79 - Episode 77 is back.

Sarah and Fuchu's spirit contract is over. Marco and Uri are next.

"Marco. If you've seen Sara's contract, you'd know that nothing is going to happen to her. Then give them names."

I can tell by the look on Marco's face. That's not the look I was expecting. I can relate.

"Uh, okay. The earth spirit's name is Uri. Is that correct?"

Uri, the earth spirit in front of me, nods his head while moving his tiny paws in the air. There seems to be no problem.

Uri has accepted my name. We have a contract. Sara and Marco, you are to communicate as much as you can with Uri and Fukuchan, now that you have a contract with them. Well, we still have some work to do, so when you have time..."

I understand.

After successfully completing the contract, we return to the soil and tree collection. During the breaks in between, he calls them by name and tries to converse with them. Kikka is also interested in the spirit that her brother contracted, and sometimes joins in the questioning in a low voice. It is a good feeling.

We dig and collect the soil and put the insects in bags. In between, the act of thinning and collecting the trees was repeated endlessly, and we secured what seemed to be enough soil and insects. The trees were so numerous that they would be difficult to process.

"Finally, I'm done. I feel like taking it easy today, but I'm afraid that if I do, the bugs will die, so I'm off to the land of the dead now. Sara. Marco. Kikka will be tired, so try to rest your body as much as possible when you are flying.

"Master. Wait a minute. I don't have a problem with you resting, but didn't you say it was the land of the dead?"

Didn't I explain it to you?　...... I think I left out the explanation because it was too much trouble to explain, and I thought I couldn't run away and should just take him there and show him in person. I said "polo". ...... I made a mistake. Do I have to explain it?　I guess ...... is a no-no. I'll try to explain it as lightly as possible in a nonchalant atmosphere.

"Yeah. I did. Don't worry. I've built my own base of operations in the land of the dead, so we'll be able to make a good living."

"That's impossible. Even I know how dangerous the land of the dead is.

They still don't believe me. I had left out the explanation because I didn't want this to happen. Sarah and the others' faces are filled with disbelief. My ass.

From there, I explained what I had done from the beginning and got Sylphy and Belle and the others to show their strength and somehow convince them. I spent a lot of extra time. And they still don't believe me completely. I can't help but feel sad at the suspicion in their eyes. I thought they trusted me a little.

Oh, well. I'll believe it when I see it. Let's get going before they say we're not going after all.

I'll call Bell and the others when we get there. Bye bye Sylphie. Please?"

Hmm?　If we repatriate them, we won't have to wait for Belle and the others. ...... No, because Fuchu and Uri will be there. It would be better to have them wait with us.

"Hmm. "Okay. I'm off."

As soon as Sylphy said those words, I was enveloped in a cocoon of wind. Sara. MARCO. Kikka. Four sacks of bugs float up.

Belle and the others wave goodbye, and I wave to them as we depart for the land of the dead.

**

"Sarah. Marco. Kikka. That's where I built it."

While they could see nature, they remained calm, but as they entered the empty wilderness, Sarah and the others turned pale. Perhaps it was because they had seen the land of the dead and realized that they were really entering the land of the dead.

But they still didn't ask me to go back or to put them back where they were, I wonder if they have faith in me or if they just gave up ....... Well, Kikka has fallen asleep, so let's get off the train.

It's too dark to see anything. Master. Are you sure you're okay?"

...... eh?　...... Uh, yeah. I have night vision so I can see, but it's too dark for Sarah and Marco to see. Maybe we should have arranged to arrive in the light of day?

"It's too dark to see. Let's look at it again from above tomorrow when it's brighter."

As I landed at the base, thinking I had made a slight mistake, Dine rushed into the base.

"Yuta! Welcome back. I missed you so much!

He hugged me tightly as he said this. I think it's strange for a great spirit to say he misses me after only ten days or so.

"Look, Dine. Yuta has other children to take care of, so let go of me.

Sylphy rips Deanne off me. I keep my disappointment to the back of my mind.

"Kids?　Oh?　Skinny but cute kids. What's wrong?"

"Uh, Dine. I'll explain later. Just a minute. Nomos. Dory. I'm home. I'll introduce you to these girls later. It's late and I need to get them to bed."

Kikka is completely asleep and Marco has managed to carry her on his back.

"Mm. It's hard for a child to be in that state. We'll take care of it later. Just let him sleep."

Dolly nodded her head, so we set out from the mobile base and prepared to put her to bed. All I had to do was float the photoball, stow the sand bed in the bedroom, and arrange the three straw beds I had bought at the furniture store. I need to make another room so that I have a place to sleep.

I expected Sara and Marco to be surprised and ask me some questions when I took out the base from the magic bag, but they just let it go, either because they were tired or they gave up. It's a little sad.

"Sara. Marco. Let Kikka sleep here and you two get some rest today. But I'll summon Fuku and Uri. If you call their names, they'll come.

Both Sara and Marco immediately summoned Fukuchi and Uri. I'll summon Bell and the others with them.

"Yoo-tah!" "Queue!" "Kita!" "Coo!"

When I summoned them, the belles snuggled up to me. Did you miss them?　I just pet it.

"Master. What are you doing?

The apprentice asks in a disgusted voice.

"...... ah, I was just playing with Belle and the others. Don't worry about it. Sarah and Marco, befriend the spirits as much as you can. The most important thing for a genie is to get along with the spirits."

I haven't explained to you that I can touch the spirits. I can sense their presence, so you wouldn't think I was mimeing alone, but from the looks of it, I'm just an adult acting strangely on my own.

"Wow, okay."

Yes. Master."

Uh. I'm supposed to do that too?　I can read this feeling on the faces of the students and it makes me feel depressed.

"Well, well, it's late, Sara and Marco, you should get some sleep. Tomorrow I will show you around.

He bids them good night and leaves the bedroom. Normally I would block the doorway with a rock, but I don't want the children to feel uneasy if they are trapped.

On second thought, I should have bought a door too. Maybe I could do something with the wood I got?　I don't have hinges or anything, so it would be safer to ask for them the next time I go to the labyrinth city. Well, I'd better report back to the others.

"Hello again. Is there anything unusual?"

"Welcome back, Yuta. I'm fine!　Nothing happened. I just heard from Sylphy that you had a hard time.

Deanne comforts me. Apparently, Sylphy had given her a brief explanation of what had happened in the labyrinth city. Thank goodness.

I didn't know about the adventurers because I didn't care about them either.

"I didn't know that people thought so much of necromancers, too. For floating spirits and lower level spirits, it takes a long time to grow up, doesn't it?

Nomos and Dolly didn't know either. I guess they could have if they wanted to, but if they weren't interested, they wouldn't know.

"Haha, well, I'm a little surprised, but I'm having a good time so far, so it's all good. I've brought a student of the necromancer with me, so I'm sure he'll change his mind. I brought a bug, what should I do with it?"

I get excited when I'm preparing to harass the Adventurers' Guild. But let's not bring our dark joys into this place and live a fresh life. The undead are everywhere.

I'm more worried about the bad bugs they might bring to the fields. I'm not familiar with insects to begin with, but since it's a different world, it's even more filled with insects that I don't understand, and I have no idea what to do. I think every bug has a beneficial part to the environment, but I'd like to be cautious at first.

"Hmmm. Insects are stubborn. Tomorrow, we'll check with Tulu and Tamamo and release them in the planned forest area. When Yuta signs the contract with me, I'll make sure the soil is evenly mixed.

Won't the bugs be crushed by the mix?　No, it's more about sorting out the bugs. Four rather large cloth bags. Even though there is soil in them, there are quite a few bugs ....... Well, I guess we'll just have to do our best.

"Well, I guess I'll get the bugs tomorrow."

"That's right, Yuta. Sis, I thought about the terms of the contract!"

He's making a huge, smug face, puffing out his chest. I can't risk lowering my eyes because Sylphy's looking at me. I'm a little annoyed at his smug face, but I think it's a good idea to fix my eyes on his face.

Terms of the deal. As I recall, you don't want to be the last one to build the canal, so you come up with another condition. It's a hassle to do it twice, but I don't want to incur the wrath of the Spirit King, so I'll just have to give up.

"What kind of conditions did you come up with?"

Please let it be on simple terms.

"The fountain is lonely, so I want you to build a fountain for me."

"I can't."

"Well, why?　You're asking for a favor from your sister."

"I don't know how to make a fountain.

I have seen fountains on TV that have been around for a long time, so I guess it is technically possible. But even if you know how to use the difference in height of water or how to increase the pressure of water with a pump to make it spout, it is different from this. Just because you know how to pitch a baseball doesn't mean you can throw it one hundred and sixty kilometers.

"I've got my sister. All you have to do is make the shape of the fountain. Then she can make the water come out."

...... Can you manage to just form a fountain?　

"Hmm. Well, I guess we could do that, but it would make the water dirty. And you can't do anything artistic with it."

"Don't worry if the water gets dirty, my sister will clean it up. Artistic ones can be found at ...... hmmm, for now, just have Yuta make them. If it doesn't work, you can have an artistic one made and exchange it later, I think.

No, I think this is the part where I usually say that if I worked hard on it, that's good enough for you. And I'm obsessed with fountains and ...... have a very silly reason for it. Should I question them?