Third Outer World Story Series: Pumpkin Sorcerer - Chapter 57
Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter
Despite the harsh sunlight as usual, a faint scent of autumn was beginning to pervade the whole Lean Forest after the severest season of the year.
Pumpkin had been gradually preparing for winter by training the Spalpkins and changing the Spalpkin he brought with him whenever he visited Uriko, but today was a rare occasion when he had some free time.
He looked around the base of his operation and said, “Yeah. But it’s peaceful.”
After concluding the general workout known as morning radio calisthenics, the Spalpkins were occupied with their own recreational pursuits within the base.
Some were playing a game of tag, others were playing hide-and-seek. There were those who were pulling weeds in the fields and those who were carving wood to create wooden swords. It was truly a spectacle that could only be summed up in the word “peaceful”.
But it was hard work to reach this point. For a start, the boars that existed in abundance in the forest had been attacking day by day until the Spalpkins had developed the capabilities to the point where they would no longer be attacked.
The actual labor will, however, commence now since there will be bears going to collect as much nutritionally sustenance as they can in preparation for their hibernation, and Pumpkin and his group will have to have some measures to cope with the upcoming frigid temperatures.
“Well, we have enough magic power at this point to last as long as last winter, so there’s no need to worry about that much.”
Rather, the question was when in the world would they visit the territory of Kunuki to greet their lord… via Crave, but according to Kozo, the lord of Kunuki was apparently intrigued by Pumpkin’s presence. Considering the future, it would be more favorable for Pumpkin’s base to be recognized as a village by being affiliated with the country.
Of course, there were certain drawbacks, including paying taxes, but as far as these concerns went, Pumpkin’s base of operations would be exempt until more was known about their capabilities and ecology.
At any rate, from what he observed in Maunpir Village and in the streets of Kunukihappy, the lord of Kunukihappy seemed to be the type who administered a virtuous rule, so it would certainly be great to meet them as soon as the situation here has settled down.
“The problem after that is the research of resonance spell…”
“Patriach!”
“Hmm? Oh, it’s you, Denley.”
Just as Pumpkin was about to begin mulling over the resonance spell, Denley, one of the Spalpkins, rushed over to him.
By the way, Denley was a child with moderately high memorization of things and a high running speed. He really was the one who understood which information to convey the most at the moment. Thanks to this kid, things have gotten a lot smoother.
So, when Denley came to Pumpkin, it consequently signaled that an urgent situation had arisen, necessitating an immediate conversation with him.
“What’s going on?”
“Bee-san. Patriach, are you going to welcome them? Right now, they’re waiting at the open space.”
“Bee?”
Denley’s words reminded him of something he had in mind as he stepped out of the building.
Yeah. Bees… Hunting Bees? That would mean…
“Bububububu. (It’s been a long time)”
“Ah, I knew it.”
Outside the building, what greeted Pumpkin was a giant bee that was about two times larger than a normal-sized Hunting Bee. However, aside from the normal-sized Hunting Bees around him, the way the individual in front of Pumpkin communicated his intentions through the sound of their wings and dance, as well as the magic power they were clad in, were familiar to Pumpkin.
This Hunting Bee was no doubt the leader he was acquainted with in relation to the Rio incident.
Or perhaps this was what they meant when they said, [I will come to visit you one of these days].
“Well, in that case.”
And so, as before, they communicated with each other through dancing.
The Spalpkins had already learned this dance as part of their general education.
“Zuncha, zuncha, zuncha. (It’s been a while, you have grown quite large.)”
“Bubu, bububububu, bunbubububu. (I’ve evolved from a worker bee to a queen bee, and I’ve arrived in this forest because it’s the time of the season for the beekeeping.)”
Hmm. Huh, what is that? I thought queen bees are usually princess bees that are given special food from birth.
He then questioned her about it.
“Bububububu, bunbunbubububu. (It appeared that the magic power concealed in your dew had this effect.)”
And that was her reply.
Oh, yeah. Was I the cause of this?
Indeed, that much magic power made it that much more nutritious.
“Bububu, bubububububunbubu? (If possible, I would like to set up a hive in this village, may I?)”
Pumpkin was a little troubled by the leader’s words.
As a matter of fact, Hunting Bee and them would have no problem establishing a symbiotic relationship in which both parties would offer magical dew and receive honey and beeswax in return. So as far as Pumpkin and the Spalpkins were concerned, it was fine to have it set up.
But humans will come to this village from time to time… yeah, I’ll ask about that to her as well.
“Tattaka, zuncha, tattatara. (If you don’t mind the occasional visit from humans, it’s fine.)”
“Bububububu. Bubu, bunbunbububububun. (It is acceptable. I have come here to live in this forest to be protected under your care, and humans are not necessarily hostile.)”
“Zunchacha, tata. (Then, let’s find a good place to build a hive.)”
So, having obtained her approval, the leader of the group selected a suitable spot in the base that had been excavated around the egg-shaped boulder from her perspective, and after Pumpkin and the Spalpkins constructed a foundation there, the leader and her group spent a few days building the hive.
Oh yeah. I should introduce them to Mizuki at the earliest opportunity. As friends who will be residing nearby from now on, it wouldn’t do any harm to be introduced to one another.
Also, I need to research the effects of resonance spell using Hunting Bee honey and beeswax.
Pumpkin therefore started to figure out what to do.