We arrived in Yenis and returned to the Healer's Guild.
On the way back, I sent Kefin and the others to Dorstar-san's place to check on each other's progress and share information.

'We're back. Has anything changed?
　Shaking his head, Mr. Jordo called out to the others to check on their progress and then leave Lionel at his side and free the others.
　Yalvo's squad headed to the fourth basement floor, while Doran, Paula and Lisian headed to the third floor.
　Ketty, Milfine and Crecia headed to the mess hall.

　Me, Lionel, Lord Hanir and the others moved to the basement floor.


''This is the basement. We plan to do the same thing as here.''
　The squires, including Hanir-san, froze with their mouths open from too much impact.
''I was surprised when I first saw it too. I didn't think there was a sky underground.''

''It's ... unbelievable. Besides, the air is so clean, and I feel like once there are more trees, it will be as good as being in the woods.
　The followers nodded at me.

''This Healer's Guild will be my residence, as I have explained to you on the way back. Therefore, no one will be able to interfere with it.
'Really great. But what are you going to do when you sell it?
'We've already received approval for that. I don't know how they feel about it...
　I laughed and decided to start with this plan gradually.

'So I'm thinking of having some of the bear-beast people who know a lot about plants come into this plan, but since I don't know the Hatch people very well, I was hoping it wouldn't be a problem.'
　I'm sure that if I invited them, the honey-loving bears would be on board with this plan.
　But it was difficult to draw that line, since the hutch tribe was now an indispensable part of the plan.

'No problem. But isn't this too small an area?
''Yes. We're already working on it now, but the depth will be in line with the three levels of the basement here, and we're planning to plant flower gardens and fruit trees as a simulated space throughout the slums.

　It was the only thing I could think of.
　I checked the botanical books, but plants like Tienna and sugar cane didn't exist.

　Only two countries, the Illimassia Empire and the Kingdom of Rubruk, exported sugar, but information on how it was made, what it was made from, etc. was completely shut out.

　Currently, Yenis grows spices and medicinal herbs.
　I'm not saying that's a bad idea, and I'd like to see it continue.
　When I planned my new venture, I thought it would help the vulnerable.
　Of course I didn't give this opportunity away for free.
　I made that pledge.
　Any attempt to speak, write, or otherwise communicate, or to elicit by any means of communication, would result in a forced fainting spell.
　The one who tried to speak again specified that object X would want to drink.
　If threatened, they will likewise faint, but they will not want to drink object X.


'So you build an underground fruit orchard and flower garden and we make the honey. Okay, it's going to be interesting to think about profit sharing later on.
　I was convinced that Lord Hanir had taken a great interest in me.

　I decided to give a test closing to Hanir-dono, the person in charge of this project, although the queen would have the right to make the decision as I spoke to him.
'So, if you were Lord Hanir, when would you be ready to move?

'Yes, I suppose so. We're in the testing phase at first, and may I sow some of the flower seeds I brought in here?

　Lord Hanir is more enthusiastic about this project than I expected.
　If this works, it's just a minor adjustment.

'Yes, we have a few dwarves who are familiar with the plants and the soil. We have elves who are familiar with plants and dwarves who know their way around the soil, so you'll have to let them take care of it.
　It's not that I'm not actually worried. This time it was because he learned that there was an irregular being called a genie and that he could terminate his slave contract.
　I felt that I would have to make a slightly stronger pledge if I wanted them to work here as well.
　The elven girls would be left in this city.
　Once the field is started, I won't need the girls anymore, and the Pope has told me that by the time I leave on my journey, I can free them from slavery and hire them in the Healer's Guild.
　I'm going to leave that decision up to the three of you.

''........Speaking of which, why did those forest people......elves become slaves of the Wise Master?''
A slaver ran away in the night and was about to die when the Healer's Guild rescued him. Then they said they'd rather have slave status, so they kept him as a slave and protected him. I think the only reason these women want to be slaves is because they are treated better or because they save their lives, but if they eventually want to be freed, they will do so.
　I look at Lionel, but he always just smiles.

'I see. Then why didn't you let the elven slave fight?
　Hanir-dono asks me with a straight face, but I don't have a clear answer to that question.

''Well it's hard to answer, but I've decided that she's an obstacle to the battle. I don't want to fight with something I don't trust. I trust Lionel there so much that he's already offered to cancel the slave contract from us. Well, he always refuses to do so.

I thought humans were supposed to be hard on slaves?
　The way he said it, it seemed to me that there was a standard for how the human race treats its slaves.

　I laughed and replied that I meant it.
'Basically, they don't know how to treat their slaves. There's no such thing as a slave's guide, and I don't understand how you can feed a slave a meal on the floor and take pleasure in watching it.

...I see.

'I can't bring myself to save a criminal slave, but I don't think any other slave would want to be one. If we meet and enslave you, you'd rather have a face of hard work than a face of despair, wouldn't you? Well, I've always been told that Lionel has been sweet to me.

　If we're going to travel right now, Lionel and Ketty will be the only ones we'll be taking with us.
　Even if we stay here, we'll be able to manage if Jord-san is here, and we've decided that if we refuse, we can force them to cancel their slave contracts.
　Of course, we'll pay the salary, but after that it's up to them.

''You really sound like the wise man of the story, don't you?
　Hanir-dono laughed as he said this.

　After I had finished explaining the basement in a nutshell, I invited them to the guild master's room to discuss the schedule of the plan, the seeds of flowers and fruits to be sown, and the task of selecting the fruit trees to be brought from the forest.



''Milfine, are you aware of that you tried to kill Luciel-sama and Lionel-sama?''
　Keti had begun to listen to Milfine and Cressia.


　While looking at Milfine with cold eyes as she says that, she moves her gaze to Cressia.

''Hee, what is it?''
'Why didn't you tell me you were lying? I'm not here to talk about it, though Lisian is just as guilty.

　Cresia was so terrified that she spoke up immediately.
'I was told it would be for Master Luciel's good.
A genie?
'Yes. And you said Master Luciel would be able to handle it easily.
'Master Lionel was hurt that badly. How simple!

　Keti had been angry with herself the whole time.
　And she regretted that she should have headed to the Hatch tribe's settlement then, too.
　Beliefs about spirits were thin on the ground for Keti, the cat-beast man.
　Keti watched Cressia carefully, but she didn't seem to be spouting a lie.


　And she knew intuitively that Milfine was still hiding something from her.
'Milfine, you're not a slave now, are you? Why do you want to be Master Luciel's slave? If you're good enough, you should be able to eat well as an adventurer.

　In response to Keti's question, Milfine uttered a word with her face down.
''I can't tell you...''

　Ketty kept her sharp eyes on Milfine and asked more questions.
'Does it also involve a spirit?'

I'm afraid I can't tell you that.
　Ketty thought she saw the resolve in Milfine's face when she looked up.

　So Ketty nailed it.
'Family? Or was it a revelation from the spirits? The one with the spirit revelation..... That's good. If my family had been held hostage at least, and I had acted as I did this time, I would have killed them. But not next time.
　Ketty told him and walked out of the dining room.


'Was Ketty-san such a scary person?'
　Cresia trembled under the different gaze of Keti, who usually seemed somewhat out of the loop and friendly, but Milfine trembled even more.

　What Milfine had been revealed to her by the water spirit was that she would be able to meet Luciel with a woman who had the blessing of a spirit king rather than a dragon goddess priestess.
　The spirit told her not to say a word, and she was on the verge of tears, but she had to find the woman who had the Spirit King's blessing.