"Listen, Nigel, it's not what it seems. It's..."

"It's exactly what it looks like, Sir. You're firing me. Why? After everything I've done for this place... You can't treat me like this! I devoted myself to this company, working 24/7. This is absurd! Just... Why?!"

Joja, one of the most successful companies ever to exist, was the dream workplace for ambitious young professionals like Nigel. Naturally, he pursued a job there, driven by his desire for success.

From the moment he was hired, Nigel dedicated his entire life to the company. He worked tirelessly, never taking a vacation, and flawlessly completed every task assigned to him. However, the rewards for his efforts turned out to be devastating.

"I'm sorry, Nigel. It's just internal company matters. Nothing for you to concern yourself with..."

"Nothing for me to concern myself with? This directly affects me the most! You... Argh! I have the right to know! I deserve to know why this is happening to me. Right. Now."

Nigel fixed his intense gaze upon his superior, his anger threatening to consume him. The temptation to grab the nearby golf club and unleash his rage upon the corpulent man before him was strong, but he managed to maintain his composure. He knew resorting to violence would only make matters worse.

"...Ha! Are you trying to intimidate me, Nigel? Seriously?"

"No, I'm just trying to make things right..."

"Bullshit. Nigel, my friend, let me enlighten you. You are nothing. A.B.S.O.L.U.T.E.L.Y. nothing. Did you really think you stood a chance against this place? You know the rules. Joja makes the rules, and you all just shut up and follow them."

"...You...!"

"Yes. If you try to report this 'wrongful dismissal' to the government, go ahead. But I assure you, the outcome will not be in your favor. We are the country's largest firm, with the best lawyers and an enormous amount of money. We can even bribe every person in the government if needed. Do you still think you have a chance?"

...Every word that came out of his repugnant mouth was revolting, yet at the same time, it held a grain of truth. In this capitalistic world, money equaled power. If Joja chose not to elaborate further, Nigel had no choice but to endure everything on his own.

"Look, here's an offer. Or, in other words, a final act of mercy. We will provide you with a severance pay 1.1 times higher than others being let go. Take it or leave it."

...He had no choice but to accept. He was just a young and desperate soul yearning for success. There was no way for him to win against Joja. That was the harsh reality he was forced to face.

"...Fu... No, no... Not the best choice of words... Stay calm, Nigel. Stay... Grr... Calm..."

After his official termination, he secluded himself in his room, burning anything associated with Joja. In his mind, he massacred the CEO, his superior, and the lazy coworkers who had been on his team. However, he soon realized it was a pointless waste of time.

As he burned the remnants of his time at Joja, he stumbled upon an old envelope sealed with purple wax. Suddenly, he remembered.

"...Grandpa."

His grandfather, who had passed away years ago. Nigel had always avoided reading the letter, unwilling to accept his grandfather's departure. But something compelled him to read it now. Slowly, he broke the seal and unfolded the letter's contents.

-Dear Nigel,

If you're reading this, you must be in desperate need of a change.

I experienced the same thing long ago. I lost sight of what truly mattered in life—the genuine connections with other people and nature. So, I left everything behind and found my rightful place. Enclosed in this letter is the deed to that place, my pride and joy: The Aurum Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, along the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start anew.

This is my most precious gift to you, and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my boy. Good luck.

With love, Grandpa.

P.S. If Lewis is still alive, say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

...A farm. To be honest, Nigel had never considered it a desirable career choice, given his ambition for wealth and power. But now? The place he had relied on had betrayed him, and he knew exactly what he needed to do—take control of his life. And a farm, in that case, wasn't a bad choice.

He didn't necessarily believe in the importance of genuine connections with people and nature, but nothing really mattered to him anymore.

Within a few days, he made arrangements to move to Stardew Valley. Nigel packed his belongings, which weren't much since he had given most of his earnings from Joja to his mother as a fresh start. But it didn't matter.

"Nigel, if you ever want to come back, call me or send a letter, okay?"

"Okay, Mom. Thanks."

It was time to embark on a new beginning, toward his goal.

"...So, Lewis, when is this kid going to show up? It's been a while..."

"Let me check... From what I remember, Nigel was supposed to arrive about 10 minutes ago... Ah! There it is—the bus!"

Robin, the town carpenter, and Lewis, the mayor, eagerly awaited the arrival of the grandson of Pelican Town's former farmer. It had been a while since someone capable of making a significant economic contribution had come to the town. Nigel's grandfather had greatly supported the local economy, so Lewis and Robin had high hopes for his grandson.

-Pshhh...

The bus door opened, revealing a tall, healthy-looking man. Nigel stood there, lean and tall at around 184cm. His fair skin seemed as if it had rarely seen the sun. With black hair, black eyes, and dressed entirely in black, he reminded Robin of his own son, Sebastian.

"...Nigel? Am I correct?"

"Yes, and you must be... Lewis. My grandfather mentioned you in his letter..."

"Oh, really? Well, that makes things even easier. Welcome to Pelican Town."

"Hi, Nigel. I'm Robin, the local carpenter. We've prepared everything for your arrival. The farm is right over there, so follow us, okay?"

"...Sure. Nice to meet you."

Robin and Lewis carefully observed the newcomer. Nigel wasn't much of a talker, and he seemed exhausted. Since he didn't appear keen on engaging in conversation, they silently guided him to his farm—the Aurum Farm.

To be honest, the farm was in terrible shape. Rocks and overgrown plants cluttered the grounds, and the house resembled something out of a horror movie—old and rusty. Nigel couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"And here we are, your new home... Um... It's a good house, very 'rustic'..."

Lewis spoke cautiously, trying to gauge Nigel's expression, but he couldn't read his emotions anymore. He didn't want him to be disheartened. This young man had the potential to bring so much to the town.

"Rustic? Ha, that's one way to put it, Lewis... 'Crusty' would be a more accurate word."

"Robin!...sigh..Anyway, don't listen to her, Nigel. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you'll buy one of her house upgrades... And please, Robin, just don't."

"Hmmph!"

"By the way, you look really tired. Why don't you get some rest? Tomorrow, try talking to the townspeople—they would appreciate it."

"...Okay. Thanks."

"...Ha ha... not much of a talker, are you?"

"..."

"Um... Ah, yes, just to mention, if you have anything to sell, put it in that wooden box over there. I'll come by during the night to collect it. Well, good luck! Ha.. ha.."

With that, Lewis walked away, followed by Robin. Nigel took another look at the farm—"Aurum"—meaning gold in an ancient language. Nigel didn't think it suited the farm at all, but it was all he had. He entered his grandfather's old house. Though old, it was clean, and the bed looked comfortable.

"...I should probably move the bed right in front of the door... Too tired to do anything."

He nestled under the blankets, closed his eyes, and contemplated the work that awaited him. Work... Work... and even more work. He wanted to conserve his stamina for tomorrow.