We’ve reached a farm relatively close to the home. The kids in the home sort of work for the owners of this place.
The elderly couple here have experience farming, and they’ve been teaching them all sorts of things so they can eventually stand on their own.
I tell them I heard about what’s going on from Filo, and ask them if I can have a look, and they show me around without a hint of displeasure on their faces.
The old man is called Olin, and the old woman Nono.
“The soil here really isn’t suited for farming, but it’s pretty much all like this in this area.”
But they still decided to build a town here because it’s close to the river, and not too far from other towns.
“We tried to fix it too, but nothing works.”
Says Olin while dropping his shoulders.
I guess they’ve already tried to tackle the problem.
From what I see, I get the feeling that the vegetables grown here are smaller than the ones I saw in other villages.
I try casting Appraisal on one, and it tells me its quality is average. But is that because its nutrients aren’t good, or because it doesn’t taste very good?
I feel like I’d offend them if I asked. I can’t ask them to try it either, because they are low on food as it is.
But as I think about this, they pick something from the ground and bring it to me. They tell me to have a taste, and so, I do. But it doesn’t taste too bad.
“Can you tell anything, Sora?”
“Not really.”
I can’t really do anything without knowing the root cause.
But when I look at the ground with Appraisal still active, suddenly something pops up like a speech bubble.
It says the soil is poor quality.
“Can I have some of this soil?”
Olin makes a weird face, but when I tell him I want to study it a bit, he says yes.
Should I try to use this to change the quality of the soil?
It could be a good idea to bring in good soil from somewhere else. But even with the Item Box, that’s not a job for one person.
I think the more realistic approach is to use Alchemy or Creation to make nutrients for the soil.
◇ ◇ ◇
“But…”
“What?”
I mumble after we get back to the inn, and Mia responds.”
“Even if I used alchemy to improve the soil, that would be temporary. The best solution would be something everyone can do.”
I can’t be everywhere.
“Then what about something an average alchemist can make? That way, the alchemist guild could make it too.”
Chris is right.
It kind of feels like a waste to reveal a technique to everyone, but there’s no other way. Unlike the merchant guild, I have plenty of people I can talk to in the alchemist guild, so maybe I can negotiate a usage fee like a copyright.
But if it can only be made with the Creation skill, that’s a whole different story.
After eating, we each do our own thing until it’s time to sleep.
Rurika, Sera, and Chris are also worried about the food issue, and are discussing accepting a quest in the guild.
Hikari and Mia are infusing the dolls with magic energy and doing something.
“What are you doing?”
I ask, because they look pretty serious.
“We’re going to show them to the kids in the home.”
“Yes. We’re practicing.”
They say.
So they’re thinking about putting on a puppet show?
I’m a bit concerned about letting other people see them, but I guess someone’s bound to see them at some point.
Maybe I should have an excuse ready, like that they’re magic items or that we found in a dungeon or something along those lines.
Anyway, I should get to work too.
First, I divide the soil into several separate containers.
I use Appraisal again just to check, and it still says it’s low quality soil.
I’ll make fertilizer related items on the Alchemy list.
I can’t do anything that involves burning materials inside the inn… Ah, but can I use Alchemy to make it so they have the same effects as if they were burned?
I have plenty of wood, but not a lot of leaves. If I knew I’d be doing this, I would’ve picked up fallen leaves too.
Normally they’d be useful to light fires, but I can burn trees directly with magic, so I don’t need them.
What about using medicinal herbs instead of leaves? I still have some low quality ones… Actually, can I use potions on the soil?
Yes, I think I can use this.
This doesn’t look like it’ll work.
This isn’t too effective.
“Ahh, it’s hard.”
I feel like I haven’t been this focused on work in a while.
“Master, are you done?”
“I think I’m almost there.”
I really do want to get some leaves and try using them. And maybe magic stones?
I still have magic stones, but they’re relatively high quality, and I want to use ones from goblins or wolves.
“Rurika, is there a forest with goblins or wolves or stuff like that nearby?”
“There’s a forest, but I don’t know if there are monsters. Why?”
“I want leaves… And magic stones.”
“Don’t you have a lot of magic stones?”
“I’m still experimenting, so I want to use ones from low level monsters. And if what I’m making can be done with magic stones from goblins or wolves, that’s also more convenient.”
If it can’t be made with those kinds of magic stones, and it can only be made with magic stones from monsters like orcs, it will be too expensive.
“Then we’ll go to the guild tomorrow. We want to do a little hunting too.”
They want to get some food too.
They have a reason to want to hurry, but they still want to help an old acquaintance in trouble.
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Hmm are they rushing him to get this done I mean are the girls even doing anything or is it just sitting there asking are u done yet? That can be a pain. Hopefully he can find a simple solution that can be replicated
Thanks for the treat.