Chapter 58: Searching for a Tamed Monster

Two more weeks have passed since we gave up and started growing only Brightvoice.

Thanks to that, pest and bird damage is now virtually zero.

Although Brightvoice is less profitable than Moaful or Sea astera, our income is still much better than when we were growing Crackdraff.

However, there is a major problem—my hands are completely wrecked from handling Brightvoice.

While it’s great that pests and birds stay away, the price I’m paying is my own injured hands.

Sheila, being more physically trained, doesn’t have as many injuries as I do, but I’ve seen her wincing from thorns stuck under her nails multiple times.

These three new crops each have their own pros and cons.

I had planned to stick with Brightvoice for a while, but my hands are reaching their limit.

So, I’m moving up my schedule—I want to buy a monster for bird control and switch back to growing Moaful.

“Sheila, sorry for calling this emergency meeting.”

“No need to apologize. I already know the reason… You’re buying a tamed monster for bird control, right?”

“Yes, exactly. My hands are at their limit, so I want to deal with the birds and stop growing Brightvoice.”

“I completely agree. Even with my training, I still get thorns stuck in my fingers. Let’s get bird control sorted and grow Moaful or Sea astera instead.”

Sheila and I nodded firmly, agreeing to invest NP in bird control.

Right now, we have about 16,000 NP.

Since restarting farming, we’ve managed to save around 7,000 NP in just a month.

Thinking about how we could have easily reached 10,000 NP if not for pest and bird damage is frustrating.

But there’s no point dwelling on “what ifs.”

This is an investment to fix the bird problem.

Sheila had returned to the royal capital to research potential monsters for the job, so now I need to listen carefully to her presentation and choose one.

“Can I hear the candidates? And sorry for dumping this all on you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I enjoy researching monsters, and running to the capital isn’t a big deal. I’ve shortlisted three candidates.”

“Great. Let’s hear them.”

“The first candidate is a monster called the Deep Chameleon. It’s a type of ‘ambush’ monster that blends into its surroundings and waits for prey to come close before devouring it. It’s quite large and will not only deal with birds but also take care of any future pests or wild animals.”

A giant chameleon-like monster, huh?

Camouflaging and waiting to eat whatever gets close—it sounds useful.

It doesn’t actively hunt, but since it only needs to protect our farm, that’s not really an issue.

The only concern is that if it’s large, it might have a hefty appetite, which could increase our costs.

“I really like the Deep Chameleon. That sounds promising.”

“I’m glad to hear that! Now, for the second candidate: the Spike Spider. This monster is mainly for pest control. It can set traps and actively hunt on its own. However, since it’s not very large, birds will likely avoid its traps.”

A spider monster, just as the name suggests.

The “traps” Sheila mentioned must be its webs.

It wouldn’t be effective against birds, but it’s great for dealing with pests.

Pests are a problem, but they’re still manageable for now, so this might not be our top priority.

“Pest control is important, but birds are the bigger issue right now. Let’s put this one on hold for now. Still, thanks for considering it.”

“I thought the same. Now for the final candidate—the Moon Raven. Since birds are the problem, I chose a bird-type monster. It has high intelligence and excellent hunting skills.”

A raven, huh?

Out of the three, this one might be the best option.

Not only do I personally like the look of ravens, but the biggest advantage is their intelligence.

If I’m getting a tamed monster, I want to be able to communicate with it.

“I really like the Moon Raven. It might be my top choice so far.”

“It’s one of my top recommendations too. Adventurers hate it because it’s so smart and troublesome to deal with, but as an ally, it would be extremely reliable.”

“So, Moon Raven is the top candidate, Deep Chameleon is second, and Spike Spider is third. I’ll compare their prices before making a final decision.”

“That sounds good. I’m excited to see which one you choose.”

“Me too. Thanks again, Sheila. I really appreciate all your help.”

“Not at all. If you ever need more advice on tamed monsters, just ask. I’ll gather as much information as I can.”

Sheila is truly dependable.

As a way to thank her, I made a mental note to treat her to some Japanese food soon.

For now, I stared at my tablet, carefully considering which monster to choose as my new companion.

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