After receiving the World Tree Management Guidebook from the Dryads, I began the management in earnest with Aria.
“According to the guide, once the fruit sets, we need to provide special nutrients once a week. But we shouldn’t give too much, as that’s bad in its own way.”
“Yes! And we also need to check the mana circulation in the ground around the fruit. If there are any blockages, we have to clear them immediately.”
The special nutrients sent by the Dryads were impressive in quantity, but they also possessed a golden hue that was much deeper than regular sap.
As I let one drop fall near the roots of the World Tree, a faint light spread throughout the entire tree.
“Wow! The effect is immediate!”
“They must have been telling the truth when they said they paid special attention to it.”
The leaves of the World Tree definitely looked more vibrant after receiving the nutrients, and the fruits seemed to have grown a bit firmer.
“By the way, Guardian, I’ve been feeling this for a while now —”
“What is it?”
“More spirits are coming to visit!”
At Aria’s words, I took a closer look at our surroundings and found several spirits I had never seen before. In addition to the existing bird and squirrel spirits, there were butterfly spirits, flower spirits, and even spirits that looked like small lumps of light.
“This many?”
“As the World Tree began to bear fruit, its life force became stronger. I think that’s why more spirits are being drawn to it.”
The new spirits each seemed to have their own roles. The butterfly spirits flew around the World Tree carrying pollen, while the flower spirits were making small flowers bloom at the base of the trunk.
“If this continues, the spirits will be able to help each other and manage the World Tree even better.”
“Yes! it’s like a small ecosystem is being created!”
After finishing the management of the World Tree, it was time to check the fields. When I went to the smart farm set up on one side of the park, a surprising sight unfolded.
“Oh? It grew this much already?”
The honey corn I had planted a few days ago was already knee-high, and the leaves of the maple carrots were starting to turn red, just like actual maple leaves. The snow-white cabbage was also sprouting beautiful white shoots.
“Of course! The energy of the World Tree influenced the fields as well!”
I didn’t know why Aria was acting so boastful, but what she said was true. While the smart system provided automatic management, such rapid growth was hard to explain without the influence of the World Tree.
However, the crops weren’t the only things that grew quickly.
“Huh? The weeds grew a lot, too.”
“Ahaha. I guess that’s an unavoidable side effect.”
“It can’t be helped. I guess there’s some work I have to do myself.”
I rolled up my sleeves and started pulling weeds. The task of touching the soil and pulling them out one by one was harder than I expected, but it wasn’t bad. In fact, moving my body made me feel good. My body, which had been stiff from being stuck indoors, felt refreshed.
“Guardian, I’ll help too! This one over here is a weed! That one is an herb, so leave it alone!”
Aria worked hard, using her tiny, fern-like hands to point out which ones to pull. After working for about 1 hour, the area looked quite clean. My hands were covered in dirt and I was sweating, but I felt proud.
“At this rate, I can expect to see the first harvest soon. Oh? But what are those flowers?”
Small plants I hadn’t planted were growing on one side of the field.
“Ah, those are seeds brought by the spirits! They planted small seeds they brought from Terra here and there. Most of them are herbs or spices.”
“Really?”
Looking closely, several unfamiliar types of plants were indeed growing. A small plant with purple leaves emitted a sweet honey scent, and a plant with silver stems felt cool to the touch. Another plant with yellow buds had a slight minty fragrance.
“Will these be useful?”
“Of course! Most of the things the spirits bring are plants that help with healing or recovery.”
By the time I finished observing everything, it was already past 6:00 PM.
“I didn’t realize time had passed so quickly.”
“I know. If it weren’t for my stomach growling, I wouldn’t have known either.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
At Aria’s persistent urging, I left the sub-space. As I turned on the TV while eating dinner, the news was covering the Black Goat incident from early this morning.
— The Dungeon Break that occurred on the outskirts of the city last night was resolved without major damage thanks to the quick response of the Hunter Association. However, experts have expressed concern that the frequency of abnormal crack occurrences has been increasing rapidly lately.
The following screen showed various statistical graphs along with interviews from experts.
— The number of abnormal cracks that occurred over the past month has increased by 30% compared to the same period last year. In particular, the occurrence rate in urban areas is noticeably rising, which is increasing the anxiety of citizens.
— If the current trend continues, the frequency of cracks could increase by up to 50% by the end of the year. We are at a point where a more systematic response system is needed.
— It is true that the burden on hunters is increasing significantly. Fatigue accumulation from consecutive deployments, in particular, is becoming a serious issue.
“A lot of strange things really are happening lately.”
Aria also watched the news with a serious expression.
“I think the burden on the hunters is getting heavier.”
“That’s why our Rocket Store will become even more important. We have to find more ways to help people.”
Suddenly, I remembered the large-scale supply drop system from last night. I thought it would be a good idea to organize the relevant information and send it to Yun Tae-seong.
[I have organized the information regarding last night’s large-scale supply drop system. It has a 72-hour cooldown and consumes a minimum of 1,000 Mana, but it can provide various buffs depending on the affinity with other races. Please refer to this for future large-scale operations.]
A reply came back immediately.
[Thank you so much for this precious information. I will report this to the Association and reflect it in future operational plans. Just knowing that such a system exists will be a great hope for the hunters.]
Next, it was time for the requests. There was a request from a race I had never seen before.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new race.”
**[Request: Material Support for Precision Silk Production]**
**Requester: Arachne Master Weaver Silvia**
**Content: We, the Arachne, have produced the highest quality silk for generations. However, due to the aftermath of recent wars, it has become difficult to obtain the materials needed for high-quality silk production. In particular, we are short on highly nutritious feed and fire-attribute magic gems needed to create fire-resistant magic silk. If you help us, we will provide you with the highest quality magic silk yarn.**
**Reward: Arachne Magic Silk Yarn**
“Arachne? That must be a spider race.”
“A spider race? What kind of trade do you do with spiders?”
“First of all, spider silk. Spider silk is a truly amazing material.”
I explained it to Aria.
“Spider silk is stronger than steel, yet incredibly flexible. It’s even being researched for use as medical sutures — the thread used to sew up wounds during surgery.”
“Really? With spider silk?”
“Yeah. It’s said to help with wound healing as it naturally decomposes. Naturally, the spider silk of the Arachne would be even more amazing, right?”
I had heard that there was high demand for spider silk obtained by hunters from spider-type monsters. However, the supply wasn’t steady, so the unit price was higher than expected.
‘But if I open up trade with the Arachne race, the supply will become stable.’
This trade seemed likely to have a massive ripple effect not just for hunters, but also for the general medical field. Looking closer at the request, the necessary materials were listed.
[Feed, preferably living.]
[Fire-attribute magic gem dust for granting fire resistance to the spider silk.]
I decided to send mealworms for the feed.
‘I can get mealworms on the internet, and for the magic gem dust, I can send what Mago made.’
I took out my smartphone and ordered mealworms from a pet shop mall. Then, I approached Mago.
“Mago, can you share some of the red gems you made? The ones with the fire attribute.”
“Gao!”
Mago willingly handed over the fire-attribute gems it had produced. A warm energy emanated from the ruby-like gems that glowed with a red light.
“With this, they’ll be able to make fire-resistant magic silk.”
After completing the payment, I accepted the request.
**[Rocket Store – New Review Registered]**
**Purchaser: Arachne Master Weaver Silvia**
**Rating: ★★★★★**
**Review: Thank you for finding such pure materials. I was able to create magic silk of perfect quality!**
“Great! The first trade ended successfully.”
But just then, another notification rang out.
**[A new request has arrived]**
It arrived as if it had been waiting. This time, it was a message from Gray of the Beastman tribe. It seemed he had been looking at the Rocket Store promotional fliers.
**[Request: Material Purchase for Special Fishing Net Production]**
**Requester: Beastman Great Beast Warrior Gray**
**Content: Recently, large fish keep breaking through our existing nets and escaping. We need stronger nets. If we have a net made from Arachne spider silk, no fish will be able to escape.**
**Reward: Regular Sales of Crystal Trout**
“Gray is interested in Arachne magic silk.”
To be precise, a sturdy net made from Arachne silk. I inquired with Silvia about an additional trade.
— Is it possible to produce spider silk for fishing nets?
[Of course it is possible! However, spider silk for nets requires much more material than regular magic silk. And…]
— Is there something else you need?
[No. It’s just that many babies were recently born in our nest. If you can provide feed to fill the bellies of the baby spiders, I can specifically create spider silk for fishing nets.]
‘Feed for baby spiders?’
I fell into thought. It seemed the mealworms I sent this time weren’t exactly what the baby spiders ate.
**[Linked Request System has been activated!]**
“Linked Request System?”
A new system message appeared.
**[You can complete the current request by resolving the problems of another race]**
Immediately after, a new request appeared.
**[Linked Request: Livestock Pest Eradication]**
**Requester: Satyr Rancher Fauno**
**Content: Many lambs were born recently, but the babies are suffering because of mites and various pests. Pesticides are too strong for the babies, so we need a natural method of pest eradication.**
**Reward: Golden Fleece + Goat Milk Cheese**
‘This is a perfect combination!’
I realized the meaning of the Linked Request at once. I could send the baby spiders to eat the pests, and the Satyrs would have their pest problem resolved. I sent messages to Silvia and Fauno at the same time.
[Tripartite Cooperation Proposal]
— What if we dispatch the Arachne baby spiders to the Satyr ranch for a certain period to eradicate the pests? The baby spiders can eat their fill, and the Satyrs can resolve their pest problem.
Positive replies came from both races.
[That is a wonderful idea! It will be a good experience for the babies, too. I agree!]
[Natural pest eradication! It is a safe and perfect solution for the lambs!]
**[Tripartite Cooperation Contract has been concluded!]**
**[Linked Request System Bonus: Additional rewards will be granted!]**
‘I can solve problems this way too.’
After the tripartite cooperation contract was concluded, I leaned back in my chair with a proud heart. The significance of this event was great. To think I could solve problems by connecting different races like this.
“Guardian! Now even more races will be able to live while helping each other!”
“I suppose so. The Arachne baby spiders get to eat their fill, the Satyrs solve their pest problem, and the resulting fishing net helps the Beastman tribe.”
As I formed relationships with more races in the future, more of these linked requests would likely arise. Naturally, I would be able to gain a lot of profit in the middle.
A smile naturally spread across my face at the thought of how easy things would become.
‘I’m looking forward to the future.’—