Lunch wraps up quickly. The high elves are energized and ready to get back to work. I finish my plate and stand, stretching my arms.
Rhevan leaves with Donny at his side, leading a group of high elves back into the forest.
Meanwhile, Vesper shuffles past me, still looking half-asleep. Guess she ate too much.
[Vesper] "I'm going back to sleep now."
She waves lazily and disappears into one of the barracks.
I shake my head. At least she's honest about it.
—
Liora gathers her planting team and retrieves the sacks of seeds Rhevan brought back. They spread out across the field, moving efficiently to fill in the remaining sections.
Nym and I return to our work as well, continuing to cast growth acceleration magic across the newly planted areas.
We get into a good rhythm—planting, growth acceleration, and fine-tuning the magic. Soon, the entire field hums with magical energy as life surges through the soil.
By mid-afternoon, everything is finished. I step back and survey the work. Acres of land, all planted and accelerated. By tomorrow morning, everything will be ready to harvest.
[Wright] "Good work, everyone."
The high elves look tired but satisfied. Liora wipes her brow and smiles.
[Liora] "It's done. Now we wait."
[Nym] "And hope everything grows as planned."
[Wright] "It will."
—
As we're wrapping up, I hear voices approaching from the direction of the barracks.
Kara appears, carrying a wooden crate. Beside her, looking far more awake than before, is Vesper.
Nym spots them immediately and crosses her arms.
[Nym] "Vesper. Convenient timing. We just finished planting."
Vesper grins sheepishly.
[Vesper] "I was working on something important!"
[Nym] "Sleeping?"
[Vesper] "No! Well, yes, but also no. I was working on an artifact with Kara to help preserve the vegetables and meat."
Nym raises an eyebrow, skeptical.
Kara sets the crate down and gestures to it.
[Kara] "She's telling the truth. Take a look."
I walk over and examine the crate. It looks like a regular wooden storage box—well-crafted, but nothing unusual at first glance.
Then I touch the inside.
It's cold. Surprisingly cold.
[Wright] "This is... cold storage?"
Vesper nods enthusiastically.
[Vesper] "Exactly! I embedded a cooling rune array into the base and sides of the crate. The runes draw power from the mana stone in this slot and convert it into a temperature-regulating field. It keeps the interior at a constant low temperature—perfect for preserving food."
She points to small, carved symbols along the edges. Kara picks up a tiny, glowing crystal and slots it into a recessed compartment on the crate's side. The runes glow faintly, and the temperature inside drops even further.
[Kara] "The mana stones are common and can be found in low-level monsters. Adventurer guilds should have plenty in stock. One stone can power the crate for weeks."
Another manga staple! Adventurer guilds! But before I can ask for more details, Nym interjects.
[Nym] "Isn't this redundant? We have Storage skills, so we can store the food there during transport. It won't spoil since it's suspended in time within the pocket dimension."
Vesper's face goes blank.
[Vesper] "Oh. Right. Storage exists."
She looks deflated.
Kara shakes her head in defense, smiling.
[Kara] "Not everyone has Storage, Nym. Especially not humans. For them, this could be incredibly useful for preserving food over long periods."
Vesper perks up slightly.
[Kara] "And the materials are common. Any decent craftsman could replicate this with the right instructions. It's practical and scalable. We just need to carve the rune array."
I examine the crate more closely. The design is simple, easy to mass-produce but effective.
[Wright] "This is a lot like the refrigerator I have in my cabin."
Vesper's eyes light up.
[Vesper] "Refrigerator?"
[Wright] "A cooling box. Keeps food and drinks cold. Storage magic doesn't change the temperature of things, so if you want cold fruits or drinks, something like this is essential."
Vesper practically vibrates with excitement.
[Vesper] "You have one? In your cabin? I've been curious about your cabin ever since I got here! Especially those large black plates on your roof. What are those?"
[Wright] "Solar panels. They generate electricity."
[Vesper] "Electri—what?"
[Wright] "It's what powers the refrigerator. The panels convert energy from the sun into electricity that can power all sorts of things. It's impressive that you're able to design something that acts as a refrigerator. I have a few other things as well, and it'll be great if we can recreate them."
I was at a loss for what to do without Creation Magic since there are more appliances I want to try from manga I've read. This might be a good alternative.
[Vesper] "Harnessing the power of the sun!? That's amazing. Can I see the other things you've mentioned? I want to study everything and see how it works."
[Wright] "We need to get ready for tomorrow's harvest, so not today. You're free to stop by another day if you want to look at them. But—"
I give her a pointed look.
[Wright] "You're banned from taking anything apart. I can't make another one if you break it."
Vesper deflates a little but nods quickly.
[Vesper] "I promise I won't break anything!"
[Wright] "Promise that you won't take them apart. Not break them."
[Vesper] "Ugh, okay."
Vesper says begrudgingly. I need to keep an eye on her.
—
The group gets to work organizing the crates and preparing tools for harvesting. Vesper, now fully awake and engaged, helps Kara stack the cooling crates near the field. Other high elves gather baskets, shears, and other harvesting implements.
Liora coordinates the planting of seedlings in a separate section—plants that will be transferred into the field immediately after tomorrow's harvest to keep the cycle going.
Meanwhile, I decide to build a proper storage structure.
I activate Crafting and pull lumber and stone from Storage. Within an hour, a large warehouse rises near the edge of the field—sturdy walls, a high ceiling, and wide doors for easy access. Inside, I add shelving and sectioned areas for organizing the harvest.
Next to it, I construct a smaller nursery building with ventilation and sunlight exposure for the seedlings.
When I finish, I step back and admire the work.
[Wright] "That should do it."
Kara walks over, looking impressed.
[Kara] "You really don't do things halfway, do you?"
[Wright] "No point in half-measures."
—
By the time the sun begins to set, everything is ready.
The field is fully planted and accelerated. The warehouse and nursery are built. The cooling crates are organized and waiting. The harvesting tools are prepared.
All that's left is to wait for tomorrow.
Rhevan and Donny return from the forest as the light fades, their hunting party laden with game. Rhevan pulls several large sacks from Storage—fresh meat, already cleaned and portioned.
[Rhevan] "Enough to last us several days and plenty left over for distribution."
[Wright] "Perfect. Let's prepare dinner and get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."
—
Dinner is simple but satisfying after a hard day's work—grilled meat, roasted vegetables, and Emberbread. I eat with the high elves in the clearing, the atmosphere relaxed and hopeful.
[Liora] "It's amazing how we managed to grow acres of crops in just one day."
[Wright] "Couldn't have done it without everyone's help."
[Nym] "You're the one who's been casting large-scale growth acceleration magic all day. It's incredible how large your mana pool is. We were handling the fine-tuning and are already exhausted."
[Wright] "Still, I wouldn't be able to do all of this alone."
They both smile.
Vesper interrupts the warm moment, talking with her mouth full of meat.
[Vesper] "So can I visit your cabin tomorrow?"
[Wright] "We'll need to harvest and pack the food for distribution tomorrow. You can come by afterwards if we finish early."
[Vesper] "I'll help out too so that we can finish early!"
I laugh, grateful for her enthusiasm but not getting my hopes up. She has a tendency to sleep in.
The dinner continues into the night, and our conversations continue as well. I learn a bit more about the surrounding area and kingdoms. This forest is called the Voidleaf Wilderness, and it sits between the sea and mountain ranges connecting the demon kingdom of Eryndor to the human kingdom of Aldencrest. Apparently, the number of high-level monsters that inhabit this forest makes it nearly impossible to march an army through, so thankfully we don't have to deal with an invasion. Usually, Aldencrest sends troops through the mountain passes when they try to pick a fight with the demons.
The conversation shifts to the other neighboring kingdoms. There's Respera, a small coastal kingdom that focuses on trade. Selenith is apparently a nation dedicated to magic and artifact research. And then there's Rathen, a culturally diverse kingdom founded by beastfolk.
These all sounds like great places to visit—excluding Aldencrest, of course. Eryndor especially catches my interest since it's apparently famous for hot springs. I've read enough manga to know that's worth visiting.
The conversation dies down as the night grows darker. The high elves head to the barracks. I return to my cabin with Donny, the quiet of the forest settling around us.
[Wright] "You did great today, buddy. I'll be counting on you tomorrow, so rest up."
He churrs enthusiastically.
Tomorrow, the first harvest begins.