Chapter 486

Welcome Banquet – Parfe’s Situation
Some time after the welcome banquet began, Lord Riku of the Seat of Darkness returned.
He looked a bit tired—was he really okay?

“Lord Riku, are you all right?”

“Hm? Oh, you mean Parfes?”

“No, I mean you, Lord Riku.”

“Me? No need to worry. I’m a bit tired, but as long as I don’t overdrink like the Fire Seat, I’ll be fine.”

He seemed to be surprisingly tough.
He was eating the food provided without issue, and maybe you had to be this sturdy to do his kind of work.

“Darkness Seat, how were the Parfes doing?”

“No major problems, Earth Seat. The poisonous weed in question hadn’t reached the inner areas. Will you able to trace the route it came in through?”

“It might take some time, but it should be possible. That was yamagarashi. Since it didn’t reach the interior, it probably wasn’t a deliberate act.”

“Yamagarashi?”

What’s yamagarashi?
Is it a poisonous plant unique to the Isles of the Eight Gods?

“Yamagarashi is a plant toxic to certain herbivorous animals and monsters. Its seeds cling to cloth, fur, feathers, and so on, so it occasionally pops up outside its native range and causes harm. Its name comes from the phrase ‘withers the mountain.’”

Apparently, it causes ecological collapse by eliminating herbivores, leading to the mountain's decline.
It only affects some creatures, and only the leaves are toxic. The fruits are highly nutritious, which attracts migratory birds that eat the fruit and spread the seeds, resulting in damage.
Once there’s damage, you need to dig up the surrounding grasslands and burn the roots, so it’s quite a nuisance.
Of course, it also affects livestock, and as in Parfe’s case, it can impact domesticated monsters, so it’s not something that grows near human settlements.
It’s possible it was carried unknowingly by people, but by studying its distribution, the source can be narrowed down.
It’s scary to think such a dangerous plant could be so close. We really have to exterminate it properly.

“So, what happened with the Parfes?”

“I’ve left them at the ranch for now. They were surprised to see unfamiliar spiders had moved in, but once they realized they could communicate, they were full of curiosity.
Parfes are cautious and timid, but surprisingly like new things.”

“And that’s probably what led to this whole incident.”

“No use pointing fingers now. Still, even if there are several habitats, losing one for several years is painful. Truly, nature never goes according to plan.”

Dealing with nature is always tough.
If this kind of dangerous plant exists in the area, I’ll need to make sure the Kiblinki Saltas are warned too.
But those kids will be fine once you teach them properly.

What do you think about this chapter?