B2 - CHAPTER 24

“I want to learn,” Cal blurted out. Reason set in right after. “But am I allowed to? I can’t imagine the Harvest Union being happy about it.”

Arhan gave him a look before muttering under his breath about the Celestial Order. The tone wasn’t flattering. “My guild won’t care about what I do with my own spell. Besides, I’m curious about how much you’ll understand.”

Cal’s token refusal disappeared. “Then I’ll thank you in advance.”

“That’s the spirit!” Arhan picked up the uprooted crop. “I’ll skip the basics like how roots function and dive right into how the spell—” He stopped at the awkward look on Cal’s face. “You know how roots function, right?”

“I think so?” Cal cleared his throat and tried to sound more confident. “They absorb water for the crop.”

Arhan waited for him to continue and sighed when it became apparent that was all. “Water and nutrients. Roots have other functions, but those are the two you need to know for the spell. Most magical crops have tiny, nearly undetectable root hairs that help with the absorption.”

Cal felt the spell on the uprooted crop deactivate.

“Study the roots, and this time try to find the root hairs,” Arhan said.

He nodded and reached out with his mana tendrils again. His focus previously had been on the way mana flowed through the crop, and not its physical appearance. Now, he realized it would have been unlikely for him to discover the root hairs even if he tried. The spell had blurred them to his senses from the mana infused in the roots, but now, he could feel that they were there, even though he couldn’t see them with his eyes.

The root hairs numbered in the tens of thousands, enabling a surface area so stupendously high it made Cal fear the thought of planting it on his own farm. Several hundred of these Phantasia Trees would drain his pond of its mana will little issue.

“You found it,” Arhan’s voice was faint in Cal’s ears. “I’ll cast Rootcall and slow the speed as much as I can.”

The mana tendrils sent back a rush of information that Cal could process easily. He noticed the key elements used, earth and water, two of his strongest. The mana doused the crop’s roots before it broke off into microscopic parts that latched onto every root hair individually. There was a pulse before the mana in every root hair connected to the main root, then it fell into a raging hum as it tried to preserve the dying crop.

Arhan deactivated the spell not long after and chuckled at Cal’s stunned expression. “I hope you could understand something from that, though the spell is impossible for a Farmer to cast before they are at the Master tier.”

Cal returned Arhan’s stare. He thinks I gained little from that showing.

“Yes, yes, I know. You feel cheated since you didn’t learn Rootcall, but I never said you’ll learn it now. When you grow as a Farmer, I’ll still be here to show you the spell again.”

He looked away to hide the fact that sensing the spell in such detail made something just click in his mind. Arhan was right in saying [Farmers] had no hope of using that spell before they were Masters because of the small mana reserves, but Cal was also a [Mage]. His mana reserves weren’t as great as Arhan’s, but it was more than enough to attempt the spell. Not that it would be easy with the minute control it required.

Is he using this as a lure? Cal dismissed that as soon as the thought appeared. No, a single spell isn’t enough to lure anyone who’s talented.

“So, how much of Rootcall did you understand?” Arhan asked with interest.

Ah, maybe it really was just curiosity.

“You infuse mana into the main root at the start, and do the same for each root hair before connecting them to the main root. I assume the caster’s understanding of natural root function determines the spell’s operation.”

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“Not bad! That’s the gist of Rootcall. You must have some impressive affinities to understand so much after one look.” Arhan beamed at him like a proud teacher. It was a first for Cal in either of his lives.

“Thank you.” He smiled awkwardly and looked away. The spell was a pleasant bonus—one that would elevate his future crops to another level—but he hadn’t forgotten the main reason for leaving the inn.

Cal looked over the endless farms and asked, “Would I be too greedy if I asked about the fields’ irrigation methods? I don’t see a water source that can support an operation this large.”

“Are you hoping I’ll tell you this since you weren’t able to learn my spell?” Arhan was direct.

Cal didn’t deny it and shrugged. If he could get the irrigation method on top of the spell, this trip would be a dream come true.

“Unfortunately, this is not something I can give away, unlike Rootcall,” Arhan said with regret before looking away exaggeratedly. “Oh! It seems I have to leave for something urgent. I know it’s hard to find your way back to the inn, but make sure not to be lost for more than a few hours.”

Cal was stunned as Arhan disappeared, leaving him alone, without supervision. Well, I guess now’s the time to get ‘lost.’

He spread his mana tendrils into the farms, sucking up as much information as he could while focusing on searching for a water source.

***

“Are you alright, Apprentice Cal?” Bran asked with concern.

Cal was not alright. He had overextended himself last night and used the two hours he had to use [Mana Sense] to its limit. Unfortunately, not only did he fail to find a water source, the continuous use of [Mana Sense] without limiting the information consumed left him with a mind-numbing migraine.

“Fine,” Cal mumbled, head throbbing from the effort. “Let’s buy the oxen and get out of here.”

“… Of course,” Bran said carefully. “I’ve reserved our seats.”

They arrived at the warehouse—where the auction organizers placed seating and a platform outside—and took their seats. Cal did his best to ignore the indistinct murmurs and tried to compartmentalize the information he gathered the night before.

He might not have found the water source for the farms, but he got the vague understanding of several spells that were on different crops. He didn’t have the time to examine any as closely as [Rootcall], but he was confident he could eventually replicate them after trial and error. Especially with his high water and earth affinities.

A loud hum pulsed through the air, and the auction platform glowed a soft white. A man in a tailored vest made of the odd combination of burlap and silk stepped forward and smiled down at them. The pulse had pulled Cal from his thoughts, but if it hadn’t, the man’s presence would have done it.

This is a Master. I thought Arhan was casual, but it’s another to be willing to be a mere auctioneer.

“Welcome, one and all, to the Harvest’s End Auction!” The auctioneer’s voice, strengthened by a projection spell, rolled over the crowd like booming thunder.

Cal tensed as he looked around, finding that he was the only one that reacted so negatively. Even Bran looked clueless at the power the auctioneer held.

Is this because I’m a sensor? He had avoided using [Mana Sense], but it wasn’t enough.

“You’ve traveled from distant lands, across water, forests and deserts—for a chance to buy our legendary, Rare Sickle!”

A cheer rippled through the crowd, and Cal understood why there seemed to be such a heightened security in town. He came here to buy a few oxen, while others were prepared to battle for high rank equipment.

Cal met Bran’s gaze and saw he looked just as confused. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care to fight for some sickle, anyway.

He scrutinized the crowd for the first time and saw that some wore finery unaffordable to Farmers. He hoped that meant he could get the oxen for a little less gold.

“Our first item for bid—a Hillbraid sow, bred on golden oats and mana-infused fodder. Guaranteed twin farrowing each season, and tested against cursed magic!”

Assistants in green smocks wheeled the beast out of the warehouse in a cage of reinforced wood. To Cal’s surprise, everyone in the crowd, even the ones dressed in finery, leaned in.

“And remember,” the auctioneer added with a smile, “tonight’s high bidders may qualify for the draw—a deed to an unclaimed property in Harvest’s End!”

Cal tilted his head as the crowd gasped in unison before the shouting began—bids pushing the cost of the sow to silly heights. There goes my hope that I would get my oxen on the cheap.

He leaned to Bran and asked, “Why is the deed such a big deal?”

“You get residency benefits of the Harvest Union,” Bran said in a low voice. “Outsiders generally can’t own property, but I know little more than that.”

Cal nodded as he pulled back. With the way the bid kept getting pushed up, it seemed even getting the chance to win that deed was enough for these people to go crazy.

He watched the bid climb above five guildmarks with a blank expression. He got a sinking feeling that he would be just watching for the entire auction.