IWHERSFL 25

~Chapter 25~

Returning to the farm, there was a lot to do.

First of all, I grilled some Korean beef tenderloin!

“Too delicious…”

Eating high-quality Korean beef after so long brought tears to my eyes. The meat melted in my mouth, and the salt and pepper seasoning was just perfect.

“You should eat a lot too. Really tasty, right?”

“Yes, Master, it’s even better because you cooked it.”

“Yeah, eat up!”

Since Lysian was not just the only worker on the farm but also a sort of bodyguard, I had to make sure he was well-fed. I piled a generous amount of meat onto his plate.

After eating until full, I cleaned the house, refilled the rabbit hutch with hay, and checked on the garden.

A notification reminded me that the next strawberry harvest would require about four more hours.

And…

‘Purify!’

I purified a bit more of the surrounding land. The amount of plantable area increased significantly.

Running my hands over the soft, rich brown soil, I happily considered what to plant here next.

‘Should I plant something expensive? Or play it safe…?’

By the way, the amount of coins I had collected so far was:

2,987 coins

After finishing the small quests around the farm, that much had accumulated again.

I wondered when I would gather 5,000 coins to unlock the hidden shop, but I wasn’t too worried.

The system wouldn’t let Muriel die, after all.

※ Warning!

If you fail to divorce “Raul Winterberg” within the time limit, you will contract a terminal illness and die.

(D-day: 87)

There were still 87 days left.

‘Still, it’s better to gather them quickly… In that case, system, give me a quest.’

No sooner had I requested it than a notification chimed, and a system popup appeared:

Quest Triggered! <Collect Potion Ingredients!>

Many rare herbs are hidden deep in the corrupted forest.

Go to the forest to collect herbs and acquire potion ingredients.

• Herb Gathering (0/10)

• Mushroom Gathering (0/10)

• Monster Soul Core Acquisition (0/10)

Difficulty: C
Risk: A
Success Reward: 500 coins

※ Warning: Dangerous monsters may appear deep in the forest. Bring a reliable bodyguard!

‘Potion ingredients…?’

Why a potion all of a sudden?

Could this be a foreshadowing of what’s to come?

Potions, as a rule, were remedies adventurers prepared for dungeon expeditions and monster hunting.

A few at a time, sometimes dozens. Some adventurer guilds even placed bulk orders of hundreds for their members.

‘No wonder pharmacists rake in money. The more famous they get, the more they earn.’

In the original story… when was it? I don’t remember the exact date, but one day a dungeon suddenly appeared in the Winterberg territory.

Raul had ordered hundreds of potions at that time.

‘But that was supposed to happen after Muriel’s exile ends…’

Why, then, were the monsters already becoming aggressive, a sign that a dungeon might appear, so soon?

‘This quest seems suspicious too.’

Suddenly telling me to collect potion ingredients…

…Maybe I’ll even get an Alchemy skill later?

I stared at the status screen, but it gave no answers—certainly another “won’t tell you” move from the system.

‘Well, whatever… I’ll just do what I can.’

Whatever the system’s big plan was, all I had to do was focus on what I could do, as I always had.

The next morning.

D-day 86

“……”

As always, a D-day notification popped up to start my morning, accompanied by an oddly foreboding message hanging from the ceiling.

Congratulations! Your fame has increased!

Your current reputation: “A nameless farmer selling extraordinary crops.”

Some say about you: “The girl with that unusual hair color?”

Several stories about you are circulating:

“I heard they’re newlyweds.”
“They looked very happy together.”
“The lord’s wife has similar hair color… I was surprised when I first saw her.”
“Surely there must be many people with that hair color in this wide world.”

Rumors are spreading about the crops you’ve grown:

“Really? After eating the potatoes bought from that newlywed couple, my fatigue disappeared?”
“Yes! My neighbor’s son ate strawberries and his cold healed overnight.”
“Maybe just a coincidence?”

• 52 people are curious about you.

• 48 people are looking forward to seeing you again.

• 2 people are suspicious of your identity.

Current Fame: 240
Fame needed for Residence Upgrade Level 2: 240 / 1,500

※ Your name has not yet been revealed to the public!
※ The more people remember your name, the more fame you can accumulate.
※ Make your name known to the world! (♪˶´・ᴗ・`˶ ♪)

“Ha…”

I pressed my forehead and sighed deeply.

The system, doing this again…

‘No, I don’t want my name out in the world. Even if I’m supposed to reveal my identity someday, now isn’t the time.’

Sometimes I wasn’t sure if the system was helping me or pushing me into hardship. Probably both.

‘I don’t need a life this big. System, thank you but no thanks.’

I swiped the status screen away and left the room, frowning. Lysian, cleaning the living room, gave me a puzzled look.

“Did you have a nightmare? You don’t look happy.”

“Hmm… kind of. Don’t forget we’re going to the forest this morning, right?”

“Of course. I’ve already prepared the lunch and necessary tools.”

“Very thorough… MBTI J for sure.”

At this point, Lysian felt like the butler of our house—a mischievous fox butler.

I gave a faint smile, habitually ruffling his hair in praise.

“Well done. That’s enough cleaning. Let’s eat breakfast.”

“…Yes, Master.”

A blush crept onto his cheeks as he slightly bowed. Somehow, it felt like a fluffy fox tail was swishing behind him.

After a hearty breakfast, the first thing we did was harvest the fully grown crops.

“Wow, these look great.”

Potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, eggplants.

I put them in baskets in my inventory to keep them fresh.

This way, each basket counts as one item, not individual vegetables, making it easier to store large amounts.

Inventory (D)

Stored Items:

• Basket of fresh potatoes ×1

• Basket of fresh tomatoes ×1

• Basket of fresh strawberries ×1

• Basket of fresh eggplants ×1

Storage Capacity: 4/50

‘No worries about food for now.’

I chuckled proudly. The gentle breeze felt as bright as my mood.

Around 9 a.m., we headed to the forest.

Lysian walked closely beside me, holding the “special supply” holy sword.

Ninabel was left to guard the house. If monsters invaded the farm while we were away, it would be a disaster.

―Master… Please come back quickly… Nini feels so lonely without you… Waaaah~!

The spirit’s telepathy, sent every 10 seconds, was almost unbearable. I finally snapped and warned her sharply:

‘Don’t talk unless it’s urgent. Keep crying and whining, and I’ll throw you in the kettle.’

―You’re so mean~!! How could you say something so cruel…! But Nini still loves Master…! I’ll follow you forever!!

Completely unhinged… I shook my head.

About an hour into the forest, exhausted and without any progress, a status screen suddenly popped up in midair.

“Nearby herb cluster detected! Go straight toward 11 o’clock!”

“….”

A guide… or navigation? Either way, the system’s direction was a big help.

Following the instructions, we really did find the herb cluster.

“Ah.”

A clearing about 5 pyeong in size, nestled among dense trees.

At the center, around a tree stump, green-leaved plants sprouted together.

…Yes. Unlike the violet ones, these plants were not corrupted!

Ding!

Just then, a notification chimed, and a system popup appeared.

Herb Appraisal (C) Skill Awakened!

You can appraise all herbs in the world. Appraised herbs are added to your 〈Herb Encyclopedia〉.

※ This skill has a unique rank and cannot be upgraded.