Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Girl Head of Household and the Gambler Sister
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Today, for some reason, a ton more people were stopping by the farm.
Even setting aside folks like Iron Shell and Raku's group from earlier.
Compared to yesterday, the intervals between visitors had gotten way shorter.
Was Cherry's donation message spot on?
But as a healing spot? There's really nothing here worth healing over, is there?
At best, it's just sightseeing the farm, but it isn't even that big yet.
Honestly, having strangers drop by felt a bit awkward at first.
But it made me happy that they were enjoying the farm I'd put together, so I always did my best to treat them right.
"Ha, this really is healing... right?"
"Totally. Lulu's so cute..."
"Whoa, this pumpkin tea packs a punch too? I could head straight to the snowy mountains after this."
Seeing the streamers huddled together on the little bench I'd set up in front of the farm, chatting away, made me feel all proud for no reason.
I just hope they left feeling fully recharged.
"Lulu, you been taking good care of the farm?"
"Oh, President!"
I was in the middle of harvesting fully grown pumpkins and replanting seeds when a familiar voice called out, making me turn around.
The President was waving at me enthusiastically.
Huh? Did she come alone?
I'd heard her team was off doing their own thing.
"Hehe, yep! I've been working hard on it. Got the sprinklers set up, and soon it'll have full automation."
"You're really putting in the effort. Those folks over there on the bench—visitors?"
"Yeah! Word must've gotten around somehow, 'cause they came to check it out."
"Looks like it. My stream viewers were blowing up my chat about coming to see your pumpkin patch, so I figured I'd swing by."
Whoa, so that's how it spread to her stream too.
At least I didn't have to invite people myself.
"President, have some pumpkin tea too. It fills you up a ton and quenches thirst like a charm."
"Oh, this is the famous pumpkin tea? Thanks, I'll enjoy it."
The President sipped the pumpkin tea I'd handed her while looking around the farm.
It must've hit the spot, 'cause she let out an impressed "Ooh."
My own recipe never fails.
Sure, it costs three small pumpkins or one big one per serving, but the effects are top-notch.
All our visitors had raved about it.
I was shrugging proudly at the President's praise when a sudden donation made my eyes go wide.
I hadn't expected a viewer from her stream to hop over to mine and donate.
"Huh? Someone left tea money?"
"Yeah, I think it was one of your stream viewers."
"Nice. Gotta pay up for tea."
I figured she'd rib her own chat for not donating on her stream.
But she praised it instead, which surprised me a bit.
The viewers griped that the President got her tea for free, but...
Yeah, I never planned on charging money in the first place.
Though 10,000 won for tea does seem like overkill.
That donor must be loaded.
No, they have to be.
"Anyone try swiping stuff from the farm?"
"Nope. I put up that warning sign on the stone building, so maybe it scared 'em off."
I pointed to the sign with the Uparupa doing its smackdown pose and a "Please don't steal!" plea.
Anyone thinking of grabbing something would probably chicken out at the thought of getting caught.
I puffed up with pride at my own defense strategy when the President shot it down firmly.
"Nah, I doubt that scares anyone."
"Eh?"
Huh? It was that ineffective?
Of course, I couldn't be rude to strangers, so it was "Please don't steal..." instead of "Don't steal!"
But I thought it'd still spook people.
"Th-thanks for the 40,000 won donation! But server outcast? Over some stealing?"
Even Cherry kindly dropped 40,000 won to explain via donation.
But that just made it even more baffling.
In Last, where murder's an everyday thing, get outcast for stealing from a farm?
Or is this server super moral?
From what I've seen so far, not really.
"...?"
I don't get it exactly.
But bottom line, no one's messing with the pumpkin patch?
That's good enough for me.
Of course, in Last, someone could smash the whole thing out of nowhere and it'd be par for the course...
If that happened, I might just cry.
This farm took so much work.
These pumpkins are basically my babies now.
"Lulu, enjoy the tea! Keep prettifying the farm! Fighting!"
"Ah, thanks! Take care!"
I was brewing more pumpkin tea at the campfire in the corner after harvesting when I heard the guests leaving.
I bolted out of the farm in my socks.
"We'll leave tea money here! You'll need pipes later anyway!"
"Eh? You don't have to...!"
"It's the least we can do. The farm tour was a blast!"
"Y-yeah...! Thank you! Oh, wait!"
I bowed deeply, then remembered something crucial last-second.
I grabbed the departing guests and frantically pulled out a "Lulu's Pumpkin Voucher" from my bag.
It wasn't super useful, but I wanted it to be a souvenir.
"Here, I made these pumpkin vouchers myself. Bring one next time for free pumpkin tea or a pumpkin!"
"Whoa! You sure about giving these away?"
"One of these is worth at least 640 pipes...?!"
"Huh?"
What does one voucher equaling 640 pipes even mean?
Pipes are like Last's staple currency item.
Is there something in Last that costs 640 pipes?
Even the rarest guns don't go that high.
"N-no, this guy's just a bit off today. Anyway, thanks, Lulu. We'll treasure it."
"We'll come back for more pumpkin tea."
"Ah, yeah! Thanks. See you next time."
Guess it was just a slip of the tongue.
Makes sense—worthless vouchers being 640 pipes? Ridiculous.
Scrape, scrape.
After the guests left, I gathered up the pipes they'd scattered as payment.
Whoa, someone left over a hundred for tea.
I'll stash these pipes away for when I need 'em later.
"Lulu, make a good haul on tea money?"
"Yeah! Over 400 pipes total. Hehe..."
Yep, chat nailed it.
I never meant to make money off this anyway.
Just happy they enjoyed the farm and had fun.
The extra gesture makes it even more rewarding.
"400's a solid take. Save up and hit the casino to multiply it."
"Casino?"
"Yeah. You didn't know Last has a casino?"
"Oh...! Right, I remember now. Never been, though."
Oh yeah, there was that.
I'm not into gambling anyway.
Knew it existed but never cared.
Not even when Lilith and I first collabed in Last.
"F-five thousand?!"
I was pondering a casual visit for fun when that donation lit up my eyes.
How do you even lose 5,000 pipes...?!
I haven't spent any in two days and I've only got 3,000.
Yeah, that donation confirmed it.
Best steer clear of the casino.
I could do a round or two for kicks since I've got extras, but that's it.
"Wanna head there now? Lilith's hanging out there, apparently."
"Huh? Lilith unnie?"
"Yeah, she and Ellin went ahead."
Oh, that's why I hadn't seen them today.
Yuki said they'd gone exploring and farming together yesterday.
Guess they took that haul straight to the casino.
"Sure! Let's go."
I'd been apart from the members too long anyway and was getting bored.
Time to pop in and say hi.
It took a good while to reach the casino.
The map showed it was basically on the opposite side from where we were.
Thankfully, no one we passed picked a fight, so we got there quick.
"That's the casino."
"Wow!"
The spot the President pointed out was a rundown-looking gambling den.
There was an English sign outside that translated to "Dream of striking it rich!"
Suspicious from the sign alone.
"Where are Lilith unnie and Ellin unnie?"
"Good question. Let's look around."
We headed into the casino together to hunt for the members.
It was pretty sprawling, with multiple buildings, so it was trickier than expected.
Then we slipped into one massive building that stood out...
"Oh? There they are."
The President's gaze landed on Lilith unnie sitting at a table.
Behind her, Ellin unnie stood quietly watching the spinning roulette wheel.
"Lilith unnie! Ellin unnie!"
I ran over excitedly and called out to them.
Ellin unnie turned right away, but Lilith unnie kept her eyes glued to the roulette.
Figured she was too focused to hear me, so I went to Ellin unnie first.
"Oh, President. You brought Lulu?"
"Yeah, heard you were here so I dragged her along. What's Lilith up to?"
"Roulette. But..."
But what?
I was tilting my head at Ellin unnie's reluctant tone when...
"Uwaaaaaah!"
A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air.
I whipped around in shock, and there was the now-still roulette wheel... and Lilith unnie, all alone.
"U-unnie, you okay?"
Positive that scream came from her, I hurried over.
She snapped her head up from staring at the floor.
"Lulu...! D-do you have any spare pipes? Can unnie borrow some?"
"Eh? Pipes...?"
Her voice had this manic edge as she pleaded desperately.
P-pipes?
I had plenty to spare, but...
Why pipes all of a sudden?
No way...
"J-just 100! Unnie'll win it back double and pay you! Please? One more shot?"
Yep, called it.
She blew it all on roulette.
That explains Ellin unnie's uneasy vibe.
Viewers warned me not to give Lilith unnie any pipes, but...
"R-real talk, just this one last time. Please? You're the only one unnie trusts, Lulu..."
Her words—"You're the only one I trust"—pierced my heart.
How could I say no to that!
My Blues want something!
[Pipes - 3,027]
Swoosh.
"Here, unnie! You've got this—win big! Don't get down!"
I dumped every last pipe I had into her bet.
Pumped my fist with words of encouragement.
Do whatever you want, unnie!
Pipes? I can farm more anytime!