Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 13 Verdant Green
An astonishing change occurred less than ten days after Kruze returned to his territory:
The path, which was originally muddy, filled with filth and stench, was cleaned up by the serfs and paved with gravel.

The litter that was carelessly discarded was collected, incinerated, or landfilled.

The nauseating mixture of smells that permeated the air—sweat, animal excrement, and rotting garbage—miraculously disappeared!
Instead, there is the fresh scent of earth after the rain and the faint aroma of burning vegetation.

Although the territory remained poor and dilapidated, its overall appearance had been completely transformed, revealing an unprecedented sense of order and vitality.

The serfs' mental outlook seemed to be subtly changing, becoming less apathetic and more respectful of rules and conscious of environmental protection.

Seeing the visible positive changes in his territory, Kruse felt somewhat relieved.

This is not only an improvement in sanitation, but also the first step in rebuilding order and an initial manifestation of cohesion.

On this day, guided by Wilstone, Kruse finally arrived at the most central and mysterious place in Lion's Tooth Territory—the core area of ​​the Pea Field, located behind the castle and carefully guarded and set aside separately.

Here dwells the lifeblood that sustains the entire Lion Fang Territory—the pea spirit worm bestowed upon it by the Earl!
Wilstone's expression became unusually solemn and cautious. He gestured for the guarding militia to step back a distance before leading Kruze, as if on a pilgrimage, carefully stepping into this land nourished by elven power.

Kruse stared intently and saw a tiny creature, about the size of a palm, radiating a soft green light, lying quietly on a particularly lush and robust pea vine in the center of a pea plant that was growing significantly better than ordinary peas.

Its form is somewhere between an insect and an elemental creature. Its body is crystal clear, as if carved from the purest jade, and it has two pairs of transparent wings that are as thin as cicada wings and have veins as delicate as those of pea leaves.

Its small body is covered with fine, downy hairs, like the skin of a fresh pea.

It seemed to be in a semi-dormant state, with extremely fine, vibrant green light emanating from it as it breathed, blending into the surrounding pea plants.

This is the Pea Sprite Bug!

The foundation of Lion Tooth Territory is a miraculous entity that has enabled the yield of peas per acre to be increased by 50% on barren land!
Kruse held his breath, feeling the rich life force and pure natural energy in the air.

He could clearly "see" an invisible, vibrant "domain" centered on the sprite worm, enveloping the pea field.

In this field, the plants are more robust, more resistant to disease, and produce more abundant flowers and fruits.

Wilstone lowered his voice, filled with utmost reverence: "Young Master, this is the treasure of our Lion Fang Territory, the Pea Sprite 'Azure Jade.' It is thanks to it that we are able to barely sustain our meager pea sustenance in this cursed land."

His words were filled with gratitude for the little creature and his determination to protect it.

Kruze nodded silently, his gaze fixed intently on the sleeping sprite. It was not merely a guarantee of production, but also represented the most primal natural wonder of this magical world.

Looking at it, Kruze's desire for the new Pokémon reward from the system burned even brighter.

Kruze held his breath, his gaze fixed on the pea sprite "Azure Jade" that emitted a soft green light, as if drawn by a magnet.

Its crystal-clear emerald body and delicate, leaf-vein-like wings looked exceptionally dreamlike in the morning light.

He tried to feel the magical power of nature and understand how it brought life to this land.

In this quiet and sacred moment—

A very clear thought, brimming with laziness and deep disdain, like the muttering of a mischievous child, entered Kruse's mind without any hindrance:

"Tsk, here we go again! So annoying! Another idiot human comes to see the spectacle!" The thought carried a kind of androgynous yet unusually lively naiveté. "All you do is stare! You have no sense of propriety at all! Don't you know to bring some sweet jade powder to offer as tribute to this lord? Stingy! Poor wretch! Following a lord like this is the worst luck imaginable! I might as well starve to death!"

"Pfft—!" Kruse almost choked on his own saliva!
His eyes widened suddenly, and his expression instantly became extremely strange, as if he had swallowed a fly whole, a mixture of shock, absurdity, and a hint of indescribable comicality.

He instinctively and stiffly turned his head to look at Wilstone beside him, who had a solemn and dignified expression.

Wilstone was gazing at the elf bug with an almost reverent look. Sensing Kruze's gaze, he turned his head slightly, a hint of inquiry in his eyes, but his expression remained calm and unwavering, clearly unaware of the earth-shattering "inner monologue" that had just been delivered!
'Could it be... that I'm hallucinating? Is the stress causing mental problems?' Kruse's heart pounded as he tried to convince himself that it was just his imagination.

However, before he could calm down, that listless, complaining thought resurfaced like a demonic whisper, this time clearer and more intense:

"Hey! You big oaf, the new guy over there! Yes, you! Haven't you stared enough?! Are you just standing here like a wooden stake? The stench of your sweat and your boring thoughts are making it impossible for me to get any rest! Do you know how tiring it is to keep this pea field alive?! If this keeps up, I'm really going to die from exhaustion!"

This time, every word was crystal clear, carrying a strong emotional tone, and aimed directly at Kruse!
That complaining tone and vivid wording could not possibly be a hallucination!

Kruse could no longer maintain his composure!

He gasped, his pupils dilated slightly involuntarily, and the forced composure on his face shattered completely, revealing a look of utter horror!

He! Kruze Lion! Heir to Lionfang Territory! A newly promoted apprentice knight!
To my surprise... I could clearly hear my own precious little bug... mentally berating me for being a poor idiot, a fool, and disturbing its rest?!
This… this reward in Ancient Elvish… so that’s how it’s used?!
It can understand the speech of the fairy insects?!
A tremendous sense of absurdity and an indescribable shock completely unsettled Kruse!
He felt his worldview was being subjected to an unprecedented and violent shock from a tiny, palm-sized sprite-like insect!
However, he quickly realized that this might mean it would be faster and more convenient for him to raise the sprites.

(End of this chapter)