Nigel's encounter with the green slime proved to be more challenging than anticipated. These small and ferocious creatures, unlike the monsters with predictable patterns, managed to inflict some damage on him. Their physical resistance and agility posed a formidable challenge. After several minutes of skillful parrying and stabbing, Nigel managed to cleave the gel-like creature in half, emerging victorious.

"...These guys... I've slain hundreds of them in my childhood video games. Never knew they'd be this tough to kill in real life..."

Wincing from the chemical burns inflicted by the slime, Nigel sheathed the rusty sword Marlon had given him and retrieved his trusty scythe. He scraped the shining purple crystal from inside the slime's remains.

"...An amethyst... This makes two."

Including the amethyst he had mined from the 7th floor, this was his second find. Nigel slowly made his way towards the previously discovered ladder and descended to the 10th floor.

To his surprise, there was little of note on this floor. Aside from an inactive elevator, there stood a box—or rather, a chest—with an antiquated appearance. Nigel activated the elevator using the available controls before cautiously approaching the chest. Uncertain if it harbored a monster like the mimics in his games, he cautiously opened it using his sword.

-Creak...

Thankfully, the chest appeared to be nothing more than a normal container. Nigel moved closer to inspect its contents, discovering a pair of black leather boots. Strangely enough, they fit perfectly with his outfit, and when Nigel tried them on, they miraculously matched his foot size...this made it very weird, since it felt like someone purposedly prepared this gift, knowing that Nigel would come down one day.

Nigel carefully removed his old boots and replaced them with the newfound black leather boots. Despite their mysterious origin, their effectiveness was undeniable, offering a rare protective charm that surpassed what he had observed among the city's affluent individuals. Although weak, they were still an improvement over his previous footwear.

Glancing at his watch, Nigel realized it was already 11 PM. He contemplated the depth of the mine, realizing that further exploration was necessary. Gathering his loot from the day—a pair of amethysts, 24 copper ores, 38 rocks, an earth crystal, and a yellowed piece of parchment inscribed with an ancient language tied with a red ribbon that emerged from a bug's body—Nigel determined to bring them to Gunther the following day.

Exiting the mine and making his way along the small path that led directly to his farm from the mountains, Nigel felt the weight of exhaustion in his body. Bruised and battered, he couldn't deny the value of his discoveries from the mines, but it came at a cost.


The next morning, despite the lingering pain from the chemical burns on his skin, Nigel woke up at his usual time of 6 AM. He swiftly swallowed some painkillers and devoured a piece of roasted leek, preparing himself for an important day—the day of harvest. His first potatoes were ready to be harvested.

As Nigel opened the door of his small cabin, his eyes were drawn to the sight of fully grown potatoes in his field. However, before he could tend to his crops, he noticed an envelope in his mailbox. Curiosity piqued, he hurried over to check the letter, and his expression turned serious as he read its contents.

"To Nigel,

My sources tell me you've been poking around inside the old community center. Why don't you pay me a visit? My chambers are west of the forest lake, in the stone tower. I may have information concerning your... 'rat problem'.

-M. Rasmodius, Wizard"

"A Wizard?" Nigel muttered aloud.

Recalling the suspicious tower near the forest, Nigel couldn't help but be intrigued. Wizards, individuals directly associated with magic, were rare in this world. He had never encountered one in his entire life, and the stories of hermit wizards residing deep within the woods were merely legends.

Nigel couldn't be certain if the letter was genuine, but the experiences at the community center and the strange occurrences he had encountered lately seemed to fall into place. While skeptical, he couldn't deny that there might be positive advantages for him if this letter proved to be true. With a calculated mind and a hint of curiosity, Nigel contemplated the possibilities that lay ahead.

"Fine. I can pay a visit," Nigel muttered, his voice devoid of emotion.

As he read through the other letters, one from Robin caught his attention. She offered to build a well for him, but Nigel dismissed the idea, considering the small pond on his farm sufficient for his water supply. He crumpled the letter and tossed it into the trash can.

The next letter was from Marlon, who recognized Nigel's adventurous spirit. Marlon requested that Nigel defeat ten slimes. Sighing, Nigel discarded the letter, knowing that encountering more slimes in the mine was inevitable. He begrudgingly accepted the task, albeit with a silent annoyance.

After reading all the letters, Nigel swiftly made his way to the potato field. With delicate care, he gently pulled out the tubers, making sure not to exert too much force to avoid damaging the vegetables.

The harvest was quite satisfying. Several potatoes had produced more than one, and the scarecrow had proven to be even more effective than expected, safeguarding every crop from theft. Two of the potatoes had a gold star quality, while three had a silver star quality. It was a significant improvement compared to the previous harvest.

Nigel's expression remained impassive, but a faint smile flickered across his face. He quickly watered the remaining crops, packed the harvested potatoes into his pocket, and included the amethyst, topaz, and the peculiar scroll he had obtained the day before.

Nigel hastily made his way to Pierre's. Today was a busy day. He needed to sell his crops, buy more potato seeds, visit Gunther, plant the seeds, and pay a visit to the wizard's tower. Just the thought of it was exhausting, especially since he wasn't eating properly nowadays. He worked with excessive physical force, but the only source of protein he could afford was those carps... which he had no idea how to cook. So he simply roasted them, resulting in a taste that resembled dirt and meat filled with small bones.

Usually, he couldn't even afford to eat properly, as he needed more money to plant seeds. Additionally, he found out that Clint required 2000g and 5 copper bars to upgrade his tools... which meant he had to eat only a few blanched seaweeds for the day.

With a bruised body and an empty stomach, Nigel pressed on. He had chosen this situation himself, but he couldn't deny that it was stressful.

But suddenly, as he walked along the stone path towards Pierre's, a blond young lady blocked his way. She scrutinized Nigel's appearance, seemingly judging him, and it didn't feel pleasant.

"...Would you kindly step aside."

"Hmm... you're just like how Alex explained... All black, no color, no expression..."

Alex? Nigel searched his memory to see if he had ever heard that name before... and he recalled. Once, while fishing near the river, a guy wearing green had greeted him... Nigel remembered simply nodding back and resuming his fishing.

"...What do you want?"

"Why, can't I say hello to a neighbor? You're the new farmer boy, aren't you? I'm Haley. Hmm... If it weren't for those horrendous clothes, you might actually be cute. Actually, nevermind."

Nigel, still with no change in expression, sighed at the girl named Haley, who seemed determined to have her way. His clothes—a black turtleneck shirt, black jeans, black leather jacket, black leather boots, and black fingerless gloves—may have been too dark for her taste, but they were far from horrendous.

"...Did I ask you, Haley? Because I don't recall asking you to waste my time."

"...What? H...hey, you can't say that to me, I'm..."

"Again, I didn't ask you. I don't care whether you're a high schooler or an unemployed person. Now, do me a favor and just get out of the way."

Haley tried to say something back, but Nigel's cold voice and his serious demeanor left her speechless. She had never met anyone who spoke to her like this. Sure, she had encountered a lot of haters during high school, but this young man in front of her... in his eyes and his voice, there was no hatred, no ill will.

Nigel simply found her existence annoying, and he cared about her as much as he would care about a little ant crawling on the ground.

Leaving Haley stunned, Nigel strode into Pierre's and quickly walked to the counter. The amount of time wasted because of that woman...She would never realize how important every second is to him.

As Nigel stepped into Pierre's shop, his frigid demeanor seemed to cast a chilling shadow over the atmosphere. The other customers and Pierre himself couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in his presence. Nigel approached the counter with an unwavering gaze fixed upon Pierre.

"I have a harvest to sell," Nigel stated curtly, his voice devoid of any warmth or emotion.

Taken aback by Nigel's icy demeanor, Pierre quickly regained his composure and nodded in acknowledgment. He carefully inspected the freshly harvested potatoes, genuinely impressed by their quality. Despite the initial unease, Pierre couldn't help but secretly admire Nigel's unwavering dedication and remarkable success as a new farmer.

"These are indeed exceptional potatoes, Nigel," Pierre commented, attempting to strike up a conversation. "You're making quite a name for yourself. The villagers have begun to take notice of your hard work."

Nigel remained impassive and unresponsive, focusing solely on the transaction at hand. After Pierre calculated the value of the potatoes, he handed over the payment to Nigel, who accepted it without uttering a single word.

True to his routine, Nigel made his way to the seed aisle, oblivious to the concerned gaze of Abigail that followed him. Sensing something amiss, she mustered the courage to speak up.

"...Hey, Nigel? What happened to all those bruises?" Abigail asked, her voice filled with genuine care and worry.

Nigel nonchalantly shrugged, implying that it was of no consequence, and continued examining the seeds. But Abigail couldn't simply ignore the visible burn marks on Nigel's neck; they were too painful-looking to disregard. Acting on impulse, she reached out and firmly grasped Nigel's hand, leading him towards the door that led to the residential area.

"Stop. What are you..." Nigel began to protest, but Abigail silenced him with her pleading gaze. Without hesitation, she guided him to her room, motioning for him to sit down. Abigail rummaged through her belongings and retrieved an ointment specifically designed to treat burns. Nigel, realizing her intentions, resigned himself to her care, silently acknowledging the fact that free medicine was not something he could refuse.

With gentle precision, Abigail spread the ointment over Nigel's bruises, offering relief from their sting. The silence in the room grew palpable, stretching awkwardly between them. Both Nigel and Abigail found themselves at a loss for words, the unexpected intimacy of the situation making their interaction even more uncomfortable.

Abigail, now acutely aware of the implications of her actions, couldn't help but feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Nigel found himself momentarily captivated by the presence of a guinea pig in the room, his calculating gaze fixating on it before he abruptly stood up.

"Thanks again for the treatment," Nigel said, his voice still devoid of warmth.

"It was nothing. Just forget it, okay?" Abigail replied,her voice slightly shaky.

But before Nigel could leave, he reached into his pocket without hesitation and retrieved one of the amethysts he had mined the previous day. He extended it towards Abigail, his cold expression betraying no emotion.

"Here, take this," he stated, his words lacking any hint of sentiment.

Abigail's eyes widened with delight as she accepted the shimmering amethyst, her heart swelling with joy. She misunderstood Nigel's gesture, interpreting it as a meaningful token of appreciation. Nigel, with his calculating nature, recognized that gems and crystals were difficult to sell, requiring tedious procedures for a proper price. Since he had no use for it and already possessed two, offering it to someone who had helped him seemed like a reasonable trade.

"An... an amethyst? Wow! I absolutely love it! You're the best, Nigel!" Abigail exclaimed, her genuine happiness shining through.

Nigel merely nodded in acknowledgment, his cold facade unyielding. He turned to leave, the air still dense with an unspoken tension. However, before he departed, Abigail couldn't resist one final comment.

"Hey...Nigel. Um...don't hurt yourself around, okay?"

"...Sure."

Again, with a silent expression, Nigel curtly nodded and head away. But...Abigail could feel that the gnawing feeling she got every time she saw that new farmer, was now slightly gone. Smiling with the amethyst in her hand, Abigail walked to her bed and carefully placed the amethyst under her pillow.


Upon entering the museum, Nigel found Gunther engrossed in cataloging some new acquisitions. Gunther's face lit up with excitement as he noticed Nigel's presence.

"Nigel, my friend! What treasures have you brought me today?" Gunther asked eagerly, his voice filled with anticipation.

Nigel silently placed the items he had collected on the counter, allowing Gunther to examine them closely. Gunther's expertise and enthusiasm were evident as he carefully studied each piece.

"These amethysts are truly stunning! The color and clarity are exceptional," Gunther exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across his face.

As Gunther examined the earth crystal and the ancient parchment, his excitement grew even more palpable. "The earth crystal is an incredibly rare find, and this ancient parchment... Nigel, you've stumbled upon something extraordinary. The inscriptions on this scroll are in a long-forgotten ancient language. It will take some time to decipher, but I believe it holds valuable knowledge. If only I had more resources to compare it with..."

Nigel nodded, acknowledging Gunther's passion for his work. However, deep down, what truly mattered to Nigel was the reward he would receive. In response to Nigel's meaningful gaze, Gunther set aside the ancient parchment and rummaged through his cabinet. To Nigel's surprise, Gunther pulled out nine packs of cauliflower seeds.

"You keep seeds in your archaeology center?" Nigel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gunther chuckled. "Well, since you're the only one who consistently brings me donations, I thought it would be fitting to offer you something related to farming. Take these cauliflower seeds. If you plant them in a well-spaced square, with three seeds on each side, there's a chance they'll grow into Giant crops."

Nigel's interest piqued as Gunther continued to explain.

"You'll need to water them daily, and with a bit of luck, they'll grow into enormous plants. Once they've reached their full size, you can harvest them with an axe or a similar tool. They'll fetch a higher price than regular crops, for sure."

Nigel nodded in appreciation, absorbing the information. Gunther's excitement was contagious, and Nigel found himself intrigued by the prospect of growing these extraordinary crops.

"Thank you for the information," Nigel replied, his tone slightly softer than before.

Gunther beamed with satisfaction. "Of course! Remember, if you come across any more fascinating artifacts or unusual items, bring them to me, and I'll make sure you're rewarded accordingly. Deal?"

Nigel nodded once again, his eyes slightly showing a sense of a positive emotion. "Deal."

With that, Nigel bid Gunther farewell and left the museum...his mind focused on the wizard's letter and the possibilities it held.

As he walked back to his farm, Nigel's thoughts were consumed by the decision he had to make. The wizard's invitation intrigued him, and he couldn't deny the allure of potential magical knowledge and assistance. Yet, the unknown nature of the wizard and the potential dangers that might lie ahead gave him pause.

"...What's the worse that could happen, anyways."

But he soon realized there was nothing for the wizard to take from him...And something was telling him for sure that this meeting will bring him a significant change. After tilling some more ground for the seeds and watering them, Nigel prepared his visit to the wizard's tower.