CHAPTER 66 - IT'S GRAPE TO BE A-PEACH-CIATED

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The next day was the seventh day when we were due to return to the farm. The girls and I woke up at dawn and planted twelve trees on the lowest berm. Then we went to the [Lizardwing's] place and I built a six-foot high circular fence a hundred feet away from the pen. That should be big enough for them to live in until they become adults.

Since this land was hot and barren, I also placed three artificial trees that the [Lizardwings] could shelter under and dug a small pond for them that should fill with water when it rained.

Then we refilled the water and animal feed tanks and left the door of the pen open so that the animals could range freely over the fenced area.

The stench was still unbearable, so all three of us had stuffed pieces of cloth in our nostrils. Prince Baiyu was conspicuously absent.

“Those demon birds will be pooping over this entire place,” said Kharli.

“That’s the idea. Their droppings will nourish the soil,” I said.

“When will we know if it’s working?” asked Kharli.

“Probably a few weeks.” I adjusted the piece of cloth in my right nostril since it was in danger of falling out.

“I think it’ll work,” said Mo. “I bet this stink means that the manure is very powerful.”

“I don’t know about powerful, but it should work. The clansmen said they would keep an eye on the [Lizardwings]. One of you will just have to return every week to replenish the water and food for the animals,” I said.

“But it’s harvest season soon! Then it’s planting season,” said Kharli.

I shrugged. “If you use the carriage at full speed, you should be able to return to the farm by midnight if you leave early in the morning.”

“Oh.” Kharli looked convinced.

Mo didn’t say anything, but she didn’t look too displeased by the notion.

“The three of you will take turns so that none of you get too tired.”

“Yes, teacher,” they chorused.

“Let’s go back to the house and change our clothes,” I said.

“I feel sorry for the maids who have to clean the stench off,” said Kharli.

“The stink gets in my hair, too!” said Mo.

We walked out of the [Lizardwing] area as fast as we could, all of us eager to escape the powerful aroma. When we arrived at the house, we took off our boots which were coated with droppings and left them outside the gate. Though it wasn't the best, aesthetically speaking, I had decided that I would follow the “function over form” principle, and had placed the showers and dressing rooms right in front of the main entrance. It took us a while to scrub ourselves until we were clean. When we finished, I led them up Skyfang Hill.

“Some of the trenches have rocks at the bottom,” Kharli observed.

“They’re probably there to keep the soil in place and slow the water down,” I said.

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The three of us were dressed in plain, sensible cotton pants and robes. However, we had failed to consider the impact of the extremely stinky droppings that coated our footwear, so the two of them had run out of proper boots and shoes. Now they were wearing house slippers while I, of course, still had plenty of Cash Shop items to use.

The emerald-green grass of the hill was already starting to look a little dry. I hoped it would rain soon, otherwise, it might wilt and alarm the observers from the clans.

“The grass is so soft. I feel bad about stepping on it,” said Mo.

She was always fonder of wild plants compared to the other two.

“They’ll survive as long as it rains,” I said.

“Then I hope it rains soon,” said Mo.

We walked until we reached a good height, and I looked down and gestured at the valley below us. “So, what do you girls think about this?”

“I like it! I thought it would be a scary place full of ghosts, but I was wrong,” said Kharli.

“It’s so big and open! I love running around. It feels like I’m going to fly,” said Mo.

“When I told you about this project, I said that we could all build farms here, but I think I was wrong.” That was how it worked in the game, yet I now realize that it didn’t make sense. There were hundreds of thousands of Adventure Incarnate player accounts, which meant that the world was quite crowded with spirit farmers. Here, on the other hand, I was the only one. It didn’t make sense for me and my apprentices to build farms here when we could have our pick of any places we wanted. “When the three of you become master farmers, you can pick where you want to settle down. I think we should do something else here instead.”

The two of them exchanged glances. Mo nodded at Kharli which meant that they had talked about this before and that she wanted Kharli to be the one to speak.

“This place is nice,” said Kharli diplomatically. “But it’s rather far from… well, everywhere.”

“You’re right,” I said.

“So, if that’s okay, we wouldn’t want to build our homes here.”

“I understand.”

“But we’ll help you with the project!”

“Good, good.”

“We want to help you with the project,” added Mo.

“Yes, I think it’s great. Teacher, did you see the way that the clan observers looked at us?” asked Kharli.

“What do you mean?” I hadn’t noticed anything in particular.

“Teacher is probably used to that,” said Mo.

“Used to what?” I asked.

“They looked at us with respect,” said Kharli.

“Nobody ever looks at us with respect,” said Mo. “Except for the people on the farm, of course.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Kharli shrugged and Mo spread her hands, palms up.

“When Madam Fengying took us to the best clothing shop in Anwei, the owner tried to sell her secondhand clothes,” said Mo.

“She said that it would be a waste to buy good clothes for orphans like us when all we would be doing was shoveling shit,” said Kharli.

“And now we really will be shoveling shit!” said Mo.

I burst into laughter. “I was just gonna say that!”

The two of them smiled.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” said Kharli. “My point is that now that we’re helping people, we’ll be respected.”

“The clans really want to fix the cursed lands, and if we can do that for them, we’ll be heroes!” said Mo.

“I see. It’s good that you’re both interested in this project. Even if it does involve taking care of stinky animals.” I put my arms around their shoulders and we hugged. “In the future, we’ll go to the second-best clothing shop in Anwei and spend a ton of money. That will send a message to all the shop owners that you’re not to be underestimated.”

“But you hate going to the city,” said Mo.

“Well, I’ll probably just send you with Fengying again, actually,” I said.

“No need, Madam Fengying already did that last time,” said Kharli.

I could tell from the way that they smiled that it had been very satisfying for them. “Good for you!”

“What are your plans now, teacher?” asked Kharli.

“I feel it would be more appropriate to turn this place into a food forest,” I said.

“What is that? A forest that gives a lot of food?” asked Kharli.

“Exactly! For now, we need to focus on growing more fertilizer trees, but in the future, we can plant the stuff that we like to eat. We’ll grow fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes, wild vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, edible flowers, and stuff like that.”

“And it’s called a food forest because it’s mostly trees?” asked Kharli.

“Yes, and also because the structure mimics that of a forest. Native and wild plants will grow together naturally, and it will be low-maintenance, unlike the farm where we have to water and weed the crops every day.”

“I like the idea of growing a forest,” said Mo.

“They’re calling us.” Kharli jumped up and waved back at the housekeeper who was at the foot of the hill.

“They must’ve finished packing. Let’s go home,” I said.