Ryo was halfway through not working when he heard footsteps.
Not Kiro.
Too heavy.
Too deliberate.
"…No."
He didn't move.
"…If I don't react, it's not my problem."
The footsteps stopped right outside his house.
Silence.
Then—
knock
"…Go away."
knock knock
"…Still no."
The door opened.
"…You didn't lock it."
"…I didn't expect effort."
A man stepped in.
Tall. Armored. Slightly annoyed expression.
"…This is the farm?"
"…No."
"…The one supplying abnormal goods?"
"…Also no."
The man looked outside.
At the field.
Paused.
"…That's definitely it."
Ryo sighed.
"…What do you want?"
"…I'm an adventurer."
"…That sounds like work."
"…I was told this farm produces… unusual materials."
"…That sounds like someone else's problem."
"…I need them."
"…Talk to the merchant."
"…He said it starts here."
Ryo glared.
"…Of course he did."
System Notification
New Interaction Detected
External Class: Adventurer
Effect: Increased Demand
"…I don't like that."
The adventurer stepped closer to the field.
A glowing fruit dropped near him.
plop
He picked it up.
It pulsed.
thump
"…Interesting."
"…Don't eat that."
"…I wasn't going to."
thump
"…It feels… alive."
"…It's not."
thump
"…That's concerning."
"…That's normal."
The adventurer looked at Ryo.
"…Nothing about this is normal."
Ryo pointed at the field.
"…It works."
"…That's the problem."