Chapter 16: Business

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Business

Before stepping out the door for his big day at the Academy, Rowan paused near the back porch. The warm, lingering hum of the [Vitalizing Nourishment] buff was still circulating through his bloodstream, making his mind razor-sharp.

He knew his family’s financial situation had always been tight. Looking at how his parents reacted to a single breakfast dish, an obvious realization struck him: This isn’t just incredible food—it’s high-tier, mana-dense produce that could completely transform our lives.

If he grew a steady supply inside his domain, his parents could sell the surplus at the local weekend farmer’s market. Peak E-Grade crops with zero impurities and natural restorative properties would command a premium price among local cultivators, adventurers, and wealthy suburban households.

Closing his eyes, Rowan slipped back into his personal sanctuary.

[Domain: The Virgin Soil]

The soothing twilight air of the Primordial Garden welcomed him. Leaving the main marble path, Rowan walked over to the giant root cellar beneath the Great Tree and retrieved a fresh batch of harvested crops from the green stasis mist:

Seeds Sown: 24x Verdant Crown Tomatoes, 12x Amethyst Solar Squash, 20x Ignis-Bloom Sweet Peppers, 40x Edenic Amber Wheat Grains

Total Active Crop Plots: 96 Plants

Time Dilation: 10:1 Ratio Active (Harvest ready in ~8-12 hours real time)

Potential Outcome: High-yield harvest of raw produce + premium grain for baking mana-infused bread/flour!

Using a small silver knife from his kit, he carefully sliced open the fruits, expertly extracting the glowing, mana-rich seeds from the ripe pulp. Because these crops had been nurtured by [Breath of Eden - Lv. 2], their seeds were purer and contained far stronger genetic potential than the original heirloom seeds he had started with.

Rowan then walked over to the expansive field of rich, dark loam surrounding the Great Tree. The soil practically throbbed with ancient vitality.

With the planting finished, Rowan knelt down and hovered his hands above the freshly turned earth. He summoned his mana, activating [Nourish].

A vibrant, emerald pulse of light washed out from his palms, soaking deep into the soil.

[DOMAIN EFFECT ACTIVATED]

Time Dilation: 10:1 Ratio Active

Aura: [Breath of Eden - Lv. 2] Applied

Trait: [Green Thumb (Grade I)] Germination Rate +15%

Status: 56 Eden-Grade Seeds Successfully Sown!

Thanks to the 10:1 time dilation inside the domain, these seeds would sprout within hours and yield a massive, pristine harvest long before the weekend market arrived.

"Dad and Mom are going to be blown away when they see the weekend haul," Rowan murmured with a smile, wiping his hands clean.

He stepped out of the domain, returned to his bedroom, grabbed his shoulder bag and his Identification & Awakening Registration Tag, and headed downstairs to head off to Sol-Aethel Awakener’s Academy.

***

After saying a quick goodbye to Arthur and Martha—who were still eyeing the leftover breakfast skillet like it was made of solid gold—Rowan stepped out into the crisp morning air. With his shoulder bag slung comfortably across his chest and his Identification & Awakening Registration Tag tucked safely into his coat pocket, he set off toward Sol-Aethel Awakener’s Academy.

Instead of taking the direct paved thoroughfare through the suburban district, Rowan took a slight detour. The Academy sat near the boundary where the suburban border met the verge of the Whispering Frontier—a sprawling, semi-wild forest zone influenced by low-grade mana ley lines. It was a longer walk, but Rowan wanted to test his newly awakened eyes on wild, uncultivated flora.

Walking along the damp dirt path hugging the forest’s edge, Rowan felt his senses buzzing. Driven by his [Dormant Genius (Mind & Nature)] hidden potential and his heightened 17 Intelligence and 17 Wisdom, the natural world seemed to speak to him in a language of subtle textures, mana currents, and growth patterns.

Every few paces, a faint pulse of life energy in the brush would catch his attention, prompting him to crouch down and activate his skills.

[ FIELD BOTANICAL DISCOVERIES ]

1. Dew-Drop Moss (Grade E - Common)

Observation: Clinging to the shaded, damp stones near a trickling stream, this velvety, blue-green moss didn’t just absorb water—it actively condensed ambient atmospheric humidity into tiny, crystal-clear beads of pure water.

Skill Assessment [Identify]: Retains water at 400% efficiency compared to standard mosses; releases stored moisture on demand when the soil dry threshold is reached.

Rowan’s Insight: "If I line the base of my crop beds with this in the domain, I can establish a self-regulating irrigation system that prevents drought stress entirely."

Action: He carefully used his trowel to scoop up a small patch of root-bound moss, wrapping it in a damp cloth and stowing it in his bag.

2. Silver-Vein Clover (Grade E - Uncommon)

Observation: Tucked beneath a cluster of wild ferns, these three-leaf clovers had delicate metallic silver threads running through their leaves.

Skill Assessment [Identify]: Hyper-efficient nitrogen-fixing legume. Passively enriches soil with elemental vitality while drawing out trace toxins and heavy metals from corrupted earth.

Rowan’s Insight: "This is a natural soil restorer! Planting this alongside heavy-feeding crops like wheat and squash will prevent soil depletion without needing artificial fertilizers."

Action: Rowan gathered a handful of mature seed pods hanging from the clovers, tucking them into a small pouch.

3. Iron-Bark Root Sapling (Grade E+ - Rare Wild Strain)

Observation: Near the tree line stood a tiny, stubborn shoot barely five inches high, with bark as dark and hard as polished slate. Despite being trampled by wild animals, its stem was completely unbent.

Skill Assessment [Identify]: Dormant Ancestral Lineage (Iron-Wood). High structural density and extreme resistance to physical impact and fire.

Rowan’s Insight: "With [Breath of Eden - Lv. 2], I can awaken its latent ancestral traits. In a few growth cycles inside the domain, this could become a source of ultra-dense timber for building structures, tool handles, or living defensive hedges."

Action: He carefully excavated the entire sapling, keeping its root ball and surrounding soil intact before placing it securely in his bag.

The detour took an extra thirty minutes, but by the time Rowan emerged from the forest path and saw the towering stone archways and grand spires of Sol-Aethel Awakener’s Academy rising in the distance, his bag was heavy with wild specimens brimming with potential.

With a satisfied smile, Rowan brushed the dirt off his knees, adjusted his coat, and walked toward the bustling Academy gates for orientation.