My Farming Domain Is Broken

Carlos did not touch the other packets until every description appeared.

--

[Preserved Seed Batches recovered]

[Rare Unknown Seeds x12]

[Uncommon Unknown Seeds x30]

[Common Unknown Seeds x80]

[Four batches remain too damaged for identification]

[Caretaker trial requires one successful cultivation]

--

"We take them to Ironroot," Carlos decided.

Cedric looked at the open container. "You won’t plant them here?"

"Not before Rowan understands them. I am not risking the only surviving seeds just because the system gave me a trial."

Rowan approved of that immediately.

Carlos stored the three identified packets. The damaged batches could not enter his inventory, so Rowan wrapped them carefully and left them inside the open container.

The third channel had to remain active to keep them stable.

Carlos granted Cedric permission to watch the regulator but not operate it.

"If the flow changes, message me. Do not pull anything."

"Understood."

Cedric did not argue about receiving responsibility without ownership. That was another improvement.

Back in Ironroot, Rowan selected a small empty patch far from the established food fields.

He refused to use Spirit Soil for the first test.

"Why?" Carlos asked. "Wouldn’t better soil give it a better chance?"

"It would also change the result. We need to learn whether the seed can grow in ordinary prepared ground before using something we cannot easily replace."

That was why Rowan made the farming decisions.

Carlos ordered a low wooden fence around the test patch. The Burstpod could not fire toward it from the southern entrance, and the Bellvine received a new alarm condition for anyone crossing the fence without permission.

Kaia stationed no permanent guard.

"A guard for one Common seed is wasteful," she said. "The alarm is enough while the territory remains occupied."

Carlos agreed, although he checked the fence twice himself.

"We begin with one Common seed," he said.

Carlos looked at the Rare packet inside his inventory and then forced himself to agree.

Losing one Common seed would hurt far less than destroying something Rare because they became greedy.

Rowan prepared the soil with Elias and Boro. Blue provided ordinary water first while Carlos used Inspect on the seed.

--

[Preserved Caretaker Seed]

[Grade: Common]

[Condition: Dormant]

[Requirements unknown]

--

"Very descriptive," Carlos muttered.

Rowan planted it at the depth he considered safe and covered it loosely. Nothing happened for some time.

They waited for ten minutes before Carlos checked again.

--

[Condition: Dormant]

[Compatible cultivation influence required]

--

Blue released one drop of Mana Water under Rowan’s direction.

The soil glowed for a second but still, nothing happened.

"It wants a caretaker," Cosmic said.

"That is what the trial called it," Carlos answered. "But it didn’t explain what one is."

Every farmer approached one at a time.

Mira tried after them because the seed might have reacted to food production rather than farming. It did nothing.

Blue floated above the soil and released a smaller drop of Mana Water. The reaction became brighter but disappeared again.

Carlos called One away from the barrack. The Water Slime sat beside the planting spot and stared at it until Cosmic began laughing.

"What are you expecting him to do?"

"I don’t know. The seed refuses to explain anything."

One released a tiny Water Shot into the dirt.

Rowan pulled the Slime away before it could try again.

"Not that," the farmer said.

One became still.

"At least he tried," Carlos said.

Rowan touched the soil first. The seed reacted weakly before becoming still.

Elias produced the same response.

When Boro placed one furred hand over the planting spot, a green shoot broke through the soil.

The Dogman fell backward in surprise.

"I didn’t do anything!"

The shoot bent toward him.

Rowan immediately stopped everyone from touching it. Tiny round leaves opened along its stem while its roots remained beneath Boro’s hand.

Carlos used Inspect.

--

[Hearthpod]

[Grade: Common]

[Type: Caretaker-bound food crop]

[Produces filling pods when tended by its accepted caretaker]

[Current caretaker candidate: Boro]

[Bond incomplete]

--

Boro stared at the plant.

He had been summoned only recently and still followed Rowan everywhere instead of speaking unless someone questioned him. Nothing about him looked like the caretaker of an ancient crop.

Maybe that was the reason the choice mattered.

The crop had not selected the strongest person or the Lord who owned it. It selected someone who had spent every hour since arriving learning how to keep ordinary plants alive.

"Why me?"

Elias looked disappointed for only a moment before stepping beside Boro.

"You always notice the feelings of the plants more than me," he said. "Maybe it noticed too."

Rowan asked both farmers to describe their work since being summoned. Elias had focused on preparing soil and carrying harvests. Boro had checked seedlings, refilled water and remained beside weak plants.

"The Hearthpod may value continuous care," Rowan concluded. "That is only a possibility. We need more plants before calling it a rule."

Carlos inspected Boro. His ordinary description had gained one line.

--

[Potential Ancient Crop Caretaker]

--

No skill or instant reward appeared. Boro would have to learn through work.

Carlos preferred it that way. An instant class would have made Boro valuable without proving whether he could handle the responsibility.

"If you accept, this becomes your daily work," Carlos told him. "You still answer to Rowan, and you tell us immediately if the bond affects you."

Boro touched the vine carefully. "Can I give it a name?"

Carlos looked at One.

"You can, but choose something better than I would."

Mira laughed while One remained unaware that he had been insulted. Carlos had the same question.

Rowan studied the leaves before answering carefully.

"Perhaps it chose what it needed."

The plant wrapped one young vine around Boro’s wrist.

--

[Caretaker acceptance initiated]

[Warning: Rejection will return the crop to dormancy]

--

Everyone looked at Boro.

The Dogman looked at Carlos as if he had just been asked to decide the future of an ancient crop. And not just asked, he had.

"This is a duty that is very important but more than anything, I want to know if you want to do it, Boro. Or we find someone else."