I had intended to accept all three proposals. However, while friendly competition for mutual benefit was fine, I didn’t want to keep having them snarl at each other when we’d be working together.

“The 28th terrarium is currently short on food and daily necessities. Since it’s been said that the land is difficult for farming on its own, it would be best to bring supplies in from outside. I’d actually prefer if you could open a branch in my terrarium.”

“As expected, our Golden Pumpkin…!”

“But! While the terrarium is in urgent need of supplies, even if I open a branch, there are no customers to use it or people to consume the goods. So, if Great Bean sends plenty of manpower to help rebuild the terrarium, we’ll establish a branch as soon as the headcount is met.”

“As expected, our Great Bean…!”

“And! The diamonds to pay these workers will come from my profits generated by Jewelry Cone through its gemstone reconstruction business. So, don’t pay me the profits directly—instead, route them to Great Bean to hire manpower. In the 28th terrarium, only Great Bean can supply the workforce, aside from Jewelry Cone’s specialized artisans. Also, for the time being, food and daily necessities will only come from Golden Pumpkin. No external items from elsewhere will be allowed in.”

All three fell silent. I had simply created a situation where they all benefited each other.

“My boss is very eager to resume production of the Immortal Diamond. We’ve already recruited a skilled jeweler. Beyond that, if you have any accessories above the high-grade level among the Sun’s jewels, show them to me. In particular…”

Not remembering clearly which months gave dryads combat bonuses, I pulled out my phone to cheat.

“Um… I’ll buy all gems from March to July and September without exception. You mentioned a lot of debt, right? This amount should be enough to start the business, shouldn’t it?”

The person from the corn side listened intently to my words and took notes diligently.

The three could no longer afford to simply keep each other in check. The pumpkin had to attract many customers to expand its branches and increase profits. Since those customers would primarily be the manpower of the Great Bean, the more they visited the terrarium, the more beneficial it would be.

For the Great Bean to provide ample manpower, Jewelry Cone had to play an active role. Since labor other than artisans had to be sourced from the Great Bean, they would effectively serve to carefully select personnel, given Pumpkin’s assessment that recruiting a bunch of drifters would result in poor quality.

Additionally, since trade goods other than Golden Pumpkins were limited, each party had to strive to fully establish the trade routes. It was a structure where they had to support each other to reap profits.

“We need carts going to the 59th, 42nd, and from the 18th to the 28th. For the first two, they’ll transport people and goods, and for the 18th, we’ll need to discuss things with the administrative officer now.”

Those who had lost the cream of the crop to Pumpkin, Corn, and Bean were now eagerly trying to latch onto the cart matter. It was clearly an attempt to form a connection with me through this. The carts needed for moving Pila and Loop’s families were arranged.

The Crop Trio was extremely busy reviewing new proposals. They paid no attention to the carts. Those who had sat far apart were now gathered closely together, holding a meeting.

Taking advantage of that gap, I discussed the transaction with the administrative officer and the equipment shop.

“Master Jae’s countermeasures were more impressive than expected, so I thought I’d miss out on the brokerage fee this time too, but you’re offering me a good deal.”

He found it odd that I was purchasing all the equipment made by the children, not the artisan parents, but he responded to the transaction with sincerity.

A cart heading from the 18th was also arranged. The schedule was set for the return date of Iris’s party, who would escort us to the 16th terrarium.

The meeting ended late at night. I was exhausted from talking too much. I purchased one box of Dryad nutritional supplements and two boxes of unripe fruits, which I had pre-ordered from the guide. Unfortunately, the nutrient fruits were out of stock.

I ran into Iris’s party just as they were returning in front of the inn. They seemed a bit down, so we decided to have dessert at the inn’s restaurant. She talked about arranging the reward, and I shared the day’s events at the orchard, coordinating the commission schedule.

Hearing that I only had wasps, she also obtained a share of bees for me. Since a wasp’s chip was already inserted in the SIM card slot, I thought I’d have to swap it out when the time came to use them.

And I said I would depart for the 16th terrarium as soon as I received the bullets commissioned from Romgato. When told it could be as soon as the day after tomorrow, I said I would prepare to depart at any time.

Today, my room door was again filled with boxes sent from the artifact workshop. Elder seemed like he’d go crazy, but strangely, he was quiet. He was picking up the boxes one by one, but still seemed in low spirits. Mesquite said to just leave her be, but I couldn’t help worrying.

I thought I’d cheer her up by looking at the artifact interior she’d decorated with such care and responding. It was fun to decorate my own room, but seeing what someone else had done was also nice.

Elder had good taste. Even though daisies were part of the normal fields, he’d monopolized them all and decorated extravagantly. It happened that yesterday’s delivery included a house for the normal field, and there was a magnificent mansion I hadn’t seen before.

In the distance, I could also see the Temple of the Sun, Mesquite’s share. I really wanted to check it out, but Elder came first.

“Hey, Elder, you did a great job. You managed to combine different themes well. Hiding the imitation rose bushes and golden ivy vines inside the mansion pillars makes it look like the rose vines are wrapping around the pillars, right? Did you decorate the inside too? And give some daisies to the normal field. The kid has no desire for such things, so he didn’t take any at all.”

The dryads, as soon as I arrived at the room, were sitting in a circle at the table, each holding a nutrient supplement I’d distributed to them.

At my words, Elder thought for a long time without saying anything, then suddenly grabbed Daisy’s hand and poofed into the artifact.

What the, where are you going? I’m complimenting you.

Looking into the artifact, I saw Elder pulling out his own artifact furniture and giving them to Daisy. Why is she suddenly acting like that? Doing something she never does.

I heard Mesquite’s laughter from behind.

“Sorry. For dismissing the normal grade.”

What the heck, folks! Elder, that brat, apologized! Oh my god! Is that really my dryad? Didn’t you get swapped out somewhere wrong?

No, that handsome face was indeed our Elder. Suddenly, Elder looked at me with a dissatisfied expression, then quickly turned his head away. I could see the tips of his pale ears turning red.

Oh my, what’s this. That unbearably cute thing? It felt like my cheeks would launch into the sky.

“Until now, I thought I was strong because I was special. But that the secret to my strength was just that my kind was born few… So, since your kind is born many and weak, take things like this and get stronger. I’m not special, but I was trained by Mesquite since I was a sapling, so I’m the best and greatest. If you want to follow me, you need to work harder too.”

Mesquite’s laughter grew louder. She seemed very happy and in a good mood. Her laughter was infectious, and I started laughing too, in giggles.

Daisy did not respond to Elder’s words. He simply stood there with a bashful smile, holding the artifact furniture that Elder had piled into his arms. Soon, he set down all the artifact furniture he was holding and opened his mouth.

“I am the best and greatest too! Because I am Master Jae’s dryad! And even if you don’t say that, I’ll work even harder!”

With that, she popped out of the artifact on her own. Once outside, Daisy gathered up the vitamin bottles scattered all over the table—both hers and Elder’s—hugged them, and hid behind me. Then, swift as a dagger-wielding hand, he quickly unscrewed the caps and gulped them all down before Elder could catch him.

Elder, who came out of the artifact belatedly, saw the disaster and threw a fit. It felt like he had finally returned to his usual self.

“Saplings really do grow fast, don’t they?”

Mesquite looked like a parent saying, ‘Kids sure grow up fast.’ But it was hard for me to sympathize with her because, in my eyes, both Elder and Daisy were still children. Even large Elder seemed like a kid at the moment.

Following Daisy’s lead, Begonia, who had been quickly gulping down vitamins, choked. Daisy, after all, is a kid who eats well, so she manages it…

After a good laugh, I felt the fatigue melt away. Tonight, I didn’t close my eyes as if chased by sleep; instead, I invited drowsiness on my own terms and slowly blinked. As I started to drift off, the bickering voices of Daisy and Elder lowering their volume sounded like a lullaby.

***

Having received all the bullets commissioned from Romgato, the day finally came to leave the 18th terrarium.

After picking up the bullets and stopping by the alchemy tower to greet Pila and Loop, I saw the replacement researchers lying dead asleep in Romgato’s lab. Figuring they had prepared the quantity quite quickly, just like grad students crushed under a thesis, they seemed to have been overworked.

I told the artifact workshop through the innkeeper that there was no need to send any more furniture. I also skimmed the business plan sent by the crop trio and gave Daisy2 a heads-up in advance.

He was all smiles, saying the Viburnum had arrived safely and he was glad for more workers. Even though red daisies are known for being cheerful, his smile showed genuine sincerity.

It was agreed that the Viburnum would be planted outside the terrarium rather than inside, and I also heard news that the dandelion kids had suddenly become obsessed with something and were secretly planting dandelions inside the terrarium.

I sent a wasp to Kalong to confirm.

Leaving here today.

The reply came quickly.

Can find anywhere to go.

Although he said he would come to meet me first, I guess that meant it didn’t have to be the 18th terrarium. How did he plan to find his way here when he wasn’t even an administrative officer who knew the terrariums inside and out? Well, I’m sure he’ll manage on his own.

The weather was clear as I headed for the 16th terrarium. Thanks to the administrative officer’s consideration, I was able to use a carriage. Though carriages are easy targets, with Iris’s party by my side, I had nothing to fear.

The alchemy tower of the 16th terrarium, where the secret of Wolfsbane lay dormant. According to the dryads, it was the place where Wolfsbane, whose very existence was a violation, was artificially created. For the sake of the newly grown Wolfsbane, I needed to gather as much information as possible. But since it was a place where forbidden acts were committed, it probably wouldn’t be so easy, right?

Moreover, there was Siedling in the 16th terrarium. He said we’d never meet again. Still, in that vast town, it shouldn’t be too hard to avoid running into him, right? Maybe he’d already left for another terrarium.

Using a carriage was much faster and more comfortable than traveling on foot. As Iris had worried, I didn’t encounter any suspicious organization members along the way. Everything went smoothly.