I Thought It Was a Healing Farming Game Chapter 24

After pondering for a while, I remembered that the farmer who managed the vegetable gardens also sold fertilizer.

It can’t be helped.

The fertilizer sold here was a little more expensive than the kind at the general store, but considering the tool rental time and my buff, it wasn’t a bad choice.

I hurried over to the man near the entrance.

“Hello, sir! Do you happen to sell fertilizer, too?”

The moment he saw me, the farmer’s face brightened.

“Fertilizer? Come over here.”

There were more types of fertilizer than I’d expected, but since this was my first time farming, I chose the cheapest one.

With the money I would have spent on three bags at the general store, I could only buy two here.

I’ll just think of it as paying for time.

I took out my gold and paid for the fertilizer.

Perhaps pleased to have made a sale, the farmer suddenly chuckled heartily and praised me.

“You’re pretty good at farming, and you’re diligent, too. It’s wonderful to see!”

“Ahaha. Thank you!”

“You’re covered in dirt, aren’t you? You must be tired, so I’ll carry the fertilizer to your garden for you.”

The farmer roughly ruffled my hair as though I were a good kid, then effortlessly hoisted both bags of fertilizer into the air.

I hurried after him.

“Heave-ho!”

The farmer set the bags down in one corner of my vegetable garden, straightened his back, and turned to look at me.

“Hmm, now, I don’t just give these out to anyone…”

He rummaged around in his inner pocket before pulling out a blacksmith upgrade coupon and holding it out to me.

“When you get around to buying your own tools, take this to the blacksmith and use it. It’ll let you get one free upgrade.”

“Wow! Thank you so much!”

My eyes lit up as I accepted the coupon with both hands and bowed.

Vegetable Garden Resident’s Affection +5

“That’s right, that’s right. It’s been a while since we’ve had such a decent visitor. Ha ha!”

His rough hands patted my back repeatedly, making me let out an involuntary yelp.

Leaving me rubbing my stinging back, the farmer walked away with a light step.

The fertilizer had cost a little more than I’d wanted to spend, but I’d gained affection and received a blacksmith upgrade coupon, too. It didn’t seem like a bad deal.

“All right… one, two…”

Just as I bent down to lift a bag of fertilizer, a flash of pure white caught the edge of my vision.

“Miss Miel. You’re still here.”

I paused at the cotton-candy-soft voice and lifted my head.

A familiar, welcome face stood before me.

“Siad! What brings you here?”

“I came to fetch you for dinner, but…”

Siad’s eyes swept over my filthy, dirt-covered appearance.

Compared to his spotless, immaculate clothes, I felt a little embarrassed.

Worried that some dirt might get on him, I stepped back and spoke.

“I’ll just finish spreading the fertilizer and head back. You go ahead, Siad…”

“Give it to me.”

Before I could even refuse, Siad took one of the bags of fertilizer with a single hand.

I hurried over to him, flustered.

“You don’t have to! You’ll get dirt all over your clothes.”

“It’s fine. This is something I want to do.”

Siad walked around the garden, skillfully spreading the fertilizer. Once he finished, he even gathered up the tools I’d rented.

“Oh, I’ll return those myself!”

I hurried after him, but my foot slipped when I stepped on a protruding stone.

“Ah!”

Hearing my startled cry, Siad immediately came over and helped me back to my feet.

“Are you all right?”

“Ah, yes, I’m fi—”

“The ground is uneven and dangerous, so take my hand.”

I instinctively reached for the hand he offered, then hesitated.

Even after spreading fertilizer, Siad’s hand was completely free of dirt. Meanwhile, after working for several hours, both of my hands were absolutely filthy.

“It’s okay. Your hand will get dirty, too.”

“I don’t mind.”

“…”

Without the slightest hesitation, Siad took my hand first.

I watched his back as he walked ahead, then smiled to myself and gently clasped his hand.

It’s been so long since I’ve held someone’s hand while walking. This feels nice.

As we made our way home together, I chattered away about everything that had happened that day, without even waiting for him to ask.

“I think I chose a pretty good vegetable garden. And I finished everything I’d planned to do today!”

“If I’d known you would work so hard, I should have helped you.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine! The garden was small enough for me to finish everything by myself in a single day.”

I’d already spread the fertilizer, too. Now all I had to do was keep an eye on the garden’s condition and wait until it was time to plant the seeds.

Time passes so quickly in Node. Maybe I can plant them as soon as tomorrow…

I covered my mouth and let out a long yawn.

“Are you tired?”

“A little…”

After finishing my yawn, I raised my head and met Siad’s gaze. He was staring intently at my hair.

“What is it? Is something stuck in my hair?”

I reached up and felt around the top of my head. Siad asked quietly,

“Did you fall?”

“Huh? No, I didn’t fall. Is there a leaf stuck in my hair or something?”

“Your hair is tousled. There’s a little dirt on it, too.”

“Oh, that’s because the farmer who manages the vegetable gardens ruffled my hair earlier.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yep! He praised me for working so hard.”

I proudly boasted about it to Siad, who let out a soft chuckle.

“You certainly have a knack for getting along with people, Miss Miel.”

“Well, I’ve always liked people.”

“You’ve always liked people…”

Siad repeated my words under his breath. Looking at me with an unusual expression, he asked,

“Then, do you like me, too?”

My eyes widened.

Siad wasn’t usually the sort of person to ask such frivolous questions.

Choices

1. Tell him you want to marry him.
2. Say that you do.
3. Say that you don’t.

What does marriage have to do with anything?

I quickly scanned the choices and answered without hesitation.

“Of course! I like you a lot, too, Siad!”

Siad’s pace slowed slightly, and he faltered.

Since he was standing with his back to a streetlamp, his face was shrouded in deep shadow.

“Why do you like me?”

“Huh?”

The unexpected question made my voice trail off.

There wasn’t a single reason not to like Siad.

Why do I like him?

He’d done nothing but treat me kindly. Naturally, there wasn’t a single thing about him that I disliked.

Still, since Siad was waiting for an answer, I began recalling all the things I was grateful to him for.

“There are so many reasons… For starters, I’m grateful that you rescued me and brought me here in the first place. And even though there’s so much I don’t know, you’re always patient and kind enough to teach me. You’re also very attentive and always check whether I’m feeling unwell.”

Even putting aside the friendship I’d built with Siad while playing the game, the kindness he’d shown me during the few days I’d spent in Node was already more than enough.

“Today, too, when I said I wanted to farm, you even found a book and read it to me. You could speak casually to me, but you always address me so politely. It makes me feel respected, and I like that.”

As I listed my reasons one by one, Siad remained silent for a while.

“You’ve been… paying remarkably close attention.”

He finally spoke after a moment.

“Really? I just naturally noticed those things.”

“…Thank you.”

Siad answered calmly, but something about his demeanor felt different from usual.

I moved closer to him and asked worriedly,

“Did something happen?”

Seeing him look so unusually serious, I worried that someone might have said something unpleasant to him.

“Nothing happened.”

“Really? Did someone… say they didn’t like you or something…?”

I hesitated as I asked. Siad looked down at me for a moment before a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“I was simply curious about your reasons. I’ve worried you with an unnecessary question.”

As though he didn’t wish to say anything more, Siad turned his head and looked straight ahead.