Axel continued his harvests, swapping between [Potatoes], [Corn], and [Apples]. He was so preoccupied with his harvesting that he had forgotten to eat lunch. It wasn't until the growling pangs of his stomach's disapproval finally shook him out of his trance.

Axel reached into his [Inventory] and pulled out one of the [Apples] he had collected earlier. The red fruit smelled delectable and made his tongue water in anticipation. He took a bite out of it, a small crunch accompanied the sweet nectar that coated his lips. The pulp slid down his throat, the juice quenching his thirst. It was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted, it was just so good. Axel wanted more, to shove the contents of his harvest down his throat. But, if the fruit tasted that delicious maybe it would fetch a higher price.

He could only hope that was the case as he headed off to the Farmer's Market, pushing the thought of John Smith and Gina to the deepest recesses of his mind. He would do his best to free her and stop John Smith, but that would be a problem for future him. Current him needed to be stronger if he wanted a chance to save her and ensure he didn’t fall back into slavery.

After depositing his crops at the same straw hat appraisal lady, Axel went back to farming, focusing only on [Apples], [Potatoes], and [Corn], since the [Tomatoes] looked the least appetizing of them all. It was tiring and exhausting work, but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow under the full moon, Axel continued to toil away until exhaustion set in. His body was drenched in sweat, evidence of his hard labor, yet the cool night breeze provided a welcome relief against his overheated skin.

Axel took one final glance at the place. His eyes swept across the horizon before turning away, deciding that the day was done and that he should collect his cut of the crops. Like yesterday the queue was lengthy, twisting and turning like a restless serpent, but moving fast, thanks to the skilled lady at the stall.

It was unfortunate that he could not pass her the crops he had gathered in the afternoon, apparently, they had a cutoff time of 4 pm. Axel just rolled his eyes at the statement and collected his coins. When he attempted to ask which crop sold for the most the lady shooed him away, claiming that he was holding up the line. It was a simple answer, probably a one-liner at most, but here she spent more time and effort asking him to bugger off than to give him a straight answer.

Today was the day he earned the most amount of coins, his cut from the sales plus the [Gold Coins] he looted nabbed him more than 800 [Gold Coins]. Of course, Axel was ecstatic, getting closer to that elusive 1000 mark that he needed to help search for his big sister. Axel knew it was pointless since she would have moved on to stronger areas, but that little nagging feeling in him felt it best to play it safe. Then he wondered whether he should opt for the extra search in the vicinity of the town. It was just an extra half a day of work, it would not be that bad. Right?

Having to spend coins on accommodations was a bit of a downer, but he could not resist the allure of a comfy bed to spend the night in. It was just too enchanting, compared to the rough ground he was accustomed to on his way to Pavhorn.

For the following two days, Axel stuck to his routine of tirelessly tending to his crops, rotating between them whenever he craved a change of pace. Ensuring he transported his produce to the farmers market before the 4 pm cutoff then back to farming the rest of the day away. Not only had he earned enough money to pay off the search services, but his skills had ranked up as well. It was to be expected, but it always felt good when he saw that their ranks had increased. Whether it was placebo or not, Axel was certain that his farming was slightly faster after each rank-up.

[Slash: Rank E → Rank D]

[Strength Boost: Rank E → Rank D]

[Block: Rank E → Rank D]

It was a shame that Axel hadn't crossed paths with Fen back at the Blue Rose Inn, apparently, he was still stuck at Pavhorn for work, but tonight was the night he should be back at Tillage Town for a break. That is if the receptionist was right. And he sure hoped she was.

Changing out of his armor to something less sweat-ridden, Axel made his way to the dining area with cautious optimism. If the receptionist was right, Fen would be here and he could finally get the search started, but what if he was too overly excited and the universe would unexpectedly come in and interfere and Fen would have some last-minute changes in his plan that no one could predict. That sort of anxiety plagued him on his short journey from his room to the dining area.

As Axel stepped into the bustling dining area, his gaze swept from left to right, scanning the room for any sign of Fen. The same bunch were in the area having a jovial time laughing, eating, and drinking. When his eyes moved over the bar, Axel let out a sigh of relief as there sat Fen taking a big swig from his mug. Axel hurriedly over, a mix between a walk and a jog, eager to join him.

"Fen! Fen!" Axel excitedly said, "I have the coin for the search."

"Axel? Oh that's great news. I'm off the clock right now, but first thing tomorrow we'll settle it okay?"

Axel, a bit dejected, let out a sigh, "Oh, ok."

"Relax, it's only one night, it won't make that big of a difference. Just have a meal and relax. I bet you worked plenty hard to get that much coin."

"I did. It was so tiring, I spent all day for the past few days just toiling away at the fields and then hauling the crops over to the market."

"Hauling? You know you can put them in your [Inventory], right?"

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"I know. But, it's fun to put the image in your head."

"It was." He took another gulp of his drink.

A few moments passed in silence before Axel finally mustered up the courage to ask the question he came for, "Hey Fen...so, uh... Is the Pig O' Battle Armor that bad?"

"Not really. Most people just don't like the extra weight it gives, which makes it a bit harder to move about. Plus the color throws most guys out of it."

"Oh, that's great." Axel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why? Did you get it?"

"I did. But I saw everyone using the Air Fox one, then I kind of panicked thinking I wasted my coin."

"Relax, in the long run, it doesn't matter. Now just relax and tomorrow we'll settle the fee for the search."

Axel did as told and placed his order for a bowl of [Hearty Stew], he was addicted. They spent the rest of the evening relaxing, chatting, and enjoying themselves.

***

In the morning, Axel got up bright and early, eager to finally make some progress towards his search. In the lobby, Fen was already waiting for him, instead of the tired young man he saw at the bar, there was the face of a guy who would come up and talk to you, and the next thing you know it you're best buds.

"Morning, Axel," Fen said.

"Morning."

"You got the coin?" he asked.

"Right here," Axel opened up his [Inventory] and pointed at the floating screen.

"So would you like to search just the town of Pavhorn or would you like to add on the outskirts?"

"Town and outskirts, please."

"Great, here's the contract just sign here."

Axel picked up the piece of paper that Fen had placed on the table and signed it with the quill and ink that was conveniently prepared on the table before any sort of discussions had even taken place.

"Alright, here's your copy and this here is for the guild." Fen grabbed the contract and hidden underneath the first sheet of paper was a second identical one, with Axel's signature as well.

"Woah, how'd you do that?" Axel asked, impressed.

"Just a little enchantment the guild cooked up, nothing too fancy. Now, would you like to conduct a search for Tillage Town and its surrounding outskirts?"

"Yes, I would. Another 1500 [Gold Coins], right? I should be able to get that by tomorrow, two days max."

"I'm sorry, Axel. The price is actually 1200 [Gold Coins] for Tillage Town and an additional 600

[Gold Coins] for the outskirts."

"What? Why?"

"The deeper into the barrier you go, the tougher the area and therefore a tougher search. Searches require resources and the harder the area the more resources are required. I'm sure you understand."

"I get it, but it's just that both towns are so close to each other."

"Yes, but in the town of Pavhorn majority of the populace there are weak newcomers, while in Tillage Town people here all are at least [Recruit] ranked, some rare ones even higher. It's not that I don't want to price it to you cheaper, it's just the way things have been worked out. People far smarter than me in the guild have calculated out a price that would benefit the customer the most while still ensuring a high-quality search is conducted."

"I mean... I guess?"

"I'm glad you understand, Axel. Now I hope you consider ordering a search from us in the future after you have gathered the necessary funds. Is there anything else you would like, Axel, my friend?"

"I'll just come back later when I have enough money saved up."

"Very good, Axel. Let me treat you to a drink tonight, to celebrate and as a friend."

"Really? Thanks, Fen."

"No problem, and thank you for patronizing Blue Rose and its many services." Fen bowed.

As Axel left the guild to make his way to the farms, he felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he was glad to have taken the first step toward his goal, but on the other, he couldn't shake a sense of unease upon learning that prices would rise the deeper he ventured into the barrier. Axel just hoped that his big sister would not be that far into the barrier. Axel then shook his head, it felt wrong to say that. Deep down, he knew that the further she ventured, the closer she might be to achieving her own goals. To silently hope for her to be close was selfish of him.

The time spent at the farm was the same as any other day. Grueling hours toiling away under the sweltering sun, his leather armor not helping in any way shape, or form to combat the heat. Now he was sweating like a pig, a form of revenge from the monsters that he used to fashion the armor out of. How amusing.

That night Axel enjoyed a celebratory drink with Fen, a celebration for Axel moving one step closer, and a celebration for Fen earning a nice commission for the service. It was his first time drinking alcohol. The drink was bitter and the smell burned his nostrils, but the buzz he felt after one sip made everything worth it. With each subsequent sip, Axel's guard gradually lowered, and he couldn't help but feel a comforting warmth spreading through him, both inside and out.

"I hope you can come up with the payment by tomorrow," said Fen.

"I should be able to, I'm just a couple hundred coins short. Are you in a rush or something?" Axel asked, feeling the buzz reverberate throughout his whole body.

"Kind of. Two days from now I'm heading out to fight the Dreamspinner. I'm really hoping to help you with your search before I have to depart."

"Won't you just come back here after the Boss?"

"There's a low chance that I won't make it, but I doubt it. After the Boss, I've been given permission to go out and explore the land until I hit the next town. I won't be attending to my duties for a while. Anyway, you should really consider joining our guild. We'll help you out and give you resources, and the Boss will definitely be a cinch." Fen gave a thumbs up.

"Aren't you off duty? What happened to 'I don't think of the guild when I'm having a few drinks.'"

"It was a low-hanging fruit, couldn't help myself."

Axel and Fen burst out in laughter and continued drinking the night away. Axel kept to his one drink while Fen continued to down several. It was a good night to enjoy the fruits of his labor.