CHAPTER 31: INCREASED EFFECTS OF VEGETABLE

Rowen pulled out his pouch and poured the cool stones into his palm. The faint glow of mana shimmered across his skin as he began counting them one by one.

"...Fifteen left," he muttered, frowning.

The wooden shed, the neatly organized rows of ripening vegetables, and the faint hum of energy in the soil reminded him just how much the space had changed overnight. The portal farm was no longer the small patch of dirt he had started with. It was bigger.

Fern, floating nearby, gave a lazy twirl. "Don’t look so down. An upgraded farm needs upgraded care. Before, it was six low-grade mana stones to keep the land running. Now you’ll need about twelve each cycle."

Rowen glanced at the sprite, brows lifting. "Twelve? That’s... double."

"Yes," Fern said matter-of-factly. "But don’t forget—the land itself is now twice as fast. Crops will mature faster, the yield will be stronger, and the effects of the plants will be even sharper. It’s an investment, not a loss."

Rowen let out a breath. "Still... at this rate, I’ll run out of stones before long."

He set the pouch aside and walked to the nearest crop row. The tomatoes glistened under the soft light of the space, their skin firmer and brighter than before. Picking one carefully, he focused his intent on it.

A faint ding echoed in his mind as the blue screen shimmered into view.

Item: Tomato

Grade:

Rare

Effects: Restores mana over time.

Rowen blinked at the words. "...Rare?"

Before, when he had harvested tomatoes, the description had been far more modest:

Item: Tomato

Grade: Common+

Effects: Restores minor mana over time.

The difference was clear. Not only had the crops improved in growth speed and yield, but their effects had leveled up as well.

"So the upgrade affected the corps too," Rowen whispered, excitement creeping into his voice.

Fern floated closer, puffing out his little chest. "Of course. Did you think your companion sprite would allow anything less? These aren’t like early vegetables anymore—they’ve been elevated with purer mana."

Rowen chuckled, though his mind was already running ahead. If the tomatoes had become rare grade, what about the potatoes? If everything he grew here produced stronger effects, then the value of his crops had just multiplied.

He rubbed his chin. "Then I’ll need to adjust the prices in the shop. If the effects are sharper, I can’t sell them at the old rate. But... I’ll also have to make sure no one grows suspicious."

That was the real problem. If customers noticed his crops had suddenly jumped in quality overnight, questions would be asked. People might think he had some secret supplier—or worse, that he was hiding something unnatural.

Rowen’s gaze lingered on the tomatoes in his hands. "I’ll need to separate the new ones from the old batch."

Fern nodded eagerly. "Good idea. Keep the common-grade stock for now—sell those first. Then slowly introduce the rare ones into circulation. If you pace it right, no one will notice the leap in quality. They’ll just think your farm stock is improving naturally."

Rowen smiled faintly at the sprite’s practicality. "Smart. You really are more useful than you look."

Fern puffed up again, arms folded smugly. "Naturally."

Rowen set the rare tomatoes aside and carefully gathered the newly ripened crops into one pile. These would be marked as the upgraded batch, while the earlier produce would go to the shop as usual.

Rowen sat back on his heels, staring at the tomatoes in his hands. The excitement of the upgrade had faded into something heavier—a dull knot in his chest.

What if someone asks?

If his crops suddenly started showing rare effects, he’d have to explain. Merchants, hunters, maybe even teachers from the academy—people would want to know where he was sourcing such things. And in a town this small, rumors traveled faster than the wind.

Rowen rubbed his temples. I can’t tell anyone about this place. Not even Calen.

Fern tilted his head, noticing Rowen’s troubled expression. "You’re thinking too much again."

"No," Rowen muttered. "I’m not thinking enough. If people notice these crops... they’ll ask questions. And if I can’t answer, they’ll start guessing. What if they think I’m hiding some artifact? Or worse, accuse me of stealing?"

Fern drifted closer. "So what will you do?"

Rowen hesitated, then remembered something—something simple. His eyes shifted, recalling the back of his shop, where an old wooden patch of soil sat unused. His grandfather had once tended it carefully, growing herbs.

After his death, the little patch had gone wild, weeds overtaking the corners.

Rowen’s lips tugged into a faint smile. "The backyard."

Fern blinked. "Backyard?"

"There’s an old herb bed behind the shop. Grandpa used to grow things there. If I take seeds from these crops and plant them outside, I can pass it off as a small personal farm. That way, if anyone asks, I’ll have something to point to."

The plan made sense. Not only would it give him an excuse for having strange vegetables, but it also gave him a way to test whether seeds from this space could even grow in normal soil.

He looked back at the glowing crops in the rows. The secret of this space wasn’t just about profit anymore—it was about survival.

Rowen carefully gathered a few of the ripest vegetables, setting them aside with a new purpose in mind.

Rowen reached into his pouch again, this time pulling out twelve of the faintly glowing stones.

He held them out to Fern. "Here. Recharge the space."

Fern grinned, darting forward and gulping down the low-grade mana stones.

When the last shimmer faded, Rowen looked back into his pouch. Only three low-grade stones remained.

He let out a small sigh. "That’s all that’s left, huh."

But instead of worry, there was calm. This time, things were different. The farm was already giving back more than he had expected. Now rare grades would sell for far higher than before.

As Rowen walked further into the farm, his eyes drifted over a wide patch of freshly tilled soil that still lay unused. The expansion had doubled the space, and even after planting rows of tomatoes and potatoes, there was still room left.

"What else should I grow?" he muttered.

Vegetables were steady, yes, but he had enough of those lined up already. The farm could offer more than just the basics. His mind went back to the idea that had been nagging at him since earlier.

"...Fruit," he whispered again.

Fern perked up from where he was lounging on a nearby stalk. "You really want to try that, huh?"

Rowen nodded slowly. "This land has more space now. If I keep planting only the usual vegetables, I’ll be wasting the upgrade. Fruits might take longer, but if they come out like the tomatoes—stronger and rarer—it’ll be worth it."