[Quest Available: Forgotten Gold
Below the fallen leaves of the forest, you can find forgotten gold: leaf mold.
The benefits of this substance are many. It significantly improves soil structure, creating a looser texture that allows for better root penetration and water infiltration, reducing the need for frequent watering while also improving aeration. Rich in beneficial microorganisms, it acts as a slow-release fertilizer, gradually providing essential nutrients to plants as it breaks down.
Place a Leaf Mold Bin in a shady spot on your farm - done
Fill it with fallen leaves. Wet the leaves thoroughly. - done
Wait for them to decompose from fresh leaves to mature leaf mold.
Spread it on the soil you want to improve.
Reward: Farming Exp]
“Leaf mold is this valuable? Like gold?” asked Lari as he looked down at the wet, crumbly brown stuff I was pointing at.
We had finished our chores for the day and were in the forest, where I was showing them leaf mold in its natural setting.
“Not literally like gold, no.” I smiled at his disbelieving expression. “It’s figurative.”
“This is just regular old leaf mold. The one the System makes will be special,” said Mo.
“When it’s done, should we spread it on the new field we’re making into [Black Soil]?” asked Kharli.
“Good idea,” I said. “Tomorrow the [Black Soil] should be ready, and we can start on the new field. I was also thinking of using the leaf mold in the desert farm since the soil there definitely needs it more.”
The truth was, I wasn’t really here to show them some decomposed leaves. I just wanted some privacy away from the farm.
I told them about my origins.
“I knew it!” Mo exclaimed. “I told you she’s a goddess.”
I flicked her forehead. “No. As I said, my body is very mortal. I mean, if you cut me, I’ll bleed regular human blood, not ichor.”
“Not a goddess. Teacher is a demigod. Or is it ‘demigoddess’?” Kharli’s eyes sparkled.
Lari looked thoughtful. “So the gods of this world sent you here?”
“Sort of. I mean, they made a path for me, and basically, I took it.” This was one of the things I had realized during the quest. “I didn’t know it at that time, but I used my power unconsciously.”
Of course, since this was a world without Sigmund Freud and Earth-type psychology, the concept of the "unconscious" had to be explained.
I continued, “I used my power instinctively since, deep down, I’ve always wanted to live in a world of magic! That’s why I never seriously thought of returning and why I only had minor homesickness.”
“Does Teacher have the power to move between worlds using the ‘void’ your father was born in?” asked Kharli.
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I can’t.”
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“Since we serve a demigod, are we priests now? Maybe Kharli should shave her head,” said Lari.
“Maybe you should take a vow of poverty,” said Kharli.
“Hold on, I wasn’t finished!” I said as they seemed to be on the verge of starting another round of verbal teasing. “Since I want my child and parents to join me as soon as possible, I will now be maximizing my exp as much as possible.”
There were tons of min-max players on Adventure Incarnate, and though I was more of a fun-loving player, I knew what to do.
“The [Rice Mills] will now be replaced by [Greenhouses], and I’ll also give up my [Ranch House] to move into the inner courtyard. I need to fill that building slot with another [Greenhouse]. We will also complete the epic desert quest as soon as we can.” Then I took out a special item from my inventory. “Plus, I’ll be using this three times a day. Look!”
They couldn’t touch it since it was an item that was bound to me, but they could examine it using the System.
[High-Energy Blend:
It’s three times more potent than regular coffee!]
I enjoyed the way their jaws fell open. “You can make this yourself by combining three [Coffees].”
The three of them exchanged worried glances, but I already knew what they were going to say.
“I’ve invited a doctor to stay with us for a while to check if this causes any problems, but I expect the side effects to be minor. We’ll figure it out.”
That calmed them down. In this society, doctors were highly respected.
“Let’s return and get started on those [Greenhouse] plantings.”
We walked back to the farm, chatting about my recent discovery. They had a lot of questions, but didn’t seem too shocked. I guess living in a world with clan members who claimed to be descended from the gods of old meant that they were pretty accepting of my circumstances.
“Teacher, you’re having a child. Doesn’t this mean you’re pregnant?” asked Kharli with a huge grin on her face.
I was unfazed. “Yes, I am! I’m taking care of him in my dreams instead of my womb, but it still counts.”
The two girls screamed and hugged each other.
“But, hey, remember it’s a secret!” I said.
“We don’t want a scandal,” said Lari.
“You guys will love him. He’s so cute!” I projected an image of my little dragon boy on the trunk of a large tree. I’d made it using the System’s customizable chibi sticker graphics. “He has blue eyes and blue hair, and he’s adorable.”
“What? He’s not a baby?” asked Mo.
“He’s already this big in my dreams.” I used a hand to measure out his height. “He’s a little scamp.”
We made plans to decorate a new child’s room in my quarters.
***
This time we had a bigger cleared land area, so I was able to place the four [Greenhouses] near the main house for convenience.
Golden sunlight streamed from above us and on all sides through the plate glass roof and walls of the [Greenhouse]. The central area was an open space with garden soil, ready for planting, while on the east and west sides were designated areas for seedlings, potted plants, and gardening supplies.
Normally, we planted the seeds in seedling trays and then replanted them into pots, and then the central area when they were large enough. In short, our old [Greenhouse] normally served as a nursery for the trees we planted in the desert farm. I organized it this way since the desert regeneration program was a very important part of my work. Giving the trees a good head start this way made sure that they would not just survive, but thrive even in harsh conditions.
However, my primary goal had now shifted, and since I was prioritizing exp, it was time to cultivate indoor crops.
The most exp players got from Adventure Incarnate was from harvesting. Therefore, I was now going to plant as much [Silphium] as I could because it was the indoor plant that gave the most exp per day.
[Silphium:
An incredibly rare, extinct herb from ancient times. Its heart-shaped seedpod, known far and wide as a symbol of love and life, holds a powerful essence. The plant's leaves and sap were once used as a prized seasoning, a tantalizing perfume, a potent medicine, and a rumored aphrodisiac. Cultivating it is a near-impossible feat, said to require a touch of divine magic bestowed by the god of love.]
Mo raised her hand. “Teacher, isn’t it immoral to grow this?”
I fake coughed into my hand. “It’s purely for exp! We won’t sell it. Okay?”
They nodded, and I handed the seeds over.
The soil was already tilled, so we spread the [Mysterious Goo] over it before planting the seeds and watering the entire area. Once our energy was almost completely depleted, we paused to drink a cup of [High-Energy Blend], which allowed us to finish the work and even have energy to spare to plant more seeds in the large garden pots, which should be able to grow a [Silphium] properly. The trays could theoretically be planted with the seeds, too, but they would need to be potted or planted outside, which I thought was a waste of energy since we still had two more [Greenhouses] to go.
“These will be harvested ten days from now for a very nice amount of exp,” I said to the others. “I didn’t want to plant it since it’s kinda…”
My voice trailed off, and I shrugged.
Lari smirked. “Do you want to secretly sell it? I’m sure people would pay a lot of money for it.”
“No, we shouldn’t ever sell it!” Kharli gave him a scandalized look, then sidled beside me and said in a mock whisper, “Teacher is planning to keep it for her personal use, right?”
“Nonsense! My prince and I won’t need it.”
We totally weren't planning on experimenting with it.
Shoutout time! This story is a vampire one...
I actually love vampire stories, but I like the Anne Rice ones, aka the hot vampires, not the scary smelly ones!
Hot vampire fiction? Yes!
Kidding, I do like most vampires stories. They don't have to be hot.
But it helps!
What can I say? I'm a woman of simple tastes.
*****
Author's Note:
- The silphium is a real plant known in antiquity for various things. People say the heart symbol ? was from this plant -
- Advanced chapters on my Patreon!
- Thank you very much for reading.
- Did you spot an error? Please leave a comment so I can fix it!