Mobile Fortress Cozette Chapter 18 (Patreon)

Chapter  18 Finally Settling Down

It's been about a week.

Nothing special has happened during that time.

It was peaceful.

It's just that there has been so much going on.

It's like everything has settled down.

The weed control in the field has been a success for the time being.

As a result of the Slime's improved capabilities, the weeds can be removed at a visible rate.

The fields I am in charge of are beautiful and orderly.

I can create this scene without touching the soil at all.

It's no exaggeration to say that I've mastered weeding.

……That said, as a noblewoman, I wouldn't go around telling people about it myself, as it would be bad for my reputation too.

Now that we've proven it, we're holding off on implementing it in all the fields on our property for now.

This is because it would reduce the gardener's workload and affect their salary.

It is said that the gardeners can estimate the health of the fields, plants, and flowers from the condition of the weeds and soil.

I am amazed at how difficult and labor intensive it is to grow plants and trees.

I am grateful to the gardeners who keep our gardens beautiful even to this day.

I've also learned that not everything can be made convenient.

It's a difficult thing. It's all about balance, they say.

As for the implementation for the farmers in the city, this is also on hold for now.

I have to keep it a secret that I am not only able to use Slimes, but that there is someone who can control them perfectly.

It's all politics around this point.

Therefore, I am still a caged bird in a delicate position.

I laugh a little when I say this.

The total number of Slimes has exceeded 1000.

Do you think that's a lot or not?

I'm not going to go into details because the numbers are getting too big.

Stock distribution is also left to White.

As the total number of Slimes has increased, their thinking ability has also improved considerably.

As for skill management, I just tell them the priority and leave the rest to them.

The skills have been strengthened overall, and the <Absorption> in particular has become visibly faster.

This means that I don't have to make Slime and his friends do things that I'm too lazy to do.

The green ones have <Photosynthesis>, so I can increase them or use them as experience.

The white and brown ones. I don't have anything to do with them in my spare time.

For now, I let them throw knives and clay pellets.

If I grow up and get permission from my martial arts teacher or father to go out, I think the range of things I can do will expand.

I don't have anything to say about the training or lectures. I don't think anything in particular will notably change in a week.

Magic? Fufufu,  I'm still trying it out for now…… I wonder if I'm just not talented in it. I guess I'm just going to do my best for now.

「 Cozette, can I have a word? 」

「 Yes, Henning Onii-sama 」

Henning Onii-sama saw me looking at the knives and clods of earth being thrown out of the Slime in a daze.

He must have approached me even though he felt uncomfortable, because I could see the blush on his neat face, similar to mother's face.

「 I was a little dazed. I'm sorry for showing you this embarrassing part of me. 」

「 No, I was also in the same way. It was so picturesque, I couldn't help but look at you a bit rather rudely. 」

My, what a surprise. Henning Onii-sama can say such flattering things. I don't feel bad about being treated like a lady.

……Nn?

From his standpoint in the current situation, wouldn't he suppose to say that I'm like a child playing with Slimes?

What smiling and picturesque sight does he mean.

「 I'm glad that I was able to please Henning Onii-sama's eyes. Please look around as much as you like. 」

It's not going to decrease. I feel that it is not right to show anger here, and I am still a child.

It would be a noblewoman's duty to show as much room as possible for him to look around as much as he wants.

I think.

「 You don't need to. I'll save it for another time. I'll probably lose track of time, and before I knew it, it would be tomorrow. I've heard that Cozette has been working particularly hard lately. I was hesitant to talk to you, thinking that you might be thinking about the future, but there was something I really needed to say to you right now. 」

Henning Onii-sama nodded at the Slimes and the others who were playing with the ball, which is also practicing for strengthening troops and training for leadership.

Please don't take this too seriously.

This is nothing but a playful result of not having anything to think of doing.

「 No, I'm alright with it. Besides, I was only dazing out just a moment ago.――So, what's the story? 」

「 Hmm. Then, I'll also leave it at that. Well, the thing is. 」

You don't have to do that though.

「 I'll be leading the charge on Cozette's use of Slimes for waste management. 」

「 Henning Onii-sama will do it? 」

「 Our father is a very busy man, so he said that this was a good opportunity for me to gain experience and make my presence known to the people of the city without fear of failure. 」

「 I see. This project is also a test for my Slimes. I have to be the one to handle it. In that case, it was necessary to have someone close to me as the administrator. 」

I hadn't thought that far ahead. So it's necessary to have a person who understands my existence, including my job function, to take the initiative?

This time, our father prepared a plan, and I was incorporated into it by providing Slimes. So if I want to come up with something on my own in the future, I need to think that far ahead.

「 That's the thing. Externally, the credit for this will be mine, and although Cozette's position doesn't allow for it, I thought I should decline 」

As he said this, Henning Onii-sama bowed his head.

「 I don't mind, though. If it's for the sake of the territory. Please use my abilities to your heart's content. 」

Depending on how this works out, the reputation of Slimes may change. If I were to step forward, what might go well might end up going wrong.

I am sure that Henning Onii-sama will do well.

To do so, I will need to move well as a supporting hand.

「 ……Apparently, you are too self-sacrificing. I'm not saying you have to be greedy. But too much devotion will also be relatively dangerous. 」

Henning Onii-sama's expression turns a little grim.

It seems I said a little too much. Even though I was only saying what is to be expected of us.

「 Thank you for your advice. However, in my own way, I think I'm pretty good at what I do. I'm going to polish up my self-defense skills. Please do as you wish with this matter, Onii-sama. It is enough for me if I can prove the value of Slimes. 」

If I were still in my naive days, I probably wouldn't be so desperate to learn how to utilize the Slimes, study, and get serious about martial arts.

When I hurriedly bowed, Henning Onii-sama sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

「 Let's end it at that for now. I'll call it a debt this time. I'll do my best to handle it and pay you back some day. 」

「 Eh, no, but, please do it in moderation, okay? 」

For some reason, Henning Onii-sama's motivation seemed to have been ignited.

I somehow understood.

Henning Onii-sama is the type of person who can't take a joke.

All I can do now is to pray that his motivation will not go out of control.

I just hope that things don't get out of hand before I know it.