Peaceful Farmwork

After finishing the donuts and taking a break, we went to check on the potatoes directly.

Sure enough, we could confirm that growth had begun in the cleared area.

I'd considered the possibility they wouldn't grow since these were originally crops from a colder region, but perhaps the blessing of the Earth Elemental Stone had taken effect.

"How do potatoes multiply again?"

"Ah, I know this one. We used them to supplement meals for the children."

Elza explained it to me.

After harvest, you cut the seed potato portions and plant them again to grow new seedlings.

If it went well, you could increase the yield dramatically all at once.

"They call it a famine-relief crop for good reason. It won't be long before the cleared land is covered."

"Then we'll have you work again."

When I said that to Alexia, she didn't reply and just gave me an exasperated look.

Getting a handful of people together for manual labor would be less efficient than Alexia's magic alone, so this was inevitable.

"I'll help properly too."

"Well, if that's the case, I don't mind."

Planning ahead and counting my chickens before they hatched was all well and good, but we'd only just gotten sprouts in one section.

I'd need to produce proper results before moving on to the next thing, so I'd better stay focused.

After that, everyone pitched in with weeding and maintenance.

If the experiment succeeded, I'd need to get some sharecroppers assigned here too.

If there was income to be had, they'd be willing to lend a hand.

We temporarily deactivated the barrier and went to check on the Earth Elemental Stone at the shrine.

I'd thought there wouldn't be any change since so little time had passed since my last visit, but it seemed slightly larger.

"Having so many crops nearby really does make a difference."

Elza in particular seemed to notice the difference.

"Give it a year and you'll be able to see the growth clearly."

"Is that how it works? When I first received that tiny fragment, I wondered what would become of it…"

It had almost ended up just making a home garden's vegetables bigger and tastier.

"So this is the Earth Elemental Stone."

I watched Orleans approach with interest.

She was the priestess of the Fire Elemental, but perhaps she was curious because of the connection to elemental spirits.

Then the Earth Elemental Stone began to tremble.

It was as if it was resonating.

"Ah."

I heard Azu's voice.

Apparently the Water Elemental dwelling within her had emerged.

A Fire Elemental also appeared from Orleans.

Fire, water, earth.

Three of the so-called Four Great Elementals were gathered here.

The Earth Elemental was in its stone form, but even so, I could tell it was reacting.

"All we need is a Wind Elemental for the complete set."

"Nobody would believe three of them are in a place like this."

Finn was exasperated at Elza's words.

Elemental spirits weren't something you could meet just by wanting to.

Even Elemental Stones were incredibly valuable, and money alone couldn't buy them.

Through various coincidences and crises overcome, they had simply ended up gathered here as a result.

Well, a mere merchant possessing them would probably just be wasting treasure.

Still, they'd proven useful in all sorts of situations, so I'd gratefully make use of their power.

"… Um, are they looking at me?"

The spirits' gazes gathered on Azu.

Azu noticed and fidgeted nervously, unsure why.

"I told you before, didn't I? Azu-chan is the Apostle's Vessel. Eventually, you'll come to house all the spirits."

"Did you? The explanation was complicated and I don't really remember…"

"And what happens then?"

"The Creator King's power will be restored… maybe."

I hadn't told Finn or Orleans the details about the Creator King's Apostle and all that.

It wasn't the kind of thing they'd understand just from being told.

Still, they seemed to have their own thoughts about Azu's power, and they knew spirits were involved.

Elza was a priestess of the now-extinct Church of the Creator King.

Perhaps she had her own ideas about its restoration.

Hints of such intentions showed through here and there.

That said, she'd never done anything that worked against our interests.

Neither toward Azu nor anyone else.

So I trusted her. I didn't mind her acting on her own initiative within reason.

I had no intention of micromanaging everything.

"Well, it doesn't matter right now. Azu-chan doesn't have the capacity to accept them yet, and we don't even know if we'll encounter a Wind Elemental."

"True enough."

The spirits' resonance ended at some point, and each returned to where it belonged.

Still, Azu's power was already considerable with just the Water Elemental. If all four spirits were gathered, what would happen?

I stared at her with interest, and Azu averted her gaze, embarrassed.

"It's embarrassing when you stare at me like that."

… Azu was Azu. That wouldn't change.

After finishing our inspection, we returned to the house in Luido.

I made time to speak with the representatives, and before I knew it, we'd slipped into a feast.

Apparently they'd been waiting until the harvest festival to receive payment for the wheat.

"Should I have paid you sooner?"

"No, no. Compared to the previous manager, this is far quicker. And you actually pay properly."

"I see… You've had it rough."

If they'd engaged in such exploitation and still tried to profit from drugs on top of it, they were quite the villains.

I was glad we'd managed to stop them.

We were treated to food and drink at the feast, then decided to sleep at the house.

There were no beds, but there were fluffy blankets.

Lying on sheets made of dried hay and pulling the blankets over yourself, it was more comfortable than expected.

Alexia, who had eaten and drunk plenty, collapsed into sleep.

Elza was much the same.

Azu and Orleans were whispering about something, having roped Finn in and annoying her.

Peaceful.

I fell asleep wishing things could stay like this forever.