Isaac tapped the edge of the paper in front of him, letting her words settle in his head.
Avery’s words sounded worse than he thought.
He’d known the world was deteriorating, but hearing it laid out like that made the situation feel heavier.
He cleared his throat.
“Alright. Let’s talk about practical matters. What kind of compensation do you expect?”
Avery blinked, almost as if the question surprised her. “I don’t need pay. All I ask is to be allowed to tend this land. I’ll consider it a sacred duty.”
“Even if it takes a long time to become the follower of this Goddess you mentioned? You’d still be okay with waiting?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “The Goddess’ will is not mine to command. If she blesses me, it will be when she chooses. I cannot force her hand.”
He nodded slowly.
That was a good answer for both of them.
It meant she wouldn’t pressure him into arranging some kind of divine meeting. If such a thing was even possible.
Still, one problem remained.
’She thinks this is a blessed domain,’ Isaac thought. ’But what if a blessed domain has some unique trait that my land doesn’t? If she finds out it doesn’t meet her expectations, I’m screwed.’
He remembered what she had said earlier about normal fertile land and lakes being enough for ascension.
That meant the “blessed domain” part wasn’t an absolute requirement.
There was a chance that all blessed domain would do was speed things up for her ascension.
Should he reveal the truth to her or not?
He looked down at the paper where he had been writing.
There was still more he wanted to ask before coming to a decision.
“There are two last questions I need to ask you,” he said, glancing up at her.
Avery gave a small nod. “Go ahead.”
“If I ever get into a conflict,” he said, “would you help me out?”
She considered it for a moment.
“As long as the conflict doesn’t go against my principles, yes. I’ll assist you as best as I can. However…”
She hesitated before continuing, “I would appreciate it if you didn’t expect me to keep leaving the land to fight. My ascension depends on staying here and nurturing the domain. I can’t be running around too much.”
Isaac gave a light nod.
That was fair.
She wasn’t trying to freeload, but she also wasn’t offering herself as some kind of bodyguard either.
She had her own priorities.
“And what if I do something that goes against your principles?” he asked. “Would you turn on me?”
“Please don’t be worried. I would never do that. I pledge it upon my name: I will not raise my weapon against my benefactor.”
Isaac nodded.
“Alright. Last question. What will you do if I say no to your request?”
If that caught her off guard, she didn’t show it.
She smiled gently and said,
“If that’s your decision, then I’ll leave. I won’t force anything. And if you’re worried about retaliation, please be assured that I will never do that.”
Isaac looked at her for a few moments.
If she was this flexible, he could tell her the truth.
After all, any relationship built of lies, even a business one, would be unstable.
’She seems level-headed enough to take the truth well.’
But then again…
’She said she took care of others who were approaching this place. So, she isn’t as kind as she is herself out to be.’
’She claimed they had bad intentions, but what if she just didn’t want any competition?’
That was a possible truth.
However, he doubted Avery did that with bad intentions.
Her system profile had marked her as noble and upright.
It meant her levelled words were her true personality.
He stared at her for a moment longer, weighing the pros and cons.
On one hand, if he kept up the lie and she eventually discovered the truth, that would almost certainly damage any trust between them.
On the other hand, if he told her now and she reacted badly… well, he had a few backup plans.
’Professor Catherine wouldn’t let me die,’ he thought. ’And worst-case scenario, I can just go all out.’
He adjusted his grip on the pen, then looked her in the eye.
“Avery,” he began. “Thanks for answering my questions. But before I accept your request, there’s something I need you to know.”
Her expression remained composed, but he could tell she was listening carefully.
“This land it’s not a blessed domain.”
Avery blinked.
There was a pause, like she hadn’t fully processed what he said. Then she tilted her head slightly.
“This land isn’t blessed by the Goddess of Fertility, Love, and War?” she asked.
Isaac shook his head. “No. It’s not. I’ve never met the goddess. I’ve never spoken to her either. Whatever this place is, it’s not because of a divine blessing.”
This time, the surprise showed clearly on her face.
“You’re not chosen by the goddess, which is how you created this blessed domain?” she asked.
“No,” he replied. “I’m not.”
She didn’t respond right away.
Her gaze drifted, brow furrowed in confusion.
After a moment, she glanced back at him.
“May I examine the land once?”
Isaac nodded. “Go ahead.”
They stepped outside the house together.
There was a faint breeze in the air. The crops swayed gently, healthy and strong, not a single patch of withering in sight.
The soil looked rich, the air around it clean and vibrant.
Avery walked slowly.
She didn’t say anything.
For nearly ten minutes, she wandered, pausing occasionally to kneel and press her hand to the ground.
She observed the leaves, the stems, the roots that peeked slightly from the soil.
She tested the air with a subtle wave of mana and stood still, letting it return to her.
Isaac remained standing near the farm, watching her.
He didn’t say anything, and let her take her time.
Finally, she returned.
She looked calm, but her eyes were searching.
“Are you certain this land isn’t blessed by the goddess?” she asked.
“I’m sure of it,” he said. “It turned out like this due to certain reasons, but those reasons do not include the interference of the goddess.”
She stood there for another moment, thinking.
Then her gaze shifted to his shoulder.
Tyr, with puffed-up pride, he stood tall—well, as tall as something palm-sized could.
His wooden chest swelled as if to say Isaac was the best.
Avery’s eyes lingered on him for a second, amused.
“May I ask how this land became… like this?” she said at last, turning back to Isaac.
“I can’t answer that.”
“I understand,” she said.
She didn’t seem offended.
Her eyes returned to the field once more. She studied the land again, this time with less confusion and more respect.
“It’s surprising,” she murmured. “Even without a divine blessing, the foundation here is near perfect. I’ve rarely seen anything like it.
“The soil density, the spiritual integrity of the land, the mana flow underneath. All of it is stable, natural, and self-sustaining.
“Anything that grows here, it won’t wither. No pest, no disease, no corruption could survive here.
“The boundary itself seems to reject them.”
She turned to him again.
“That’s why I thought it was a blessed land.”
Isaac nodded. “I understand.”
Avery folded her arms, her gaze drifting back to the farm.
She stood there for a few seconds, then looked at him again.
“Can I… know the answer to my request?” she asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Can I be the caretaker of this land?”
Isaac blinked.
The question caught him off guard.
He had expected some follow-up, maybe more questions about the soil or the source of the land’s resilience.
Or leave directly.
“You’re willing to do that?” he asked. “Even knowing it’s not a blessed domain?”
Avery nodded without hesitation. “Yes. I am. I see no reason to reject bonding with such a fertile land.”
Isaac considered it for a few more seconds, then gave a small smile.
“Then I’d be happy to have you.”
Avery’s lips curved into a smile of her own.
She turned again to the fields.
“I’ll begin the bonding process then,” she said. “It’ll take several weeks.”
Isaac didn’t say anything, letting her continue.
“Until then, I’ll be in a dormant state. But you don’t need to worry. I’ll set up a magical barrier around the land before I begin. It’ll protect your field from any outside threats—whether physical, spiritual, or magical.”
Isaac nodded slowly.
That was more than he expected.
“When I wake up,” she continued, “I’ll be able to nurture your crops directly. You’ll notice a difference almost immediately. The quality will shoot up across the board.”
He raised an eyebrow.
Avery glanced at him, then added,
“If you allow me, I could also extend my influence a little farther. It doesn’t have to stop at your farm. I could expand it beyond, and cover the city. It will allow me to create natural creeks and purify the water in the city. The people living here would benefit. Their food, their health… everything would improve.”
Isaac’s expression shifted.
He understood her intentions, but she shook his head.
“I can’t give you permission for that. The city doesn’t belong to me.”
Avery paused. “It doesn’t?”
“No,” Isaac said.
She looked at him, a little confused.
“You’re not… the Lord of this city? I thought you were the Lord of the humans.”
Isaac let out a quiet chuckle. “No. Not even close.”
There was a short silence before Avery spoke again.
“I just assumed,” she said, sounding slightly apologetic. “You’re the strongest person here, so I thought this territory belonged to you.”
Avery glanced around the field once more, then stopped.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as she stared at empty space next to the house.
“I apologize. I almost forgot about her,” she said quietly. “She’s seems stronger than you. Is she the Lord of the humans, then?”