The Morning of Departure.
A splendid carriage had been prepared at the detached palace.
Riding in the fine carriage were Lord Raz, Master, my brother, Luna, and Lune. Luna and the others would be heading to Mare first to register as adventurers. My brother was going to take care of everything for them.
Whether they were serious about becoming adventurers was still unclear.
I honestly don’t think Luna is suited to be an adventurer—more so than me—but for now, to move around together and for identification purposes, they would register as adventurers.
After helping us out here, what they would do next would be left up to them. That said, they seemed unexpectedly willing to live hidden away in the development zone, so we might end up staying together long-term.
“Once I’m done with the errands in Mare, I’ll head your way too. Don’t do anything reckless, okay?”
“It’s fine. Master will prepare a house right away, so just wait for us.”
“Yeah, I’ll start packing my things too. It’s getting warmer—sleeping outdoors wouldn’t bother me.”
“No. That’s definitely not happening, Master,” my brother said.
Neither of us ever considered letting Master sleep outside.
A simple shelter that could be used for sleeping wouldn’t take much time to build. So, we’d prepare that first, and once it was ready, we’d move in.
“Alright then, I’m counting on you to take care of Crayne.”
“Join us as soon as you can. I can’t handle this bunch by myself,” Crow muttered as my brother and the others departed ahead of us.
After seeing them off, it was just me, Crow, Tiga, and Lust heading toward the city gate.
“Crayne.”
“Yes, Lust?”
“Is it okay to talk now?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Since Lust and I hadn’t had many chances to speak directly, it seemed he had something he wanted to ask. Tiga gave a wry smile—maybe this was going to be a tricky conversation.
“Will that power of mine stop activating on its own now?”
“Well... that’s the tricky part. Lust, I think you might’ve been using it unconsciously all this time.”
“Why do you think that?”
“When we sealed your power, it felt like there wasn’t much left to seal... sealing it was way easier than usual. Of course, Luna didn’t affect that many people, so that might be part of it.”
Even if someone used their power in an unconscious, uncontrolled way... other than Luna and Lune, only a few people had been influenced.
Lust, on the other hand, had used his ability during the rebellion in the empire and manipulated a huge number of people who were present—probably close to a thousand. And he had also controlled dozens of people at the Adventurer’s Guild.
With that much usage, his ability might’ve already been exhausted, making it easier to seal.
“So, how do I avoid using it by accident?”
Yeah, I have no idea.
I mean, I’d like him to figure out how to manage his own power. But for some reason, he seems to think I would know.
“Sigh... I think it’s best if you learn to control it properly, so it doesn’t trigger unconsciously anymore.”
From what I heard, it seemed like he had been unknowingly using a demonic ability called 〈Allure〉. I only recently got the hang of using my own 〈Blessing〉, so I guess that kind of thing happens.
“Luna described hers a little differently. In her case, people gradually become more dependent on her. But for me... hmm, it’s more like a sudden explosion?”
“Hmm… maybe the way it activates is different. Even if it’s unconscious, the method of activation could vary.”
“What do you mean?”
In Luna’s case, we suppressed her ability by blocking her vision, but it’s probably triggered by smell. She suddenly emits a scent, and that’s when people start being controlled.
But since Lust can’t consciously use his ability yet, it might be better to start with learning how to sense and handle magical abilities in general.
“First off, do you understand how to use abilities? I don’t think 〈Allure〉 is a passive skill—it’s likely an active one…”
“Passive?”
“Yeah. Passive abilities are always active. Active ones require conscious effort to use—just like magic.”
“Ah… sorry, I’m not very good at magic either.”
Not good at magic? But he probably knows some spells at least. Being a demon, he likely uses dark or forbidden magic. That could definitely be hard to handle.
I wonder what kind of magic it is.
“Well... you’ll probably need to practice. If you can get a feel for how magic works, it might help you understand 〈Allure〉 better.”
“Can Luna use hers properly?”
“Luna can at least be restrained with a blindfold... but I think it’d be better for you to properly learn magic and get the hang of things. That said, I can’t be the one to train you.”
Tiga glanced over at me.
Maybe he thought I’d be the one to teach magic—but that would be tough.
If we want to avoid having my brother treat Lust as a dangerous individual, then yeah, I want to help him get a grip on it quickly. But I have no talent for dark magic.
“Magic is something you get the feel for the more you use it, so… Crow.”
“Crow, could you take care of it?”
“Me, huh… Well, Granos scares me, so I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”
“Thanks, Crow.”
“We’ll have plenty of time while we’re on the move, so take it easy and don’t push yourself.”
Crow let out a sigh and narrowed his eyes at Lust—he was probably checking his status.
Well, things should be fine if I leave it to him.
While we were talking, we arrived at the city gate.
Two wagons were prepared at the entrance, and there stood Fabek.
“Looks like there are two wagons—what’s the plan?”
“Through an acquaintance, we’ve arranged for a tamer to accompany us. The monsters he’s tamed will pull the wagons. Also, this is Fabek, a carpenter. He’ll be joining us. The head carpenters will come to the development site a little later.”
The wagons were loaded with carpentry tools and bags of materials.
Tiga checked over the contents and then looked to confirm with me.
“You really came prepared.”
“Well, there’s no point heading to the development site with nothing. We only brought the bare minimum, but we’re prepared. Also, we’re loading the wagons with bags of building materials and saplings, so please be careful.”
“Got it.”
Once we arrive at the development site, we plan to plant trees used for medicinal ingredients. Some of those trees might already be growing depending on the area, so we only brought a limited number of saplings as a trial.
Tiga also seemed to have prepared quite a few things on his end.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! I’m Sufino, here on Lady Nebia’s recommendation.”
The voice came from a young boy. Behind him were four Mega Dash Puses, each slightly smaller than Caro and Rot.
“I’m Crayne. Nice to meet you.”
Sufino-kun, who greeted us very politely, reminded me of Lana-chan. But he looked even younger—around ten years old.
They had asked me beforehand if it was okay to bring a child, but… would this really be alright?
Still, he seemed very mature for his age, so maybe it would be fine.
“Um, will you be alright on your own? I mean, we’ll be camping outdoors for a while, and…”
“Yes, Lady Nebia explained everything. She’s my guardian, so there’s no need to worry. Besides, these four only listen to me, so I have to come with them. I look forward to working with you.”
With that, he began hitching two monsters to each wagon to get them ready for towing.
“Uh, Crayne-san, if I may?”
“Oh, please, feel free to talk to me like you did yesterday.”
I was a bit surprised to hear Fabek call me with a formal “-san” honorific.
“Well, it’s just... this is work, and you’re a client. My boss had a few words with me... Sorry if I was rude before.”
He must have gotten scolded for being too casual with a client, so now he was being extra polite.
“I don’t mind, really… Okay. Crow, Tiga, Lust, and Sufino-kun. And this is Fabek the carpenter. He’ll be the one giving us guidance on foundational construction at the site. And Sufino-kun here is handling the wagons. We’re going to be building a monster ranch in the development area, so he’ll help with advice and management.”
“Got it!”
“I’ll do my best!”
After brief introductions all around, we began our journey to the development site. Since Sufino and Fabek were handling the wagons, we decided to hold a strategy meeting while en route.
One issue was that the exact location of the development site hadn’t been decided.
We had a general idea, and permission had been granted for us to choose the spot ourselves, since our proposal involved gathering resources and experimenting with cultivation.
Originally, we were expected to settle in a strategic location—like where a village once stood or near a checkpoint. But when we submitted our request, they told us to prioritize our needs and gave us free rein to choose anywhere.
Lord Raz did say, however, that we should at least connect the area with proper roads.
“Even if we’re choosing the place, I don’t think it’s something we can just decide easily… I mean, I don’t even know what kind of land we should be looking for.”
“May I share my thoughts?”
“Of course, Tiga. Do you have something in mind?”
“First and foremost, we’ll definitely need water. So I think somewhere near a river would be ideal. Even if you can create water with magic, it’s not something we should rely on entirely.”
That made sense—being close to a river was important. Though we’d also need to be cautious about potential flooding that could ruin everything.
"If we don’t manage the water properly, heavy rain could cause flooding, right?"
"Exactly. I’ve taken that into account. Ideally, I’d like to find land similar to Ichijodani—a river valley where the surrounding mountains naturally limit the entry points."
"Ichijodani?"
Um?
It sounded vaguely familiar... or maybe not?
I glanced at Crow, but he shook his head. Lust just muttered “Ohh,” but… did he really know? When I asked Tiga to continue, he gave a small nod.
"To put it simply, it’s land located in a valley between a river and mountains. The advantage is that you can easily block the narrow entrance, making it hard for outsiders to get in. I want to choose a place that clearly can't support a large population from the start."
Why?
If the land is too small, we’ll have trouble growing enough crops, including rice paddies, right?
"The typical idea is that if you have land to develop, you’ll expand it. And once people start moving in, it becomes troublesome, doesn’t it? If people we can’t trust come in just to snoop around, we’ll all end up getting dragged into things and feel cramped. I want to avoid that."
Tiga’s reasoning made Crow nod in agreement.
Yeah, having more people could become a problem.
"A place where you can’t expand from the start. Somewhere that becomes difficult for others to access as long as the entrance is guarded… I’ve informed Granos that this is meant to be a research site for material collection, and that we don’t intend to open it up to the public."
"I see?"
"Sounds good… if it’s obviously limited in size, no one will expect it to expand. We don’t need to turn it into a full village, either. A spot surrounded by mountains means fewer visitors."
Tiga intended to use the location’s limitations as a way to keep people out.
That actually might be for the best. Being near mountains is a bonus for a herbalist like me, so I had no objections. And Crow was on board too.
If the location is already restricted from the beginning, maybe it’ll keep people from gathering? No, better to make sure we set clear boundaries ourselves.
"Hey, what should I do?"
What would Lust-san do…?
There’s nothing for him until we reach the dragon, really. I mean, what can he even do?
"For now, probably go around defeating monsters nearby to level up."
"Yeah, that’s best. It’s good to be able to handle the monsters around the Border Mountains."
If Lust gets too strong, I won’t be able to control him—that’s just my own concern.
There are some pretty strong monsters in the Border Mountains. Like Gigant Snakes or ones like Shimaou, and there are even rumors of dragons deeper in.
We'll definitely need to stay alert for monsters... though Naga-kun’s pet is no pushover either.
Who knows how territorial disputes between monsters might go… but I have a feeling things will work out.
Why?
Well, the four rabbit-like creatures Sufino brought instantly prostrated themselves in submission after sniffing me.
Why?!
Crow explained: since Shimaou, Caro, and Rot have marked us, weaker rabbit-type monsters won’t defy us.
Apparently, rabbits submit if Caro or Rot are around, and cats avoid us because of Shimaou. Also, if Olive is nearby, monsters will steer clear too.
"By the way, Caro and Rot evolved and got stronger."
"Wha—so that’s the reason, huh…"
I let Sufino know the two he entrusted to us had grown magnificently.
For some reason, Caro and Rot are kind of rough with me, but they still recognize me as an ally. Though the rabbits seem to fear me above all others.
"That’s pretty convenient."
"…It’s not something you’d normally learn without a detailed appraisal. They must really like you."
"No way. They’re always beating me up!"
"They’re probably just playing with you."
They’re just stealing my food, though?
And yet they act like perfect little angels in front of other people. It’s just not fair.
"Even if we pick a location, how should we communicate with you?"
"Momo can track my location, so she’ll guide the others. …For now, if it’s a valley along the river, I’ll guide you to the river."
"From what I saw at the artificial pond, some basic land leveling and water management should be doable. It'll be tough work, though, so I’m counting on you."
There’s a river near the mushroom forest. There’s no village downstream, and it flows into a major river, so settling upstream shouldn’t cause any conflict over water.
If we find a good, hidden valley, it’ll feel like a secluded village.
Tiga seems to be carefully considering the location, given the responsibility Brother entrusted to him, so I’ll leave it to him.
After all, this is Medicia family land, and the only people living there should be connected to Medicia—or our pets.
"To make the settlement self-sufficient, we’ll need to think about clothing and daily goods. I can craft simple things, but…"
"That’ll be tough. Even if we buy from Mare, we can’t make everything ourselves."
"For now, let’s focus on shelter and food. Even if we’re paid, it’s hard to make constant trips to Mare for groceries."
"And without Granos around, I’m worried about meals too…"
Honestly, if someone who actually cooks said that, I’d understand. But someone who doesn’t even try has no right to complain.
Though I admit, my brother is a better cook than me.
If you’ve got a problem with my cooking, I’ll take that challenge.
"Want me to cook?"
"Wait, you can cook?"
"Yup~"
"Nope."
"Please don’t."
Lust offered to cook, but Crow and Tiga immediately shot him down.
I had been wondering if it’d be okay to let him try, but seeing their serious expressions, I decided against it.
If Sufino-kun, who Nebia entrusted to us, weren’t here, I might’ve left it to Lust out of laziness—but there’s no way I’d feed a kid anything sketchy, so I’ll cook myself.
If Lust helps out, that’s great, and I asked him for a few things here and there, but… he really just gives off a laid-back vibe.
And so, two days after departure, we camped by the river near the mushroom forest.
Starting tomorrow, we’ll follow the river upstream in search of a site for our development.
Hopefully, we’ll find the perfect place soon.
Now then—our new life begins.