New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (6/10 chapters)

 

 

The Strategy to Take

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

Chapter Four: “Break Through the Floral Magic Ball!” begins!

“Ahhh! It’s talking!” (Leia)

Leia was deeply moved.

That’s right, Leia was a huge cockatrice lover. They say she was also the one who gave Jessica the cockatrice hat…

“Piyo, you’re talking too, piyo.” (Dia)

“I see, that’s true!” (Leia)

There, Leia pulled the string attached to the cockatrice hat.

*Piyoo*

It was a fluid motion. She pulled the string without the slightest hesitation.

But why did she pull it now? No, I get it… It must be to raise her favorability with Dia. It’s kind of touching… She probably enjoys it too, but she’s trying too hard even for work.

“Piyo! Welcome to the Healberry Village, piyo!” (Leia)

“Haaah… so cute… Oh, it’s about time…” (Leia)

Leia, then, switched from her dreamy expression. She turned to face me with a sharp look. She still wore the cockatrice hat.

“Leia, it’s been a while… Have you been well?” (Elt)

“Yes, I’ve had no particular problems. I’ve come because there are many matters at hand this time.” (Leia)

“That’s a relief… You brought adventurers to deal with the Flower Archers, didn’t you?” (Elt)

“That’s correct. A thousand Flower Archers is a serious matter. We will handle it as an S-rank mission!” (Leia)

An S-rank mission was one that could have affected an entire region. Officially, it was a case that required dozens of adventurers to be on it full-time. If even one Flower Archer was considered as threatening as an armed human, then it made sense. It was like facing an army of a thousand.

There were many adventurers in that village, plus Stella, Wood, and me. We had quite the fighting force. But in an ordinary village or town, that kind of strength wouldn’t have been available. It helped that Zanzas’ Adventurer Guild was a large branch. If they had been farther away, it would have taken much longer. Thinking of it that way, it was understandable that it was treated as S-rank.

“Thank you. Then let’s begin the briefing right away.” (Elt)

“Yes, let’s do that.” (Leia)

“Stella, Marcosias, please guide the adventurers to their lodging. Ask the others to help too.” (Elt)

“Understood…!” (Stella)

“As you command, Father.” (Marcosias)

Stella and Marcosias moved toward the adventurers stepping down from the carriages.

At that moment, I happened to overhear something.

“I… I want that hat…” (Adventurer)

“…We can talk about that later…” (Leia)

 

—

 

I brought Dia back home for the time being. Being around a lot of strangers might have been too much for her. Though, as far as walking around the village went, she didn’t seem shy. While I talked with Leia, I asked Wood to keep her company.

“First, I appreciate your swift response. I didn’t expect you to arrive just days after I sent the letter.” (Elt)

“Not at all, thank you for reaching out. The map helped. Thanks to that, we could move quickly.” (Leia)

That said, gathering 50 people instantly and bringing them along must have been tough. Adventurer guilds are more relaxed than modern companies. So, that must be Leia’s skill at work.

“Also, about the underground passage that might connect to Zanzas dungeon. This is just a pure question… but didn’t you think of keeping it secret and claiming it for yourself?” (Elt)

Leia’s eyes sharpened slightly.

So, the underground passage was the main topic. The Flower Archers were troublesome. But for Zanzas’ Adventurer Guild, they were within range to handle. They were enemies that could be overwhelmed with money and manpower. However, the underground passage was different. It might have connected to one of the world’s top ten labyrinths—dungeons that humanity had not yet conquered.

Even then, Zanzas dungeon produced immense wealth and supported tens of thousands of lives. They managed it carefully so that resources remained safe and never ran out. That was how valuable the dungeon was. And now, a possible side route into it might have been found. If I had been greedy, ambitious, and stupid, I would have kept this secret to myself.

Handled right, I could have siphoned off part of that wealth. Alternatively, the underground passage might have led to mysteries about the dungeon’s creator. The dungeon’s maker was so steeped in mythology, almost nothing was known. Thinking of it like that, monopolizing this could have led to endless possibilities—wealth, knowledge… even things humanity had never touched.

But I wasn’t interested in that. I knew myself well. I took the safe bets, always with insurance. That was how I lived. That was why, even though I could grow rice or soybeans using plant magic, I hadn’t tried to make white rice, miso, or soy sauce. I only made things I could sell and buy within that world. I didn’t try to reshape the world using knowledge from my previous life. Even if I came across a lucky break like that time, I didn’t take risks.

“Hmm… Let’s investigate together and split the profits if there are any. We have no expertise in exploring underground.” (Elt)

“There’s also the possibility that it’s dangerous and should be buried. Are you prepared for that?” (Leia)

“This passage was made by who-knows-who and when—we don’t even know if it’s safe. There’s no guarantee it connects to Zanzas either. If that’s the conclusion, I’ll accept it.” (Elt)
“Understood… Thank you. I sincerely appreciate your wise judgment.” (Leia)

Leia gave a polite bow.

Ah, her hat almost slipped… It’s fine, it didn’t fall.

“I myself have high hopes for this underground passage. I hope we can proceed as a friendly joint operation like before.” (Leia)

“Yeah, that’s my intention too.” (Elt)

“…Then first, we need to wipe out the Flower Archers nesting in the forest.” (Leia)

Saying so, Leia pulled out a map from her pocket.

“This is a map based on the information you gave us, combined with our predictions. We’ll send out scouting units to get a clearer idea of the enemy’s positions.” (Leia)

“That includes the location of the boss unit, right?” (Elt)

“Yes. Once we identify the exact location, we plan to form a subjugation operation. But… may I propose something?” (Leia)

“What is it?” (Elt)

“That forest hasn’t had people enter it for centuries. We still have to investigate the deeper terrain. If only Zanzas’ Guild handles this… it could take months.” (Leia)

“Yeah, I figured.” (Elt)

“But if we can borrow your full support, Elt-sama, we can finish much sooner.” (Leia)

“How much sooner, exactly?” (Elt)

“With the full strength of Healberry village, we can do it in one week. How about we split the materials evenly?” (Leia)

“…Hmm.” (Elt)

I folded my arms in thought.

If we cooperate, we’ll get material from five hundred Flower Archers in a week. We would easily turn a profit. She’s probably hoping to borrow potions, Stella, Wood, and the like. But I see… The Flower Archer boss unit might drop rare items. We might get something useful for the future. I should at least claim priority rights to that.

“If we get the boss unit’s materials, we’ll help. I’ll fight on the front lines too. The rest of the materials can be split evenly.” (Elt)

“Thank you. We will complete the subjugation within a week.” (Leia)

“Alright, I’ll leave the planning to you. Once that’s done, we’ll investigate the underground passage.” (Elt)

“Yes, indeed.” (Leia)

Leia glanced at Dia.

She really wants to study Dia. She really loves cockatrices… Well, I understand how she feels.

“By the way… I brought back a cockatrice from the forest. Want to see it?” (Elt)

“Ahhh… Yes, please!” (Leia)

With a loud bang, Leia stood up with excitement.

Ah, her slightly off-kilter hat… fell.

At that moment, Dia raised her voice.

“…She died, piyo!” (Dia)

“Huh? Who did?” (Leia)

“You, piyo!” (Dia)

“Me!? I died!?” (Leia)
“…Just put the hat back on quickly.” (Elt)

And so, the subjugation operation began.

Let’s hope we get a rare drop.

Dia muttered softly, with a thoughtful tone.

“Comrades who come from outside… die a bit too often, piyoyo…” (Dia)

 

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