《GOOD MORNING》 《TODAY'S WEATHER: LIGHT CLOUDS》
《NOW FOR SOME NEWS: A peddler dropped a crate of turnip seeds near the village square. Might be sold at discount later.》
《LAST CHAPTER: Anya arrived, cleared some weeds, planted unknown seeds and onions, met Beatrice, Crispin, and Alice.》
《MARKET BRIEF: EGGS - 45, POTATOES - 12, TOMATOES - 16, ONIONS - 10》
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Anya woke as the light crept through old shutters. She stretched, shook off her weariness, and rose from the straw mattress.
Her muscles were stiff, but she felt a quiet pride. Yesterday, she did something real: planted seeds, met neighbors, made a start.
Now she needed to gather supplies, learn what she could, and find ways to earn coin.
She stepped outside. The fields looked the same as last evening, but she knew progress took time.
She carried her old watering can to the newly planted patch. Water dripped slowly onto the soil.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 95/100》
She had recovered overnight, but watering still took a little energy.
The unknown seeds rested under damp soil, silent for now. The onion bulbs as well.
She scanned the edge of the fields. No pixies this morning. Good.
She checked her coin pouch. Still low. 《COIN: 00050》 She would have to be careful.
Maybe she could buy cheap seeds or see if anyone offered simple work.
She set out on foot toward Westshire. The dirt road led past a few scattered farms.
Some fields were neat, rows of green sprouts lined up under the morning sun. Others looked as rough as hers, either abandoned or untended.
A few villagers passed by, carrying baskets or pushing carts. One offered a friendly nod. Another grunted a simple greeting.
Soon, the low roofs of Westshire came into view. Small buildings stood around a central square.
A well-trodden path led to the general store. Smoke drifted from the blacksmith's forge.
A few stalls had been set up, selling odds and ends. She heard quiet chatter. A calm place, by the look of it.
She paused at the store's door. A simple sign read: "Colette's Goods."
Inside, a bell jingled as she entered. Shelves held seeds, tools, jars of grains, and gardening gloves.
Colette, the clerk, looked up. She was a young woman with steady eyes. "Welcome," she said. "You must be the new farmer. Need seeds?"
Anya nodded. She looked over the prices. The coin she had would not buy much.
Onions and tomatoes were in stock. She considered onions, since she had some planted. But tomatoes sold for more, at least according to the market brief.
Then again, she only had 50 coin. A small pack of onion seeds cost 30 coin, tomatoes a bit more. She thought carefully.
Before she could decide, the door opened. Crispin stepped in, holding a bundle of metal scraps.
He nodded to Anya, then turned to Colette. "Any chance you got that order ready?" he asked.
Colette handed over a packet of small nails and metal fittings. Crispin glanced at Anya's unsure look. "Short on coin?" he asked quietly.
Anya admitted as much. Crispin shrugged. "You can take a small job now and then. The mayor sometimes posts tasks on the board outside. Pay might not be much, but better than nothing."
Colette tapped the counter. "We have a notice board out front. Check it before you buy. Might find a small job that covers seed costs."
Anya thanked them and stepped outside. A wooden board stood near the store's door. A few notes were pinned there:
"Need help pulling weeds at old shed by the orchard. Payment: 20 coin." - Baldwin
"Short on onions at the inn's kitchen. Bring 5 onions for 25 coin." - Mildred
"Odd sprouts near forest path. Need samples." - Odile the Herbalist (Payment Unknown)
Weeding sounded easy, but orchard weeds might be tough. She remembered Crispin's words.
Also, she lacked onions of her own to sell right now. She checked her inventory in her mind: no harvest yet.
Bringing 5 onions was not possible today. The herbalist's request was vague. Maybe start simple.
She took the weeding job note. Baldwin's orchard was on the north side of town. She could head there after visiting a few more places.
At least 20 coin would boost her total to 70, enough for a small seed purchase.
As she turned, a voice called her name. Alice waved from across the square. The scholar approached, smiling.
"Thinking of buying seeds, huh? If you manage to grow something unusual, I'd love to study it. I heard a rumor the traveling merchant might bring rare seeds soon. Keep an eye out."
She gave a quick nod and went on her way.
Anya decided to stop by the blacksmith's forge before heading to the orchard. Crispin worked at an anvil behind a modest building.
She heard the clang of metal. When she approached, Crispin paused. "If you need tool repairs or upgrades, just ask."
He looked at her watering can's dents. "I can fix that for 10 coin, if you want. It might water a bit more evenly after that."
Spending 10 coin right now might be risky. She had only 50. She decided to wait until after she completed the orchard job.
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Crispin nodded, as if he understood. He resumed hammering a horseshoe, sparks dancing at the corner of her vision.
The steady sound had a strange comfort to it.
Next, she wandered toward the orchard. Baldwin, the orchard caretaker, leaned against a tree, arms folded.
He wore simple clothes and smelled faintly of apples. The orchard was small, a few rows of trees with yellowing leaves and sparse fruit.
He nodded when she approached. "You the one taking my weeding job?"
"Yes," she said. "I'm Anya."
"Good. Those weeds near the old shed need clearing. Just pull 'em up. Careful with your stamina. When you're done, I'll pay."
He pointed toward a small shed at the orchard's edge.
Anya walked over. The weeds were tall and thick. She knelt and started pulling.
The effort tugged at her arms. After a while, she cleared enough to see the shed's base. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 85/100》
She kept going. The sun moved overhead. She tried not to rush. Another patch of weeds, then another. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 75/100》
Finally, she had a neat strip of ground. She dragged the uprooted weeds aside.
Baldwin approached, checking her work. "Not bad," he said, pressing a small pouch into her hand. 《COIN: 00070》
Anya thanked him and considered her next move. With 70 coin, she could afford a few seeds or fix her watering can.
She still wanted to buy seeds, since no crop meant no income later. She returned to Colette's store.
The onion seeds were cheaper. She could buy a pack of onion seeds for 30 coin and still have 40 left.
Onions sold at 10, and she might get more than one harvest if lucky. She decided on onion seeds.
《COIN: 00040》
《SEEDS: Onion(3 in ground), Onion Seeds(10 in bag)》
Armed with new seeds, she stepped out into the square. Anya noticed a small commotion near the well.
A man with a hooded cloak stood there, selling small trinkets. He called himself Fulke, a traveling merchant.
He had odd wares: dried herbs, mystery seeds, and tiny charms. Anya's coin was low, so she resisted temptation.
She did note he sold "Mystery Seeds" for 10 coin each. Maybe one day, if she had spare coin. For now, she must focus on basics.
She turned toward the forest path near the town's edge. The herbalist Odile had that odd request about sprouts.
Maybe she could at least see what was needed. Odile's hut sat beneath a big tree, shelves of dried leaves and jars lining the walls inside.
Odile was a calm woman with steady hands. "Strange sprouts grow near the old stump along the forest path," Odile said.
"If you find one and bring it to me, I'll give you something useful. Might be a potion to restore stamina or a special tonic for crops."
"Do I need special tools?" Anya asked.
"Just be careful. Some creatures roam there. If you have nothing to fend them off, wait until you're ready. But if you find a sprout, bring it here."
Anya had a spade and watering can, but no weapon. She had heard guild adventurers carried swords or staves.
She would feel safer with at least a better tool before venturing too far. For now, she decided to hold off on the forest quest until she had stronger gear or more stamina.
The sun edged toward afternoon. She should return to the farm and plant those onion seeds. Crops were her lifeline.
She needed to get them in the ground quickly. She left Westshire, passing a pair of chatting villagers—Fulke and Landry, maybe—discussing weather and the traveling merchant's goods.
Back at Honeydew Farms, she surveyed the field. The small cleared patch from yesterday now had a bit of space left.
She could expand it or till a new section. The iron spade Crispin gave her would help.
She knelt and worked the soil.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 65/100》
With careful movements, she expanded the plot enough for the onion seeds.
Each seed went into the soft earth. Then she watered them with the old can.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 60/100》
Now she had a nice little array: unknown seeds and onions in one patch, and more onions next to them. She hoped for a good yield.
She imagined selling them at a profit, maybe buying tomato seeds or even melons next season.
She decided to try fixing the watering can soon. Better watering would save stamina in the long run. But she would need more coin.
Another quick look around the farm revealed fallen branches scattered near the old fence line. If she cleared them, she might salvage wood.
Maybe Crispin or someone else would pay a bit for raw materials. She tried sawing through a small branch with a rusty saw she found in the barn.
It was tedious work.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 50/100》
It took her a few tries, but finally, she was able to finish sawing through the limb of the tree that had fallen over the fence and move it aside.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 44/100》
She managed to get a few decent pieces of wood. She didn't know their value yet, but maybe later.
For now, she stacked them by the farmhouse wall.
The day felt long. She considered her options. She could rest or try meeting someone new.
There was still some daylight left. Maybe she would visit the inn and talk to Mildred.
If the inn needed onions, perhaps forming a good relationship now would help later when her onions matured.
Anya walked back into Westshire. The inn was a small building with a wooden sign swinging gently.
Inside, a warm scent of simple stew drifted out. Mildred, the innkeeper, greeted her.
"You must be the new farmer," she said. "If you ever have extra produce, I'll buy it. Quality food keeps travelers happy."
She eyed Anya's worn clothes. "If you have a little spare time, I might need help once you bring in some crops."
Anya nodded. "I'm growing onions right now. They're not ready yet, but I'll remember you."
Mildred smiled. "Good. Also, if you ever feel low on stamina, a hot meal here could help. Costs a bit of coin, though."
Anya checked her pouch: 40 coin left. She was tired, but maybe a small meal would bring her stamina back up for a bit more fieldwork before dark.
She asked Mildred about the price: a simple stew for 15 coin. She hesitated, then decided it might pay off.
She handed over the coin. 《COIN: 00025》 The stew was hearty. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 60/100》
Feeling more refreshed, Anya stepped outside again. She noticed Crispin heading home, a small sack of something slung over his shoulder.
He saw her and paused. "Working hard?" he asked.
"Yes. Planted onions, cleared weeds at the orchard," she said.
She wondered if Crispin liked a certain type of gift. She had nothing special right now, just some gathered wood and old tools.
But maybe one day she could bring him something he'd find useful.
He nodded. "If you ever find metal scraps or ore, I'll buy them. Or if you've got coin, I can improve that watering can. Might help your fields."
With that, he headed off into the twilight.
Anya returned to her farm. The light was fading. She checked her crops again, just to be sure everything was in place.
The onions and unknown seeds rested quietly in the soil. No pests were visible. Maybe the pixies stayed away tonight.
She took the iron spade inside, along with the watering can. She had gained a bit of coin today and made progress, but still felt the pinch of limited funds.
She sat at the small table, thinking about tomorrow's plans. She might try another small job.
If she earned enough coin, she could fix the watering can or buy more seeds.
She also wanted to check that odd stump near the forest path, but without any weapon or better tool, it might be risky.
The magical cookbook sat on the shelf. She opened it again. The words shifted:
"You have begun your work. Harvest something soon. Once you bring fresh produce, I will share a recipe. A simple dish that might restore stamina. Until then, keep working. The soil will reward patience."
No harvest yet, but it wouldn't be long. Onions should sprout soon. Then she could unlock something useful.
Maybe a potion or a dish that would help her push further each day.
The night was quiet. She had done a lot: visited town, took a job, bought seeds, talked to villagers.
The inn stew helped her stamina. Tomorrow, maybe she could expand the field more efficiently, or try to gather a bit more coin.
Perhaps she would talk again to Crispin, Emeric, Godric, or the others as she met them. Building friendships might unlock new paths.
Maybe someone would teach her a spell to water crops faster, or show her where to find hidden seeds.
She climbed into bed, the straw mattress rustling under her weight. The farmhouse felt a bit more like home now.
The day's work had purpose. The fields outside might look rough, but they held promise.
Soon enough, she would see sprouts break the surface. She would trade crops for coin, improve her tools, and maybe learn new recipes from that curious cookbook.
And who knew, maybe the folks in Westshire—Crispin with his quiet strength, or some other wanderer—might become more than just neighbors.
End of Chapter 2 Status
《STAMINA: 60/100》
《COIN: 00025》
《SEEDS: Unknown Seeds(? in ground), Onion(3 in ground), Onion Seeds(10 planted)》
《TOOLS: Old Watering Can (5/10 Durability)
Iron Spade (5/10 Durability)》
《INVENTORY: A few pieces of wood, Rope》
No harvest yet. No sales today. A small job done for coin. Some town connections made. Tomorrow awaits.