Seeing Ewan's fixation on the meat dish - or lack thereof - Asher Ryder couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. However, the pantry was truly devoid of any savory provisions. The local wildlife had recently retreated deeper into the dense forestry, and Asher was hesitant to venture too far in. While this planet was designated as 'safe', that classification only applied to the charted territories within human perception. No one had actually sighted a Star Beast yet, but safety was a relative concept.
Who could say for certain? The universe was never short on nasty surprises. It was entirely possible that high-tier Star Beasts - or even dragons - were nesting in the unexplored depths of the primeval forest. Given the planet's woefully obsolete technology, mounting an expedition to the heart of the woods or the abyss of the ocean was a near-impossible feat.
Asher Ryder weighed his options. He didn't dare make Ewan a promise he couldn't keep, so he simply asked, "Do you want to head back home first, or stay here and survey the farmland? I intend to head into the woods for a bit to see if I can bag some small animal."
The moment he heard "small animal", Ewan's sparkling eyes lit up like a supernova. Catching an animal meant there would be meat on the table, didn't it?
Seeming to sense Ewan's high hopes, Asher quickly added a disclaimer. "I can't promise anything, mind you. Hunting has been rather difficult lately."
"That is fine, that is fine, as long as you try." Ewan replied. But then he paused. It suddenly occurred to him that this man was providing him with shelter and food, and was now going out to hunt specifically for him. Yet here Ewan was, sounding like a demanding employer. It felt a bit awkward. He quickly softened his tone: "You go ahead. I'll stay here and see if this soil can be rehabilitated."
As for how to rehabilitate it? Oh, please. Ewan had witnessed the evolution of agriculture from the Stone Age all the way to the era of advanced technology. Surely, he possessed enough knowledge to handle Asher Ryder's two barren plots of land.
And so, they split up.
Asher returned to the house to retrieve his hunting gear before heading for the treeline, while Ewan rolled up his pant legs and stepped directly into the paddy. Since the land hadn't been farmed for a season or two, it was incredibly dry, likely due to a recent lack of rain. Ironically, this worked in his favor; Ewan didn't sink into the mud, keeping his clothes relatively clean.
Even so, the local matrons working nearby couldn't help but gasp and fret.
"Hey kid, don't you need to go home and change your clothes?" One of the women called out to Ewan.
Ewan looked down at himself. His attire seemed perfectly ordinary - old, washed clean, and certainly not brand new. Was it forbidden to wear this in the fields?
Seeing Ewan's bewildered expression, the woman next to him couldn't help but sigh: "You've just been brought here by Asher so you wouldn't know. Cotton clothes are very expensive here. You should go change into a set of hemp clothes, like the ones Asher was wearing earlier."
Only then did Ewan recall that detail. His brain had been so consumed with thoughts of meat that he had completely forgotten about the local economy. He sighed, murmuring: "But... there's only one other set like this left at home."
His statement stunned the enthusiastic women into silence. They silently lamented how much Asher Ryder was spoiling this young man. They took a closer look at the boy before them - fair skin, cheeks flushed with a healthy pink, and soft, curly chestnut hair. He was just a bit too thin.
If he had a bit more meat on his bones, he would be a renowned beauty. It was no wonder Asher pampered him so; they had even heard that Asher went into the forest specifically to catch small game for this boy to eat.
Truly excessive pampering.
Although the local women felt that beauty was of little use on this planet compared to the ability to work, they held their tongues. Who knew what Asher was thinking? After all, he had the skills to support himself, so what if he spent a little money on cotton clothes?
Besides, coming home exhausted from work and looking at a beauty was certainly better than staring at a sour, wrinkled face.
So, they simply told Ewan to be careful. Washing cotton clothes was a chore, and ruining them would be a waste.
Ewan awkwardly thanked everyone, then turned his attention to inspecting the soil quality in the field.
"Too dry." Ewan muttered, tapping the cracked surface of the earth. Although he had never personally farmed, Ewan had lived through eras where agriculture was paramount. Even without practical experience, his theoretical knowledge was vast.
"The soil needs to be plowed and aerated. Leaving it fallow to sun-dry is actually quite good."
That was Ewan's assessment, but he couldn't start immediately. He didn't have any farming implements. Asher had only brought him out on a whim to look at the fields, so they were empty-handed.
Ewan hesitated for a moment, then called out to two middle-aged men resting on the adjacent ridge. "Excuse me, uncles..."
Both men looked up at him. Ewan shyly asked: "Did you happen to bring a hoe? Or anything that can turn the soil? Could I possibly borrow it?"
"We only came out to weed and water today, so we didn't bring hoes. But Leo's family might have one. Let me go ask for you."
Ewan was just about to thank the middle-aged man when he heard the acerbic voice of a young woman nearby: "Uncle Trent, why go to the trouble? Look at him - does he look like he knows how to plow a field? If you help him to find people lend him a hoe and he breaks it, it'll be your reputation on the line."
Ewan glanced over. It was a young woman, likely in her twenties. Her face was smudged with mud, yet it couldn't hide her delicate features. However, her caustic tone and scowling expression completely obscured any beauty she possessed.
Ewan tutted internally. He knew this trope. He read enough novels to recognize it instantly.
She definitely had a secret crush on Asher Ryder and found Ewan to be an eyesore.