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.

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."

Rowen gave her a small nod and a polite, "Good morning," before stepping past the counter. He didn't linger on her expression, nor did he ask questions.

Instead, he reached for the neatly placed menu card on the side table—a simple list of seeds and produce the Wood family shop kept in stock. Running his fingers down the menu card, he began scanning the section labeled Fruit Seeds.

There were options like apple, pear, peach, grape, and even a few exotic ones such as citrus and berry varieties. Prices varied depending on how difficult they were to cultivate, with the rarer fruits costing nearly double the price of ordinary ones.

Rowen's eyes narrowed slightly as he weighed his choices.

His gaze stopped at the familiar fruit—apple. The card noted:

Apple Seed Packet – 2 Low Grade Mana Stones.

Rowen raised his brows slightly. The price wasn't outrageous, especially compared to the rarer fruits listed below, some of which cost 5 or even 8 stones per packet. Still, he quietly measured it against his current earnings.

Apples were popular, easy to recognize, and always in demand, whether eaten fresh or sold for juice. What really stirred his curiosity, though, was how the apples grown in his space would differ from ordinary apples sold in the town.

Rowen reached into his pouch and took out two low-grade mana stones, placing them on the counter. "Please give me one packet of these apple seeds," he said to the receptionist.

The young woman glanced at the stones, then at him, and quickly packed the seeds with a polite nod.

The receptionist handed over the small packet of apple seeds. Rowen carefully tucked it into his bag before turning to leave the shop. After paying for it, he was now left with a total of 39 low-grade mana stones.

After buying the apple seed, Rowen didn't rush to his shop, but he had a different goal this time.

Rowen now had quite the money. This part of town was the nearest area to the upper district, where most wealthy families and talented students lived. After some thought, he decided to visit and see what it looked like. More than curiosity, he wanted to find out which additional path he could take now that he could absorb mana. Mage, Knight, or Tamer—he didn't know yet which would suit him, but seeing the difference with his own eyes might help him decide.

There was a building in the upper district called Cornerstone. Every city had one, built and funded directly by the federal government. Everset City's Cornerstone was no different.

The Cornerstone wasn't just a symbol of order—it was built to administer and protect the city. The staff there handled records, disputes, and trade permissions, but most importantly, they kept the federal government's presence visible even this far from the capital. For the awakened, the building also served another purpose. It was where one could request guidance, report monster sightings, and even receive basic information about paths like mage, knight, or tamer.

Anyone could step inside. Whether commoner or noble, awakened or not, the Cornerstone was meant to be a neutral place. The soldiers stationed there ensured discipline, while clerks and record keepers answered questions.

Rowen had never been inside before. From a distance, he had only seen the white stone walls and the small federal flag fluttering at the top.

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