—–

The airship arrived over the top of the Darkage Territory, as we were greeted by a large flock of a few hundred flying demons. There were Lesser Gargoyles, Banshees, and Bird Demons. However, as much as they attacked the airship, they couldn’t pierce through its heavily reinforced magic barrier, as it slowly landed on the airport.

“I can’t believe there are demons even in the sky now!” Eric panicked at long last.

“Why are you so worried? You’re our bow wielder, you’ll shoot them all down for us.” I smiled.

“E-Eh?! I-I…” He quickly noticed Alberta’s expectant expression. “O-Of course! I will do that!”

“We’ve arrived…” Monica sighed, as the gates of the airship opened.

As we walked into the airport, we were greeted by a rather desolate place. Aside from a few soldiers, there was barely anybody else in the scene.

“Welcome to my fiefdom…” Sighed Monica, as we walked across the streets while being escorted by the knights.

The place looked similar to the many other cities I’ve visited in this world, looking less fancier than Stronghold, and without enjoying its many commodities such as a train.

I noticed a lot of people wandering the streets. Some seemed hungry, over the ground, starving. A few other people glared at us with surprise, some with anger.

“Is it her?”

“Lady Monica!”

“She’s back!”

Suddenly, as the people noticed it was her, they swarmed us, asking for salvation and help, they screamed, cried, and even showed us their starving children in their arms.

“Please help us!”

“T-The demons have stolen all the crops outside!”

“We are starving! Food has become too scarce!”

“Lady Monica…!”

“My baby is dying!”

Monica felt taken aback, she didn’t knew what to say, or how to answer their pleas.

“D-Don’t worry, we’ve come with help! We’ll destroy the demons and… help you.” She sighed. “Please, have patience!”

“Those kids are the help?!”

“They’re just some brats!”

“W-What is the meaning of this?!”

“We’re starving and you’re just bringing your friends for a tea party?!”

“Silence, you insolents!” Eustace stepped forward. “Milady, please move without giving them a glance.”

The knights did their job, protecting Monica and us from the angered mobs. But I couldn’t blame them, they were starving. The demons most likely destroyed all the farms and cattle, or ate it, so they have nothing else but some scraps.

Once we arrived at her manor, the largest building in the entire fiefdom, we were greeted by a large group of servants, and two young children with silver colored hair and blue eyes.

“Monica is back!”

“Big sis Monica!”

“Hello, you two.” Monica sighed, as she hugged them both as if they were her siblings. “These two are the prince and princess of Silvertide, Nicolas and Belle.”

“Big sis, who are these people?” Wondered Nicolas, slightly afraid of us.

“They’re my friends, and the people that might… save our country.” Monica sighed.

“But they’re so few… How are they even going to do that?!” Belle panicked.

“I ask myself the same thing…” Eustace muttered to himself. “I know they could had helped her but… Are they even enough to fight an army of ten thousand demons?!”

“More than capable.” I answered confidently. “Though, I’ll need some more help. Monica, can you bring me a map of the entire fiefdom?”

“Y-Yes, surely.” Monica nodded.

As we walked inside her manor, we were greeted by her many maidservants and manservants, who served us delicious herbal tea, and a few rather hard cookies.

Even nobility was eating very little, and they had no fruits or cakes to offer to us sadly. I sighed and took out some of the thousands of meals I had stored in my Inventory, inviting the servants to eat with us.

“Come an eat, you must be starving as well.” I sighed.

“E-Eh? But this is…!”

“Is this right?!”

“Milady Monica…?”

“It’s fine, eat up.” Monica smiled, walking into the room while carrying a huge map. “I found it on father’s room. This is the entire map of our fiefdom and the neighboring territories.”

The moment she let them; all of the servants started eating happily. They had been probably only eating a single small meal a day.

As I let them eat, I considered feeding the entire population. Although I didn’t had enough food in my inventory for that, with Erika’s magic and Eric’s support, it is possible to grow many trees that’ll bear fruit instantly.

With that, we can feed the population with the bare minimum… However, I also have to consider the future of such trees, and how they could use them to their advantage.

It would be better to distribute food once this is over, although… my human side is just telling me to help them.

Should I prioritize profits in the future, or simply help the innocents?

“Blake, can’t we make fruits and veggies to help the rest of the population?” Wondered Erika.

I guess her words were enough to convince me.

“Sure, let’s do that.”

Although I’ll make profits in the future, helping these starving people comes first at the end of the day… If they’re the people I want to protect, part of this entire world I love.

Then there’s no helping it.

“I’ll take the map for now. Let’s go.” I said.

“E-Eh? Where are you going?!” Monica wondered.

“To feed all of your citizens.” I smiled. “Come, you’ll need to see this.”

We walked into the largest clearing within the city, mostly covered by dried out trees and dry grass. And with Erika, Elizabeth, and Eric’s Magic, boosted several times by my Magic power and the Mana spread in the land, which I quickly absorbed using my own Demonic Arm, a miracle happened.

As seeds of various types were enhanced and planted one after another across the entire area, trees slowly began to sprout. They were unique trees, as they were Lesser Yggdrasil Seeds and Lesser Spirit Trees made from Erika’s own body.

FLAAAASH!

“W-What is this?! A miracle?!” Eustace panicked, falling to the floor.

“T-This is… Y-You could do this?!” Monica was shocked beyond belief.

In just a couple of minutes, an entire forest grew, with hundreds of trees, each one quickly blossoming with colorful flowers, which then became beautiful, red apples.

In a few minutes, dozens of thousands of apples were produced.

“It just apples for now, but make sure to distribute them to everyone in the population.”

—–