《GOOD MORNING》 《TODAY'S WEATHER: LIGHT RAIN》
《NOW FOR SOME NEWS: A merchant wagon was seen stuck in the mud outside town. They might need help unloading goods.》
《LAST CHAPTER: Anya gained Farming Level 2, met Emeric the bard and Ademar the adventurer, took on stump-clearing work, bought potato seeds, and repaired her watering can.》
《MARKET BRIEF: EGGS - 45, POTATOES - 12, TOMATOES - 16, ONIONS - 10》
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Morning brought a soft tapping on the farmhouse roof. Rain drifted across the fields, turning the earth dark and moist.
Anya stepped outside, letting a light drizzle fall on her shoulders. Unlike a harsh storm, this gentle rain promised nourishment for the soil.
She lifted her gaze to the overcast sky, grateful that she might not need to water her crops today. Saving stamina was always welcome.
She walked to the patch where her unknown seeds had sprouted. Their leaves looked stronger now, green and vibrant.
Perhaps, if luck held, they would be ready to harvest soon. She checked the onions too.
Tiny green shoots poked through the damp earth. The potato plot was still bare, but she trusted that beneath the soil, life stirred.
Since the rain was soft, she decided to avoid watering for now.
《STAMINA: 100/100》
She had her full energy. With that, she could consider other tasks.
She only had 25 coin left. Perhaps she could find a small job or two in Westshire again.
She also remembered the merchant wagon stuck in mud, as mentioned in the morning news. That might be an opportunity.
Anya grabbed her iron spade and old scythe and set off. The scythe needed sharpening eventually, but coin was tight.
On the way to town, she noticed deeper puddles along the road. In the distance, she saw a wagon tilted at an angle, a pair of frustrated travelers trying to push it free.
Approaching, she found a pair of merchants—a man and a woman—frowning at a wheel half-sunk in mud.
The man greeted her, "Could use a hand. If you help lighten the load by carrying a few crates into town, we'll pay something."
"How much?" Anya asked, glancing at their cargo. She saw wooden boxes likely filled with dried goods or seeds.
"10 coin if you carry two crates," said the woman. "We're low on funds ourselves, but we'll pay what we can. Also, we've got some spare radish seeds. We can part with a few as a bonus."
Coin and seeds. That sounded fair. "Deal," Anya said.
She took hold of a crate. It was heavy, but manageable. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 90/100》
She carried it toward Westshire, following the road's gentle slope. Returning, she grabbed the second crate. 《STAMINA UPDATED: 80/100》
After helping them move both crates to a drier patch closer to town, the merchants handed her a small pouch. 《COIN: 00035》 and a tiny packet labeled "Radish Seeds x3."
"Thanks," said the woman. "We'll remember your kindness. If we set up shop in town, we might offer discounts later."
Anya nodded and continued into Westshire. The drizzle made the wooden planks of the store's porch glisten.
She found Colette inside, rearranging stock. Colette noticed the radish seeds.
"Nice find. Radishes grow fast," she said. "Might give you a quick harvest if planted soon."
Good to know. Fast crops meant faster coin. Anya now had radish seeds, onions, potatoes, and unknown plants.
Variety would help her income stream. She wondered if it was time to invest in something else, but with only 35 coin, her options were limited.
Emeric's lute music drifted from somewhere near the tavern. Anya followed the sound and found him leaning under an awning.
"Rainy morning," he said, plucking a gentle tune. "I hear the mayor might need help preparing for the upcoming festival. Might pay a bit, or at least earn goodwill."
"Goodwill might lead to better opportunities," Anya mused. She thanked Emeric for the tip and sought out Mayor Lambert.
She found him under the eaves of his office, scanning a sheet of parchment.
"Good morning, Mayor," Anya said. "Need help for the festival?"
Lambert nodded. "Yes. We want to hang decorations around the square. Need sturdy poles and fresh flowers."
"Problem is, we're short on flowers since the rain slowed the gathering. If you pick some wildflowers from the meadow west of here and bring them back, I'll pay 20 coin."
"Also, I might grant you early access to our storage shed next week."
Extra storage sounded valuable. She agreed. "I'll do it. Where exactly?"
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"Just beyond Linus's place, there's a meadow with white and blue wildflowers. Grab a handful of each."
Anya knew roughly where that was. She set out west, passing the orchard and Linus's shack.
Linus was out front, carving something from wood. He waved.
The meadow beyond was soaked, grass brushing her ankles. Among the green, she spotted clusters of white flowers and a patch of blue ones further on.
Harvesting flowers required gentle care. She bent and gathered them, careful not to uproot too much soil.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 70/100》
Blue flowers next, scattered near a mossy log. She stepped carefully, wary of any critters.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 65/100》
As she collected the last of the blue flowers, a soft chirping sound drew her attention. A pixie hovered under a leaf, eyeing her curiously.
She raised a hand, expecting trouble, but the pixie just drifted away. Maybe the gentle rain made it calm.
With flowers in hand, Anya returned to Lambert. He inspected them, pleased. "Excellent. Here's your payment."
《COIN: 00055》
"And consider this a step toward gaining access to the storage shed soon."
Before heading back to the farm, Anya stopped by the blacksmith. She thought about sharpening her scythe.
Crispin greeted her from behind a half-finished set of hinges. "Need something?"
"I have an old scythe," she said. "It's still decent, but dull. How much to sharpen it?"
"5 coin," Crispin said, "and I'll give it a decent edge. That'll help you clear weeds or harvest certain crops faster."
With 55 coin, she could afford 5. She handed over the pouch.
《COIN: 00050》
Crispin took the scythe and ran a whetstone along the blade. Sparks danced. Soon, the scythe had a keener edge.
《Old Scythe (Sharpened) - Durability 8/10, Harvest Efficiency +25%, Slight Speed Increase》
Anya thanked him and returned home. The rain had softened to a mist. Her crops looked well-watered, their leaves catching droplets.
She decided to plant the radish seeds right away, given their fast growth. She tilled a small patch beside the potatoes and carefully tucked the radish seeds in.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 55/100》
No watering needed today. She wiped her forehead, smearing a bit of mud.
She considered what else to do with her time. Maybe she could try foraging near the edge of the forest, just a short distance, to find something to sell.
With a sharpened scythe, she could at least clear brush. Still, she recalled warnings about forest creatures.
She glanced at her inventory: Wood pieces, rope, a few basic items. If she ever learned crafting, maybe she could build a simple fence or a storage box.
For now, she knew too little. Maybe Landry, the librarian, had books on basic crafting or tool care.
She headed into Westshire again, the path slick underfoot. The librarian's building was small.
Landry, a middle-aged man with glasses perched on his nose, looked up from a dusty tome. "Looking for knowledge?" he asked softly.
"Something on basic crafting or farm improvements," Anya said.
He pointed to a shelf where a few old scrolls lay. She unrolled one and found simple instructions on building a small crate.
Another had tips on basic composting to improve soil quality. She read quickly.
《STAMINA: 55/100》
She learned that if she combined wood and rope, she could fashion a small storage crate for farm produce. It wouldn't be large, but better than nothing.
She thanked Landry and returned home with this new knowledge in mind.
At the farmhouse, she tried her hand at crafting. She took the wood pieces and rope. Following the instructions, she managed to piece together a crude storage crate.
《INVENTORY UPDATED: Storage Crate (Small)》
She placed it in a corner of the farmhouse.
This didn't cost stamina much—light manual work maybe
《STAMINA UPDATED: 50/100》
Now she could store extra crops or seeds.
Once her first harvest came in, she would have a safe place to keep them until prices rose.
Evening approached. The sky still held a gray hue, though the rain had mostly stopped.
She walked among her plots again. The unknown plants seemed closer to maturity.
She gently touched a leaf. Maybe by tomorrow or the next day, she'd have something to harvest.
She checked the cookbook. The pages fluttered:
"Your crops draw near their first yield. Soon you will harvest. Bring me what you gather, and I shall share a recipe. A hearty soup, perhaps, or a simple dish that restores stamina. Be ready."
A stamina-restoring dish would help her do more work each day, leading to faster progress. She looked forward to it.
A rustle near the road caught her ear. Emeric stood there, quietly watching. "You've been busy," he said.
"I have to be," she replied. "The festival is coming, and I want to have something to show."
He nodded. "The festival. A week away. Traders, travelers, and maybe a competition. If you impress people, they'll remember you. Your name will spread. Perhaps you'll sell at better prices."
He plucked a quiet note on his lute. "I might sing a song of Honeydew Farms if you bring something special."
Anya smiled. "We'll see what grows." She liked Emeric's easy manner.
He asked for nothing yet promised small rewards in the form of songs and information. She wondered if he appreciated any particular gifts.
Perhaps a fresh herb or a sweet fruit would warm his heart.
Before darkness fell, she decided to do a quick check for any scattered stones or weeds to clear. The sharpened scythe made it easier to slice through tough stalks.
《STAMINA UPDATED: 40/100》
With the field tidier, her crops would face less competition from weeds.
She also considered planting more seeds. But with only 25 coin left, she couldn't buy more today.
She'd wait for her first harvest. If the unknown plants turned out to be something valuable, she could get a nice boost in coin.
As night settled, she stepped inside the farmhouse and reviewed her progress:
She helped merchants for coin and radish seeds.
Gathered flowers for the mayor, earning more coin and goodwill.
Learned a bit about crafting and made a small storage crate.
Repaired her scythe and improved her watering can recently.
Now held Farming Level 2, which would help crops grow faster.
The next key event: the first harvest. Once she could bring crops to the cookbook, she'd unlock a recipe. That might be a game-changer.
She looked over her current stats before sleeping:
《STAMINA: 40/100 (will recover overnight)》
《COIN: 00050》
《SEEDS IN GROUND: Unknown sprouts (nearly mature), Onions (growing), Potatoes (just planted), Radishes (fast-growing, just planted today)》
《TOOLS: Old Watering Can (Repaired, 10/10) Iron Spade (5/10) Old Scythe (Sharpened, 8/10)》
《INVENTORY: Wood pieces (fewer now), Rope, Storage Crate (Small)》
《SKILL: Farming Level 2》
She felt confident. Each day brought small steps forward. The townsfolk knew her name now.
The mayor was pleased. Crispin and Colette offered help. Emeric sang hints.
Ademar mentioned guild quests in the future. Linus, Beatrice, and Flora all played parts in this quiet tapestry of rural life.
And Alice—she hadn't seen the scholar today, but she would probably return once the farm yielded something unique.
Anya blew out the small lamp and lay down. The rain had washed the world clean. The soil was rich and alive.
Tomorrow might bring a harvest. Soon, she would have a dish from the cookbook.
With these gentle strides, Honeydew Farms moved closer to restoration, and Anya drew nearer to her dream of a thriving homestead.
Sleep came easily, with the soft drip of rain from the eaves and the quiet hum of distant crickets.
End of Chapter 4 Status
《STAMINA: Will reset closer to 100 by morning》
《COIN: 00050》
《SEEDS IN GROUND: Unknown (almost ready), Onions, Potatoes, Radishes (fast growing)》
《TOOLS: Watering Can (10/10), Iron Spade (5/10), Old Scythe (Sharpened, 8/10)》
《INVENTORY: Small Storage Crate, Wood pieces, Rope》
《SKILL: Farming Level 2》