Chapter 282: The Last Seeds of the Fool's Village Secret Realm
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 282: The Last Seeds of the Fool's Village Secret Realm
I hung up the phone and let out a small sigh of relief. Sofiri was at the plantation; when she picked up, she was in the middle of the delicate process of cultivating transcendent plants.
The moment she answered, she greeted me warmly. Once she learned I had new seeds brought back from the Secret Realm, she immediately agreed to meet.
She sent over the coordinates for her plantation right away.
"The location is here... it’s actually quite far. I didn't expect this area to be a plantation. I remember plantations are supposed to cover a lot of ground; is this small plot really enough?"
I opened the location and looked at the map of the Witch Academy on my phone, eventually voicing my doubts to Sister Bai.
"This is one of the concentrated plantation zones planned by the Witch Academy. Don't let the small footprint fool you... well, okay, the land area itself isn't huge, but the plantations there are all indoor glass-house styles, similar to sunrooms. They’re reinforced with indoor spatial solidification spells, so the internal space is much, much larger than it looks from the outside. I had the chance to visit and gather materials there for a practical project in my Potions course once," Bai Yu explained as she leaned in to look.
"Sister Bai, you really lead a full life."
"Hardly. Xiao Han, you’re exempt from courses. Theoretically, your daily life should be much richer than someone like me who just follows the curriculum step-by-step."
"Alright, alright, Sister Bai—don't take every opportunity to lecture me. It feels weird. I’m trying my best to adapt to a normal life, you know? But just now, when I said I was going to see another senior sister, you looked like you were getting jealous~"
"I... you... Xiao Han, are you asking for a smack?" Bai Yu snapped, flustered by my teasing, her voice tinged with mock indignation.
"Aww, I’m just kidding! Going out more means crossing paths with more people. I actually think Senior Sister Sofiri is quite nice; she has a rather introverted personality. When I met her last time, she was with another senior sister. I got the feeling their relationship was... quite special~"
"Is... is that so?" Hearing this, Bai Yu visibly relaxed.
"Of course. Sister Bai, tell me... are the senior sisters at the Witch Academy all a bit... unusual in their sexual orientations?"
"Well, when you’ve been repressed for a long time, combined with certain emotional needs and the specific environment of the Witch Academy, 'unusual' actually becomes the norm."
"What about you, Sister Bai?" I pressed.
"Me... I?" Caught off guard by my sudden question, Bai Yu found herself at a loss for words.
"If you don't want to say, then don't. It’s not like I care if you’re 'normal' or not. No matter what you’re like, I’ll still hang out with you."
Seeing Sister Bai’s reaction, I had no choice but to force the topic to a close. Inwardly, I sighed. She’s impossible to flirt with! A Sister Bai like this is truly impenetrable!
When we reached the plantation district, it was my first time visiting. Just as Sister Bai had said, the area was filled with glass houses that looked like they had been copy-pasted. Whether it was my imagination or not, the moment we arrived, even the sun felt significantly hotter.
Through the glass, I could see what looked like miniature versions of other worlds.
Some plantations were overgrown like primeval forests, while others were organized with meticulous precision, resembling high-tech standardized greenhouses. Inside, various unfamiliar machines and pipes interlaced to create a sense of orderly beauty.
The plantations here were distinguished by numbers, though owners could customize the names. The numbers, however, remained fixed. Many plantations were simply named after the owner or a specific plant they were breeding—concise and clear.
The location Sofiri had sent us was named the "Kelly Elliot Plantation."
Judging by the name, it didn't seem to belong to Sofiri herself.
By the time I arrived, Sofiri was already waiting at the entrance. When she spotted us, she waved to get our attention.
"Over... over here." Sofiri’s voice wasn't very loud. Before she could even register her joy at seeing a familiar face, she noticed Bai Yu standing beside me.
"Um... I’m glad you came all the way to my plantation. That... you said you obtained new seeds in the Secret Realm, is it true?" Sofiri asked somewhat awkwardly. As she spoke, her gaze kept drifting toward Bai Yu.
"Yeah, so I thought of you immediately. Oh, this is Bai Yu—she’s basically my older sister. Don't mind her; she just came along to keep me company."
"Oh, okay. Hello... Senior Sister Bai," Sofiri greeted politely.
"Hello. I heard from Xiao Han that you teamed up in the Secret Realm last time. I should thank you for looking after her."
"No, no, no. Xiao Han... she’s very strong. We were the ones being carried by her."
"Hey, don't be so formal, you two. We have business to discuss," I said, nudging Sister Bai with my elbow. Sister Bai was fully in "senior sister mode" now.
"By the way, most of the seeds I brought this time are from a rainforest-type environment. Is that... convenient for you?"
"Rainforest? Oh, I’m quite confident in my research on transcendent plants in that area. Special cases require special treatment; don't underestimate the capabilities of a plantation. Um... I still wanted to ask... for these seeds... what do I need to pay? I just finished setting up the Giant Erosion Thorn Vine, and my current financial situation is a bit tight... How about I trade you some transcendent fruits that are about to ripen in the plantation?"
"Tight? Eh...? You’re managing such a large plantation, surely it’s not that bad? But... the name of this place..."
"Oh, this belongs to my mentor. She remembered she had a plantation here and transferred it to my name... but along with it, I inherited the massive maintenance fees and other costs. I’m really sorry. If that doesn't work, I can force-ripen a batch of transcendent fruits and ask the shops that buy them. Since I have no experience running a plantation, I’ve been spending more than I earn lately. I’m basically living paycheck to paycheck."
"Ah... that is pretty rough..." I remarked. Honestly, I didn't mind. I was basically here to get a freebie anyway; I had half-expected her to charge me for the planting...
"I don't mind at all. I mainly came to ask for your help in cultivating these plants, specifically for seed production. Aside from the ones I have, these plants might be extinct everywhere else..."
"Extinct? Plants in a Secret Realm shouldn't go extinct so easily... Oh! Wait, are the rumors online true? You, Xiao Han... right, you’re Yang Yuehan. You blew up that Secret Realm?!" Sofiri suddenly connected the dots, her reaction instantaneous.
"Huh? No, wait, I didn't blow it up. But the seeds did come from there. The Secret Realm is gone, so it’s pretty much the same as extinction..." I was speechless. How did news like this travel so fast?
Wasn't Sofiri just busy with her delicate cultivation? How did she have time to check the Academy Network?
"It really was you... Al-alright, I see... I didn't expect you to have saved the last hope of that Secret Realm. You want to breed them, right? Of course I can do that. Um... it’s just..." Sofiri trailed off, understanding my request, but her tone suddenly became bashful, as if she were about to ask a favor of me.
"Um, once the breeding is successful, could I keep some of the seeds for myself? I won't charge any cultivation fees, and I promise not to plant them on a large scale or distribute them. I... I’m just very interested in novel plants... It’s really just for my personal collection!"
"If you don't trust me, we can sign a Witch Contract!" Sofiri added hastily.
"Huh? That’s not nec—"
"Fine, we can sign a contract," Sister Bai interrupted before I could finish. "Xiao Han, you need to learn to look out for your own interests. Don't just take everything for granted."
"Eh? O-okay then..."
Lectured by Sister Bai, I didn't argue. Actually, I wanted to say that some things didn't need to be so strictly defined... after all, my ambition wasn't in farming. I only needed Sofiri’s help because I wanted to recreate the Fool's Dream Brew.
But Sister Bai was right. If Sofiri weren't a good person, she could have taken advantage of my carelessness to mass-produce and market these seeds, potentially reaping huge profits while I, the source, got nothing.
It would be like sabotaging my own interests.
"Um, Senior Sister Bai is right. It’s better to have everything clear from the start to avoid disputes later. Even if these were ordinary seeds, the 'extinct Secret Realm' gimmick would make them worth a fortune..."
Sofiri spoke up from the side, seemingly agreeing with Bai Yu, but also giving herself a graceful way out.
"Right. Then, shall we go inside and take a look? We’ve been chatting out here for so long, and you haven't even shown us around yet."
"Oh! Right! Come in, let me show you around." Realizing her lapse, Sofiri quickly pushed open the plantation doors and invited us in.
"Thanks."
I looked inside with curious eyes. The space was enormous, creating a staggering contrast with its external size.
There were high ceilings, excellent lighting, and many machines I’d never seen before. The only thing I recognized was probably the irrigation system.
My attention was quickly drawn to the plants. There were trees stretching toward the ceiling, succulents stacked like clusters of grapes, herbaceous plants taller than me, and giant sunflower-like blooms that spontaneously scattered light elements when they faced the sun.
However, a large portion of the fields appeared fallow. Sofiri hadn't been able to utilize the space effectively.
"Er... those plants were all left behind by my mentor. A lot of them had already died by the time I took over. It took a long time just to clear them out. These are the ones that survived. Because transplanting them is too much work, I just... left them where they were. It looks a bit messy, so please don't mind."
"Oh, I don't mind at all."
I spoke dismissively, my eyes soon finding a familiar plant: the Giant Erosion Thorn Vine. Sofiri had transplanted a small patch of common fast-growing trees for the vine to climb. It seemed things were indeed getting on track, just as she’d said.
"Right, the seeds."
Remembering the main event, I quickly took out the seeds. The method for preserving them had been taught to me by the Fool's Dream. When I’d expressed my desire to take some seeds back, those adorable creatures showed me how to store them. After all, these were transcendent plants containing transcendent power. While eating a single one might not do much, they were high-yield.
They were the staple food of the Fool's Dream race.
Sofiri took them from me and began to examine them closely.
"Hmm... these seeds seem to be in excellent condition. I think I can start attempting germination right away..."
After her inspection, Sofiri looked at me with a hint of surprise. Her impression of me was likely someone who knew nothing about planting. Had I mastered the notes and materials she’d given me that quickly?
These were unknown seeds, after all.
"So... roughly how long will the breeding take?" I asked tentatively.
"I’m not sure. But if you’re in a hurry, I can use spells to force-ripen them. Also, once the fruit is ripe, I’ll contact you immediately. Some plants might undergo varying degrees of degradation once they leave their original environment. If they don't meet your expectations, we won't have to waste any more time."
"Okay, thanks for the trouble, Senior Sister." I nodded. I’d heard of the saying about "oranges turning into bitter trifoliate oranges when moved north," so I just hoped these seeds weren't too finicky.
"It’s no trouble. New plants are a new challenge for me, too. I get to learn and master new knowledge. I can't make any guarantees, but I’ll do my best."
"Mhm."
Having entrusted the seeds to her, I had completed one step of my plan. As for whether Sofiri was a reliable planter... I trusted her well enough. Even in the worst-case scenario where she ruined the seeds, I still had my final insurance batch. Besides, she had a mentor; if she couldn't even cultivate these, I’d seriously question her competence.
Next came the matter of drafting the contract. I had experience with this from the Exchange Competition, but with Sister Bai here, the drafting was much more professional.
When the parchment of the contract was signed and turned to ash, our purpose for coming was mostly fulfilled. Before we left, Sofiri gave us some specialties from her plantation. Since she had nothing else to give, we accepted them gladly.
Before departing, I casually asked Sofiri if she needed any help or a young apprentice. Managing such a large plantation alone was clearly too much for her, as evidenced by the fallow land.
Of course, I was mainly thinking of Dongli Yiren. If she could follow this senior sister, she might learn a lot about planting. You can't learn everything from books; otherwise, the existence of teachers would be meaningless.
But the main goal was to give Dongli Yiren, who currently had no resources, a chance to interact with more transcendent plants.
Earning a bit of extra cash on the side wouldn't hurt either.
Sofiri didn't seem to have that in mind for now, given her tight finances, but she said she would definitely hire help once she had the money.
I also needed to ask Dongli Yiren what she thought. Regardless, it was good to plan ahead. Helping a roommate in need while I still had the means to give her a boost was the right thing to do.