Ding! “The current ground is not stable enough for a tower. An island requires an ocean and cannot be selected without one.”
Got it. We’re in the middle of a desert, after all.
Datil muttered to himself with a puzzled expression as he stared at the words on the ground. “Is Rhuvae Village a prison? Looking from the inside, doesn’t it feel more like a city?”
“Hmmm, maybe it means that the villagers can’t, like, go outside or something?” Fresa said.
Huh. Fresa’s probably right. If I choose “city” here, then people might be able to go in and out freely. “Labyrinth” also piqued my interest, but no, probably not a great option. Hey, management system! I want to change the type to “city”!
Ding! “The Nursery type has been changed to ‘city.’ Please select from the options below. You may select more than one.”
{Automatic adjustment of soil}
{Automatic adjustment of water}
{Increase reproduction: Water (cannot be selected)}
{Increase reproduction: Produce (cannot be selected)}
{Thought manipulation: Worship}
{Thought manipulation: Idleness}
{Thought manipulation: Labor}
{Thought manipulation: Belligerence}
{Automatic healing}
{Physical enhancement}
Ding! “To select ‘increase reproduction,’ the Nursery type must be a closed environment.”
It’s gotta be this!
“Apple-san, this ‘increase reproduction’ must be...” Datil started.
You get it, right? Yeah, Gaokerena most likely increased their birth rates with this.
“Yes, I still have those memories,” Gruszka said. “I can’t quite understand what Gaokerena was thinking back then, but I now think that I’ve done something awful to those humans. I’m very sorry.”
As long as you understand. From a different viewpoint, it’s probably difficult to ask a human who cuts down trees and eats vegetables to feel guilty about their actions.
“Thank you for your kind words. Rhuvae Village was set with both ‘increase reproduction’ options, {Thought manipulation: Worship}, and {Thought manipulation: Labor}. Those with connected paths will have their thoughts manipulated while they’re inside the Nursery.”
I see. So that’s why you were seen as a god.
“According to my memories, increasing reproduction will decrease their life spans, but thought manipulation doesn’t seem to have any adverse effects on the human body.”
“Really? So then should we give them, like, labor or something?” Fresa said.
Wait, I don’t want to force them to work. I think a humanlike city has both people who work diligently and people who slack off.
“Wow, you’re amazing, Apple-san. I think a king would choose worship and labor!”
A king?! No thanks, no interest in ruling at all.
“Hm, as usual, you’re not very greedy, are you? Since they’re offering, might as well take this place,” Datil said.
I’m not fit to be a king, you know. Besides, the villagers were in a prison. I want them to live freely in a normal city from now on.
“You’re so kind!” Grida giggled.
Yep, I’m the kindest apple in the world toward humans. Gruszka, do you know if automatic healing and physical enhancements negatively affect the human body?
“As far as I know, the moment you activate those options, their life spans would decrease,” he replied.
Oh. Then I guess we shouldn’t choose these. A strong body’s great, but wouldn’t be worth much if everyone dies quickly.
“However, these effects will only activate under extreme conditions.”
Oh? Could you elaborate?
“Automatic healing only triggers when a human receives a fatal injury, ingests a lethal poison, or is afflicted with a serious illness. Physical enhancements will only activate if they’re in a life-threatening situation. Anyone with their path connected in the Nursery will be protected.”
I see. So they might get protected from an instant death situation in exchange for some of their life span!
“Correct. In addition, the decreased life span from automatic healing and physical enhancements can be restored with sleep.”
Wait, so everything resets if you sleep?! That’s so good!
“However, the period of sleep is proportional to the amount of life span that has been decreased. In addition, they will not receive the effects from automatic healing or increased life span while asleep. They sleep much more deeply than an ordinary human, and if shocked awake, the life span they’ve lost won’t return.”
I see. So once these effects activate, they need to sleep well in a safe place. But this isn’t a bad idea.
“Right. The people that were trapped here their entire lives will be thrown into the outside world. It’ll definitely be dangerous!” Fresa said.
Exactly. There are way too many beasts and monsters that attack humans in this world. To release these villagers without any sort of plan would be like throwing cicadas into a carp-infested lake—they’d be easy prey!
“Furutsu?” Grida said.
Listen, I’ve never done it before. In fact, I tried to stop them. But everyone else in my class, even the girls, just couldn’t stop. They kept catching cicadas and throwing them into the lake for those fish. The cicadas didn’t do anything wrong! They were just living their lives! One by one, they got devoured... No! No, stop! Don’t do it! You guys are horrible! Nooo!
“Furutsu?! What’s wrong?! Calm down!”
Huh?! Huff... S-Sorry about that. I’m fine now.
“Datil, what do you think just happened to him?”
“I’m not sure, but it sounds like he’s had a very traumatic past.”
Yeah, it was hellish. Anyway, let’s select from these options. I’m worried about them while they’re, uh, “stocked.” Management system, I choose {Automatic adjustment of soil}, {Automatic adjustment of water}, {Automatic healing}, and {Physical enhancement}.
Ding! “{Automatic adjustment of soil}, {Automatic adjustment of water}, {Automatic healing}, and {Physical enhancement} have been selected. Please select the Nursery’s surrounding environments from the following. You may select more than one.”
{Palace (current)}
{Ramparts}
{Sea of Trees}
{Moats (caution)}
{Thick fog (cannot be selected)}
{Poisonous swamp (cannot be selected)}