The list of applicants that was produced was dizzying. Benji thought he was very specific but still hundreds of applications were listed, most of which wanted far more than the base wage of 50 experience per week. After a few minutes of searching Benji narrowed the list down to one being that both met his criteria and would accept the base wage. He selected the application to see greater details.

Name: Peat

Race: Quagga Blossom

Class: Hortimancer

Magic: Nature Magic, Shapeshifting

Wage Desired: Any

Background: The youngest bloom of it's family who is searching for a safe place to grow.

Accept

"A.I., are you certain this thing can do what I need it to do?

Fifty experience a week for a Quagga Blossom is a steal. I'd accept the contract if I were you.

"Well, if it doesn't work out I can always send them back." Benji hit accept and another screen appeared.

Processing request.

Applicant has received contract.

Applicant has accepted your terms!

Please designate a spot for teleportation.

Benji got up from the table causing Duncan and Alex to take notice.

"Where you off to, bro?"

"I just hired an alien to work the fields I planted. I'm going outside to meet them once they teleport here."

Duncan looked to Alex and back to Benji. "We're coming with you."

Benji smiled and walked with his friends out to his fields. Duncan and Alex were amazed to see the budding plants lined up in straight, neat rows and the young fruit trees. Benji explained what each plant was and his reasoning for growing them.

"A.I., please teleport Peat by the stone well."

Processing.

Teleportation imminent.

Thank you for using the Bob Employment Service.

A white dot appeared in the air which grew to expand into a two meter tall oval portal. Benji saw a vibrant alien world with twin suns on the other side of the portal. Strange creatures waved swayed back and forth as one among their number walked through the portal. Once clear the portal shrunk down and disappeared with a small popping sound.

The alien named Peat was a humanoid plant roughly one and a half meters high. It's skin was a dark leafy green with an oily shine to it. It wore no clothes and had no genitalia as far as Benji could tell. It's black and white striped hair came down in braids over its shoulders to frame its small, round face. It stared at Benji for a moment before bending at the waist for a deep bow.

"Greetings Employer Benji Ferrell. I hope my words are correct to your ears."

It was an alien but spoke the common language native to Earth. "Nice to meet you, Peat. I understand you just fine."

"I feel great joy to be working for you. I am the first of my bed to visit another world. Please show me where I will be working."

Benji lead the way while showing Peat around the farm. Benji was able to bring up pictures of mature versions of the plants he had planted as reference for Peat. Finally he showed Peat the stone well and shed with what few tools they had.

"Thank you for this opportunity Employer Benji Ferrell." Peat's mouth curved upwards into an unsettling smile.

"You can just call me Benji. Please don't take offense but what is your gender?"

"No offense is taken, Benji. The Great Gardener has shown me images of your race. I wish to be a female if that is okay?"

Benji nodded, not sure what Peat meant. Peat placed one hand across its chest and another over its groin. A rustling sound could be heard as its chest swelled to form breasts which were soon covered by a leafy bikini. A similar garment covered Peat's crotch. Peat raised her arms and twisted to examine her body before turning back to Benji.

"If it is okay, Benji, I would like to begin my work."

"Please do. I was curious to see your magic."

Peat walked over near the stone well and stood straight, arms down flat at her side. After a few seconds Peat began to glow a faint green color. Her toes grew in length before digging deep into the grass at her feet. Three thick tendrils burst from her back to snake their way down into the well. She brought her arms up and slowly extended them out towards the oat and soybean fields a short distance north of the well. Smaller tendrils grew to reach down to each plant before gently burrowing down into the roots of each plant. Finally, her braids merged to form broad black and white striped flower petals that extended out from the top of her head.

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"Transformation complete Benji. In this form I will be able to bring water and nutrients directly into the root system of each plant. My unique biology will also accelerate their growth cycle, providing faster and more abundant harvests."

Benji and Duncan were lost for words but Alex walked over to walk around Peat, staring at her.

"Like the posting said, once you are done tending the plants each day you are able to spent the rest of the day doing what you wish. If you need anything please let someone know."

"You have given me so much, Benji. This is a great opportunity for me to learn from the plants of your world so I can bring their diversity back to the beds of my home world."

"Well, I'll leave you to your work then. Come on, Alex."

Alex looked back at Benji with an embarrassed look on his face. The trio walked back inside and took their seats at the table. Isabel walked in from the kitchen.

"Where did you three run off to?"

Before Benji could speak Alex answered for him. "Benji hired a sexy alient plant woman to tend the new fields."

"Oh did he?" She said with a smirk on her face.

"Not exactly."

Benji explained that he had planted two fields and three orchards and chose to hire someone to tend to them rather than order someone to do it. He explained the hiring process and why he chose Peat.

"The fact that Peat is a woman was entirely her choice. She can change her form at will. She's watering the plants right now if you want to introduce yourself."

Isabel dried off her hands with a small towel which she placed on a nearby counter. "I might just do that."

Benji shook his head as he watched his mother walk outside. He would need to check on the fields tomorrow but it appeared their food problem was solved, at least for now. He still needed to find a way to process the massive animal corpses that were stored in his backpack but they had enough pork, beef, and chicken to last for a while still. Instead he walked over to join Fitt and Lu Bu.

"How is your student doing, Fitt?"

Fitt looked up at his master, causing his hat to fall back a bit to show his bright yellow eyes. "Big brother will take much work before he can use magic but I have faith that he can succeed."

"I was wondering if you could help me. I've got access to Divine Magic but I only know one spell. Is there a way to access or create other spells?"

Fitt's small hand disappeared under his wide-brimmed hat to rub his tiny chin. "Possibly but I cannot use such magic myself. I can teach you basic magic theory and how to use your mana more efficiently but not how to create spells. I am sorry, Master."

"Nothing to be sorry about, Fitt."

You know you could ask me.

"Okay, how do I use, buy or learn more spells for Divine Magic?"

Heal

Heals non-fatal wounds.

learned

Divine Breath

Heals targets in a large area.

20,000

Holy Armor

Summons a breastplate of solid holy energy to protect vital areas.

35,000

Panacea

A divine remedy that heals all sickness.

50,000

Angel’s Fury

A holy adjudicator appears to smite the target with divine fire.

75,000

Resurrection

Brings the target back from the great beyond, returning them to life.

100,000

"What the hell is this list? What do the numbers mean?"

This is your list of available Divine Magic spells. The number is the cost in experience points to learn the spell. Alternatively you can learn them through practice.

"Wait, why didn't you tell me about this list before?"

Because you didn't ask.