Chapter 149 - Episode 2: Our Own Land
In October, we bought the land.
Since there were no competitors, we were able to buy the intended land at the intended price.
In fact, it seems that no other buyers have appeared for the rest of the Flatlands yet. The fortress construction isn't finished, and there isn't a single highway. On top of that, much of the land is barren wasteland, so everyone is likely steering clear.
When I went to the Flatlands riding in Paul-san's bowl, a small shack had been built.
On their days off, the martial trio of Beowulf, Will, and Matilda built it for me with Paul-san's help.
It's still just a small thing, and for now, we only plan to use it as a rest area when it rains, but since Paul-san dug a well for us, we could actually live there if we felt like it.
Well, I suppose we'd just be staring at the trees in the forest, though.
There is a clover field, only about the size of one plot, which Paul-san mowed and tilled for us before sowing seeds and watering it. There are also three piles of stones about waist-high that came up when Paul-san was tilling. I plan to buy some mortar next time and build a wall along the boundary of the property.
I can use the stones lying around here however I like.
Yes, because this is our land.
"Listening to you just now, it sounds like Paul-san did everything. I can't tell whose land this is supposed to be."
While I was soaking in the feeling of being a landowner, a tactless mage had to say something unnecessary.
"It can't be helped. We can't do it by ourselves."
It was true that if Paul-san and Angelica-san were around, most of the pioneering work could be finished in no time.
"What, I only performed the work based on our contract. Besides, I haven't even built the company office yet."
That was true. Since the Teleportation Circle can't be used until a dungeon—I mean, a basement—is built under the company office, we can't even come here without Paul-san.
"Well, even so, having our own land feels good, even if there's nothing on it."
It's a plot of land the size of three fields.
I bought two plots lined up north-to-south near the forest along the Southern Mountains, and one long plot running north-to-south near the forest along the Western Mountains.
The shack is in the northeast corner.
In terms of the entire Flatlands, it's in the southwest corner, but it's likely not far from the mineral deposits where silica is found, nor from the highway that will probably run south. Once the highway construction actually begins, we'll probably be able to sell lunch boxes for the lunch box service.
The inconspicuous Green Marble gear probably won't be used at a construction site, so it might be good to sell clothes in some nice colors and offer laundry services using Clean Up magic.
I bought it for practice, but now that I actually own it, my dreams are expanding in various ways. I want to make sure I use it effectively so I don't end up having to part with it in tears.
Right now, more than half of it is still covered in weeds, shrubs, and a few trees here and there, but eventually, I'll raise sheep, pigs, and honeybees, and sell women's clothing and accessories while doubling as a branch for the Marcelo Company.
Of course, I'll do monster extermination too. I'll probably be able to make smoked boar meat as well.
Last week, while Paul-san was out hunting monsters with Beatrix and Bonnie, I buried stone stakes to clearly mark the boundaries of the purchased land in the presence of someone from the town hall. Since McBurn-san's squad from the guard and the workshop came along as escorts, Beowulf and Matilda were also present.
Apparently, we have to stay at least ten paces away from the forest, but conversely, there's no problem using that space as a road, so it's perfect. Eventually, I'll build a dry-stone wall to keep out foxes and boars, so it'll serve as a marker for that too.
After that, we mowed the weeds and shrubs on the western field and burned them on the spot to make ash. I had them drench the ash with water and till it, then sowed clover seeds in a patchy pattern. I also sowed a little bit of oats and ryegrass here and there. When spring comes and they sprout, they might just look like weeds, but that's fine.
Since the seeds collected from the testing grounds weren't enough, we had the farm where Lyudmila used to work cultivate some and bought the rest.
Like this, I'll water them occasionally, and once they go to seed next year, I'll plow them back in and expand the area where I plant seeds. If things go well, I might be able to keep about two goats.
I'll keep repeating that until the area is large enough for grazing and beekeeping. According to Flora's estimate, it will take three years, so raising sheep will probably be in the fourth year. It'll be good if the ryegrass starts growing better than the oats.
"What should I do today?"
Beatrix asked Lyudmila.
Lyudmila was holding a map.
It was the entire purchased land divided into small squares, with notes written in the places where work was finished.
Each field was divided into eight sections.
For now, the western field was marked as 'Complete.' That's where the seeds were planted. In the southern field next to it, there were two sections marked as 'Mowing Finished.'
"We're going to burn the weeds we mowed last week in one section to make ash and then spray water. Also, we'll mow the shrubs and weeds in the section next to that. We'll burn those next week. We're going to take a whole day to do it slowly. This will be the routine for a while."
"Then I'll do the mowing."
Beatrix, who can use Wind Cutter, was in charge of mowing with wind magic.
Since she's an intermediate mage, she can easily chop shrubs into short pieces. After they're mowed, Flora and I scatter them appropriately.
Lyudmila used Fire Ball to set fire to the dried grass mowed last week. Once it burned down to ash, Mary went around splashing water to extinguish it.
Boars and foxes appear around here, but if we keep a fire going, they won't come near. With three people who can use water magic, fire shouldn't be an issue.
Lyudmila and Mary's attacks on the Orcs during the night battle at the Northern Pass and the Goblin rescue operation bore fruit, and they have officially learned Freeze.
Mary is overjoyed. Apparently, she's been working about two hours a night as a backstage hand at the brothel recently. She specializes in making drinks and light late-night snacks, and she said it's a good deal because she gets staff meals.
By the way, Beatrix learned the intermediate ice magic Ice Cube. That's likely the result of the snake extermination.
In between our work, Paul-san and Bonnie went to scatter bait to lure in boars.
After waving them off, the work began.
Although the purchased land has trees growing here and there, it's mostly weeds and shrubs, so we have to start by clearing the ground.
After working like that for about an hour, Paul-san and the others returned.
"Shall we go then?"
"I want to work hard and take down three at once today."
Until now, it had been two. If we take down three each in the morning and afternoon, that's six in a day. If we take down six today, we can just bring fox bait next week.
Once the morning's work was done, it was time for monster extermination. Following Eleanor-sama's example, we sortied in the boat-shaped bowl.
I had Mary and Lyudmila stay behind at the shack. We can't risk a fire starting by accident.
As we approached the place where the bait was scattered from above, there were five boars.
We moved directly overhead.
"First, a simultaneous attack. Bonnie and I will take one each from the starboard side, and Jeanne, you stop the movement of one on the port side. After that, we focus fire on the biggest one."
Beatrix's instructions were sounding like a naval battle.
I had newly learned the Shield magic, which increased my magic control, and I became able to knock out a boar with a full-power Holy spell.
Shield magic creates an invisible shield around oneself; apparently, if you cast this after hardening yourself with Defend, the opponent's physical attacks will almost never get through. Surely, the Goddess took pity on me after I took an arrow to the right shoulder during the night battle at the Northern Pass.
At Paul-san's signal, we attacked all at once.
Magic and arrows were unleashed, and the screams of the caught-off-guard boars echoed.
By the time things settled down, we had defeated three boars.
After bleeding the three of them, we sent them to the warehouse via Teleport.
At lunchtime, we went into the shack and ate the lunch boxes Angelica-san had made along with the Goblins who were digging for silica. Two bandits who come by under the guise of 'patrolling' joined us as well.
There must have been some discussion when they participated in the lunch box service lecture. There were two extra portions brought along, so it was just right.
"So this is the newly purchased land."
Today it was the adjutant and one other person.
Last week, Lewis-san had come all the way out here.
"Thank you for the patrol."
"It must be hard, coming all this way on horseback just to eat a lunch box."
This is probably because their stomachs are also being controlled by Angelica-san.
"No, no. Thanks to that, I got a medal. My salary went up, too."
Come to think of it, Lewis-san was also there when the awards were given in the Royal Capital.
Apparently, everyone who participated in the Goblin rescue operation received a medal.
Publicly, it's said to be for their achievements in the battle at the Northern Fortress.
The soldiers receive them from their captains, so they don't come to the Royal Capital, but the value is the same.
"Please come to the brothel. Heroes who always protect everyone are very welcome."
When Mary took the opportunity to advertise, he said with a meltingly happy face that he had just gone the other day.
"Lately, the beer has been nice and cold. Did you get a new icehouse?"
Usually, a mage who uses ice magic makes an icehouse to chill things there, but since it's not that big, when it's crowded, they end up serving drinks that aren't cold. This is the same wherever you go.
"I'm chilling it with great care every day. Now, no matter when you go, I can serve it well-chilled."
"I-Is that so?"
You're grinning too much.
"The last full moon was a bust, wasn't it? Did something happen?"
Since last Saturday was a full moon, we had gone out there specifically, giving up our day off. In the end, nothing came to the position, and the Orcs were apparently having a flashy clash somewhere else.
"According to the scouts coming to our place, they might not come anymore."
Since the rescue operation, Robinson-san and two scouts have been staying overnight at the pass position twice a week to handle night reconnaissance. Three meals a day and a dedicated bed. Carrying the latest Goblin-sized equipment made by the Guard Workshop, they are apparently infiltrating places where humans can't go. It seems they've finally been officially recognized by the Kingdom Army, and they're even getting an allowance from them.
"Did something happen?"
"The ones we fought in the rescue operation the other day were remnants of the Demon Lord's army, right? Apparently, those guys are different from the local Orcs who usually live in the northern part of this area. We took care of them. So, while it's not exactly a 'thank you,' the story is that they might have recognized our position up to that point."
"Things like that can happen!"
I was surprised.
According to Paul-san, that's how boundaries are decided through a tacit understanding with monsters.
"But quite a few must have passed through the Northern Pass until now, right? What about them?"
"The ones in small numbers might have been taken out by the local Orcs. Otherwise, they might have fled further west. The pack from the other day was quite large, wasn't it? There's a possibility those guys absorbed them and grew bigger."
Since the northern part of this area is mountainous, it's apparently not a very good living environment for a large group. After all, places with many ponds and rivers are better, so there's a high possibility they gave up and moved to Northern Nakanohara.
Especially if there were big eaters like Trolls among them.
"According to the scouts, there's currently no movement from the monsters in Northern Nakanohara. It seems the monsters in that area weren't originally linked with the Demon Lord's army, so if nothing happens, that's for the best."
The 'scouts' probably refers to Morgan-san and the others. Seeing as they occasionally participate in hunts with Mabel-san, it's likely not just one person but several people monitoring them.
In any case, it's a good thing there's no conflict.
In the afternoon, we repeated the same things as in the morning, burning dried grass and mowing in two locations each, and defeated a total of six boars.
After thoroughly extinguishing the smoldering ash with water magic and having Paul-san bury it in the ground, the words 'Ash' and 'Mowing' were written into one square each on Lyudmila's map.
Tomorrow, we'll be picking up stones in the area marked 'Ash.'
Beatrix and Lyudmila will use Hurl Stone to launch stones toward the mound, and Flora and I will be on stone-picking duty.
Stones larger than a fist can be used for the dry-stone wall by setting them with mortar. Stones for walls that have been neatly cut to size are expensive, so we'll be self-sufficient.
We also gathered a bag's worth of medicinal herbs, so the harvest was sufficient.
After sending out the silica the Goblins dug via Teleport, hauling the waste stone to our land in a cart, and picking out a few stones that could be used for accessories, today's work in the Flatlands was over. Since it wasn't a full moon, we didn't stay at the position and returned to Nakanohara.
As October progressed, the foxes and boars in the forests near Nakanohara began to return. After the new year, we'll have to intercept the monsters coming from the north in search of food. If we strike them now, they probably won't come out in the winter.
Since we're short-handed, I decided to do the twice-weekly rat extermination with just Beatrix while Paul-san and Bonnie set the bait.
In addition to the rat extermination, there's fox or boar extermination near Nakanohara three times a week. And the Flatlands twice a week. Three days a week, we take turns opening the Class of 175 shop to sell marble-dyed goods and accessories. While we were spending those busy but monotonous days sharing the work among us, Henry-sama and the other two showed up once again.
The season was November, the time of autumn colors. It was a time when the clearing of the land we bought in the Flatlands was gradually progressing.