Damn is farmwork exhausting! It’s been days since I started my farming project. I had to put my adventuring career on hold for the time being just to give me some free time. The guild master seemed to understand at the very least. But that’ll mean my income will be on pause as well.

  I had Zeph and his kobold stooges gather more seeds but so far there wasn’t any luck. I didn’t think it would be that easy anyway. In the meantime, I regularly visited the gnolls homebase to make sure that the crops were growing well as well as visiting the gnolls themselves to make sure that they are taken care of well.

  Katherine meanwhile never left me out of her sight, she still seems convinced that I have some big scheme going on it seems. Eh, let her think what she wants. I am planning to conquer this world after all.

  During the time I was tending to the fields, Katherine began some small talk with me. “…For a monster that claims to plan to conquer the world you sure seem to work much harder than even humans. And all on some project that may not even work. How are you even sure the Gnolls are going to continue with the work after you’re done here?”

  She gazed at me, expecting an answer. I took a moment to stop and answer her questions. “Truthfully, I’m not sure myself. It’d be up to them to make it work. And it’ll be something completely different than what they know their entire lives.”

  “So why do it if there’s a good chance for it to fail?” she retorted, a little red in her face.

  “All for my goal of conquering the world of course. No other reason but that.” I merely answered.

  “Ugh, you’re the weirdest ruler I’ve ever met you know that?” She shook her head, deciding she was done with our conversation and allowed me to continue without further interruption.

  As I continued the days of cultivating, I was finally starting to see some results. The [Wheat Seed] and [Potato Seeds] both have started to sprout with little plants that could fit even in my claws. It shouldn’t be long now before they’ll be ready to harvest. As for the [Red Meat Mushrooms] they have already begun to double from what I initially planted. This alone should hopefully be enough to help satisfy the gnolls’ appetites.

  Seeing the growing results, I doubled down on maintaining the fields. Even taking the time fill up the well with my own water produced by my [Basic Elemental Magic]. I had previously tested and found I could make the water drinkable with little to no purity although it would take more mana out of me. I should also show the gnolls how to make filtered water as well so they can fill it up themselves.

  Of course, I still made sure to keep up my training. Taking what little free time I could muster to practice my swordsmanship to something a little more consistent. I can feel the progress growing albeit slower than from actual combat, but I could intuitively sense that I was close to creating this [Weapon Style] that the guild master was referring to. I was curious to see what kind I would develop since I doubt I was going to learn a known style from a trainer. Nor did I want to.

  I started to imagine what it would entail. Probably it would utilize my…... stature and would provide me some ease of mobility. Well, whatever I end up developing I’m sure it’ll be badass. ~

  More days had passed and finally I managed to yield some crops. The [Potatoes] have now fully grown and was ready to be harvested. As well the [Red Meat Mushrooms] multiplied so much that it practically covered the entire cave.

  Katherine looked on through the fields in amazement. “I can give praise where it’s due. You have accomplished much. The question now is, will this be enough for the Gnolls?”

  Hah praise from her? Guess even she can recognize my greatness too from times.

  “Veehahahahaha, well why don’t we go retrieve them and find out shall we? ~”

  We went back to the Mivtic Kingdom and released the gnolls, who had proven to have stayed on their best behavior. They barely managed to maintain their appetites to just enough to not lose themselves, so they were still aware enough to follow directions. We managed to lead them back to their home base with little trouble.

  When we arrived my gnolls were shocked. Looking at the new fields, the waterway, and well they couldn’t believe their eyes.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “W-what is all this Chieftain? The plants, the waters and these tools?” One of them managed to ask as they eyed the area.

  “This is your new farm field my Gnoll minions. ~” I announced, walking to grab a hoe and hold it in my claws.

  They instinctively lowered into a battle stance, confusing the hoe as a weapon. I couldn’t help but chuckle at their response before I started demonstrating on how to use it. “I’ll be showing you the basics on farming so you will be able to grow your own abundance of food!”

  My Gnolls stared at me for a second before looking at one another, unsure how to respond. Fair enough, this isn’t exactly something one would expect them to do after all. They started to discuss amongst themselves.

  “F-farming? Would that really work....”

  “But they’re plants. Are they even going to be satiating enough for our appetite?”

  Lucky enough I had prepared for it. I brought some newly grown [Potatoes] as well some [Red Meat Mushroom] together. First handing them the mushrooms and urging them to taste them. They reluctantly took a bite with a look of worry but the second it touched their tongues their expressions changed to joy. They immediately started to wolf down on them like it was going to spoil if they didn’t finish it right away.

  “Wh-what is this?! It looks like mushrooms, but it tastes just like meat!!” One Gnoll yelled as they stuffed their face.

  Another started to rub their bellies in satisfaction. “Not only that but it fills me up despite its size!”

  I gave a toothy smile as I explained. “That right there are [Red Meat Mushrooms]. They are grown in damp locations. Your caves proved to be ideal locations to cultivate them. They only take a few days before they multiple as well. If you manage it right, you’ll have more than enough to keep you filled.”

  Their eyes widen, mouths drooling, and their tails wagging like puppies. “R-really?”

  I nodded then presented them the [Potatoes] “Then we have these. The more crops you grow the more you can eat right?”

  They looked at the [Potatoes] with revolt, clearing not seeing them as edible foods. Seeing this I decided to try a step further by grabbing a few of them and forging a pot made from my supply of [Copper] to create a big cooking pot for them. I then created a fireplace below the pot using some of the leftover [Log] and [Rock]. Afterwards I used my [Basic Elemental Magic] and filled it with water before setting the fireplace on fire and letting it heat the pot. I picked out the eyes off of the [Potatoes] before dropping them on the pot as the water began to boil.

  All the while my Gnolls looked at my work with interest, wondering what I was doing. But as the boiling water slowly cooked the [Potatoes] the smell of it started to get to them as they drooled and sniffed at the air.

  Soon enough, the [Potatoes] were finished and I let them cool before carrying them with some makeshift wooden bowls and offering them to my hungry hyenas. “Enjoy, careful it’s hot. ~”

  Any reluctance they had before was gone before they each started to grab a boiled potato and bit on them, struggling a bit and gasping for air as the heat of the freshly cooked meal reached their mouths. Regardless they seemed like they enjoyed it.

  All the while the priestess looked on with amazement as she asked. “Since when could you cook?”

  “Picked up on a few things at Greyston. Though I don’t have too much knowledge on making bread. That will be something they would have to learn to do themselves. But at least I’ll forge them a stone oven.”

  While the Gnolls where busy enjoying the boiled potatoes, I used some [Stone] to build them a simple stone oven with it easy to use by adding logs at the bottom and lighting it up. I had brought me a handful of [Wheat] and [Yeast] from the farmers back on Greyston. Of course I made sure to pay them for it.

  I then used more [Stone] and a bit of [Wood] to make a few [Hand Mills] which are designed with a stone disc shape with a handle. After they finished their meals the gnolls looked on, intrigued at how I was going to make [Wheat] into food next. They would have been skeptical if not for the fact that I already showed them how good the potatoes were so instead they were curious to see how it worked. Paying attention to what I did.

  After making my flour then mixing it with the water and [Yeast] to make dough, I proceeded to start a fire on the oven and have the dough baked. While we waited for it to be cooked, I proceeded to use leftover boiled potatoes and had them mashed up and put them on its own pot along with the water used to boil it to create a Yeast Starter.

  And yes, before you ask. I did learn all this to help with conquest. Foods is a must in order to maintain an empire and bread is a well-known staple.

  Once I was done it was time to check the dough cooking. For the first time I should say I managed to make a half decent set of bread. It could use some work, but I’ll leave it up to my Gnolls to figure it out as they’ll be the ones handling it from now on. And with the way they watched me I’d say they’re more than capable of figuring that part out.

  The smell was too much for them, despite just eating not to long ago they couldn’t help but eat the freshly made bread. They nearly howled in the food, clearly loving the bread despite how poorly made I did with it.

  “So, what do you say to farming now that you got a taste of what they could grow into. Think you’re all up to the challenge? ~”

  They howled even louder as a response. They were excited more than ever and couldn’t wait to get started. Thus was the beginning of the gnoll farming and an end to their starvation. ~

  Meanwhile, Katherine looked on with a dumbfounded face. Processing my achievement on what she had considered impossible as she quietly whispered to herself. “…the tiny lizard’s crazy plan is actually working….”