CH 355.1

Driving Old Lady, a Knight of the Kingdom merchant guild, I patrol the highway and subjugate magic beasts. After returning to the royal capital, I ate a delicious dinner at a food stall and refreshed myself by working up a sweat in the red-light district.

「So the beans have already sprouted?」

When I asked with mild surprise, a 20-centimeter-long fifth instar larva of the swallowtail butterfly nodded its head. It seems that information about the land was delivered to the plant specialist, who is also called 『The Forest Sage』 through the beans.

We are in the second-floor rooftop area of the three-story building we are currently living in. We are thinking of moving out as the 『Garden Forest』 has become too small.

And while looking at the suggested properties, Imosuke asked me to go and plant the beans in each property.

「Alright~ let’s get to it.」

I take a real estate flyer from the bookshelf within easy reach and puts it on the floor. And in addition to Omusoke and me, it’s surrounded by a 15-centimeter-long dung beetle and a 20-centimeter-long turtle.

「First, the grape farm in the hills north of the royal capital.」

It is about ten minutes away if I buy my own golem carriage. The vines are neatly arranged on the open slope to the south, and in addition to the house, there’s also a small brewery.

Imoske’s assessment of the place was 『not very good』.

『The magic power that comes from the depths of the earth.』

Apparently, the 『Earth Veins』 that carry them are only sparsely distributed in this place.

The medicinal tree, which has now become the 『World Tree』 is responsible for releasing underground magic power into the atmosphere, so the density and thickness of the veins must be important.

For now, I draw a triangle on the flyer and pull in the next one.

「It’s the abandoned garden to the west. How about this one?」

The distance is the same, about ten minutes by golem carriage. It is a reasonably large rectangular place surrounded by a three-meter-high stone wall.

There is a big pond in the center, but due to overgrown weeds and small trees, you can barely see it even from the gate.

『So-so.』

The ground pulse is running its course, it seems. The wave of relief emanated from Zaratan must have been because he recommends it.

This turtle-shaped spirit beast is, just as it looks, a water dweller.

「Okay, the next one is in the midtown area in the royal capital.」

After drawing a circle on the flyer, we moved on to the next property.

This is a vacant lot near a high-end apartment complex where Explosive Onee-san lives. Compared to the properties in the outskirts, it is smaller and the rent is more expensive, but it has the advantage of being within walking distance from the red-light district.

On the flip side, it’s located in the middle of a residential area, so even though there is a fence, the garden can be seen from the surrounding area.

『This is good.』

The caterpillar declares brightly. Because surprisingly, there’s a thick Earth Vein nearby.

『Is it because it’s near?』

The one who asked was Dangorou. He wondered if the process of growth of the earth veins connected to the medicinal trees in the garden forest might have benefited from the distance.

The long-lived and knowledgeable Zaratan nodded his head, so he must be right.

「Okay, let’s put a double circle here then.」

After running the pen, we moved to the last property. It’s a vacant lot in the southwest corner of the downtown area facing the walls surrounding the royal capital.

『This one is bad.』

What emitted from him was a strong wave. He turned his head to the side as if he expressed that he disliked it very much.

「The place is messed up in terms of magic, you say?」

According to Imosuke, there must have been a bad magic workshop.

If I were to compare it to my previous life, it’s probably similar to a factory that dumped or buried its waste and wastewater in the ground, only to explode in flames and left as it was.

I immediately removed it from consideration and discussed the 『Garden in the west』 and the 『Explosive onee-san’s neighborhood』 further with my familiars.

『The abandoned garden to the west which was owned by a collapsed baron family.』

It didn’t take long before it was decided that we will move there.

(It’s what Zaratan wants after all.)

I had decided to give top priority to my familiars’ wishes, but Imosuke and Dangorou said that the vacant lot in the downtown area was not suitable.

It was only natural that we decided on the west garden with the pond.

「Well then, I’ll go talk to the merchant guild tomorrow. I’ll leave the preparation to move the garden forest to you guys.」

『Iiii—!!』

The caterpillar vice commander and the dung beetle general who emitted a wave of salutation of the 『Doom Squad』 to show their agreement. Zaratan, by the way, is some sort of our advisor, but he does not belong to our evil secret organization.

I pick up all three of them in my arms and shove my toes into my sandals to return them to the garden forest.

***

The next morning, I headed to the merchant guild to meet the small lady with a thick book under her arm who was in charge of real estate dealings.

When I told her that I had decided to rent the abandoned garden to the west, she asked me about the details.

「Since the park is in poor condition, would you like the grass mowed and the brick paths repaired? This will cost an extra charge.」

After thinking for a moment, I shake my head and open my mouth.

「No, I will do it myself after I move in, so you can leave it as it is. However, can you please make the house ready to live in right away?」

A small, one-story building integrated with the stone wall beside the gate. Judging from its construction, it is probably the living quarters of a guard or a gardener who doubles as a guard.

The place where I live now was already furnished, so I would like to be able to bring only my personal belongings with me in the same way.

「Well then, I’ll leave it to you.」

Once I got the approval, we moved on to the discussion about the timing of the move. After that, I leave the merchant guild building.

I then turn my feet to the main street that stretches eastward from the central square facing the merchant guild. This is where the shopping district is located.

(I also need to buy a golem carriage for my daily commute.)

Various specialty stores ranging from high-end clothing to daily necessities are lined up on both sides of the cobblestone-paved street.

Although there are a large number of people passing by, they seem sparse due to the wide width of the street.

(Hm? Something is coming this way.)

The sound of hoofs clacking on the cobblestones approached me, and the eyes of the people around me turned behind me.

When I nonchalantly looked back, I saw a white golem horse with a young man on its back. The shape of the horse was completely different from the horses you might see around the area.

(It’s a horse golem used in a horse race, huh?)

If I had to describe the appearance in one word, it would be as if I’m looking at a real thoroughbred*.

The saddle is high, about my shoulder level. Its large body is muscular yet delicate and it has the looks of a sports car in addition to its power.

One of these would probably cost a price equal to dozens of general-purpose horses used to pull carts and carriages.

「Kyaa–!!」

「Woah!」

The women were wide-eyed as they squeal with their hands over their mouths, and the men sigh with a mixture of amazement and scorn. The cause of this reaction was the thoroughbred’s crotch that began to stretch out.

The size of its crotch was about the size of a man’s arm. The sight of this deadly weapon, swaying up and down with each step, is enough to make one’s raise their voice.

(What a show off.)

This 『Umakke』 is not a mere decoration, but a balancer to run through corners at high speed.

In the recent race held on an urban course in the royal capital, the tip which was leaning like a motorcycle, created sparks when it made contact with the cobblestones beneath.

According to my good friend, the slightly unattractive macho, Corneal, who knows a lot about golem horse races, the urban area race I saw was the first time it made its appearance.

『The latest model of sports horses.』

The Umakke is proof of this. But, of course, it is a waste of time and energy to make them angry when they are walking slowly in a straight line.

(It’s not like I don’t understand that feeling, though.)

I nodded my head as my eyes followed the weapon as it bobbed up and down.

If I were to get into a foreign-made luxury sports car, I would want to step on the gas pedal a little at a stoplight to catch the attention of the crowd with the roar of the exhaust.

As a side note, it’s probably only in this world that Umakke is not the subject of ridicule, but rather looked at with respect.

(Hm?)

As I was thinking about such things, I was interrupted by the growing buzzing. So, like everyone else, I turned my gaze further back from the white golem horse that the young man was riding.