Chapter 113: The Awakening of the Goddess’ Special Ability (1)
[Searching the Black Market...]
[Recommended Item:]
[Sunfire Berry Seedling x5: 5,500 Coins]
[Description: A rare berry that naturally ferments a few days after harvest. Its sweet juice can be brewed into a light alcoholic drink with a fruity taste.]
[Effect:
• Restores a small amount of stamina.
• Improves mood for 2 hours.
• Slightly increases resistance to cold weather.]
[Side Effects:
• Drinking too much causes dizziness and poor balance.
• May make the drinker overly cheerful and talkative.]
[The seeds can mature in 30 days, Host! And each vine produces 15–20 grape clusters every harvest.]
[At least, around 30–40 grape clusters can produce enough wine for one large barrel (40–50 L) after fermentation. Don’t you think it’s good enough, Host?!]
Pinky floated around her, waiting patiently for Maeve’s answer.
To be honest, the decision wasn’t difficult at all. The Sunfire Berries offered far more benefits than drawbacks.
As long as everyone drank responsibly and didn’t become alcoholics, she couldn’t see any real problem with having them around.
’Alright then. I’ll buy them,’ Maeve said in her mind.
[Purchased: 5× Sunfire Berry Seedlings - 5,500 Coins]
[Remaining Coins: 50,050]
The moment the purchase was complete, Maeve couldn’t help but feel excited about planting the seedlings the next day.
If everything went well, the tribe would eventually have its own supply of fruit for making alcohol. It wouldn’t just make celebrations more enjoyable, but it could also become another valuable resource for the future.
===
Around noon the next day, Maeve found Axan, who happened to have some free time after finishing his morning tasks.
"Can you help me with something?" she asked.
"Of course," Axan replied without hesitation.
"I need you to cut down one of the old apple trees and make a few wooden supports."
Axan raised an eyebrow. "Wooden supports?"
Maeve nodded. "They’re for the berry vines. They won’t grow properly without something to climb."
Axan paused for a moment. He had no idea why Maeve suddenly wanted to grow berries, but then he realized that the Sky Mother had probably blessed her with something new again.
By now, everyone in the tribe had become used to Maeve bringing back strange new knowledge and useful gifts from the Sky Mother. Every time she asked them to build or plant something unfamiliar, it always ended up helping the tribe.
Because of that, Axan didn’t question her too much.
"Alright," he said with a small nod. "Leave it to me."
Not long afterward, he returned carrying several sturdy wooden posts and a bundle of long wooden poles over his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Maeve walked around the settlement, carefully looking for the best place to plant the berry vines. After a few minutes, she stopped near the sacred pond.
"I think this spot is perfect," she said with a satisfied smile.
The soil here was soft and fertile, and the nearby pond would make watering the plants much easier. The area also received plenty of sunlight during the day while still being close enough for the tribe to keep an eye on the young vines.
If everything went according to plan, this small corner of the settlement would one day become the tribe’s very first vineyard.
Maeve knelt beside the freshly cleared patch of land and took a deep breath. "Let’s get started."
She opened the System Inventory and took out the five Sunfire Berry seedlings. Each one was only about the length of her hand, with slender green stems and a few bright leaves.
They looked ordinary enough, but she knew they would one day provide the tribe with much more than just fruit.
Axan crouched beside her, curiously examining one of the seedlings. "So these tiny plants will become the berries you were talking about?"
Maeve nodded. "They will. But they’ll need a little help first."
Using a wooden shovel, she dug five holes, leaving enough space between each one for the vines to spread as they grew.
"Not too close," she explained. "If they’re crowded together, they’ll compete for sunlight and nutrients."
Once the holes were ready, Maeve carefully lowered a seedling into each one. She gently spread the roots before covering them with loose soil, pressing it down just enough to keep the plants standing upright.
"There." She wiped the dirt from her hands before looking at Axan. "Can you help me with the supports?"
"Of course," Axan said.
Axan immediately carried the wooden posts over to the newly planted seedlings. He drove each post deep into the ground while Maeve tied long wooden poles between them with strong vines, creating a simple trellis.
"The vines will climb these as they grow," Maeve explained. "If they stay on the ground, the fruit can rot more easily."
Axan nodded. "I see."
After the last support was finished, Maeve walked to the sacred pond with a wooden bucket. She filled it with clear water before carefully watering each seedling one by one.
The dry soil quickly soaked up the water, leaving the soil dark and damp around the young plants.
Maeve smiled softly. "Grow well."
Although she knew they wouldn’t bear fruit overnight, she couldn’t help feeling excited. Every harvest would bring the tribe one step closer to making their own berry wine, giving them another reason to celebrate after their hard work.
From that day on, watering the berry vines became part of Maeve’s daily routine. Every morning, she would carry a bucket of water from the sacred pond and carefully water the young vines, along with the other plants growing around the settlement.
She had also asked the others to plant apple seeds so they could grow more apple trees without having to rely on buying wooden planks from the Black Market.
Life in the Azuryn Tribe was so peaceful that Maeve sometimes forgot she had once lived in a world where she had to worry about paying bills and taxes every month.
Days passed peacefully after that.
The berry vines slowly grew longer, fresh leaves appeared on the apple seedlings, and the fields around the settlement became greener than ever.
One morning, as Maeve poured water over the berry vines, she suddenly felt a strange warmth spread through her body.
"Huh?"
The bucket slipped slightly in her hands and a soft green light gathered around her fingertips before flowing into the soil like tiny streams of light.
The moment the light disappeared beneath the ground, the berry vines began to move.
Maeve froze as she saw the vines stretched upward before everyone’s eyes, wrapping themselves around the wooden supports. New leaves unfolded one after another, and several flower buds bloomed in only a few breaths.
"What?" She blinked several times, wondering if she had imagined it.
Before she could think any further, Pinky’s excited voice rang inside her head.
[Congratulations!]
[Your hidden talent has awakened!]
[Special Ability Unlocked: Verdant Heart (Plant-Type)]
[You can accelerate the growth of plants and communicate with their life energy.]