CHAPTER 14: HARVESTED NEW TOMATOES

He opened the regional directory, switched the filter from "Local" to "National," and started browsing through listings of the major cities across the country.

He remembered learning about them in school—how, after the apocalypse, all of humanity came together to rebuild. Not as separate nations, but as one united force.

Over decades, they rebuilt—starting from a single stable core and expanding outward. That core eventually became the Central Region, home to the largest, most advanced cities.

Now, four other major regions surrounded it—Eastern, Western, Northeastern, and Southeastern—each still recovering, still only partially tamed. Most border towns and low-level settlements sat within these outer regions, managing their own survival as best they could.

The cities listed under the Central Region weren’t border towns or scattered settlements—they were massive, secure hubs with dense mana fields, stabilized by advanced mana grids. That technology hadn’t come easy. It had taken years of research—most of it based on the chaotic energy patterns found in the wilderness, where natural mana ran wild due to dungeon outbreaks, ruptured ley lines, and lingering effects of the collapse.

The Federal Government, based in the Central Region, now managed almost everything: dungeon control, awakened registries, mana research, the development of new technologies, and the standardized annual examinations for entering federal academies or civil service. It also directed the ongoing efforts to push deeper into the wild zones and reclaim what was lost.

Rowen scrolled through listings from the Central Region—transport routes, city profiles, current expansion projects, and public calls for support.

Compared to all that, his small town—Border Town, a quiet district on the outskirts of Everset City, tucked along the edge of the Eastern Region—barely registered on the map.

He leaned back in his chair, phone still resting in his hand.

After browsing for a while, Rowen started to feel sleepy. His eyes drifted shut before he even realized it.

Some time later, Fern’s voice pulled him out of the haze.

"Hey. Harvest’s ready—including the tomatoes."

Rowen opened his eyes slowly, still half-asleep. He reached for his phone and checked the time.

6:07 PM.

He blinked. Most of the shops on his street closed by 5:00 PM. He stood up, walked to the door, and looked outside through the front window.

As expected, all the neighboring stores had their shutters down. Quiet. Lights off.

He flipped his shop’s sign to Closed and locked the door.

Then he turned to Fern. "Harvest them. Keep the tomatoes and potatoes in separate baskets—we’ll sell them tomorrow."

Fern gave a nod and floated off toward the portal.

Rowen’s stomach growled.

He pulled out his phone again, opened the food delivery app, and picked something simple. Mana-infused spiced meat with rice and root vegetables—he’d had it once before and liked it.

About fifteen minutes later, the delivery boy showed up. Rowen paid, took the bag, and went back into his room.

He sat down and ate in silence, finishing every bite.

Once he was done, he changed into fresh clothes, cleaned up the utensils, and wiped the table down.

As he turned back toward the corner, he noticed the baskets had already been placed neatly near the shelf—one for tomatoes, one for potatoes.

When he looked at the tomato basket, a faint shimmer crossed his vision.

A small, glowing interface appeared above the top row of tomatoes.

It looked like a basic appraisal screen.

There was a label: Item: TomatoesGrade: common+ Effects: – Restores minor mana over time (passive) – Slightly improves focus for 10–15 minutes after consumption – Accelerates physical recovery by a small margin

Rowen narrowed his eyes, reading the effects again.

That was new.

And useful.

Sure enough, there it was—Slightly improves focus for 10–15 minutes after consumption

Rowen stared at the screen a little longer.

He hadn’t seen that effect listed on anything they’d grown before. And he knew for a fact—ordinary tomatoes didn’t have this.

Mana restoration—that was already present in the potatoes. Rare, but something he’d seen.

But this?

A temporary focus boost?

That was something different. And something people might actually pay attention to—especially awakened types who needed clarity for learning new techniques, mages studying new spells, or craftsmen working on weapons, tools, or magical artifacts.

He made a mental note to offer the tomatoes to customers first—see how they responded. Then he’d decide how many mana stones to price them at.

Maybe he’d test the effect himself later.

Rowen closed the screen with a small swipe.

Rowen stood up and walked over to the shop drawer.

He pulled it open and took out the small pouch.

Inside were the 13 mana crystals he had left.

Without hesitating, he tossed them to Fern.

"Here. Take these."

Fern caught the pouch mid-air, nodding silently.

Rowen leaned against the counter. "We’ll need to upgrade the farm soon. You said it takes fifty, right?"

Fern gave a slow nod. "Yeah. Fifty low-grade mana crystals for the next expansion."

Rowen sighed, already calculating. He was still short—by a lot.

But if the new batch sold well, especially with the tomato effects, he could probably earn the rest from tomorrow’s customers.

By the time everything was done, Rowen checked the clock.

It was already past 10:00 PM.

He hadn’t realized how quickly time had passed.

The room was dim now, lit only by the faint glow of the wall light near the counter. Outside, the street was quiet—no foot traffic, no voices, just the occasional hum of a mana lamp flickering in the distance.

Rowen let out a slow breath, the kind that came after a long but satisfying day. It wasn’t perfect, but things were moving—growing. He had a goal now, something clear to work toward.

He turned off the lights, headed to his soft bed, and lay down without another word.

Fern came over to Rowen and found the spot near the corner, gave a soft yawn, and slowly powered down into sleep mode—arms folded, eyes shut.

Neither of them said anything.

They didn’t need to.

Tomorrow would come soon enough.

And it would be busy.