Stardew Valley’s Farming Master

Chapter 304 Rome Stories February 22 New Share

In the end, the results confirmed that Red Star Farm’s soil was indeed excellent. Even under mechanized planting, it could still yield a few high-quality crops. However, compared to another farm using traditional planting methods under Grandpa’s personal care, the difference was massive.

From the same two hundred plants, Red Star Farm could produce only two or three high-quality crops, while the unnamed farm harvested fifty-seven.

Grandpa concluded at the end of the report that if you wanted a steady yield of high-quality crops, you had to stick with traditional planting methods.

“Idealism? Or is it some special rule of this world?”

Reading the report, Leon fell into thought.

He was no longer a newcomer ignorant of the world’s quirks. The events he had experienced, and the non-human beings he had met, had all made it clear this world was far from ordinary.

So strange situations like a planting method affecting high-quality crop yield no longer surprised him—though he still didn’t quite understand why.

Grandpa hadn’t given a reason either. The only extra note at the end of the conclusion was a puzzling statement:

“Farmers who come to Pelican Town—if you want to make your mark here, give up the convenience of mechanization and automation. The land will know the sweat you shed.”

That was what made Leon wonder if this was idealism or simply a special law of the world. But apart from that one sentence, Grandpa had offered nothing more.“Thanks for the reminder, Lewis. Sorry for bothering you.”

After thinking for a long while without finding an answer that satisfied him, Leon said goodbye to Lewis. Leaving his house, he hopped on his bike and pedaled hard to the northern foothills, where he found Linus sunbathing.

“I should probably put up a fence around here so you’d come bother me less often.”

Linus sighed helplessly when he saw Leon, but still sat with him by the campfire.

“So, what’s the problem this time?”

Leon chuckled and shared the details of Grandpa’s report he had seen at Lewis’s.

Linus listened quietly without interruption, only nodding occasionally to show he was paying attention. When Leon finished and looked at him expectantly, Linus’s answer left him deflated.

“I don’t know the answer to that. Maybe you should ask Rasmodius.”

“He’s not in Stardew Valley. I got a letter from him yesterday—sounds like he’s gone on a trip,” Leon replied with a wry smile.

“Gone traveling? Well, that’s in character.” Linus didn’t seem surprised. He knew Rasmodius had probably taken that half-pot of mutant carp stew to some alchemist for research.

“Well, since he’s not around, I’ll tell you a little. I wasn’t planning to, because it’s a long story.”

“So you do know—you just didn’t feel like talking.”

Seeing Leon’s exasperation, Linus shrugged off the jab and asked, “How much do you know about nature?”

“Nature… the sum of all life in the material world?” Leon hesitated, quoting something he had read before.

“That’s not wrong.” Linus didn’t correct him. Instead, he squatted down, pointing to the grass at his feet. “Do you think the land itself has life?”

“…I guess?”

Leon sounded unsure. Scientifically, if you excluded all the minerals, organic matter, moisture, air, and microorganisms in it, “land” alone wouldn’t count as alive. But philosophically, as the cradle of life, maybe it could.

“Be confident. The land is alive.” Linus smiled, then began.

“Yoba planted the World Tree in the universe, and in the fruit it bore, He saw our world. He merged a part of Himself into it, letting the world develop its own life energy.

“When the world came alive, Yoba was overjoyed. He treated the world like His child and poured more energy into it so it could grow faster. As the land and oceans formed, Yoba proposed a contest—land and sea as the participants.

“The rules were simple: each would raise its own children to bring more vitality and joy to the world.

“The land chose plants. The sea chose creatures. After millions of years of evolution, the first creature left the ocean and stepped onto land.

“Yoba welcomed this child of the sea who dared tread the earth, teaching it how to survive on land. Then, Yoba gave it His own form. This being became humanity’s ancestor—the very first human.

“With Yoba’s knowledge and blessing, the first human led others of his kind ashore. Under His guidance, they mastered various skills. Yoba loved humans dearly, so to ensure they would thrive, He made them male and female and taught them to reproduce. Thus humanity became the first and largest race in the world.

“Yoba hid among humans, subtly shaping their civilization and lives, creating professions to help them adapt to the land.

“The land, too, loved these human-like beings. While nurturing plants, it began producing fruits, grains, and vegetables fit for human consumption.

“Humans repaid the land by following Yoba’s teachings and planting more greenery. Humans and land became inseparable.

“To reward their help, the land infused the plants humans grew with extra nutrients and vitality. High-quality crops were born.

“When humans ate them, they became healthier, stronger, and lived longer—able to plant even more. Without realizing it, both sides had formed the first contract of the world.

“The condition for this contract was mutual aid between humans and the land. Technology, represented by machines, was humanity’s own invention in modern times. It does not enjoy the benefits of this ancient contract. Now do you understand?”

After finishing, Linus grabbed a kettle and drank several big gulps of water.

“You could’ve just said the last part, no need for the whole creation myth,” Leon muttered, though he had understood the point. It was interesting to him, but he wasn’t sure readers would feel the same.

“Just wanted to tell you the origin of humanity so you won’t come back asking related questions later,” Linus explained.

“I bet if I only told you the last line, you’d ask why the land would make such a deal with humans, or why it favors them so much.”

“…Fair enough. Those are exactly the kind of questions I’d ask.”

Leon sighed. Linus had him pegged.

It was a rare Sunday, and the brothers didn’t want him working like a Pal while on break. So, out of mercy, he’d made plans to go fishing with friends that afternoon. See you next month!

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