Chapter 156

“Thank you for gathering . We are pleased to make this occasion available to our lords to unveil a new crop developed by the Vice Squadron of the Alchemy Division, led by Me, Rinoa Liberto, the Ortem Gourd . ”

Rinoa stepped forward as a representative and raised her voice .

The reaction of the residents seemed to be not so good to Rinoa’s greeting .

“Isn’t the Vice Squadron a unit to keep the…… alchemy division’s baggage together and isolated?”

The little fat man in the front row tells the man next to him to check it out .

“I don’t know what’s going on inside, so I can’t say for sure, but there’s no sign of Icarus-sama, who is supposed to be the leader of the group…… As I thought, It’s kind of weird . ”

It is probably true to say that the Vice Squadron is a squad to quarantine those who get in the way .

However, that would mean that it is a squad that gathers the ‘hindrances from Icarus’ point of view .

It is clear from the fact that they were throwing the Cloud Gathering Magic, which had little chance of success, at Rinoa’s group .

The commotion grew louder and louder, and it was doubtful to what extent Rinoa’s greetings could be heard .

“–That’s it, I’ll finish my greeting . ”

Rinoa continued to say words halfway through, and by the time she finished her greeting, her irritation and grumpiness were evident on her face .

“Hey, where’s Icarus-sama! Hey!”

“Really, that crop must be paying off! If it’s a big deal that you think it’s going to take a long time to get results, I’m not going to let you get away with it!”

Rinoa bowed again and walked back to the other sorcerers’ positions .

“Good work, Rinoa-san……”

“…… Then, as schedule, take care of the rest . ”

Instead of a limp and tired-looking Rinoa, I step forward, holding an Ortem-shaped pot .

I place the Ortem on the ground .

“The Ortem gourd you’re about to see will go on to bear fruit in just one hour if the environment is right! There are a few drawbacks, but for now, it should be enough to get us through the current crisis . ”

The moment I said that, some of the crowd of residents that had been bothering me earlier quieted down .

After that, as if they were whispering and gossiping, the people next to each other began to talk .

Even those who had been complaining loudly noticed the change in the atmosphere and asked the people around them to explain what had happened .

Perhaps they hadn’t heard my words .

“…… What did he just say?”

“He, he said it would bear fruit in an hour . ”

“Isn’t a week the correct word? I’ve heard of those plants . The berries are too small to be practical, apparently, but……”

It got a little quieter, but it was only for a moment .

Soon the voices grew louder again, and the content changed to something more extreme .

“You-, You’ve got to be kidding me! There’s no such crop!”

“So I was making it because it wasn’t there……”

“That grey hair, that’s the sorcery we hear about! You made it, but it’s only been a few days since you got here!”

“Look at what’s under my eyes! I’ll spare you the time until you make a shade……”

“Don’t be a fool!”

I tried to argue with them, but it didn’t seem to work .

There are too many of them on the other side to deal with .

By the time I was about to say something specific back, the next tirade would come .

As I knew from the way I treated Lark, the residents here aren’t very well behaved .

Maybe they’re stressed out because they’ve been trapped in an uneasy environment .

“I knew Ringus-san was right! Suddenly the increase in good reports of subjugating Nalgarn and thinning out magic beasts was a hoax to carry that kid up and suppress our discontent!　There’s something behind it, including this one!”

Ringus……?

Ah, the missionary in question .

I looked around the periphery of the shouting man and saw a panicked Ringus .

“Oh…… no, wow, I didn’t go that far ……”

“Why! If it’s this clear, you might as well stick it to him!”

“Ple-, please calm down! I have no idea what you’re talking about! You see ……? Shhhh, shhhh!”

Ringus smiled flirtatiously, holding his index finger in front of his lips and frantically admonishing his cronies .

He was dripping sweat and giving them a deliberate wink, signaling that he was going to give them a signal .

I knew it was suspicious, but it seems that he was even spreading bad news about the lord after all .

Lark didn’t seem to have missed the exchange just now either, and he glared in the direction of Ringus .

He had approved the missionary activities because he was helping to stabilize the territory by providing mental care and water distribution for the people of the territory, but if he was working to undermine the lord behind the scenes, it would be a big problem .

If that was the case now, then the banishment would be lukewarm .

I take out the seeds of the Ortem Gourd and scatter them on top of the Ortem-shaped pot .

Any more, and a riot could break out .

Let’s quickly show the results visibly .

Call me a liar, but they will have to admit that when the Ortem gourd actually grows in front of their eyes .

“Grow”

When I point my wand at it, the vines keep growing out of the gaping head of the Ortem-shaped pot .

It left the pot and hung over the ground, forming new leaves, which visibly swelled up .

This time, the residents were silent all at once .

Some remained open-mouthed, others froze in a posture with their arms raised, waving in anger .

An optical illusion, a dream, or an illusion?

They’re completely at a loss for words as if they can’t believe or acknowledge the scene that has happened before them .

“And…… like this, if you use your magical powers to promote growth, they’ll grow big in no time . ”

My voice came through more firmly than I thought it would in a square that had been shrouded in silence .

I even felt as if my voice was getting louder .

As soon as I finish, the Ortem Gourd begins to bloom .

” ” “Uuooooooooohhhh!!” ” “

A cheer so loud that it could be taken as a scream echoed through the territory .

While the screams were going up, the Ortem Gourd continued to grow more and more .

The flowers, which have grown in size, begin to spread their petals and eat the surrounding grass .

“At this rate, it can even provide its own nourishment and pest control . ”

“Wow, what is that crop!”

“Is it okay to call it a crop!?”

“You’re going to change the world’s perception of what’s going on when it comes to that thing!”

It is a storm of praise for a change .

Although there are not many problems, the excited residents do not seem to be aware of that area .

It was the best thing that could be done .

“What is this ridiculous clamor!”

An angry voice that drowns out the cheers comes from behind the residents .

The residents are startled by the voice and hurriedly open the street .

A mature man walks briskly through the middle of them .

It is Icarus .

Icarus’s face was red and blue-streaked, and there was no doubt that he was furious .

He seemed to be uncomfortable with the obvious attack from Lark, who was supposed to have been acting in a sub-par manner towards him until now .

He seemed to have already seen that Lark had been imposing an incomprehensible task on Icarus in order to tie up his movements .

He had heard that he had been gathering up the people of his domain behind his back, and he must have had a hunch that they were trying to do him harm in some way .

The sorcerers of the Icarus faction of the Alchemy Division followed behind .

Then they walk straight to my side .

All right, I want to end this here and now, and so do we .

“Flame . ”

I wave my wand and burn away the Ortem gourd .

My actions upset the residents .

“Abel ……?”

Mea called out to me anxiously .

“It’s all right . We can’t let Icarus see the Ortem Gourd just yet . ”

I can’t afford to make a mistake in the procedure to completely take down Icarus .

This is a cunning man, and even if I attacked him head-on, he might give me a cryptic argument and overturn me .

This is the quickest way to screw them over with magic, by waiting for Icarus to attack first and then changing the situation to make it worse .

As expected of Icarus, he will have no authority or anything else if he changes what he says in front of this public .

“My lord…… would you like to explain this matter to me exactly?”

When Icarus says this, the sorcerer walking behind him flicks out a document in his hand .

I think that’s the document that Lark made up and gave to Icarus regarding his work .

“What is this gathering all about . It looks like a lot of fun, but are they having a festival? If that’s the case, don’t you think it’s distant of you to try to alienate me, who’s served the territory for so many years? My lord?”

He looked around at the residents purposefully, then glared at the lord .

His pupils were dilated and his nose was bulging .

He seems to be completely pissed off .

Even from a distance, you can feel his anger .

Jaguar had said that Icarus often put on an angry performance to pace the conversation, but this was probably just plain .

“Well, well, well, well…… If it isn’t Abel-dono, hmm? We got to see each other again, aren’t we?”

Icarus bends his back and bends his neck, peering into my face with wide eyes and coming over to intimidate me .

I stare back at Icarus’ face in silence .

As long as I can get rid of Icarus, the cancer of the territory, I’ll be much closer to achieving the reform of the territory .

I hear he’s been doing whatever he wants for years, but it’s time for Icarus to get off the stage .