I Grow Crops with a System

”Meow, before leaving the Great Forest, Lady Witch set up a spell to stabilize the climate, meow, the way things are looking now, someone is definitely destroying that magic, meow,” Pearl said with certainty.

”If that’s the case... we can’t let whoever’s doing this get away with it!” Raul snarled.

The Lion Beastman couple both roared in anger, taking fire from Pearl’s conviction.

Ethan calmed them and looked to Zharok. ”Any ideas who it might be?”

”I’m guessing Fire Spirits,” Zharok said.

”Fire Spirits?” Ethan asked.

”If the spirits of nature get angry for some reason, they can disrupt magic like this.”

”Why would the spirits be angry?”

”Plenty of reasons.”

Angering a spirit, offending one, stealing a spirit’s egg, Zharok rattled off a list of possibilities, then peered outside.

”We should get going too, rest here today and leave at night? Or—”

”I’ll pull the cart, let’s keep moving, time is money,” Ethan said. Sitting around wasn’t going to fix anything.

He stood, Raul clasped his hand.

”Thank you for the food! Have a safe journey!”

”I wish you both the best. Until we meet again.”

”Meow meow~! Goodbye, meow~”

”Take care.”

They left the Lion Beastman couple sheltering in the cave and stepped back into the heat, Zharok and Pearl settled onto the cart, Ethan grabbed the handles and began to run.

’If someone really did anger the spirits, what was the cause?’

If Zharok was right — if the heat came from enraged Fire Spirits — then maybe it could be undone, and this crisis wouldn’t stay in the south, it would spread to the central region eventually, if there was a way to stop it, he wanted to try.

But first, they needed clues.

”Zharok!” Ethan shouted over the wind.

”You said earlier — if the spirits are angry, how do we fix it?”

”Find out why they’re angry, solve the problem, then hold a ritual to calm them down.”

”Do you know how to do the ritual?”

”I have no idea!”

”Pearl! Do you know?”

”I think I saw it in Lady Witch’s notes, but I don’t know the specifics, meow.”

’So that’s a dead end for now.’ They would have to ask around once they reached the Ape Beastman village.

Ethan shared his thinking. Zharok and Pearl both nodded.

”Anyway, Ape Beastman village first! Run!!” Zharok urged.

”Got it! Hold on tight!!”

Ethan picked up the pace.

They ran nonstop for days, the heat climbed the farther south they went, but stayed within a tolerable range, Ethan pulled the cart during the day, Zharok took over at night, their speed was better than expected.

Before long, they entered a dense tropical rainforest.

”This is Ape Beastman territory,” Zharok said.

”Who are you!”

A sharp shout split the air the moment they crossed into the trees, a group of Ape Beastmen stepped out, armed with spears and wooden clubs, their gazes were sharp and suspicious.

”We’re Ethan’s group, from the Central Region,” Zharok said, stepping forward.

”Human? Are you the human who helped us last time?”

Someone recognized him, Ethan nodded, and an Ape Beastman approached.

”You came at the perfect time! We have a favor to ask!”

”What is it?”

Being asked for help the moment he arrived caught Ethan off guard.

”Please help us communicate with the spirits!” the Ape Beastman said, dead serious.

’Talk to the spirits?’ Ethan looked at Zharok and Pearl, they seemed just as surprised as he was.

”Ah! Isn’t this the human from last time!”

”Huh?! Isn’t this Magic?”

An Ape Beastman leapt out of the crowd, Ethan peered at the face and snapped his fingers, magic — the Ape Beastman he had met at the Canine Beastman village.

”Long time no see, Magic, have you been well?”

”Not well at all!” Magic said, grimacing.

Under the circumstances, Ethan could hardly blame him.

Magic raised his voice for the crowd. ”This human is not an enemy! No need for hostility!”

”Even if the Chief’s guard says so, now isn’t the time for this!”

”We should ask the human to communicate with the Great Spirits!”

”He helped us communicate with the Canine Beastmen! He can talk to the spirits too!”

The Ape Beastmen were agitated, voices overlapping and rising.

Magic struggled to settle them, once the shouting died down, he led Ethan’s group deeper into the village.

”Don’t mind them, the situation is tough right now, so everyone’s on edge.”

”I understand, where are we heading?” Ethan asked.

”To see the village chief.”

Magic led them beneath a massive tree, an old Ape Beastman with white fur sat cross legged in its shade.

”You’ve arrived.”

His voice was hoarse but steady, the old Ape Beastman opened his eyes, stroked his beard, and studied Ethan.

”It has been a long time since I’ve seen a human, my name is Lachipi, pleased to meet you.”

”My name is Ethan, this is Zharok, and this is Pearl,” Ethan said, bowing his head.

Lachipi seemed pleased by his manner, he rose with a gentle smile, picked up a plant from among the tree roots, and held it out.

”You’ve had a hard journey, I heard you helped us greatly last time, I have always wanted to thank you properly, and today I finally have the chance.”

”Meow! This is Mana Grass, meow! I thought it was extinct! You still have a stockpile, meow?!” Pearl burst out.

”Mana Grass?” Ethan asked.

”An herb that restores mana, meow, only humans can grow it, ever since humanity disappeared, no one could cultivate it anymore, so everyone thought it was gone, meow~”

”That’s right, one of the few legacies humanity left us, long ago. And this...”

Lachipi took out a small clay jar and opened the lid, it was filled to the brim with tiny seeds.

”The seeds of the Mana Grass, I heard you are growing crops, so please accept these as a token of our gratitude.”

’If Pearl is right... this herb would be priceless to the elves as well.’