Chapter 11: The resurrected peanut and the nurturing bud

"Professor Gort, how is the progress of finding suitable locations to settle the Elven Worms? They have been in slumber for a month now, and I hope to revive them soon rather than letting their potential be wasted."

Elven Worms are wondrous little creatures.

They can bond with a master. A single bite on a finger, a drop of blood as a catalyst, and a magical contract is forged – they are spirits of nature, essence of plants, and messengers of magic.

When their Worm Grass is planted, it influences the growth of surrounding plants.

Worm Grass is the living body of the Elven Worm, akin to a life-bound artifact belonging to the worm, capable of being both retracted and released. It can grow, rest, and even enter dormancy.

The growth of the Worm Grass is synonymous with the growth of the Elven Worm.

Should the Worm Grass die, the Elven Worm will perish alongside it.

Currently, the Worm Grass resides within the four Elven Worms, with no nutrients supplied. The worms can only sleep. This not only squanders their productivity but also hampers their potential for evolution – no Elven Worm has ever evolved into a Fairy simply by sleeping. They must constantly absorb nutrients and influence crop growth to advance.

Despite the slim chance,

Liszt still wishes to attempt evolving his Elven Worms into Fairies.

Gort replied, "Alfalfa beetles would thrive on dairy farms with vast pastures. Changing the grass species to alfalfa should work. Corn beetles are hard to accommodate since Flower Town mainly cultivates wheat, and no one grows corn here. Tulip beetles, of course, should be placed in flower fields, even though they're almost abandoned... As for thorn beetles, Liszt, you know they have little value."

"I don't care about their value. I need them to have fields where they can grow!"

"I can start with alfalfa and tulips. The lazy serfs should get moving, but Liszt, I need manpower. The clerks are lazy good-for-nothings who can't accomplish anything!"

"You can conscript the townsfolk as you please, and the castle will pay their wages."

"Goodness, the castle pays? You're truly a generous lord. But there's hardly anyone in Flower Town who can read. If I conduct a census, they won't even be able to write their names. I assure you, they can't handle any tasks. We can't rely on commoners."

That was an issue.

There were no schools in Flower Town, and education was nonexistent. It was unreliable to have illiterate people as officials.

"Well then, Teacher Gort, do you know any literate people willing to settle in Flower Town? If they're willing to serve as officials, I can pay them a wage, at least double what other town officials earn... My castle should still have quite a few gold coins."

Despite being unloved, Liszt was still the son of an earl. He had received a considerable sum of gold coins after his coming-of-age ceremony.

After a moment of silence, Gort seemed to be pondering, "Liszt, I can see that you have ambitious plans for Flower Town. I do know some educated and ambitious individuals who haven't found success. But as your tutor, I must remind you that it's already a struggle for Flower Town to support a lord. Another influx of people would be too much for it to bear."

"I understand, and there's no need to worry. I'll handle it. You can invite them all over," Liszt said with ease, confident that with the right talents, he could create wealth.

In his eyes, Flower Town was an untouched, virgin land waiting to be exploited.

Though lacking elves made it difficult to amass riches through farming, there were other ways to generate wealth besides agriculture.

Moreover, a voice in his mind whispered, "I have the Smoke Quest, my unique advantage. Perhaps it will bring me even more wealth!"

While they were discussing matters, Carter, the old butler, knocked and entered. "Sir, George from Peanut Village is here to see you with an urgent matter."

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"According to him, the peanut fields in Peanut Village have suddenly returned to their lush green state overnight. The central field that you specifically instructed us to tend to now has a large bud growing on one of the peanuts."

"Really? Ask him to come in." Liszt was pleasantly surprised.

He had just applied fertilizer, and he hadn't expected such a rapid recovery. He was eager to find a spot to ponder and check if the Smoke Quest had been updated.

When the nervous old George tiptoed into the castle, Liszt had already regained his calm: "Old George, tell me in detail about what happened in Peanut Village."

"Yes, my lord... Your great radiance... has illuminated every corner of Peanut Village..."

Just as Carter reported, Peanut Village had turned lush green overnight. A peanut had mutated, sprouting a large bud. The serfs were overjoyed, and Old George, ignoring his lame leg, rushed here like the wind, panting for breath to request an audience with the lord. The numbness and despair in his eyes had been replaced by hope.

Gort had already grasped the situation and exclaimed with his mouth wide open: "Oh, my God, Liszt, could it be that... a... a peanut bug has emerged from the peanut field?"

Liszt smiled faintly: "Very likely."

"Oh, my God, Liszt, you truly are a noble favored by heaven! For a remote rural town like Flower Town to nurture a fairy bug, it's unbelievable!"

"Whether it's believable or not, we'll know once we see it. Mr. Carter, prepare horses for me; I'm going to Peanut Village."

"As you wish, sir."

At the castle gate.

Liszt and Gort mounted their steeds, while Carter asked, "Sir, your squire has yet to arrive. Should we wait a moment?"

Step forward, Thomas seemed about to speak but hesitated.

Liszt noticed this and, after casting a brief glance at both Thomas and the elderly George, said, "Thomas, ride with me. Yes, take George along too."

Thomas was thrilled to the point of trembling, as if he had just heard celestial music. "At your service, my lord!"

This was the first time Lord Liszt had allowed him to attend personally on an outing. Being a valet was similar to being a personal attendant, always at the noble's side, a trusted aide. Many high-ranking nobles' valets were knights who had fought alongside them in battle.

Four people, three horses.

The Fire Dragon Horse took the lead, racing like the wind, arriving at Peanut Village.

Looking around, the peanut fields that had been yellowish-green the day before were now lush green, with all the peanut sprouts stretching out their branches and leaves.

It was still spring, not yet the flowering season.

But in the center of the field, the largest peanut plant had a fist-sized bud on its stem, ready to bloom. The tender green color was particularly pleasing to the eye.

"This is indeed the bud of an Elf Worm! Heaven's grace, Liszt, Flower Town is a place favored by the heavens!" Gort exclaimed, his tone slightly exaggerated.

Liszt was actually quite excited, but he maintained the composed and gentle smile of a noble on his face. "The Elf Beetles play a vital role in Flower Town's agriculture, so this peanut field must be protected. Old George, you and the farmers should assign someone to guard it every day."

"Lord Liszt, Old George will protect it even if it means not eating or drinking!"

"No need to go that far. Just have people take turns guarding it," Liszt instructed Thomas, who stood behind him. "Tell my squire knights later that I need one of them to be stationed in Peanut Village daily to oversee the Elf Beetles."

"As you wish, milord!"