After hearing that there was a village that had huge demand for herbicides, we quickly rushed over...

It might be that Firo was excessively fast, but we were able to make it to the region in just a few days.

"Master-"

"What is it?"

"Uhmm, the plants here are pretty crazy-"

"Huh?"

Raphtalia and I both look outside of the carriage.

And when we do, we see the road completely buried in some sort of viny, squirming vegetation.

"T, The hell?!"

It's advancing slowly and gradually, but the vegetation is most definitely expanding its domain.

"The village is…"

I take a look around and notice there were people gathered over at somewhere that looked like a refugee camp.

"Firo, head over that way."

"Okay."

We head over to the camp and start to set up shop.

"Alright, what should I price these herbicides."

I'm sure these will be used to try to exterminate those slowly encroaching vines.

I can see what the accessory merchant meant when he said I'd be able to make a killing here.

So then, just how much profit will I be making.

"Though there might already be a specialist here dealing them out."

"You might be right."

I get out of the carriage to try and gather some information.

On a side note, I changed my shield into Book Shield.  I then turned the shield around to make it look like I was just any old peddler holding a book.

By setting my shield to something that doesn't really stand out, I can hide my identity as the Shield Hero.

"I came by since I heard I can sell herbicides for a good price here."

I ask someone at the camp who looked like they had some authority.

"Oh, a trader. It would definitely help."

"But what exactly is going on here?"

I inquire as I look towards the invading flora.

"What exactly… Our village was hit by a famine."

Ah now that I think about it, I did hear of a rumor along those lines.

But didn't Motoyasu handle that?

"However, we requested aid from the Spear Hero and he returned with a miracle seed that has been sealed since ancient times.  While it did resolve our famine it…"

"That can't be the miracle seed can it?"

I look towards the encroaching vines.  Now that I observe carefully there are fruits and other vegetable produce stemming from the vines.

It doesn't seem like this camp is having any issues with food, and there aren't any food relief aids in sight. The vines also apparently have potatoes as I notice some farmers approaching the vines and digging them out.

In other words, the villagers have no trouble whatsoever with food, but because the plants are growing out of control, they've been driven out of their homes…

Are you retarded?

I'm thinking about it, the seed was sealed, was it not.  There has to be good reason for it to have been sealed or they would have just ignored it and let it go.

So what the hell was Motoyasu thinking?

"Also it's not an issue outside of the growth, but when you're inside where the village is at, some of the plants have transformed into monsters."

Oh, so the plants can evolve.

Are you retarded?

Why must I feel this way in such a short span of time.

Seriously, that guy [Motoyasu] is a genius at rustling my jimmies.

"And that's why you guys need herbicide?"

"Yes."

Since they're farmers I'm sure they know about plant and weed control…

"At first we were overjoyed with all the harvest we were getting.  But then it started growing from the fields to our homes… We tried our best to weed it out, but it just grew too fast."

"By the way, when did this happen?"

"It wasn't an issue two weeks after the Hero left.  But ever since two weeks ago..."

"I see.  Have you tried reporting this to the kingdom?"

"We have.  But since the Heroes are all so busy, it would takes some time before they arrive it seems.  So we're just trying to stop it from spreading further with herbicide."

Haaah… Before I knew it I let out a sigh.

"Have you tried just lighting it all on fire?"

"We've tried everything we can think of."

"Oh, so you guys already did."

I'm sure they've also called to adventurers for help.

I take a look around and see people with weapons who were clearly not villagers.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

A scream comes out from the village.

"What's going on?!"

"Some adventurers said they were going to go in to try and raise their Level.  I tried to stop them, but they didn't listen.  That scream might have been coming from them…"

The villager says that as if he's given up on them.

"Dammit…! Firo!"

"Yu-p!"

She then busts out of the verdure outgrowth shouldering three adventurers who were in tatters.

"What's it look like inside?"

"Uhhm, there were plant monsters inside creeping about.  There were some pretty interesting ones that spat out poison and acid.  These guys here sure are dumb going in there when they're so weak--."

"You didn't need to mention that last bit."

"Fi-ne."

The villager was flabbergasted at Firo's fluent speech.

"A, Are you the rumored Saint who rides a carriage drawn by the Holy Bird?"

The villager now asks me, covering my hands with his own.

"Well… I don't know about a saint, but I am the owner of a carriage and a bird."

"Please! If you can, please help us!  There are some people here who have been infested by the plants!"

"So some of them have parasitic capabilities huh…"

With a remedy and herbicide in one hand, I'm lead into a tent.

Inside I see some people laid down with half of their bodies blighted by plants.

"I don't know if I'll actually be able to cure them though.  But I don't run a charity here, so you better make sure you pay the treatment fee."

"We will…"

It was bȧrėly audible, but I could hear people around lamenting in a low voice, 'If only the Spear Hero didn't come here…' It made me a bit giddy.

In any case, I go to the nearest patient who was a sleeping child that had troubled breathing, and had him drink some medicine.

A dim light appears, and the child's breathing returns to normal.  I then spread the herbicide along the diseased areas.

The child looked to be in a bit of pain, but the plants that were ailing him began to wither away and scatter about.  What resulted seemed to be a full recovery.

"Oooh…"

"As expected of Saint-sama."

Voices of admiration start flowing out.

I continue on to the other patients, feeding them the medicine and applying the herbicide.

After I finish treating everyone, the air around the camp seemed to lighten up a bit for some reason.

Well, even if it's not that major, I guess good news would tend to brighten up the mood.

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

The people here give me their gratitude.

"Give me my treatment fee."

I charge them a tad bit above the market price.

I gotta be careful here.  Since they've already requested aid from the kingdom there's a very high risk that I'll end up seeing one of the other Heroes.

If that happens then there's a good chance that these guys here will instead look to me in aversion.

The villagers are now giving me their money with smiles on their faces.

"Well then, I'll be here selling herbicides now.  After that, I'll be off as I'll no longer have any business here."

"Ah… Saint-sama, if you can, could you please save our village?"

"The hell?! Why don't you go ask one of the country's Heroes?"

"But…"

Ugh… The villagers are now gathering around and begging me as if in prayer.

I'm not the type of guy that would do anything so long as they ask.  On top of that I have no obligation to help them.

"I refuse."

"Please.  If it's money we can gather some."

"…You pay me in advance.  And after, no matter what happens don't come crying about it.  Now, tell me everything you know about the seal that the Spear Hero released."

At my response, the villagers began to pull money out of their own pockets and amassed their funds.  In the meantime I try to gather as much information as possible.

According to what they were told, sealed inside of the nearby ruins was the seed of a certain type of plant, and protecting it was a powerful guardian.

Really, did you guys not have any doubts considering there was a fuċkɨnġ guardian protecting this seed?

I had an almost uncontrollable urge to scream that out but somehow I was able to restrain myself.

And that's all could get from the Spear Hero's… Motoyasu's story.

From what I got from questioning the villagers, long ago this region used to be the stronghold of an alchemist, and it was said that his one masterpiece was sealed here.

And some other details saying that some time ago, this whole area was under the domination of plants or something like that…

"If you had legends like that, don't go around undoing seals!  Did no one really stop to consider?"

Everyone averted their gazes at the same time.

I'm sure they thought it was safe since a Hero brought it to them after all.

It doesn't seem like I can find any more useful information besides that.

And while we had these discussions, the funds have finished collecting.

… This is quite the sum of cash.

Since they paid up front, I can get away with showing my identity now.

"Understood.  I'll see what I can do."

I then change my shield into one meant for combat: the Chimera Viper Shield.

"T, The Shield Hero?!"

I ignore the voices of the villagers and head toward the mass of vines.  Behind me follow Raphtalia and Firo.

I tie the ample bag of money I received to my hip, and walk down the road rife with the encroaching vegetation.