The next morning, Nigel quickly got dressed and tended to the crops, making sure they were properly watered. With a sense of urgency, he packed his watering can, fishing rod, and various tools into his inventory box and set off for town. His destination was the mines, and with no idea how long he would be underground, Nigel moved swiftly through the farm.

"Scythe? Check. Pickaxe? Check. And finally, the hoe? Check," Nigel mentally confirmed, ensuring all his necessary tools were securely stored in his pockets. Satisfied with his preparations, he hurried across the farm and made his way toward the town.

It was still early, and the peacefulness of the morning embraced the streets, accompanied by swirling cherry blossom petals dancing in the wind. Approaching the town square fountain, Nigel noticed Mayor Lewis gazing at an old, dilapidated building adorned with a clock.

"...Oh, hi there, Nigel," Lewis greeted him.

Nigel nodded briefly, intending to continue on his way. He had a busy day ahead, and Lewis's preoccupation with the abandoned structure seemed unrelated to his plans. However, Lewis appeared unaware of Nigel's lack of interest and began to speak.

"What an eyesore, isn't it? This is the Pelican Town Community Center... or what's left of it, anyway. It used to be the pride and joy of the town, always bustling with activity."

Nigel attempted to give Lewis a piercing look, hoping to convey his impatience, but it went unnoticed. Lewis was lost in his memories, fixated on the remnants of the community center.

"Lewis, I..."

"Yes, yes, I know. Just look at it. It's shameful. These days, the young folks would rather sit in front of the TV than engage with the community... not talking about you, of course. You're doing your best on your farm... always so diligent. I appreciate that."

"...This is going to take forever," Nigel muttered quietly, though his calm demeanor remained unchanged. Something about the community center stirred something within him, despite his initial skepticism. He couldn't quite explain it, but there was a sense of significance, as if it were beckoning to him in some way.

"But listen to me, I sound like an old fool... Joja Corporation has been pressuring me to sell them the land so they can turn it into a warehouse. Pelican Town could use the money, but something is holding me back from selling it... I suppose old-timers like me get attached to the relics of the past. Ah, well."

"...Joja Corporation?" Nigel interjected, his curiosity finally getting the better of him.

"...Well, yes. Joja Co., you know. Ever since they built the mart over there, they've been interested in this place. If anyone else buys a Joja Co. Membership, I might just go ahead and sell it."

Things weren't looking good. If someone purchased that membership, it would bring Joja's influence into the town, and that was the last thing Nigel wanted. He had grown to appreciate the absence of Joja in Pelican Town.

"...Hmm? Nigel, you seem pale. Are you alright? Anyway, let's go inside."

"...Sure." Nigel followed Lewis into the community center. Inside, the scent of nature and the forest enveloped the place. The whole building appeared worn out and weary, with not a single thing in normal condition. Curiously, Nigel's eyes fell upon a small doghouse-like thing, made of wood and leaves. Lewis also noticed it, and an air of awkwardness hung in the air.

"Hmm... Seems like Jas and Vincent played here, huh? Anyway, this place is even more dilapidated than I remember."

-pop!

In that moment, Nigel saw something colorful materialize right behind Lewis. It was green and resembled an apple with eyes and legs. It was cute, but also undeniably strange—too unusual for Nigel, a city dweller, to comprehend.

"...What's... that?"

"What are you talking about?"

By the time Lewis turned around, the peculiar creature had vanished into thin air. Lewis, unable to see the creature, shrugged and faced Nigel again, who wore a surprised expression.

"...Uh...Nigel? You're not your usual self today... Are you feeling unwell?"

"...You... didn't see that?"

"You saw something? Oh, well... I wouldn't be surprised if this place was infested with rats, you know. I..."

-poof!

Once again, that green, apple-like creature appeared right behind Lewis. Startled, Nigel's eyes widened, but the creature disappeared before Lewis could turn around.

"You're worrying me, Nigel."

"I saw something there... Unless I'm hallucinating."

"Haha... Look, I think I'm going to head home. I need some breakfast... Um, I'll keep this place unlocked from now on. Maybe you can help catch that rat if you have some extra time. Okay?"

Nigel waved to Lewis as he walked away from the community center. Something was definitely amiss. Even though Lewis didn't seem to believe in the existence of those creatures, Nigel knew that he had seen that... thing.

"...what the...where is it?"

Nigel scanned around the main hall of the community center, only to find nothing there. He inspected the pantry, the fish tank...and finally, the crafts room, where he could find..a golden scroll, lying on the ground. ...Nigel was sure that he could feel something from it, as it was luring him to come and read it. Nigel slowly touched the scroll, and read it...

"...uh.."

Only to find it written in some kind of ancient language that He never learned before. Nigel shrugged, and left the room with a disappointed feeling. He could just feel it, that the scroll was the answer to this...Joja problem, but it was just a weird book written in a weird language.

Nigel, his cold demeanor intact, calmly organized his thoughts. Whatever was going on at the community center, he had no idea how to handle it. Realizing he had wasted enough time, Nigel made the decision to head towards the mines and begin exploring that place.


Positioned right in front of the expansive lake and not far from Robin's shop, the mines came into view as Nigel approached. However, his arrival was accompanied by an unexpected sight—an old, one-eyed man with a red cape, staring intently at the mine entrance.

"...I was just peering down into this old mine shaft. It's been abandoned for decades. Still, there's probably something good there."

Without warning, the peculiar man struck up a conversation with Nigel as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Nigel simply nodded in acknowledgment, pondering the implications of the mine being abandoned for so long.

"But a dark place, undisturbed for so long... I'm afraid ore isn't the only thing you'll find... Here, take this. You might need it."

The man retrieved a rusty old sword made of steel and handed it to Nigel. The sword had decent range, but its durability remained uncertain.

"Name's Marlon, by the way. I run the Adventurer's Guild right outside. I'll keep my eye on you. Prove yourself, and I might think about making you a member."

Finally understanding Marlon's affiliation with the Adventurer's Guild, Nigel realized that magic truly existed in this world. However, most of it remained hidden from ordinary people. Adventurers were the ones who delved into the depths of these hidden magical places.

"...Name's Nigel."

"Nigel... Hope to see you again sometime."

Marlon left the mine, still enveloped in his mysterious aura. Nigel directed his attention to the elevator in front of him, which appeared to be non-functional. It seemed he would have to descend manually and activate the elevator from below. Taking a deep breath, Nigel steeled himself and began his descent into the mines.

Nigel's swift journey through the mine showcased his calculated nature. He navigated the first floor with precision, methodically breaking rocks to reveal a ladder leading further down.

Upon reaching the second floor, a faint buzzing sound disrupted the eerie silence. Nigel's sharp ears detected the noise, alerting him to a potential threat. With cautious steps, he traced the source, his heart pounding with anticipation.

There, hovering in a steady pattern, was a peculiar bug. Its large wings fluttered gracefully, propelling it through the air. Nigel observed its movements, analyzing its flight pattern and assessing any potential danger it might pose.

Despite the bug's seemingly harmless appearance, Nigel's calculated nature urged him to eliminate the potential threat to ensure his safety. Swiftly, he reached for his scythe, its sharp blade gleaming in the dimly lit mine. With a calculated swing, the blade sliced through the air, connecting with its target.

A sickening crunch reverberated as the blade struck the bug's fragile exoskeleton. The insect's once graceful flight abruptly halted, and its mangled body plummeted to the ground. Nigel quickly wiped the blade clean, maintaining its durability.

To his surprise, the bug's demise revealed a hidden path beneath it, leaving Nigel with yet another puzzle to solve. He stored the question in the back of his mind, intending to discuss it with Marlon at a later time. Pressing forward, he advanced to the third floor—a larger expanse that demanded careful exploration.

Within this new area, Nigel stumbled upon a copper node. His trained eyes immediately recognized its value. With practiced precision, he extracted the copper ores, mindful of preserving the resource instead of needlessly destroying it. His movements were swift yet controlled. Maximizing efficiency in gathering the precious material proved to be a challenging task, but Nigel's acquired knowledge from internet research and Gunther's books paid off, resulting in three ores in his possession.

"...There's another one."

Nigel spotted yet another node and headed in its direction. However, as he passed by a patch of soft ground...

-Kiyaaa!

"What the..!"

Suddenly, a mole-like monster thrust its head out of the ground, attempting to bite Nigel's leg. Displaying his reflexes, Nigel swiftly evaded the attack. With no time to hesitate, he sought out a more stable and solid ground, beyond the creature's reach. The monster appeared unable to dig through the hard ground and lacked eyesight, as it failed to notice Nigel's presence.

"...It sensed my sound? Vibration? Maybe both..."

Nigel raised his scythe, positioning the blade towards the ground, ensuring a firm grip. He slowly maneuvered the blade onto the soft land where the monster lurked, making contact.

-Kiyaa..!

The scythe's blade pierced through the monster's head as it leaped up to bite its unsuspecting victim. Nigel's calculated move proved fatal for the creature. He swiftly pushed the monster's lifeless body away from his scythe and noticed something glimmering inside.

"...Huh...?"

Despite the monster's unclean blood, Nigel didn't hesitate to reach into the carcass. Within it, he discovered a brown, rhombus-shaped crystal—a rare find that would undoubtedly pique Gunther's interest. Despite being tainted by the creature's blood, the crystal held significant value and would likely bring Nigel a fortune when sold.

After carefully wiping the crystal with a clean cloth, Nigel stored it securely in his pocket. This unexpected discovery added a new factor to his equation.

"...Monsters... equal money."

Ironically, despite his gloved hands being slippery from the monster's blood, Nigel's grip on his scythe grew stronger.