《GOOD MORNING》 《TODAY'S WEATHER: OVERCAST SKIES》
《NOW FOR SOME NEWS: Rumor says a traveling bard arrived in town. He might share songs or trade tales for fresh produce.》
《LAST CHAPTER: Anya planted onion seeds, earned some coin from orchard work, and met townsfolk. She considered exploring the forest but decided to wait.》
《MARKET BRIEF: EGGS - 45, POTATOES - 12, TOMATOES - 16, ONIONS - 10》
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Anya woke early, rubbing her eyes as she stepped out of bed. The farmhouse felt quiet, just the gentle creak of old beams.
Her fields waited outside. She pushed open the door and saw the sky was gray, no rain yet, but the light was muted.
She checked on her planted seeds. The soil looked damp enough. She leaned close and noticed small green shoots breaking the surface where she planted the unknown seeds.
Onions would need more time, but the sight of those first sprouts lifted her mood. She took her old watering can and gave the onion rows a light sprinkle.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 95/100》
Her energy felt decent after a night's rest.
Yesterday had brought a taste of town life. She had earned coin, bought seeds, and spoken with villagers.
She remembered Crispin's offer to fix her watering can. That might help conserve stamina over the long run.
She had 25 coin left, not enough to do much. Maybe she could find another small job. Or perhaps she could find wild items to sell.
She moved to the edge of the field and pulled a few stray weeds. They came up easily. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 90/100》
As she worked, a faint melody drifted over the road. She stood and saw a figure in travel-worn clothes strolling toward her farm.
He carried a lute strapped to his back. This must be the traveling bard mentioned in the morning news.
He stopped at the gate, tapping it lightly. "Hello there," he said. "Name's Emeric. I heard there's a new farmer here. Thought I'd say hello before heading into Westshire."
His voice was calm, his manner easygoing.
Anya wiped her hands on her trousers. "I'm Anya. Just started working this farm. Not much to see yet."
Emeric shrugged. "Every farm starts small. Town folk say you might have interesting crops soon. I trade songs for stories, sometimes even for samples."
"If you find something fresh later, I'd gladly offer a tune or a bit of information."
Anya considered this. She had nothing ready to harvest yet. "I'll remember," she said.
Emeric nodded and continued on his way toward town. As he passed by, he hummed a quiet tune.
She watched him go, wondering if he knew rumors that might help.
With the morning still young, Anya decided to try another small job for coin. She headed into Westshire.
The notice board by Colette's store still had a few notes. One caught her eye:
"Need simple fieldwork done: Pulling old stumps near my plot. Payment: 30 coin." - Linus
Linus was a woodsman who lived near the forest. Stumps might be tough, but 30 coin was good pay.
That would raise her total to 55, enough to fix the watering can or buy more seeds.
She took the note and followed a path that led past the blacksmith's forge and toward the forest edge.
She found Linus leaning against a fence, arms folded. He looked older, with a rough beard and calloused hands.
He pointed to a small patch of ground behind his shack. Two old stumps stuck out of the soil.
"Got these stumps in the way," he said. "Need 'em gone. If you can clear at least one, I'll pay. Both would be better."
Anya approached the stumps. She tried pushing one. It didn't budge.
She took out her iron spade, trying to dig around the roots. The soil was firm, and each swing cost stamina. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 80/100》
She worked at it for a while, cutting roots and rocking the stump side to side.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 70/100》
Finally, with a solid heave, it came loose. She rolled it aside. One done.
Linus nodded. "That's good. Another 15 coin if you do the second one."
Anya considered her stamina. She had 70 left. She might manage.
She repeated the process with the second stump, digging, cutting roots, and pushing.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 60/100》
After some effort, it too came free. Linus stepped forward, handed her a small sack of coin.
《COIN: 00055》
"Good work. If you ever need forest tips, ask me. Be careful there. Creatures roam the paths."
"Thank you," Anya said. She thought about Odile's request for strange sprouts in the forest.
With no weapon or protective gear, she still felt it was risky. But now that she had 55 coin, she could consider upgrading her watering can or maybe buying something else.
As she walked back to town, she spotted Crispin carrying a wooden crate to his forge. She called out.
"Crispin, I have 55 coin now. If I pay you 10, can you fix my watering can?"
He looked up and nodded. "Sure. Better watering saves trouble later." She handed him 10 coin.
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《COIN: 00045》
Crispin examined the watering can. With a few tools and some adjustments, he smoothed dents and patched a tiny crack.
After a short while, he handed it back. "Should water a bit more evenly now," he said.
《Old Watering Can (Repaired) - Durability: 10/10, Slightly Improved Efficiency》
She thanked him and headed to the general store. Colette greeted her with a small nod.
Anya considered buying more seeds. She already had onions growing. Maybe a second crop would help diversify income.
She saw potato seeds for 20 coin and tomato seeds for 30 coin. Onions sold at 10 each, tomatoes at 16, potatoes at 12.
More expensive seeds might pay off later, but she wanted to start small and steady.
She bought a small pack of potato seeds for 20 coin.
《COIN: 00025》
《SEEDS: Potato(5)》
With these, she could have a variety of crops when harvest time came.
Leaving the store, she walked toward the inn. Maybe a quick chat with Mildred would help.
The innkeeper greeted her. "No onions ready yet?" Mildred asked.
"Not yet," Anya said. "But I planted some. I'll bring some when they're ready."
Mildred nodded. "Good. Travelers might pay well for fresh produce. Also, if you ever need a meal to keep you going, we have stew again. But I know coin is tight."
Anya only had 25 coin left. She decided against buying a meal right now. Better to save until she really needed it.
She thanked Mildred and returned to her farm.
Back home, she tilled a new patch of soil with the iron spade. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 50/100》
Then she planted the potato seeds and watered them with her newly fixed watering can.
She noticed it covered a slightly wider area, saving her a bit of energy.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 45/100》
With that done, she stood back to survey her fields. Unknown sprouts, onion shoots hidden beneath the soil, and now potato seeds waiting to sprout.
She felt progress. She wondered if she had gained any farming skill levels.
She looked around, half expecting something to happen. Then a faint light flickered at the edge of her vision.
《FARMING SKILL: BEGINNER LEVEL 1 → LEVEL 2》
《Bonus: Slight increase in crop growth speed.》
So that was how it worked. Hard work improved her skills. Leveling up might help crops mature faster or yield more.
This felt good. She wiped her forehead, pleased to see tangible results.
A rustle by the fence caught her eye. A small creature, furry with curious eyes, nosed around the weeds.
She had heard of forest critters venturing close. It didn't seem harmful, so she let it be.
It scampered off when she approached.
With half the day gone, she thought about making small improvements. The fence needed proper repairs, but she lacked materials.
She had a few pieces of wood from the fallen branch. Maybe Crispin would buy them for a little coin. Or she could hold onto them until she learned some crafting.
A distant voice called her name. She looked up and saw Ademar, a guild adventurer, approaching.
He wore a simple tunic and carried a sturdy walking staff. He halted at the edge of her field.
"Heard you might be interested in small guild requests someday," he said. "If you gain a bit more experience, you could take on light forest tasks. Simple gathering quests."
"The guild pays coin and sometimes gifts special items. You'll need to register at the guild hall in town first, though."
Anya nodded. "I'm still starting out. No weapon, no armor."
Ademar shrugged. "No rush. Just keep it in mind. The guild doesn't force anyone. But it might be a steady source of income once you're ready."
With that, he headed back toward Westshire.
A thought crossed Anya's mind. She had earned coin from small chores. If she improved her standing in town, maybe the mayor would offer bigger tasks or unlock better resources.
She remembered Beatrice's hint that the mayor sometimes rewarded farmers who helped the community.
She decided to speak with Mayor Lambert. He might be near the town center. She walked back into Westshire.
The mayor stood near a bulletin board, chatting with Flora from the store. When he saw Anya, he waved her over.
"Welcome," Lambert said. "I've heard you've been helping around. Clearing weeds, stumps, buying seeds. Westshire appreciates that. We want this land to prosper again."
Anya smiled. "I hope to produce a steady harvest soon."
Lambert nodded. "We have a small festival soon, in a week or so. If you have fresh produce by then, consider setting up a stall. Festivals attract traders. You can earn more coin."
"Also, as you keep working, I might let you use a storage shed behind my office. Good for holding surplus crops until prices rise."
Anya thanked him. A storage option sounded useful. For now, she had only her farmhouse.
A secure place to store crops would help her wait for better prices.
On her way back to the farm, she noticed Emeric again, leaning against a fence, plucking light notes on his lute. He greeted her with a nod.
"Sometimes the town folks share interesting rumors. Heard something about rare seeds in the forest. If you get strong or brave, you might find them. Just be careful."
Anya chuckled. "Everyone warns me about the forest. Must be serious business."
Emeric shrugged. "The world beyond fields can surprise you. But sometimes surprises pay off."
He played a short melody, as if to underscore his point.
Back at the farm, Anya checked on her sprouts again. The unknown seeds had grown a little since morning.
Maybe in a few days, they'd be ready to harvest. She noticed her sentient cookbook resting on a shelf. She flipped it open, hoping for advice.
The words formed slowly on the page:
"Your growth is steady. Harvest any crop soon. Bring it to me. I'll share a simple recipe. A dish that improves your daily stamina. Until then, keep working. The soil watches over you."
No immediate reward, but a promise of a useful dish. She closed the book.
If she could just get one quick harvest, she might gain a recipe that would help her last longer each day.
To pass the remaining daylight, she decided to clear more ground for future crops. She swung the spade, cutting through tough soil.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 35/100》
She paused to rest, leaning on the spade's handle. A thought crossed her mind about upgrading her hoe or maybe getting a scythe.
She remembered having found an old scythe in the barn when she first arrived, though she hadn't listed it before.
She stepped into the barn and rummaged around. There, under a pile of burlap, lay that old scythe.
Its blade was dull, the handle splintered. If Crispin sharpened it, she could clear weeds faster. She picked it up.
《Old Scythe (Uncommon) Durability: 8/10, Harvesting Efficiency +25%》
So it had some stats to it. Good. She stored it inside the farmhouse for now.
Tomorrow, she might bring it to Crispin for sharpening. It would cost coin, though. She only had 25 left.
Maybe she should wait until after her first harvest.
With evening approaching, she watered her crops one last time, enjoying the improved watering can's reach.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 30/100》
She considered cooking something for herself. She had no proper kitchen stores, just a few scraps. No produce yet.
Maybe when she harvested onions, she could cook a simple dish on the farmhouse stove. Until then, bread and dried fruit would have to do.
As dusk settled, she stood at the edge of her field, watching shadows lengthen. She had met Emeric and Ademar today, spoken with the mayor, increased her farming skill, and made plans for the future.
The next few days would be about patience. Crops needed time. Maybe she'd take on one more odd job tomorrow, earning enough to have Crispin sharpen the scythe.
Faster harvesting would save her time and stamina. More time and stamina meant more tasks completed each day.
She stepped inside, lit a small lamp, and ate a bit of dried fruit. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 35/100 from a small rest and snack》
Not much, but enough to start tomorrow in decent shape. Before sleep, she opened her makeshift inventory list in her mind:
《COIN: 00025》
《STAMINA: 35/100 (Will recover overnight)》
《SEEDS: Onion planted, Unknown sprouts growing, Potato seeds planted》
《TOOLS: Old Watering Can (10/10), Iron Spade (5/10), Old Scythe (8/10)》
《INVENTORY: Wood pieces, Rope, No harvest yet》
《SKILLS: Farming Level 2 (slight growth speed bonus)》
Tomorrow, she might see more growth in her fields. Soon enough, she would have crops to sell.
Then she could afford better tools, maybe even simple armor if she wanted to explore the forest safely.
As she prepared to sleep, she recalled Emeric's tune and Ademar's advice. Westshire seemed calm, but opportunities existed for those willing to work.
She liked that. A steady rhythm of days: planting, watering, meeting people, building friendships, and inching closer to a steady life.
The promise of a festival in a week might give her a chance to show off her first harvest and earn real coin.
For now, she slept, confident that slow progress would lead to something good.
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《STAMINA: Will reset closer to 100 by morning》
《COIN: 00025》
《SEEDS IN GROUND: Onions, Unknown Sprouts, Potatoes》
《TOOLS: Old Watering Can (Repaired, 10/10 Durability)
Iron Spade (5/10 Durability)
Old Scythe (8/10 Durability)》
《INVENTORY: Wood pieces, Rope》
《SKILL: Farming Level 2》
No harvest yet, but plants are sprouting. A few small jobs completed. New faces introduced. A path forward is taking shape.