Chapter 21

Leaving the village, an endlessly long road stretched out before me.

An eastern road that seemed to go on forever.

Unlike modern asphalt or concrete, this was a bumpy, rocky path.

Though crude – just stones hammered in place – it served its purpose surprisingly well.

The very existence of roads was something to be grateful for.

The Fairy Farm connected to the Sky Garden.

A farm where fairies cultivated ornamental plants.

Though “cultivated” might not be entirely accurate…

You see, fairies simply chatted and played with the plants, and they grew lush and green all on their own.

Wherever fairies resided, such farms naturally formed, and the plants would eventually make their way to the Sky Garden.

The Sky Garden…

A place where all manner of strange phenomena danced about.

Here, one could ride water droplets through the sky, defying all laws of physics.

In games, this place was always filled with various small events popping up nonstop.

Back then, I’d just mash enter without even reading the messages.

If only I had known to carefully study all the phenomena that existed…

Regret always comes too late.

Walking endlessly down the never-ending road, I found myself longing for Earth.

I realized just how mind-numbingly boring it is to simply walk without distraction.

Listening to music through earphones or scrolling on a smartphone while walking – these things were now distant memories.

Without my usual dopamine detox activities, I couldn’t help but feel restless.

At this time, I should have been vigorously performing manual labor, stacking experience points as they grew rapidly…

Swallowing my regret, I continued onward.

The flowers growing alongside the stone road were breathtakingly beautiful.

Yellow, pink, white – the vibrant blooms painted a stunning scene.

It was like something out of a European travel brochure.

After walking for about two hours past a fork in the road, I spotted signs of human activity.

Specifically, tracks left by a caravan.

Wagon wheel marks and footprints crisscrossed the ground.

They were heading in exactly the same direction I was. Likely merchants traveling to the city to buy or sell goods.

At least I’d be able to chat with someone and alleviate some of the boredom.

Around lunchtime, I finally caught up to them.

Just as I expected – a small merchant guild.

Two wagons. About eight people total.

Bearded men lounged about taking a rest.

“Hello there.”

Every time I speak this language, it feels strangely foreign.

Though my body has adapted completely, my brain processes it as something otherworldly.

“Hmm?”

“What brings you here?”

“Traveler? Or a merchant?”

“Merchant probably. Doesn’t look like traveler attire.”

“The goods he’s carrying seem rather light though…”

My identity became the subject of their discussion.

“I’m a farmer. Just passing through the city on business.”

“From that valley?”

“That’s right.”

“Well well. Since we’re headed to the same destination, you can come along.”

Getting permission to join was surprisingly easy.

It threw me off a bit, but I figured this peaceful atmosphere must be normal for this region.

Though healing may be the theme, not every place is this tranquil.

Take the Bandit’s Orchard or Ruins of the Dragon – those places were rife with constant fighting and betrayal.

“Do you need anything?”

“Why buy when you can just plunder?”

“You obtained treasure with your comrades?”

“Why share when you can just kill?”

Such mindsets do exist in this world.

For all its healing facade, this is still a medieval era.

“Care to join us? We’ve got some dried meat left.”

“If you insist.”

“Heh. It’s quite fragrant and delicious. Have a taste.”

During what appeared to be their break, they shared some dried meat with me.

Despite looking rather foul and unappetizing, I took a careful bite out of politeness.

Tough and chewy, it required copious amounts of saliva to swallow.

“Haha. If it’s too difficult to eat, you don’t have to force yourself. We all know it’s not great.”

“Yeah. Not really guest-worthy. But feel free to take some if you need it.”

It was clearly survival food – something eaten out of necessity rather than enjoyment.

Still, the men didn’t seem particularly bothered by it. Perhaps they’d grown accustomed?

“Would you like to try this?”

“Hmm? What is it? Fruit?”

“Did you grow it yourself?”

“It smells sweet…”

Instantly, their interest was piqued.

The scent of sliced strawberries and musk melons was intoxicating.

I felt a sense of pride – there’s nothing quite like having your hard work acknowledged.

“Oh wow… This is so sour yet delicious!”

“Are you selling these?”

“Ah! There’s none left!”

The eight burly men descended upon the samples, quickly devouring every last piece.

There hadn’t been much to begin with, leaving them all licking their lips wistfully.

“Will these sell well in the city?”

“Of course! A 15-year veteran merchant guarantees it! How could these not sell? People’s tastes must be broken!”

“That’s right! Even the lord wouldn’t be able to resist these. Speaking of which, do you have any more? Mmm… My mouth is watering.”

Their reaction was explosive.

I wasn’t expecting such enthusiasm, leaving me somewhat flustered as I awkwardly declined further requests.

The fruit talk continued into the evening.

As we set up camp, the men gathered around discussing how many gold pieces each piece could fetch.

It was amusing watching them boast and exaggerate wildly.

Some claimed 50 gold, others went as high as 90 gold per slice!

While everyone was settling down to sleep, I pitched my tent separately, which must have looked rather odd.

No one suggested sharing tents, citing our tradition of using the sky as our blanket.

With snoring as my lullaby, I completed my first night camping outdoors.

Thanks to their consideration, my watch duty was scheduled last, allowing me to get some rest beforehand.

We packed up in the morning, had breakfast, and headed toward the city.

Arriving around lunchtime.

Symbolic of the medieval era, the castle and city walls came into view.

The sprawling town surrounded by fields and working windmills.

The smell of wheat and bustling people.

This was Reyvik.

Not the small, graphic-limited city from the game, but a living, breathing metropolis full of vitality.

“Make sure to sell that fruit! You could become a real millionaire with those.”

“Yeah! If you go through our guild, it’d be even better! Remember – Haymoon Guild!”

We parted ways with the bearded men I’d traveled with, parting on good terms.

Now inside the city, I felt somewhat at a loss.

Should I leave right away? Or try establishing sales channels for my crops?

Selling could wait until after visiting the fairy farm, so it wasn’t urgent.

Just as I was leaning towards leaving, I felt someone poking my leg.

“Ahem!”

A young girl around twelve years old cleared her throat.

Her neatly tied red hair gave her an air of refinement, clearly marking her as someone from a good family.

“Hello.”

“Pleased to meet you. Do you happen to have any food you could sell me?”

Her speech pattern was oddly formal.

Must be noble upbringing.

The incongruity between her appearance and speech made her rather endearing.

“You’d be better off buying from nearby shops.”

“No! That won’t do! The shopkeepers here see me and give everything away for free because I’m ‘so cute’. I want to buy things properly!”

“Ah…”

“I’m here to learn about trading! Please, sell me some food!”

She was adorable.

Now I understood why the shopkeepers gave her things for free.

Beyond her looks, her actions and tone didn’t quite match, giving her an unintentionally charming quality.

Though she didn’t seem particularly fond of it herself, such things aren’t easily hidden.

I pulled out a musk melon from my bag.

Dividing it roughly into eight pieces, I priced it at seven gold, making each piece worth about one gold.

“Want to buy this? How’s that sound?”

“Oh! A melon! I remember it being extremely sweet and soft. Very expensive fruit…”

“One gold per piece. Sound good?”

“One gold!? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Want it?”

“Of course!”

She nodded enthusiastically, her red hair fluttering about.

“Here. Enjoy.”

“One gold!”

The moment she received it, she popped the melon into her mouth.

Her expression changed instantly.

Her eyes widened.

Her mouth slightly opened.

All movement stopped.

Clearly, she was overjoyed.

“Delicious…”

“Tastes good?”

“It’s amazing! I’ll buy all of them if you have more!”

“I’ve got three more pieces. Interested?”

“Give them all to me!”

Her cheeks turned red with excitement.

Considering the scarcity of sweetness in the medieval era, her reaction made perfect sense.

The extraordinary sweetness of the musk melon likely held far greater value than I imagined.

She devoured the three pieces in no time.

Her natural bouncing movements as she savored the fruit were utterly adorable.

Watching her enjoy it made me wish I had more strawberries to show her.

Back home, my kingsberries must be growing nicely.

Would she react similarly to those?

“Do you want to try some strawberries?”

“Wh-What?! You have strawberries too?! Sell them all to me! I’ll buy them all!”

I only had about five strawberries left, which I sold to her at the same one gold price.

When customers react this enthusiastically, it makes you want to offer discounts you hadn’t planned.

I was reminded that the value of crops isn’t just in their price, but also in the joy they bring to people.

“Too sweet…”

“Tastes good?”

“Yes…”

Lost in the afterglow, the girl seemed half-unconscious.

“No, this isn’t the time. Who are you from where? I am Stacy, the rightful heir to the lord of Reyvik!”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Minho, a farmer from Valley of Starwind.”

“Farmer! Minho, you must be an exceptionally talented farmer! Do you have any more produce? Or perhaps crops you plan to cultivate in the future? I’ll buy it all!”

“You’re suggesting an exclusive contract?”

“Exactly! With produce of this quality, failure is impossible! As the heir to this city, Stacy guarantees it!”

Though lacking in conviction due to her youth, it was an intriguing proposal.

With proper pricing, it could be a decent deal. Details would need negotiation, but overall it seemed promising.

“Thank you for the kind words.”

“I mean it! Minho…”

“Miss, pushing so aggressively could make the other party uncomfortable. They may already have existing contracts or considerations.”

A gentle man appeared, clearly some kind of steward or advisor.

“Just as you say. If the product is truly excellent, we can formally invite you to the castle later.”

“That’s right! Minho, I’ll formally invite you to the castle later!”

“Alright…”

“Perfect! I must prepare the invitation immediately. Fred, let’s return to the castle!”

“As you wish.”

Like a storm, they swept in and out.

Perhaps I’ve stumbled upon a great opportunity.

Though it’s still faint, and I’m not entirely sure if it qualifies as one yet.

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