Once I wrapped that up, everything else went quickly. I used my blueprint ability to place down homes, water towers, and defensive walls. All that was left was to head over to where I’d be putting the farm and swing my mithril hoe. When I cultivated an area, it didn’t matter what kind of badlands it had been before, it would completely transform into fertile land.
Thinking about it rationally, the ability to disintegrate all rocks, pebbles, weeds, and shrubs to make an area perfect for growing crops was honestly terrifying. What happened to the microbes and nutrients in the soil? Was I actually doing something pretty incredible with my hoe? I mean, it was basically like magic or a divine miracle, so maybe it was pointless trying to think about it scientifically.
“It’s coming together.”
“Coming together? Are you serious? All that’s left is for people to move here…” Mono whispered, exasperated, as she looked over the finished pioneer village.
She wasn’t wrong. The place would become a functioning village the moment the pioneers working on the road moved in.
“It’d probably be a good idea to have everyone rest in the village tonight, then work on the road from here.”
“Good idea. We’ll have to plant the wheat and keep cultivating the farmland too.”
Mono’s large eye wandered toward the empty sky as she planned for the future. I really wanted her back in Merinesburg. She probably wouldn’t be the best fit for R&D, but she’d make a fantastic official. The way she was already planning for long-term future development proved just how sharp she was.
“Hey, Mono. Wanna come work for me?”
“Huh? What’s this all about?”
Mono’s large eye darted around at my sudden proposal. I knew I’d blindsided her, but she was precisely the kind of person Sylphy and Melty were hoping for in Merinesburg. Even if I had to push a little, I needed to convince her to come back with me.
“To be honest, my job’s twofold. I was sent out here to build pioneer villages and recruit promising talent. Right now, we really need people like you. People we can train into civil servants and officials.”
“This really is coming out of nowhere, but, well, I’m not interested in that sort of thing,” she said. “No matter how hard I work, it’ll all just fall out of my hands. And if that’s the case, I’d rather be satisfied with my current lifestyle and take it easy.”
“I get where you’re coming from, but please. I’m begging you. Consider this a huge favor to me.”
I pressed my hands together and implored her. Mono struck me as someone easy to pressure, so if I had to get on my hands and knees to make her agree, so be it.
“Please!”
“Look, hold on a sec. Can you not put your head on the ground like that?”
“I promise I’ll make it worth your while! I swear!”
“Argh… C’mon. This is making me uncomfortable.”
I could sense Mono panicking above my head as I groveled. I just had to push a little more…
“Who knows what’s gonna happen to me if I let someone as talented as you escape? Please! You’d be saving my butt!”
“Ah… Urgh… But I can’t just leave Deneros and Raya behind, you know?”
“I’ll talk to my mistress and have her work something out with Viscount Travis! Hell, I’ll give you my full support! I’ll do anything within my power!” I said, sensing Mono’s aura shift above me.
Ooh? Did I do it?
“You said you’d do anything, yeah?”
I lifted my head and saw Mono crouching beside me, her single eye staring straight into mine.
“Yeah, totally. As long as it’s within my power.”
“Is that so? Then… I’ll go if you promise to always look after me…Kousuke.”
“Always?”
“Yeah. Always. For as long as you’re alive.”
Mono kept her gaze locked on me as she made her extremely heavy request.
“There are already a lot of women I’ve promised to look after for as long as I live, but if you’re fine with that…”
“If you won’t promise to only look after me, then maybe I won’t go back with you…”
“Pretty please?”
“I dunno…”
Mono giggled and rose to her feet. She then extended a hand toward me.
“Well, I suppose it’s a deal. But you’d better be responsible for your words until you finally win me over.”
“But of course.”
I took her hand and stood up. Things had gotten a little weird, sure, but I managed to get her to come back with me, so all’s well that ends well!
With that, Mono and I returned to where Deneros and the others were working on the road.
“And so Kousuke’s taking me for himself.”