The Farmer’s Feast

“Thirty carrots!

That’s thirty whole carrots!

They’ll rot before I can eat them all, won’t they?

Maybe I should bury them in the ground?

Or should I sell the extras?

I actually know a black market!”

Sure, he’d been kicked out of that market for not having anything worth trading before, but these carrots were different — bright, fresh, perfect.

As he babbled excitedly, Jaeheon’s voice cut in, cool and steady.

“First, calm down.”

“I am calm!

I’m perfectly fine.”

He didn’t look fine in the slightest.

“No, you’re not.

Your hands are shaking.”

“That’s just a habit.”

“Shaking hands is a habit?”

“…Well, when you put it like that…”

“And I think your idea is dangerous.”

“Which idea?”

“Selling them on the black market.”

“Why?

What’s wrong with that?”

“When a weak person holds treasure, it gets stolen.”

“W-well, that’s true…”

“They might even lock you up and make you grow crops for them.”

Wasn’t that basically what he was already doing?

Garam gave him a look full of unspoken questions, but Jaeheon didn’t seem to notice.

‘Typical double standard,’ Garam thought, narrowing his eyes.

“Then how should I sell them?”

The trembling in his hands slowly faded as they talked.

He really didn’t think this man meant him harm.

“Do you have to sell them?”

“I want to.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

He had never accomplished anything on his own before.

He’d always tried, but success had never come.

Now, after finally growing something strong and real, he wanted to do something with it — to sell it, to prove he could.

And maybe, if he earned enough, he could buy a city citizenship someday.

To live in a place without monsters — that was everyone’s dream.

“It’s everyone’s dream,” Garam said softly.

Jaeheon looked at him with a strange, unreadable expression.

“Then I’ll sell them for you.”

“What? Really?”

“I have a few connections.

I’ll get the best price possible.”

“Th-then, what’s your commission?”

“I don’t need one.”

Garam’s face lit up instantly.

“Thank you so much!”

“In return, don’t talk about your abilities.

Or your job.”

“But there are already two people here who know.”

“They’re fine.

I’ll warn them myself.”

Jaeheon’s voice was calm — but his expression was cold.

He took a bundle of carefully cleaned carrots and left.

Garam, eyes wide with admiration, had begged to come along, but Jaeheon had refused — firmly.

The rejection stung a little, but the day moved on as usual.

Garam planted the remaining carrot seeds and harvested potatoes and sweet potatoes.

There were twice as many carrot seeds this time — and more potato and sweet potato starters, too.

But that raised a new concern.

Last time, he’d had to hand-pollinate flowers himself with a brush.

If his crops kept increasing, he’d need help.

‘Well, I can make Deok-pal do it,’ he thought.

But space — that would be a problem.

The ground was running out.

‘If only there were a big piece of land somewhere…

One safe from monsters.’

He sighed lightly.

At that moment, the Blood Stem extended its vine skyward — and caught a bird.

Then, despite being scolded repeatedly before, it proudly presented the struggling bird to Garam again.

It was the first time in days it had brought live prey instead of a drained corpse.

Still, Garam wasn’t thrilled.

The bird was too tiny to make a meal out of.

‘Well, it’s better than a dead one, I guess.’

He picked up a basket and gathered his harvest — plump potatoes the size of fists and thick sweet potatoes as long as his forearm.

Just seeing them made his heart feel full.

[First Harvested Potato: Restores 0.5 HP per minute for 10 minutes. Permanent Strength +2.]

[First Harvested Sweet Potato: Restores 0.5 HP per minute for 10 minutes. Permanent Intelligence +2.]

“What should I eat today~?”

He hummed, forgetting his worries for a moment.

There was a portable gas stove in the kitchen — perfect for cooking.

Boiled, roasted, fried — any would be delicious.

His mouth watered at the thought.

“Hey, aren’t you gonna share some of that?”

“Do you want to eat some?”

“Well, duh.

We picked out all the rocks for you.

We’re not asking for carrots, but at least potatoes or sweet potatoes!”

“Fine, sure.”

Garam nodded generously.

“I’ll share.”

Their eyes lit up at his words.

Garam went inside and grabbed a pot.

There were many ways to cook them, but he decided to boil first.

He washed the dirt off and started boiling the roots carefully.

Thankfully, the kitchen even had salt and sugar.

When they were done, he plated the potatoes and sweet potatoes, and poured a little salt and sugar into two small bowls.

“Hot, hot!”

The potatoes were scalding, but he managed to peel them with practiced fingers.

Fortunately, boiling didn’t reduce their effects.

‘I wonder if cutting and cooking them would change that?’

He was curious, but that experiment could wait.

For now, he decided to eat while they were warm.

‘This calls for sugar.’

People who ate potatoes with seasoning were split into two camps: the salt camp and the sugar camp.

Garam was firmly sugar camp.

‘But if I only use sugar, I’ll get tired of it.

Maybe a little salt later.’

A little flexibility was good.

He blew on the potato, then popped it into his mouth.

Soft, warm, perfect.

The second potato had cooled, making it easier to peel — he dipped that one in salt.

The mild, earthy flavor mixed with saltiness — and somehow, it even tasted sweet.

“Delicious!”

Garam chuckled, grabbing a third potato.

He’d completely forgotten the two men waiting outside.

By the time Garam remembered them, his belly was full.

“Uh-oh.”

He packed the remaining potatoes into a basket and opened the door quietly.

Outside, two ragged men sat squatting by the entrance.

“When’s he coming out?”

“When he feels like it, I suppose,” Deok-pal replied calmly.

But his growling stomach betrayed him, and his expression was growing darker.

“When?”

“Who knows.”

The sight of them whispering gloomily made Garam want to back away.

But in doing so, he accidentally bumped the door.

Both men snapped their heads around so fast it was almost zombie-like.

“Potatoes!”

“Sweet potatoes!”

Trying to keep his cool, Garam offered the basket.

“Eat as much as you want.”

The words barely left his mouth before the two lunged at the basket.

He’d even brought out the salt and sugar, but they didn’t notice — too busy devouring the food.

“So good!

So filling!”

“Delicious!

I forgot potatoes and sweet potatoes could taste like this!”

They stuffed their faces with tears in their eyes.

Then, spotting the seasonings, they shouted with joy.

“Salt!

Real salt!”

“Sugar!

It’s like a dream!”

They ate a shocking amount.

Garam could only watch in disbelief.

“You two can actually fit all that?”

Deok-pal nodded firmly.

“Of course!

When will we ever get to eat fresh crops again?

You eat while you can.”

“Damn right.”

“I still want more!”

“More?”

“Yeah, I can’t go back to canned food now!”

“Is it that good?”

They nodded in unison.

To be fair, Garam had to agree — it was that good.

“I suddenly feel proud of all the stone-picking we did.”

“Yeah, we weren’t wrong after all.”

Wrong?

You started because I threatened you.

Garam stared blankly, speechless, as they laughed.

“No more?”

“There is, but I need to save some for the homeowner.”

“Why?

What’s so great about him?”

“Isn’t he prettier than you?”

In pure looks alone, Jaeheon easily won.

“I meant his personality, not his face!”

“Oh.

That’s worse.”

“Seriously.

You never know when he’ll kill us.

Didn’t you almost lose an arm last time you tried to run?”

“I nearly lost a finger.”

I nearly lost a leg, Garam thought grimly.

“People like that don’t value human life.

Don’t get too attached.”

“I’m not.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Good then.”

Kang Jung-bae lay down flat on the floor.

“Man, that was the best meal I’ve had in ages.”

“Same,” Deok-pal murmured, flopping down beside him.

They looked perfectly at peace — but Garam had no plans to join them.

Lying down would only make him dirty again.

He hadn’t been the type to care about that before, but ever since coming here and showering regularly, something in him had changed.

He stretched and stood up.

The sky was already dim.

It was getting late — and Jaeheon still hadn’t returned.

Should he worry?

He almost did — then shook his head.

The man was a top-ranked Awakened.

If he was in danger, then Garam was already dead.

Yawning, Garam went back inside the house.