New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (1/2 chapters)

 

 

The Journey Back to the Village

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

On the way back to the village, the sun had not yet set, though it was already tilting toward the horizon. From here, it would take roughly an hour and a half to reach the village. By the time we arrived, it would likely be around dusk.

Anaria, Iskamina, and I were riding on Wood’s back for the return trip.

“This way of going home feels nostalgic!” (Anaria)

“Now that you mention it, it has been quite some time.” (Elt)

“Mogu! It is so fast, mogu!” (Iskamina)

Iskamina was full of excitement. She held tightly onto one of the branches on Wood’s back, her eyes sparkling.

“It seems you are not afraid.” (Elt)

“Mogu! Compared to the subtle shaking inside a mining tunnel, this is nothing, mogu!” (Iskamina)

“That sounds rather frightening to imagine.” (Elt)

From time to time, Iskamina shared stories of her past hardships. It seemed life had not always been easy for her.

“Mogu. More importantly, Wood, are we not too heavy for you?” (Iskamina)

“Ugo ugo, thank you! I am fine!” (Wood)

Wood was in high spirits after discovering the Berry Mushroom.

“Wood is quite strong. Among the villagers, his strength is remarkable.” (Anaria)

“Is he not the strongest, mogu?” (Iskamina)

“Ugo, the strongest is Kaa-san.” (Wood)

“I see, mogu.” (Iskamina)

Iskamina appeared satisfied with that explanation.

I believed Wood’s strength rivaled that of a dragon, though he still had not reached Stella’s level. She is exceptional in her own way, after all.

“How is the plan for the magical trolley? Do you think it can be installed?” (Elt)

“As of now, it seems entirely possible, mogu!” (Iskamina)

Iskamina raised her arm energetically. She really was adorable.

“Ugo, I noticed something after returning to the surface. The mana here feels thin.” (Wood)

“Yes, I agree. The mana was much denser underground.” (Elt)

“Is that so? According to Iskamina’s mana density meter, it still registers a measurable value.” (Anaria)

“Mogu. It is denser than in the forest, mogu. However, the density meter is not particularly reliable, mogu.” (Iskamina)

Earlier, Iskamina had been tinkering with a device that resembled a small clock while we were underground. Apparently, that was the mana density meter.

It seemed quite useful, but she had mentioned that it required frequent calibration and could not measure small differences accurately. Furthermore, if it was brought into the dungeon of Zanzas, it would completely cease functioning in an instant. Even so, it remained a valuable tool for measuring mana. It would certainly be useful in new areas such as mining sites or frontier development. Perhaps it had not spread widely because magic users themselves were more sensitive and required less effort to make such judgments.

“If we are going to begin the project in earnest, we will need to coordinate with Zanzas.” (Elt)

At this point, we were still within my territory, but extending the line further would eventually reach Zanzas. In any case, a trolley line would only be worthwhile if installed over a long distance.

“There is no reason they would refuse, but funding may be an issue.” (Anaria)

“Mogu. It will require a considerable amount of money, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“I will cover it from my own savings, so there is no need to worry about that.” (Elt)

I stated this without hesitation, but Anaria and Iskamina both reacted with surprise.

“Th-that much money!?” (Anaria)

“It will be quite a sum, mogu!” (Iskamina)

“Roughly how much would it cost to install a small section of the trolley track?” (Elt)

“It would require around 100 gold coins, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“I can easily afford that much.” (Elt)

In fact, I could prepare several times that amount without issue.

In Healberry Village, we imposed taxes based on profits, so the more money circulated, the more revenue was collected. The tax rate was comparable to that of Zanzas, though currently, it was slightly lower. I was even considering reducing it further next year.

Potions, luxury vegetables, and fruits sold continuously, and the trade in material goods had also stabilized. Even just by producing and selling Healing Fruits, I could earn five to 10 gold coins a day.

“Although we must still review the business plan carefully, there is no need to worry about funding. Once we return to the village, I will be counting on you.” (Elt)

“Of course, mogu!” (Iskamina)

“As expected of you. Truly impressive.” (Anaria)

Still, the full-scale implementation would likely begin after Stella and Leia returned. By then, our exploration of the underground tunnels would have advanced even further.

“Pip-piyo!” (Heave-ho, heave-ho.) (Cockatrice)

“Piyoyo!” (Munch-munch!) (Cockatrice)

The Cockatrices continued to carry the Big Puzzle Mushroom at a steady pace. Occasionally, they would pluck off small bits and nibble at them.

At this time, Stella and her group were working hard in the northern kingdom. With Nana accompanying them, I had little cause for concern. Speaking of which, Nana was also knowledgeable about magical apparatus. I could probably ask her for useful advice regarding the trolley.

When Dia returned, she too would have grown stronger. Yes, I needed to keep moving forward as well, always looking toward what came next.

“It is precisely at times like this that a leader must make decisive choices.” (Elt)

“Ugo ugo, let us do our best together!” (Wood)

Anaria and Iskamina nodded firmly. That was exactly the kind of determination my position required. And, of course, we still had the Berry Mushrooms to consider. We would need to make a large batch of grass dumplings.

 

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