a thin layer of magical plant ash over the soil and added magical compost. I had Poko thoroughly mix them into the soil. That’s it for today’s work. Thanks for your hard work, Poko. A polite bow.
This time, we’ll follow the usual steps for preparing the field. We’ll let it sit for a week, then add magical fertilizer, and let it settle for about another week. I’m using my home gardening knowledge, so please forgive me if it’s different from professional farming.
Meanwhile, I’ll grow the seedlings to plant! I also need to plan the crop layout. Spring is busy!
“Hugo, we’re done for today. Let’s go home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it’s lunchtime. We’ll take a nap in the afternoon.”
I held hands with Poko and Guri, and we headed home together. Should we sing a cheerful song?
“Ah, I’m so jealous,” Hugo’s deflated voice drifted behind our easy-going pace. Napping is an important job for a child!