Chapter 440 - 299: Territory Development

As it turned out, it was easier to expect a sow to climb a tree than to count on a half-baked Wilderness Shaman to understand what was happening with Buji and her connection to the Natural Goddess.

"I could spout dozens of lines like that without repeating myself," Zat said, curling his lip in disdain. "High Cliff Castle is either not high, or has no cliffs. Tomorrow, it will either snow, or it won’t."

Sam instantly fell silent, his face a mask of embarrassment.

In truth, all he knew was that the Stone Egg had been related to the Natural Goddess. As for its actual purpose, his cluelessness probably put him behind even those who were just making wild guesses.

The moment their Lord rose, the Barbarians who had been eating in the dining hall all shot to their feet.

"Keep eating. I’m going to check on her," Levi said with a wave of his hand. He rose, pushed open the door, and stepped out into the biting, snowy wind, making his way toward the central lord’s manor.

This was the residence he’d had the artisans build for him. It was enclosed by a parapet, with rows of two-story buildings inside where he, Baisitina, and the Mier lived.

With Buji’s condition on his mind, he had completely lost his appetite.

It wasn’t just because of her extraordinary origins; the Lord’s heart had been completely captured by the adorable little creature.

"Levi, don’t worry. Ash has already checked on her," Baisitina said comfortingly, following close behind. "She doesn’t know what’s happening either, but she thinks it’s a benign process, just like how Giant Dragons grow through hibernation."

Levi nodded. Ash, the Elf Queen, knew far more than he did. She was a Divine Favored One and a Caster, so if she said there was nothing to worry about, then things were probably fine.

As he pushed open the door to a conspicuously luxurious wooden cabin, a wave of warm air rushed out to greet him, carrying a faint, natural scent of fresh grass that instantly dispelled the chill he’d brought in from outside.

The floor was covered with a thick woolen carpet. Fortunately, the Lord had changed his shoes at the entrance; otherwise, he would have undoubtedly tracked dark footprints all over it.

An exquisite little hammock, no bigger than two hands, hung in the middle of the room. Miraculously, all sorts of flowers were sprouting from the wooden frame, blooming in vibrant profusion.

Normally, such flowers shouldn’t be able to survive this cold season, let alone sprout from wood, yet here they were, blooming as if it were springtime.

These flowers were, of course, Buji’s handiwork. The little one adored plants and flowers, and with her own nature-based Magic, she had decorated her small bed to look like a flower basket.

Levi walked over. She was lying peacefully under a tiny velvet quilt with her eyes closed.

As if sensing the presence of her doting father figure, her eyelids twitched and fluttered open.

But she only managed a single glance before falling asleep again, before Levi even had the chance to ask happily how she was.

"Levi, that’s the first time Buji’s opened her eyes in all the days she’s been asleep," Baisitina said in amazement. "Normally, she doesn’t react at all, no matter who comes to visit."

Levi nodded. From the flicker of happiness he’d seen in the little one’s eyes, he knew that she was fundamentally all right.

But then, a thought struck him. ’Back then, Buji needed a massive amount of Magic Power to hatch. The requirement was only fulfilled when she was brought to the Wind Speech Tribe, which had a Magic Crystal Ore deposit.’

’So, what if I bring the Magic Crystal Ore here and put it next to her? Would that help her, or maybe even speed her out of this current state?’

However, he knew that with the continuous heavy snowfall, asking Ash and the others to return to their Tribe and bring back the Magic Crystal Ore would be an unreasonable demand.

After some thought, he decided he would find Sophia later and ask her to take him to the Wind Speech Tribe that afternoon.

’In any case,’ he thought, ’her identity as a Giant Dragon was revealed before everyone at White Bone Fortress. It’s only a matter of time before the news ferments and the rumors reach here, so there’s no point in hiding it any longer.’

Gently closing the door, Levi quietly returned to the dining hall. Partway through his meal, however, he suddenly remembered something. "Tina, has the wheat been harvested?"

’The wheat was planted last August,’ he thought. ’It should have been ready for harvest this May, but given the current weather in the Wilderness, that seems unlikely.’

Thanks to the hard work of the Goblins and Kobolds at High Cliff Castle, the surrounding lands had been almost completely converted into wheat fields.

Even for a first planting on reclaimed wasteland, where yields were expected to be low for the first couple of years, a full harvest would still provide a substantial amount of grain.

"It was harvested long ago, though it was later than we expected. We didn’t get it in until almost July," Baisitina said, covering her mouth with a small giggle. From her expression, he could tell the yield was likely higher than he’d anticipated.

"For High Cliff Castle’s current population, this wheat will provide us with almost six months’ worth of rations." Baisitina wasn’t one to build suspense and just came right out with it.

This might not sound like a huge amount, as High Cliff Castle’s total population was still under ten thousand.

However, one had to remember that these were newly cultivated fields. Coupled with the poor weather of the past few years, achieving such a harvest could only be described as a blessing from the Gods.

Levi immediately grasped the key reason for their success and turned his gaze toward an old Kobold in a Felt Hat sitting at the end of the hall.

It was Old Neil, the one who had Mastered the Soil Fertility Technique and served as the foreman for the farming slave brigade.

His life at High Cliff Castle was good; he seemed to have grown a size larger and more robust.

This was because he had once lived hand-to-mouth, never having enough to eat, which had left him exceptionally gaunt. Now at High Cliff Castle, with no worries about food or clothing, he was inevitably returning to a healthy weight.

"Old Neil, you’ve done an excellent job on this matter. Keep up the good work," the Lord praised him directly in front of everyone.