“Princess, will you need an escort to the house?” asked the most senior of the guards.
“No, thank you. We’re here to test a new agricultural machine,” I said.
He offered to escort us since the desert farm’s house was quite far from the portal, around a twenty-minute walk for a clan member, but forty minutes for me since my legs were shorter, and I liked to take a break in the middle because of the heat.
The clan’s security protocols dictated that all portals should be built a certain distance away from the places where people lived. The scholars used a complex equation to calculate it based on the energy the portals used, which was greater or lesser depending on the distance they spanned. I heard some hushed whispers about the dangers of overloaded portals causing explosions, but the clan elders publicly declared that portals were safe as long as they were made by highly-trained clan masters.
Also, because of this, secret or hidden portals like the one I accidentally activated during my first year in this world should be dismantled as soon as possible. The clans were still debating whether taxes should be used for this cleanup, something I learned about from Prince Baiyu.
I had my own secret portals, too, but I wasn’t worried since they were made by the System.
“Ready?” I asked my apprentices. “I’ll summon a machine to create a path.”
“Yes! I want to ride a magic vehicle like Teacher!” said Kharli.
The other two nodded.
“Please pay attention.” I took out a lawnmower from the [Build] tab. This was an outdated item since players could directly flatten grass using the System, but we could use it to have fun.
[Lawn Master 9000:
For a truly professional finish, you need the Lawn Master 9000. Take control of this powerful machine to effortlessly clear vast areas of tall grass and weeds, all while enjoying the ride on an ergonomically designed cushioned seat.]
The ride-on mower was a sturdy-looking red vehicle made of metal, with a black leather seat. It had four wheels, with the two larger ones at the back for moving and two smaller ones at the front for steering. The front was smooth and curved, with a grille-like part. I attached the [Grass Cutter] to the bottom and filled the fuel tank, which cost a bit of money.
“Kharli, please read the instructions out loud before we start.”
My apprentice fired off a cheeky salute and started reading the text. “Sit on the seat and put the seatbelt on. Press the [Start Engine] button. To move, gently push the [Movement Stick] forward to go straight ahead. To go backward, pull the stick back towards you. Use the wheel to steer left or right. Start cutting grass by pressing the [Blade] button. You'll hear the blades spin up with a whirring sound. Stop by releasing the [Movement Stick]. The mower will come to a smooth stop on its own.”
Lari raised his hand and volunteered to go first. “Please let me try.”
“Okay, but watch how I do it first.” I took out another [Lawn Master 9000] and climbed up onto the operator’s platform. “This is the seat belt. Buckle it here.”
I slotted the buckle into the proper spot to show them how the mechanism worked. Lari copied my actions while Kharli and Mo watched.
Of course, for someone like me, this was nothing new since I was from Earth and had ridden scooters, hoverboards, electric bicycles, and motorcycles, but it had been a very long time since I drove something, much less something motorized.
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“Watch me. I’ll go that way.” I pointed in the direction of the house. “Then I’ll stop after a few minutes. You can follow up afterward. Don’t be alarmed by the noise. It’s normal.”
I hit the [Start Engine] button, and the engine came alive with a low whining sound. Then I slowly pushed the [Movement Stick] forward and the lawn mower started moving. Its speed was quite slow, no faster than that of a human on a brisk walk.
“Whee!” I felt a strange urge to spin a lasso over my head like a cowgirl, but I didn’t have the skill to do it. After a few minutes, I let go of the stick and looked behind me to wave at Lari, who was raring to go.
“I’m starting!” he yelled.
Kharli and Mo walked beside his mower.
“It looks fun,” said Kharli.
“Yes, I think I can do it,” said Mo.
I waited until he had come to a full stop beside me before saying, “Now do another short run and turn on the blades.”
This time, we were side by side, and the blades we turned on made a loud whirring sound. The grass under our vehicles was cut neatly, and the grass clippings appeared in my inventory. I raised my hand to signal a stop.
“Let’s plan our route,” I said after we both climbed down from the [Lawn Master 9000].
“Teacher, if we’re going to cut through the tall grass and weeds to make a path, shouldn’t we just choose the straightest and shortest route?” asked Mo.
“No, no, we need to consult the map to find the most suitable route. We need to use higher ground and avoid large obstructions and low-lying areas,” I said. “By choosing a path with good natural drainage, we can avoid having wagons, carts, and other vehicles getting stuck in the mud. It will also make road maintenance easier.”
“Oh, wagons and carts!” Kharli gave me an admiring look. “Teacher is looking forward to the time when the farm produces crops.”
“Yes, let’s figure it out.”
I set up a nice tent with a table and chairs for us to use while we pored over the map and planned our next steps.
“Okay, I think we got it,” I said.
We all got up, and I put away the tent, table, and chairs.
“Me first!” Kharli nimbly climbed up the ride-on mower.
“Wait for me!” said Mo as she climbed up the other one.
“Alright, go for it, girls!” I said.
Lari and I walked behind the lawn mowers at a good distance just to be safe.
“This is better than a horse!” said Mo.
“How do you know when you’ve never ridden a horse?” asked Kharli.
“Because horses don’t make vroom vroom sounds,” said Mo.
“Shall we ride, too?” I asked Lari. “We won’t use the blades, but we can have fun.”
“Yes, I’d love to, Teacher!”
“Okay, but remember to go slow, and don’t get too close.”
I summoned two more machines and we followed behind the girls on our own [Lawn Master 9000s].
The morning sun was hot on my arms, so I put on a long-sleeved jacket and driving gloves. A warm, gentle breeze ruffled my hair, and the rhythmic hum of the blades and the steady purr of the engine created a meditative soundtrack as we made our way to the house. Now and then, I'd hit a small bump or dip that would make me bounce in my seat, making me laugh out loud. The fresh scent of cut grass filled the air, and I found myself grinning as I realized how much I was enjoying this.
The ride ended all too soon, and we wanted to do it again, so we rode them back to the portal. Still not satisfied with that, we spent the entire morning riding back and forth from the portal to the house until it was time for lunch.
The noon meal was quite lavish since it seemed the kitchen staff were excited by all the fresh vegetables we had just harvested. The [Carp] from the rice paddies had been caught fresh today and was steamed whole with some [Ginger], [Scallions], and some sort of mysterious sauce the Demon Chef had cooked up. There was also roasted pork belly with crispy skin, which was eaten by being dipped in a choice of spicy, sweet, or sweet and spicy dipping sauces. The side dishes included stir-fried [Bok Choy] with [Garlic], as well as [Gai Lan] with oyster sauce. I personally preferred the cold [Cucumber] salad, which was quite refreshing in the summer heat.
First, all of us, except for Prince Baiyu, ate one of the mochi-like basic qi nourishing pills. This was our daily ritual to keep everyone healthy.
I picked up my chopsticks and carefully lifted a piece of the steamed carp, the flesh flaking apart in tender white chunks. I could taste the subtle heat of the ginger mixing with the delicate sweetness of the fresh carp. The mysterious sauce had a complex umami taste. Then I picked up my rice bowl and ate a mouthful before turning my attention to the next dish. I reached for a slice of the pork belly, the crispy skin crackling audibly between my chopsticks. I dipped it into the sweet and spicy sauce, watching the glossy red mixture coat the golden skin. The first bite delivered a satisfying crunch followed by the rich, fatty meat that was delightfully firm, with a nice chew to it. I spooned some of the stir-fried bok choy onto my rice bowl, the bright green leaves glistening with oil. The vegetables maintained their texture and were amazingly fresh.
Between bites of the heavier dishes, I returned repeatedly to the cucumber salad. The thin slices were ice-cold and had absorbed whatever dressing they'd been tossed in. Each piece delivered a clean, cooling crunch that cleansed my palate and made me hungry for more.
Lastly, I had a slice of [Watermelon]. The fruit's natural sweetness made it a delightful conclusion to the meal.
“Life is good,” I said to my apprentices.
“Life is great,” said Kharli.
I lifted my glass of water and we toasted to that.
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Author's Note:
- I hope you like this simple chapter about having fun with a lawn mower.??
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