The late morning sun filtered through the forest canopy, streaking the dirt path with golden light as Sylas paced in front of his coop, lips moving in broken mutters.
"Buy… seed… buy… no, not see-ed, sehd. Gods, why is the word for 'vegetable' longer than a dragon's tail?"
> [Linguistic Absorption: 34%]
Status: Functional for basic trade-level speech. Reading: 12%
He scratched his head. "So I can ask for seeds and maybe not accidentally order poison?."
Over the past week, Sylas had thrown himself into the language like his life depended on it. He repeated phrases out loud while chopping wood, drew symbols in the dirt, and even taught a particularly confused chicken to respond to the word "food."
Some words came easily—simple nouns, greetings, and numbers. But grammar was still a tangled knot in his brain. Sentences felt like puzzles with half the pieces missing.
> [System Notice: Progress acceptable. Consider branching into agriculture to increase sustainability.]
Suggested Quest: Buy Seeds from Town Market
Reward: Farming Skill (Locked) + Basic Crop Knowledge
Tip: You now possess the minimum language level for trade.
Sylas stared at the glowing message, then at the freshly tilled patch of earth beside his hut. He'd cleared it the day before nothing fancy, just rows of dark soil waiting for something to take root.
"Alright," he said. "Let's try town again. But this time… no trying to flirt with the guards by accident."
He cleaned himself up the best he could brushed off his worn tunic, tied back his hair, and even washed his face in the bucket without flinching. Captain Beak, sensing Sylas was leaving again, clucked with disdain.
"I'll bring back corn," Sylas promised, pointing at the rooster. "You behave."
Beak responded by pooping on the doorstep.
The path to town felt shorter this time. Maybe it was because he wasn't so nervous, or maybe because each step had purpose now.
As the stone arch of the town's gate came into view, Sylas squared his shoulders. The same two guards were on duty. One glanced up as he approached, but this time Sylas bowed slightly and spoke first.
"Come… trade. Buy seed," he said carefully.
The guards exchanged a look.
The older one, the one with the bushy eyebrows, grunted and nodded. "No trouble?"
"No," Sylas said quickly. "Only seed. I buy. I go."
After a long pause, the guard stepped aside.
Sylas blinked. "Really? That… worked?"
The guard muttered something that sounded like "gods help us" and waved him in.
The market was smaller than he'd imagined, but full of life. Wooden stalls lined the main square, with traders hawking their goods in loud, energetic voices. He caught the scent of bread, spices, and something that might have been roasted meat—or maybe just someone's wet dog.
Sylas scanned the stalls. Baskets of vegetables. Racks of cheap tools. Clay jars. Finally, he spotted a cart overflowing with cloth sacks—each labeled with curling script and a crude image. Some had drawings of leaves, others of roots or beans.
He approached cautiously.
The woman at the cart was squat, with hair like a bird's nest and a toothy smile. "Yes?" she asked, tilting her head.
Sylas cleared his throat. "Buy… seed. Plant. Food."
The woman chuckled and nodded. "Ah, yes. Farmer boy. New?"
He hesitated. "Yes. New."
She gestured to the sacks. "Ten copper per. Choose."
Sylas knelt and studied the bags. He recognized the sketch of a carrot, and what looked like beans. He tapped the image of a leafy vegetable.
"This," he said. "Good?"
"Very," the woman replied. "Grow easy. Tasty."
> [New Item: Leaf Cabbage Seeds x1]
Cost: 10 Copper
Funds Remaining: 17 Copper
Sylas fished coins from his pouch and counted them carefully into her hand.
"Thanks," he said, trying to smile.
"Thanks you," she replied, not unkindly. "Try market stew. Less dirt in it today."
He explored the market a little more, but didn't dare risk another complex conversation. Instead, he bought a small loaf of coarse bread—mostly gestures and coin—and left before he tempted fate.
The walk back was quiet again, but this time it didn't feel like retreat. He'd done it. He'd gone to town, spoken in another language, and bought what he needed.
It wasn't much—but it was his.
Back at his plot, he spread the seeds out and studied them: pale green pellets, light as dust.
He knelt in front of the tilled rows and let the wind settle around him.
"Let's see if I've got a green thumb," he said. Then paused. "Wait. System, do I get a farming stat?"
> [Farming Skill: Locked]
Unlock Condition: Grow first crop to harvest.
Sylas snorted. "So I need proof of effort. Figures."
He planted the seeds carefully, spacing them as Mira had once described when they talked about root vegetables. After covering them with soil, he fetched water from the nearby stream and poured it gently over the rows.
When he was done, he sat back on his heels, wiping sweat from his brow.
> [New Objective: Wait for Crop Growth – Estimated Time: 7–10 Days]
Tip: Proper weeding and hydration will improve yield.
He stared at the dirt. It didn't look impressive. Just rows of earth. But somehow, it felt like magic.
"Guess I'm a farmer now," he muttered. "From dying in a hospital bed to planting cabbage in another world."
That night, as the stars blinked above and the coop clucked softly in the distance, Sylas sat on his porch and stared at the moon.
His hands were stained with soil. His mind buzzed with unfamiliar words and broken phrases. But there was warmth in his chest that hadn't been there before.
Hope.
> [Daily Progress Report]
Language Mastery: 36% (+2%)
Reputation: Neutral
Skills:
Linguistic Absorption (F)
Basic Survival (F)
Notable Actions:
Completed Trade in Foreign Town
Planted First Crop
Emotional Stability: Improving
Motivation: Increasing
Sylas leaned back and let the night air wash over him.
"Next up," he whispered, "maybe potatoes."