Bloom

Rustle.

Yes, yes.

I’m not sure what to do now, though.

Here’s an idea, do you think we should mind our own business or interfere in world affairs?

Rustle!

Tsk. Bloodthirsty, very bloodthirsty there.

I guess there’s nothing else we could do though.

Turning away from the spirit conversation with Dryad I move my attention to the plants, animals, and insects within the small manor garden.

First, I alter the plants on a genetic level by flowing large amounts of Chaos energy through them. Unlike my normal usage of mana, this is a less precise application of the same general principle.

Watching carefully I ‘prune’ species that appear overly aggressive, or provide no real benefit. For example, that bush running around on frog legs, had to go. Same with the ivy vines that turned into predatory trap vines, last but not least, the patch of carnivorous grass. It’s murder if you leave that stuff lying around for long.

After pruning the vegetation to be more in line with ‘useful’ things, I alter the insects. Ants are given the intelligence and power to allow them to maintain the growing Garden without interference. A few tweaks to their genes give me elemental ants specific to each type of the four elements.

A short conversation with each of the four Ant Queens allows us to arrive at a satisfactory agreement. The ants will tend to my Garden, and I will gradually increase their size over time. My thinking is that with enough time I will be able to create a new race of creatures with a solid link to me.

Humans are reliable, but only in the short term. Their minute lifespans, with the exception of talented Aura users, is too short.

Even worse, I have absolutely no understanding of Aura at all. Mana yes. Magic yes. Aura, hell no.

This means that unless I start at the beginning and work my way upwards with a completely new race, I feel there won’t be serious progress.

While the ants may be small and weak now, by the time I’m through the new race will resemble ants about as closely as elephants resemble mice.

Taking a short nap daily nap, I move onto the next section, my airborne allies. Bees are naturally inclined to a Hivemind similar to ants. As such, with careful manipulation and negotiation we arrive at another solid agreement.

I leave out spiders, because, in the insectoid world they are just too untrustworthy.

Leaving aside the issue of possible links to something like Lloth, or worse, they just get on my nerves.

Giant spiders? No thank you.

Two weeks of careful manipulation pass and my first ‘crop’ is ready.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, money makes the world go round.

It doesn’t matter if it is paper pieces, copper pieces, silver pieces, gold, platinum, or wooden tokens with the face of a ruling goblin!

Money makes the world move.

Any large scale alteration that doesn’t have the financial backing of a heavyweight is doomed to futile failure.

On a side note here, from what I’ve seen so far this world has a rather simplistic feudal power structure.

Kings, Nobles, Peasants. Sir Williams is a mid-ranked Noble, at the level of Baron. Apparently the entire city of Ru-something or other is under his control.

That’s probably why no one is willing to bring up the fact that there’s a magical Garden growing in the center of his mansion.

Such things just don’t make it to the table talk of Nobility, they seem more interested in backstabbing each other for honor.

That might just be my prejudice talking though.

Rustle.

No, see, you agree with me so it’s not.

I turn my attention back to the ‘crops’ that are about to finish maturation.

Normal cash crops consist of things like wheat, corn, beans, and so forth. At least, historically in the long term sense.

Before I died on Earth though, we were finishing the last round in creating genetic ‘supercrops’ things far superior to those ancient relics.

Dryad had grown a great deal in the preceeding several centuries back at the first Garden, however it was time to take that knowledge and apply it.

I don’t know anything about Aura.

But, I’ve learned a thing or two about growing in my many centuries.

Four main trees begin their final phase.

The apple tree, or whatever the local equivalent is called, is the first to blossom. This specimen’s fruits will grant two hundred years of life. The added benefit is it will also raise the talent of the user, by at least one rank.

That last bit was particularly hard to isolate because so many things contribute to a person’s ‘talent’ level.

I may or may not have cheated at several points using Chaos magic.

Ok, I did cheat, but it wasn’t me!

It was the Chaotic Casino! Where else would I find a spell like, Vegetation Variation?

Now, like almost all Chaos spells except the ones I personally design, it does have a flaw.

Although the apples will grant two hundred years of life, and a boost in talent, they also have a secret problem.

That’s right.

Genderchanging.

A man taking this fruit will find his little brother…missing in action, so to speak.

Rustle.

I’m not going to try harder to solve issues like that, no. I’m a Chaos Tree, it goes against my nature to do something along those lines.

Next I watch the oranges, or whatever the local equivalent is called, which is the second to blossom. These oranges are actually something I came up with on the fly.

Seeing as how there is mana around, well, at least I see something resembling mana around…

Actually, scratch that it has to be mana, it tastes the same.

Anyways, seeing mana around I had this brilliant idea!

What if someone could change elemental affinities!

These oranges are the final finishing touch to that theorization.

They do have the minor issue of Silencing the user though. However, is that really an issue? I mean any real magi would be able to cast without chanting a spell.

I can and I’m a damn Tree.

The last two fruits finish at almost exactly the same time in maturing. Peaches on one tree, and plums on the other.

I’m really not sure what they do though.

Rustle.

Well whatever, I’m sure if you grew them they have to be fantastic. As long as they aren’t explosive it’s all good.

Rustle…

Really? Did you think I didn’t notice your failures over the centuries? Who do you think disposed of all of them!!

Anyways, now that our fruit is ready for testing on humanoids, we just need to call Natalia over.

A short message pulses out through the earrings I crafted for my favorite local.

Soon enough, these fruits will flood out into the world from the city of Ruven, and then, Chaos!