Chapter 70

It suddenly hit me.

I found myself pondering about the Warp Device.

This thing—if I carry it around and then firmly plant it into the ground, wouldn’t it allow me to return home, rest, and then start my adventure anew?

The moment this thought pierced through my mind, I realized how narrow-minded and foolish my approach to exploration had been.

Setting out from home, reaching a certain point, and then returning—only to warp back to that spot and continue traveling.

“Huh…”

When I woke up in the morning and grasped this realization, I understood that there was no need to rigidly schedule my exploration time.

Sure, all the hard preparation I’d done for visiting the Ruins of the Dragon wasn’t wasted—but I didn’t need to push myself so relentlessly.

Reaching this conclusion, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

A spirit, hopping around on my legs as I sat upright, pulled me back from my daydreams. Suri flew over and perched on my shoulder, signaling the start of another day.

“Let’s go.”

What’s wrong with that? I admit, I’ve been a bit dense.

Cradling the spirits, I stepped outside. The air after the rain sparkled under the sun, mingling with humidity to create an almost oppressive heat.

It was the kind of weather where you could melt. Without air conditioning, I might have already succumbed.

But the spirits gathered at my feet, completely unfazed, exuding their usual cuteness. They opened their tiny mouths, asking for seeds.

With a smile, I reached into my bag and handed them some seeds.

Watching them happily hop around made me wonder: when we reach the end of the planting period in 46 days, how will the spirits react?

Will they understand that we’ll need to stop planting then? Maybe I should build another greenhouse so we can keep farming during the resting period.

For a moment, I pondered this seriously. It might be something I truly need to consider, especially since we won’t be able to farm at all during Winter.

Realizing I don’t have to obsessively divide my time for exploration gave me a sense of relief. Now, I can take each day as it comes, leisurely continuing my adventures.

The difference between games and reality… Perhaps, without realizing it, I’ve become too immersed in gaming. Thinking I’ve adapted to life in the Valley of Starwind, these game-like thoughts still occasionally pop up. Could it be because I subconsciously treat this world as half-game, half-reality?

After finishing my morning routine, I enjoyed breakfast prepared by Evangelin. Then, to stack achievements in Advanced Combat, I headed toward the dungeon.

Slaying a thousand bats and skeletons each, grinding floors 1 through 10 repeatedly. Mechanically hacking away at enemies, one after another, like clockwork.

By the time the sun began to set, I noticed a carriage waiting outside my house. Checking the date, I realized today was the day for trading with the city.

Day 42 of Summer.

Our regular transaction day.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

“Yes.”

Inside the house, Horn awaited me, along with a few soldiers. Their expressions were pleasant—a good sign.

“I apologize for being late.”

“It’s fine. Thanks to your delay, we got to rest in the cool shade and enjoy some food prepared by your wife. She’s quite talented.”

“Haha…”

“Wife,” he said casually, glancing at Evangelin.

Her cheeks flushed, turning the same color as her hair. Then she softly smiled and served dinner.

Neither of us denied the implication.

Me, nor Evangelin.

Just like last time, this interaction felt familiar.

—

“Ah, I have some good news.”

“Yes?”

“Regarding the summer crops—are they already being traded with the royal palace?”

“That’s right.”

“No wonder. I’ve been hearing rumors from the capital. So, those crops are yours?”

“Yes.”

“Apparently, they’re becoming trendy in the capital. Hence, may I inquire if you have sufficient stock?”

“We have enough for the summer—up until Day 56.”

“Ah… So, not like Melon and Kingsberry?”

“Yes, the supply is limited. Since the royal palace has taken most of it.”

True. By autumn, I’ll likely need greenhouses anyway. If I try to trade with two places simultaneously, I might fall short on quantity.

Given the limited size of the greenhouse, it’s best not to trade with the city beyond summer.

“Perhaps, could we arrange for Shine Muscat or Peach alone?”

“Likely not feasible.”

“What a pity…”

Seeing Horn’s crestfallen expression, I wondered just how popular my crops had become.

“Do my crops really lead the trend?”

“You might not realize it since you live here. But among the noble class and wealthy merchants, they’ve become quite the rage. Leading the times, you might say. Often used in cooking, mostly as desserts or after-meal treats.”

“Is it really that big?”

“Yes, indeed. It’s amusing but rare to see such sweet and tasty goods leading trends instead of jewels, love affairs, swordsmanship, magic, war, or politics. Centered around the royal palace, your crops are flawless.”

This revelation left me slightly bewildered. I knew they’d sell well, but the level of popularity described was unexpected.

“What an honor.”

“Starting next year, you’ll need to be cautious. Trends tend to attract quick followers.”

“I’m not particularly worried.”

“Ahaha, so confident in fair competition, huh?”

“Probably.”

Come on. Things are bound to improve even further. If this is what they call ‘leading the trend,’ do I really need to worry about rivals who can’t match this level of success?

“In any case, the trend is intensifying. This means insufficient supply. High society’s gourmet tastes, luxury items—prices are rising, and supplies are dwindling. This indicates increasing value.”

“So, will you pay more?”

“Haha, naturally. Within the limits set by the royal palace, we can offer higher prices.”

He mentioned this before. We can’t exceed the limits set by the royal palace.

Subtly, this kingdom seems to have a very strong monarchy. Or maybe they’re preserving the royal family’s dignity.

As someone unfamiliar with the aristocracy, that’s the only conclusion I could draw. Is there some legal restriction involved?

“What’s the cap?”

“Ninety percent of the price the royal palace pays you. That’s our maximum limit.”

“So, if it’s 50 gold, that would be 45 gold?”

“Yes, exactly. At 50 gold, 45 gold is our absolute max.”

Forty-five gold—more than double the original 20 gold.

Supply remains similar, but demand skyrockets. Rising prices are a natural consequence.

My heart melted at the thought.

Making lots of money is great, but seeing the value of what I grow and sell increase is even more satisfying.

“45 gold sounds good.”

“Understood. How much summer crop do you have available?”

“About 2,000 units of each should be manageable.”

“Excellent. We’ll purchase everything.”

“So, 20,000 total: 10,000 melons, 10,000 Kingsberries. Correct?”

“Yes, accurate.”

Each at 45 gold—that meant 1.8 million gold was coming my way.

I hadn’t expected to make this much gold from a single deal.

Accepting the gold from Horn, I transferred the crops from my bag into the carriage. Watching him express gratitude, I felt oddly treated like someone important.

“Woah.”

After the transaction ended and Horn departed, Evangelin let out a soft exclamation. Her eyes widened, and her fingers formed a small clapping gesture.

“Wife?”

“Yes!?”

“Not really, but Horn called you that earlier.”

Her voice rose at the end, shifting abruptly from a calm tone to surprise.

“Shall we eat dinner?”

“Yes. Yes! Yes.”

She repeated herself, flustered, brushing her short hair behind her ear while averting her gaze. Her eyes eventually landed on the dinner she had prepared.

In the midst of all this, I noticed the slight curve of her smile—an observation enhanced by my heightened senses.

—

*

“Hmm.”

Dream shopping. System listings.

Several million gold.

Gazing at the substantial amount of gold in my possession, I couldn’t suppress my grin. Even if seed costs drained some funds, they wouldn’t catch up to the profits—not unless I embarked on large-scale farming.

Should I open the industrialization module?

Two million gold.

A word brimming with romantic allure.

Individually planting, nurturing, and harvesting—this traditional process replaced by the ruthless efficiency of steel machinery and automation.

Beautiful yet powerful. A word that inspired awe.

And if asked whether it fit the theme of healing, absolutely.

Without hesitation, I would affirm it does—many times over.

Considering my past gaming habits, I cherished the satisfaction of watching an automated farm run smoothly while enjoying tranquility.

If questioned about spending money, consider this:

Arming yourself with top-tier gear. Solving tough quests and achievements through financial power.

Born into a capitalist world, I trust in the strength of gold.

Realistically speaking, investing this money into wonders for immediate buffs might be better. Industrialization requires significant investment and isn’t immediately usable.

Infrastructure, machinery—just like real industry needing proper setup, this industrialization module demands substantial investment before delivering full efficiency. Preparing the necessary equipment will likely cost several million gold at minimum.

While building wonders for buffs and reinvesting remaining funds might align with current realities, sometimes it’s worth choosing for the future, for romance—just as selecting deliciousness in cooking.

Efficient, yes. Future-oriented efficiency. Two million gold unlocked the module.

On Day 42 of Summer, earning millions of gold, he unlocked all modules within less than 100 days.

Living earnestly every day brought such results.

Unknowingly kneeling, lowering his head, touching the floor with his hands…

Achieving something significant stirred indescribable emotions.

“Haa.”

Breath filled with emotion. What it contained, even I couldn’t fully grasp. Tracing the flow of breath with my eyes.

[Hidden Achievement Unlocked!]

Achievement (Hidden): “Mods Enrich Games” (All Basic Mods Unlocked)

Reward: Additional Mod Slots!

Interrupting my musings came the arrival of novelty. Turning my gaze, I inspected the newly appeared mod options.

There weren’t many—five in total.

Floating Island [22M Gold]

New Continent [75M Gold]

Magic Specialization [8M Gold]

Bag Expansion [2M Gold]

Limit Break [40M Gold]

“No way.”

Pinching my eyes at the prices. Doubting my vision, but upon rechecking, the numbers remained the same. Prices in the hundreds of millions. For now, they remained unreachable fantasies.

First day looking at industrialization, wondering when I could unlock these—like a child gazing longingly at apples hanging from the sky.

Lost in that feeling, consciousness faded, slipping into sleep as I exited the system interface.

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