Chapter 141. Life in the Golden Sap Town.

Chapter 141. Life in the Golden Sap Town.

Flor knew that the two people would become too fixated on the abnormalities of the World Tree if she let it continue, so she interrupted their thought process. "By the way, have you thought how to mine this place?"

Terra blinked and looked at Flor. "Well, we need to do a lot more research. Coming up with something on the first visit is not only irresponsible, it is a lack of actual effort. The sturdiness of the walls, the clusters of minerals, how the mine's integrity would respond to loud or strong excavation, and many more things are to be taken into account before we even dare start digging around."

The Rose Fairy Queen was satisfied with that answer. "Well, I'll accompany you each time you come here. Also, remember to speak with Liu Shu about integrity. I think her roots can do a lot of good as well as a lot of bad if poorly guided."

Terran asked. "Can we talk with Liu Shu whenever we want?"

Flor nodded. "Her ability to multitask is startling. Of course, the more she multitasks, the slower her responses are. But, there is almost no information that goes unnoticed."

Terra and Terran looked at each other with surprise in her eyes.

Meanwhile, in the Town Hall, the economist and managers looked around the files that they were allowed to look at. One of them discovered something interesting. "Oh? There was a human caravan that stopped here in the past."

"Huh?" The other four approached and looked at the logs. Some of them frowned at what they exchanged.

"This... They really got a good deal, didn't they? Tsk, tsk."

"Right... Look, these few hundred <Delicious Berry> for a few... what's this... Pebbleheart? Yellow Cotton? Wow."

Someone knocked on the door and entered. Looking over, they saw one of the high-level Rose Fairies entering with a tray of food. "Hello!"

"Oh! Clavel, right?"

Clavel smiled. "Yes." Looking at what they were holding, she asked. "So... What are you doing?"

One middle-aged man commented. "We are seeing what kind of deals your town has made in the past. There are not many, but we've realized that you put a lot of emphasis on books. Why is that?"

Clavel hummed. "I don't know if I can tell you. How about I call Queen Ignatia?"

The five people coughed, and one female commented. "Um, Clavel, can you tell us a bit more about Queen Ignatia?"

Clavel nodded. "She arrived more than a year ago. When she appeared the first time, we didn't know if she would be an ally or an enemy, but we allowed her to make a nest near us."

The five of them began sweating.

Clavel smiled widely. "Then, she started coming to our place often! She has fought with us several times as well, and..." Clavel frowned. "She takes great care of Queen Flor."

The female blinked twice, and her eyes flashed with an interested light. "Oh? In what way?"

Clavel confessed, looking puzzled. "Well, she is always around Flor. She likes taking Queen Flor in her arms or making her sit on her shoulder, then..."

The woman's eyes sparkled as she listened while the other four men rolled their eyes at her. "That's fantastic! To think an Ant Queen has fallen in love with a Rose Fairy!"

Clavel muttered. "Queen..."

The woman realized and apologized. "Right, right. Lady Flor is a Rose Fairy Queen."

Clavel smiled. "It doesn't matter much. Still, there are some young Rose Fairies that take her title very seriously. Be careful."

The woman smiled. "Noted." Then, she blinked and asked. "So~, can you tell me more of those two?"

Clavel's smile widened. "Hehehe, yes~."

Amapola realized. "That's true! Go to the inn over there to rest this night. I hope you have a restful sleep~."

Then, she flew away.

Damian sighed. "This still feels strange..."

The deer beastkin was about to agree when Liu Shu interrupted. "What feels strange~?"

Damian's heart jumped while the deer beastkin actually jumped with a cute sound. "Haiah!?"

Liu Shu giggled. "Did I scare you~? Sorry, hehe."

Damian patted his partner's back and chuckled. "Well, it feels strange to interact with creatures I previously thought as brainless. Did you know that there are even a few theories that say monsters imitate human speech to gain empathy and have an easier time hunting?"

Liu Shu blinked. "Huh? How would that help hunting?"

Damian walked toward the inn and smiled. "Well, if something sounds like you, you might earn sympathy toward them and, therefore, have a harder time killing them."

Liu Shu didn't know about that feeling since her World Tree race was born to compete against other World Trees, so she asked. "Huh? If she sounds like you, isn't it easier to kill them?"

Both Floriculturists laughed awkwardly. "Right, you are a World Tree." While Damian pondered, the beastkin answered. "Most intelligent races have empathy toward others of our own species because we spread our race with the help of others from our same race. Unlike you, who can reproduce and repopulate through seeds and other means that you yourself produce, we need two people to create a new life."

The World Tree was confused. "But... Ignatia and Flor also don't need anyone to reproduce."

Damian frowned and asked. "Doesn't Queen Ignatia need a male to fertilize her eggs?"

The World Tree answered lightly. "Nop! She does everything herself~."

Both Floriculturists felt their facial muscles twitch. 'No wonder Ant Queens are on a kill-on-sight list. Quite a scary thing, isn't it?'

Once they arrived at the Inn, they saw others there, sitting at tables while eating the available food. Meat was a bit lacking, but it didn't mean that they didn't have any. The only problem was that it was monster meat.

Stll, once they took a bite, their eyebrows raised in surprise. "Oh? This is better than expected. Who cooked it?"

One of the Level 15 Explorers smiled. "I did. I've learned to cook during the years of exploration, so I know a bit about how to do things. Monster meat is usually not very good, but with a few tricks, it can be delicious. The higher the level, the harder it is to prepare, but once done well, it becomes increasingly delicious."

"That I can corroborate." Said the mothkin, excited. "I once ate meat from a Level 31 Elpahngan! It is, to this day, the most delicious dish I've ever tasted!"

Then, Mariane looked at the man who cooked and said. "From now on, forget about the guard duties. You are to become a cook!... Em..."

The man smiled awkwardly. "Roman."

Mariane smiled. "Roman! Good luck!"

Roman laughed awkwardly. "Sure, sure. It's not like my skills are low-level either way... I can train them."

The other five fighters by his side laughed. "Well, that's quite nice."

"Right. I should've learned cooking in the past and not confide everything to Roman."

"Tsk, tsk. What a shame that I only know how to swing a sword."

The place became lively, and soon, everyone finished eating and went to sleep.