New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (2/2 chapters)

 

 

Kneading and Tapping

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

In the evening, in Healberry Village.

Having departed from the Large Tree Tower, Wood and I were making our way leisurely toward home.

“Ranran, nyan.” (Nyaff)

“Rarara, nyan.” (Nyaff)

Merchants of the Nyaff tribe hummed as they crossed the square. An adventurers’ party, most likely returning from the forest, walked with baskets filled with leaves and fruits. There was a sense of daily life in motion.

“Ugo ugo, it was fun.” (Wood)

“I see, I am glad.” (Elt)

Wood was not one to speak much. His emotions were also quite even. Yet, for that very reason, each word he spoke carried weight.

“Ugo… Tou-san, I gave various presents to Kaa-san, and she was pleased.” (Wood)

“Oh? Are you speaking of the bats?” (Elt)

Before our departure, I had once again made many bats and given them to Stella. She had wagged her ears in delight.

“Ugo, yes, exactly.” (Wood)

“Stella is fond of Noball, after all.” (Elt)

“Ugo… Do you think Lalatoma would also be happy if I were to give her something as a present?” (Wood)

“…! Yes, I do believe so.” (Elt)

I nodded firmly.

There is nothing unusual about giving a present to one whom one holds in affection. I had given Stella a bat, and in turn, she had given me a handmade uniform. That both were related to Noball was something best not thought about too deeply.

Yes, it is simply because ours is a family that loves sports. That is how I shall see it.

“Ugo… Do you think she would like soil?” (Wood)

“Let me see…” (Elt)

Wood tilted his head as he asked. Yet once the matter turned to specifics, the difficulty suddenly rose.

“She had also asked for snowmelt water, so such water might be good as well.” (Elt)

“Ugo ugo, that is true.” (Wood)

Wood groaned in thought.

“If possible, I would like to give her something handmade… ugo.” (Wood)

“I see. Yes, yes…” (Elt)

As I answered, I turned my thoughts at full speed. Something that would please a dryad, that could be handmade. It felt as though my dignity as a father was being tested.

“Hm…” (Elt)

As I folded my arms in contemplation, two Cockatrices waddled toward us from the front.

“Pipiyo.” (Cockatrice)

“Pipipiyo.” (Cockatrice)

They were Cockatrices on a diet, carrying large wooden boxes.

“Piyoppi.” (Cockatrice)

“Piyo.” (Cockatrice)

Chirping as they went, the Cockatrices passed by. It was at that moment that inspiration struck me. Cockatrice, Dryad… the link between them.

“Perhaps grass dumplings?” (Elt)

“Ugo…! Lalatoma was eating so many of them just now!” (Wood)

“If we were to make many grass dumplings and give them to her, surely she would be pleased.” (Elt)

Most likely. Surely. After all, she had eaten until she could not move earlier. Grass dumplings are a favorite of Dryads. It would be like presenting cookies.

Would she not accept them kindly?

At the very least, I believed she would be pleased. She was always eating them, after all.

“Ugo ugo, that is true! Then, Tou-san… let us make them together! Tou-san’s grass dumplings are delicious!” (Wood)

“Yes, that is right. Let us make them together.” (Elt)

Among the family, I was the one who had made grass dumplings the most often. Never had I imagined that this skill would one day serve in making a child’s present. One never knows what may prove useful.

“Very well. We shall make many delicious ones, and they shall be her present.” (Elt)

“Yes, ugo!” (Wood)

 

—

 

Meanwhile, in Steven Village.

“From here on, the age of Noball shall arrive!” (Stella)

“An age that shall burn with fiery passion!” (Stella)

“And the bats needed for that age, can now, incredibly, be obtained free of charge…!” (Stella)

Overwhelmed by Stella’s fervor, the villagers began to swing bats. There was a pressure about her that simply could not be resisted.

“So, this is that Noball, spoken of by the traveling merchants…” (Villager)

“They said it was popular in the south.” (Villager)

“We have no other ideas anyway, so we may as well try it.” (Villager)

The villagers were surprisingly receptive. Thanks to the steady efforts of Noball evangelism, it had gradually begun to take root. Nana had laid out a mat atop the snow and was lying down upon it, watching quietly. Dia and Marcosias were playing happily together.

“…Stella is so energetic.” (Nana)

“Kaa-sama possesses infinite power, piyo!” (Dia)

“That is true…” (Nana)

Perhaps because she had been active since morning, Nana’s desire to laze about was strong. They had already reached Steven Village, and all that remained was to eat at the inn and sleep.

“Nana, may I have one more bat?” (Stella)

“Here you go.” (Nana)

Nana rummaged about in the belly of her costume and drew out a bat from her magical storage.

“Thank you very much!” (Stella)

*Shubaba*

Stella took the bat and returned to the villagers.

“Phew.” (Nana)

“Piyo. Nana’s belly holds so many things, does it not?” (Dia)

Perhaps intrigued, Dia approached Nana.

“Does the secret of your belly’s tap, tap lie within, piyo…?” (Dia)

“Would you like to touch it?” (Nana)

“Piyo! I want to tap, tap it, piyo!” (Dia)

Nana lay upon her back. Dia stretched forth her wings upon Nana’s belly.

*Taputaputaputapu*

She struck repeatedly. Yet there was no strength in it, so only the sound echoed.

“…It is not as tap, tap as I thought, piyo.” (Dia)

“Well, it is firmer than mine, that is for certain.” (Marcosias)

“That is true… In that case, Maru-chan’s belly is more tap, tap, is it not, piyo?” (Dia)

As Marcosias approached, Dia gently stroked his belly.

*Tapu… tapu…*

“…How mysterious, piyo. Does tap, tap have nothing to do with producing something, piyo?” (Dia)

“It may have no relation at all.” (Marcosias)

“Piyo. I have learned one thing.” (Dia)

Saying this, Dia turned her gaze toward Stella. Stella and the villagers swung the bats that had emerged from Nana’s belly.

“Someday, I too shall be able to draw bats forth from my belly, piyo? That would be so fun, piyo!” (Dia)

“…W-who can say. Perhaps when you grow bigger.” (Nana)

“I shall grow, piyo! When I am a big piyo… it shall happen!” (Dia)

Piyo piyo, Dia nodded eagerly. Meanwhile, the villagers were growing ever more excited, practicing their swings with fervor.

“Uooooooh!” (Villager)

“Excellent, that is an excellent swing! Yes, that arm, exactly so!” (Stella)

Watching this, Dia murmured softly.

“Kaa-sama is brimming with spirit, piyo.” (Dia)

Perhaps it was because of this. The reason Steven Village was among the first to embrace the Noball boom was another tale altogether.

 

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(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)