Chapter 599: The Next Step
The Soul Vessel looked surprisingly ordinary once the twins had finished crafting it. At first glance, it was little more than a regular bottle, unremarkable except for the strange rainbow sheen that shimmered inside whenever it caught the light.
"It looks strange to me. And to think this little bottle is supposed to help restore Mother’s soul..." Adelaide couldn’t take her eyes off it.
"That’s what Miss Yona and Sis Julia told us. Neither of them knows how to use it, either. They only know that it’s been used to preserve souls." Arthur glanced at the bottle before letting out a small sigh. "I suppose we’ll have to wait for the God of Farming to tell us what to do next."
"Then, until the God of Farming responds, we should focus on the farm." He straightened up, as if making a decision. "Mother can’t manage everything herself anymore, so we need to learn how to handle her responsibilities. At the very least, we should keep the farm running until we can bring her home."
Adelaide smiled softly.
"You’ve changed, my twin. Aren’t you the one who would rather spend all day practicing swordsmanship?"
Arthur scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.
"H-hey, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying farming, too, is there? Besides, it’s satisfying to watch the plants you grow bear sweet fruits and vegetables. I don’t see what’s so strange about that."
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
Adelaide carefully placed the Soul Vessel on the shelf before standing up and putting on her farmer’s hat.
"Let’s get to work. We still have a long day ahead of us!"
And so, the twins began learning to manage the farm their mother had left behind.
The work proved less overwhelming than Arthur had expected. Elaina had already taught him some of the basics, and many of the remaining tasks became easier once he got into the rhythm of the day.
Adelaide gravitated toward the animals. She had always enjoyed their company and seemed to have a natural knack for handling them, making animal care a good fit for her.
Arthur, meanwhile, concentrated on the crops. He gradually learned more about the plants growing across the farm, the conditions they needed to thrive, and the work required to expand their fields.
With spring drawing to a close, however, he had another problem to consider: choosing which crops to plant next. Some would struggle in the rising summer temperatures, while others could continue growing well into the new season. If he wanted the farm to remain productive, he would have to learn which plants could withstand the changing weather.
As Arthur continued familiarizing himself with the farm, he noticed Bam carrying the strawberries they had harvested toward the Shipping Bin.
"Mr. Bam, do we send all our produce to the market through the Shipping Bin?" Arthur asked.
"Don’t customers ever come here to buy fresh produce directly from us? I thought some of them might want to bargain for the best prices."
"That isn’t how the market works," Bam explained as he placed the strawberries inside.
"Farmers aren’t allowed to sell their produce directly to customers. Instead, we send everything to the central market, where the produce is sorted and sold according to its type, quality, and freshness."
Arthur nodded, considering the explanation.
"And since our produce is top-notch, customers would naturally choose ours over produce from other farms, wouldn’t they?"
"Not if they can’t tell which farm their produce came from." Bam shook his head. "The market groups produce of comparable quality and freshness together instead of selling everything under an individual farm’s name. That way, no single farm can dominate the market simply because its reputation attracts more customers. It also helps distribute sales more evenly and reduces the amount of good produce that goes unsold."
Arthur could understand the reasoning behind the policy. It might prevent their farm from gaining an advantage through its reputation, but it also gave other farmers a fairer opportunity to sell their harvest.
"Then what happens to produce that’s no longer suitable for customers? Surely the market doesn’t sell spoiled vegetables and fruits."
"Of course not. But if the produce is still safe for animals, it can be sold as feed instead. Pig and chicken keepers, cattle herders, and other ranchers buy it in bulk. That way, even produce that can’t be sold for people to eat can still serve a purpose."
Arthur paused before asking another question.
"How do you know so much about all this, Mr. Bam? I thought you rarely dealt with people outside the farm."
"Elaina explained it to us before. Princess Tabatha, who oversees the market, had discussed these regulations with her."
’So Mother already understood how the market operated’, Arthur thought.
It was another reminder of just how much there was to learn about running a farm. He had spent so much of his time focused on swordsmanship that he had barely given these things any thought before.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t learn.
If managing the farm would help him save his mother, then he would do whatever it took to master the job. Even if that meant putting his own ambitions aside, he wouldn’t let his lack of experience become an obstacle.
𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
Across the farm, Adelaide was already surveying the fields and animal pens with a thoughtful expression. Knowing her, Arthur suspected she was thinking of ways to improve the farm and prepare it for the future they were working toward.
"If Mother can do it, then so can I," she murmured with renewed determination.
Arthur smiled faintly at her words before returning to his work.
Neither twin knew when the God of Farming would answer their call, and the Soul Vessel still offered no clues about what they were supposed to do with it. But they couldn’t afford to spend their days waiting for an answer.
Their mother had entrusted them with a farm, a home, and a legacy worth protecting.
Until they learned how to bring her back, they would do everything they could to keep it alive.