Agricultural Advice
1. Land Good for Farming: Search near Grace Castle. (Hint: It might not be what it seems.)
2. Edible Fruit: Orange, fist-sized, bitter taste. Must be cooked. — Nado Persimmon fruit must be blanched in boiling water to remove the astringency, then roasted over fire to bring out the best flavor.
3. Making Good Fertilizer: Grind dried Dural leaves and ferment with moss for one week. Mix thoroughly into the soil. Mix again.
Chloe mulled over the information that had surfaced in her mind.
“I’m still not sure about finding land that’s good for farming, and I’ve finished making the fertilizer. Oh! If I mix the fertilizer into the soil, will that turn it into good farming land? Then what’s the orange fruit for?”
She turned the details over in her head.
“The Nado Persimmon fruit has to be blanched in boiling water to remove the astringency and then roasted?”
Yet she had never seen any orange fruit near Grace Castle. It looked like she would need to ask around tomorrow to find out where they grew.
Just as the servants had quickly known where the Como Trees were, surely one of them would know the location of the Nado Persimmon Trees.
The next morning, as soon as the sun rose, Farmer arrived to report on the progress of the wasteland reclamation.
When Handsome mentioned that the man had reached Grace Castle before dawn and had been waiting ever since, Chloe shook her head. True to his name, Farmer was an incredibly diligent farmer.
The moment the lord stepped into her office, Farmer sprang up from his seat and bowed deeply with sincere respect.
He looked far more at ease and confident than on the day he first set foot in Grace Castle. Chloe’s gaze kept drifting to the fluffy, broccoli-like curls sprouting from the crown of his head, but she forced herself to focus on his words.
“Don’t tell me you skipped breakfast and have been waiting here on an empty stomach this whole time?”
Farmer waved both hands like windshield wipers in the rain and answered quickly.
“Not at all, my lord. The moment I arrived, the butler gave me warm soup and delicious bread. I ate until I was quite full.”
“Did he? Well done.”
Chloe shot Handsome a thumbs-up. He ducked his head in embarrassment and scratched the back of his neck.
Even though Farmer said he could deliver his report standing, Chloe insisted he sit on the sofa across from her. She slid the cup of warm tea Anna had brought toward him. Tears shimmered in Farmer’s eyes at the lord’s kindness in sitting face-to-face with someone as humble as himself.
In that moment, he renewed his vow to give his absolute best to the task she had entrusted to him.
“The reclamation of the wasteland is now about a quarter complete. When we mixed the fertilizer Helsa provided into the dry soil, the land astonishingly began turning fertile at a rapid pace.”
Even while reporting to his lord, Farmer’s voice trembled as though he still could not believe it. The more he spoke, the redder his face became. It was no exaggeration to call this the most emotional moment of his entire life as a farmer.
“Really?”
Both Scrooge and Handsome made no effort to hide their delight. They beamed at each other.
Chloe felt exactly the same joy. She had assumed the fertilizer would take days to mature, so seeing immediate results was both fascinating and deeply satisfying.
“Still, keep an eye on it for a few more days. We don’t know how it might change with time.”
“Yes, my lord!”
The status window could be cheeky and sarcastic, but it had never once lied. Because of that, Chloe was certain the wasteland—where a single breath could send clouds of dry dust flying—would transform into rich, fertile ground.
Even though she had not lifted a single shovel herself, she somehow felt like a supremely accomplished farmer.
“What does your family situation look like?”
“I have a wife, two sons, and two daughters.”
“They must still be quite young.”
Remembering Scrooge had said the man was thirty-one, she asked gently.
“Yes. The oldest just turned ten. The youngest was born a little over a hundred days ago.”
“With that many children, these past years must have been difficult. I’m sorry for being such a worthless lord.”
“N-no, please don’t say that! When I think of the grace Your Lordship has shown us lately…”
Farmer’s words suddenly cut off. His lips began to tremble.
“What’s wrong?”
“When I think of that grace… gulp!”
His lower lip jutted out as he pressed his mouth shut tight. A short, wet sob escaped him—heeng—and then the tears began to fall freely.
“D-don’t cry. Why are you crying like that?”
Watching a grown man cry like a child in front of her left Chloe flustered and fidgeting.
“This grace… hic. Until the day I die—sob—I will never, ever forget it!”
Farmer’s shoulders shook as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Seeing him cry made her heart ache; she could only imagine how much hardship he must have endured.
It reminded her of the time she had no money for rent and had to beg the landlady over the phone for just a little more time. The future had felt completely hopeless then, like she wanted to die. Realizing Farmer’s life had been a long string of such days made her chest feel even heavier.
“I’m sorry. I got carried away. Sob.”
Farmer tried desperately to stop crying, but he kept burying his face in his forearm.
While she waited quietly for him to calm down, she heard more sniffling beside her.
She turned and saw Handsome wiping his nose. He was trying to hold back tears by keeping his eyes wide open, but the bright red tip of his nose gave him away.
Chloe, you sinful woman.
She silently renewed her promise to feed them rice and meat soup at every meal from now on.
After the crybaby Farmer left, Chloe turned to Scrooge—whose own nose had turned red—and asked,
“You said you’ve lived here a long time, correct?”
“Yes, my lord. I have lived in the Grace Territory from the moment I was born.”
“That makes sense, since your family has served as financial officers for generations.”
She remembered the bookshelf she had seen in Scrooge’s room the other day. The wall of old, worn ledgers had looked like an extension of the man himself.
Her gaze shifted to the new notebook he clutched like a lifeline. As Grace Castle’s finances improved, the financial officer had become several times busier than before, yet his face glowed with far more vitality.
“Indeed.”
Looking at him with warm satisfaction, Chloe thought that if anyone would know, it would be Scrooge.
“Do you happen to know of a fist-sized orange fruit that tastes bitter?”
Scrooge narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then opened them wide.
“Ah! Could you be referring to the Nado Persimmon?”
“Yes! That’s the one!”
Hearing the exact name made Chloe jump to her feet in delight. Her heart raced.
“You are speaking of the tree that bears orange fruits about this big, yes?”
To make sure they were thinking of the same thing, Scrooge formed a circle the size of a baseball with both hands.
“Exactly! Is it in the garden like the Como Tree, by any chance?”
She asked hopefully, thinking how convenient that would be, but Scrooge shook his head.
“There used to be some, but there are none now.”
“Why not?”
“No matter how carefully we tended them, every tree we transplanted into the garden withered and died shortly after. No amount of water helped. Nado Persimmon Trees begin to die the moment their roots are pulled from their original soil. They cannot be transplanted under any circumstances.”
Hope collapsed into disappointment in an instant.
“Then do you know where I might find them?”
Chloe prayed they would not be far away.
“Have you truly not seen them?”
“Where are they?”
“You walked right past them yesterday.”
“I did? I don’t remember seeing any.”
“Dozens of them grow along the outer wall of Grace Castle. There are also many in the village.”
Now that he mentioned it, the trees did seem vaguely familiar. But yesterday her mind had been entirely on the farmland, so the trees on the castle’s outskirts had not registered.
While Chloe carefully retraced her memory, Scrooge continued his calm explanation. Handsome nodded in agreement with every point, clearly familiar with the information as well.
“Although the fruit itself is not edible, the bark is quite useful, so the trees can be seen without difficulty in many places.”
“Really? What is the bark used for?”
“It is used for laundry.”
“Laundry?”
Chloe’s voice rose in surprise at the unexpected answer. She was still trying to imagine what could possibly be done with it when a blue status window suddenly flashed before her eyes without warning.
You've discovered another use for the Nado Persimmon Tree! Of course, it wasn't intentional.
As a reward, you are granted 400 hidden points.
Hidden points! Nice!
While Chloe cheered inwardly, the status window continued.
The happiness index of the servants at Grace Castle has risen dramatically.
As a reward, you are granted another 400 hidden points. I am generous, after all. Hehe!
Then raise my own happiness index by giving me tons of hidden points, please.
Chloe stared at the window with earnest longing, but it ignored her and kept going.
Use the bark of the Nado Persimmon Tree
Create a new item capable of prospering the territory.
🎁 Reward: An enormous reward awaits you. (It won't be easy, though!)