A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

To Xia Xun's even greater surprise, in just one night, the buried seeds had broken through the soil and sprouted tender yellow tips, adding specks of green to the brown soil.

"They're growing so fast." Xia Xun couldn't help but gently touch one of the tender shoots with her finger. The power of the Stardew Valley system was quietly manifesting in this land.

He straightened up and looked at the remaining vast expanse of withered grass swaying in the morning breeze. He took a deep breath and pulled the silver-white sickle from his backpack.

"Let's get started!"

Where the sickle swung, waist-high weeds fell in swathes, turning into fiber and grass that could be put into a backpack, and occasionally a few mixed seeds would pop out.

Sweat gradually soaked through his coarse cloth clothes, but Xia Xun was completely unaware. He only heard the rustling sound of the sickle cutting through the grass stems, smelled the fresh scent of soil mixed with grass juice, and saw piece after piece of land revealing its original color before his eyes.

This real sense of exploration is more captivating than any progress bar in a game.

As the sun rose higher, the sunlight became somewhat scorching.

Xia Xun would occasionally straighten up, wipe the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, glance at the ever-expanding results, and then bend down again, waves of soreness and swelling coming from his back. But whenever he wanted to rest, seeing the cleared land, he would grit his teeth and continue.

Around 10:30 a.m., the last patch of weeds fell to the ground under the sickle.

Xia Xun leaned on the sickle handle, panting heavily.

Before me lay a vast expanse of bare, flat, brown land, a full fifteen acres, nearly ten thousand square meters, all of which had now been cleared.

The morning breeze swept across the bare soil, stirring up fine dust. A feeling mixed with exhaustion and a sense of accomplishment welled up in his heart, making him grin.

"Phew...finally..."

He dragged his somewhat weak legs to the edge of the field and plopped down.

With her throat parched and her stomach growling, Xia Xun took out a bag of barbecue-flavored potato chips and a bottle of ice-cold cola from her backpack, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down half of the bottle.

The cool liquid, carrying stimulating bubbles, slid down my throat, instantly dispelling the heat that had been coursing through my body.

"Cool!"

Xia Xun breathed a satisfied sigh of relief, carefully capped the bottle, and put it back in her backpack. Since coming to Gensokyo, it has been difficult to drink Happy Water. Now there are only three bottles left in her backpack... no, now there are two and a half.

He tore open the potato chip bag, the crisp crunching sound particularly clear in the open field. As he chewed, he stared absently at his land: I should go buy seeds this afternoon. What should I plant? I wonder what kind of seeds the seed shops in Gensokyo sell?

"Brother Xia Xun, you're really diligent! You cleared out such a large area of ​​land so early in the morning!"

A clear, girlish voice descended from the sky.

Xia Xun looked up and saw Marisa Kirisame hovering in mid-air on her broom. Her iconic witch hat was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight. She was still wearing a black and white dress today, with a bright smile on her face.

"Marisa, good morning." Xia Xun waved to her, signaling her to come down.

Seeing this, Marisa Kirisame landed lightly on the ridge of the field, placed the broom under her and sat down, took a few steps closer, and her gaze was naturally drawn to the potato chips in Natsumi's hand, looking at him with expectant eyes.

Xia Xun smiled at the sight and handed over the bag of potato chips: "Want to try some? But if you eat my chips, you'll have to complete my next task."

“No problem!” Marisa Kirisame took the bag, eagerly grabbed a handful and stuffed it into her mouth, puffing out her cheeks as she mumbled, “Leave the commissions to me! I’m a professional mage!”

Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Xia Xun got down to business: "The first thing I want to ask you to recommend a seed shop in the Human Village, Marisa. The land has been cleared out, so we need to buy seeds and plant them as soon as possible."

“A seed shop…” Marisa Kirisame slowed her chewing, tilted her head, and her blonde hair under the brim of her hat swayed with the movement.

She tried hard to search her memory. Usually, she was either studying mushrooms in the magic forest, having tea with Reimu at the shrine, or collecting strange and unusual materials all over Gensokyo. She really hadn't paid much attention to places like seed shops.

But having already accepted the commission and received the payment, Marisa Kirisame has no habit of giving up halfway!

She swallowed the potato chip in her mouth forcefully, a resolute "I've got this covered" expression on her face, and gave Xia Xun a thumbs up:

"I recommend Kourindo! Morinosuke sells everything there, it's a place that has everything!"

Xia Xun was taken aback upon hearing this. Xianglin Hall?

I vaguely remember it being Morichika Rinnosuke's general store. In the setting, it does collect various items that flow in from the outside world, but would it really have common agricultural supplies like seeds?

Looking at Marisa Kirisame's confident face, he decided to trust the local expert's recommendation.

"Okay, then I'll go to Kourindo this afternoon. Thank you, Marisa."

Chapter Seven: Want to Learn Magic

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask Marisa to teach me magic."

After finishing the first thing, Xia Xun continued.

His gaze toward Marisa held a mixture of expectation and embarrassment, as it was somewhat abrupt to make such a request after only knowing her for a short time.

But in this land full of miracles, curiosity about magic is like a seed that, once it takes root, cannot help but sprout.

"Teach magic?" Upon hearing this, Marisa Kirisame scratched her head, her golden hair twirling between her fingers, a rare look of distress on her face.

She put down the half-eaten bag of potato chips and began to think seriously: "Although I can use magic, I have never taught anyone."

She paused, her yellow eyes fixed on Xia Xun: "But may I ask, why does Brother Xia Xun want to learn magic?"

“Why…” Xia Xun looked at Marisa, who was looking very serious, and also showed a serious expression: “I’m just curious. I think magic is a very magical thing.”

"As you know, there are no such mysterious things as magic in the outside world; they are just legends in stories. Now that you've seen it with your own eyes, it's natural to want to learn it."

"Curious?" Marisa's eyes lit up, and she slapped her thigh. "I, Marisa, approve of that reason!"

She stood up, her black skirt billowing in the wind, her right fist raised to her chest, a radiant smile blooming on her face: "Let me be your magic teacher! Although I've never taught anyone before, we can learn together, and together we can unleash magnificent and powerful magic!"

As she spoke, Marisa Kirisame seemed to suddenly remember something and excitedly picked up a broom: "That's right! To learn magic, you first need tools and teaching materials! Let's set off right now and go to Rinnosuke Morichika's place!"

"Wait, Marisa—" Before Xia Xun could finish speaking, Marisa grabbed him and pulled him onto the broom.

"Hold on tight!" Marisa's voice was full of eager excitement.

Xia Xun had no choice but to accept the unexpected invitation. Since the weeds had already been cleared, it was a good time to buy the seeds a little earlier.

He carefully climbed onto the back of the broom, placing his hands on Marisa's shoulders. The girl's shoulders were stronger than they looked, and her black and white dress swayed gently in the wind.

"Take off—!" Marisa shouted joyfully.

The broom slowly lifted off the ground, then suddenly accelerated.

The feeling of weightlessness made Xia Xun's heart skip a beat. He subconsciously gripped Marisa's shoulders. The wind whistled past his ears, and the ground beneath his feet rapidly shrank, turning the fields into a green chessboard and the houses into decorative blocks.

But after the initial tension subsided, the gentle breeze and the rapidly passing scenery below gradually captivated him.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the clouds, turning the fields below into a green ocean that undulated in the breeze. The people walking on the road looked like tiny black dots, and the whole world was spread out before our eyes.

This is what it feels like to fly. In his original world, he could only look down at the earth through the airplane window, but now, the wind brushes directly against his cheek, and the air is filled with the scent of grass, trees and wildflowers.

"How was it? Pretty good scenery, huh?" Marisa turned around, her smile bright under her hat brim. "The first time I flew up, I circled around in the sky for ages and didn't want to come down!"

"Very impressive," Xia Xun said sincerely. Suddenly remembering something, he asked, "By the way, where is Xianglin Hall?"

"It's near the entrance to the Magic Forest!" Marisa pointed east. "Although your land is to the west, it's a quick flight there!"

Indeed, very quickly, about ten minutes later, the broom began to descend.

In a clearing in the woods, a rather old-fashioned wooden building came into view. The exterior walls of the house were covered with all sorts of papers, some were handwritten advertisements, some were printed flyers, and there were even a few posters that were clearly from outside, with products and words that Xia Xun was familiar with printed on them.

"Xianglintang, the general store truly lives up to its name," Xia Xun murmured.

The posters included appliance advertisements from the 1970s and 80s, as well as popular anime characters from recent years. They were mixed with handwritten notes that read "Spells on Sale" and "Freshly Arrived Magical Materials," creating a strange sense of temporal and spatial dislocation.

"Morinosuke, come out and greet the customer! I've brought you a guest!" Marisa shouted as she pushed open the shop door.

It was obvious that she and the shop owner were very familiar with each other.

"Marisa, you're here." A slightly sleepy male voice rang out from inside the shop, his voice gentle but with a hint of languor as if he had just woken up.

Footsteps came from inside.

A young man dressed in a dark blue kimono lifted the curtain and stepped out. He had short, gray hair, with a single, prominent tuft of hair sticking up on his forehead. He wore round-framed glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses were half-closed, as if he hadn't fully adjusted to the light yet.

He adjusted his glasses, his gaze falling on Xia Xun. He looked her over with curiosity for a few seconds, then nodded slightly: "Welcome, I am the owner of this shop, Morichika Rinnosuke."

His attitude wasn't exactly enthusiastic; there was a habitual indifference, as if he maintained a proper distance from any visitor.

“I never thought that Marisa would bring guests so formally one day,” Rinnosuke said with a slight smile. “Please come in. There are quite a lot of things in the house, so please be careful not to knock them over.”

Xia Xun followed her into the store, where tungsten filament bulbs emitted a warm yellow light, illuminating the crowded yet wonderful space.

The shelves were crammed with all sorts of items: on the left shelf were pottery jars, scrolls, and old-looking wooden boxes; the central counter displayed radios, telescopes, and some electronic components; and on the right were piles of books, bottles and jars, and some oddly shaped metal objects.

Scattered among all these things are shimmering crystals, colored powders in glass bottles, and parchment covered with runes... Mystery and the everyday coexist here without any separation.

“This shop…” Xia Xun looked around and couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s like a treasure trove!”

Upon hearing this, a genuine smile appeared on Morichika Rinnosuke's face.

He pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses curving slightly: "Thank you. Not many people can appreciate this place. Marisa is usually only interested in things that can be stolen."

"Hey! Morinosuke!" Marisa, who was rummaging through the shelves, turned around angrily. "I called it 'temporary borrowing for research'! And I said I'd return it!"

“It’s been three months since I ‘borrowed’ the magic amplifier last time,” Rinnosuke said calmly.

"That's because research requires a long period of testing!" Marisa argued, her voice noticeably weakening.

She quickly changed the subject, pulling a thick book from the shelf: "Oh right, Xia Xun, look at this! 'Introduction to Magic: Elemental Senses from Zero'! It looks perfect for beginners!"

Xia Xun's attention was drawn to it. Lin Zhizhu looked at him, his professional and calm expression returning: "So, is there anything the guest needs? Marisa was shouting so urgently just now, she can't be just here to visit, can she?"

“It’s like this,” Xia Xun said seriously, turning her gaze away. “My name is Xia Xun. I just arrived in Gensokyo from the outside world yesterday. I’ve taken over a piece of land in the western part of the Human Village and plan to become a farmer, so I need to buy some seeds.”

He paused, glanced at Marisa who was excitedly flipping through a magic book, and continued, "At the same time, because I met Marisa, I became interested in magic, so I also want to try to learn it."

"Do you have any magic items or materials suitable for beginners?"

Chapter 8 Buying Seeds

Upon hearing this, Morichika Rinnosuke pushed up his glasses and looked at Natsumi, asking, "Are you serious about learning, or are you just doing this on a whim because you find it interesting?"

Xia Xun pondered for a moment, then said, "I'm mostly interested in it, but I also have the intention to give it a serious try."

"Right now, I must prioritize farming, after all, I need to make sure I can establish a foothold on this land first."

“I understand.” Morichika Rinnosuke nodded, tapping his fingers lightly twice on the counter, then asked, “So, what’s your budget? How big is the land?”

"The budget is about 800 cash, and there are 15 mu of arable land," Xia Xun answered truthfully.

After hearing Xia Xun's words, Mori Chika Rinnosuke visibly paused in his action of wiping the mirror.

He looked up and carefully examined Xia Xun, remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and admonition:

"Regarding magic-related items, I suggest you only buy the introductory books on magic first. There are three in total: 'Introduction to Magic Theory,' 'Basic Elemental Echoes,' and 'Introduction to Magic Perception.' Because they are old books that Marisa used when she was young, the pages are a bit worn, but the contents are complete, so I can give you a half price, 180 mon."

He turned around and pulled out three books from behind the counter. The covers were slightly worn and the edges were curled. The writing on the spines was a little blurry, but the titles were still legible.

Rinnosuke Morichi laid the books out on the counter and continued to explain, "These are some early books that the Kirisame family prepared for Marisa. The content is very easy to understand."

"After reading this, you will be able to roughly determine your talent and interests in magic, and then decide whether to continue to delve deeper into it. After all, magical practice requires a lot of time and energy, and it cannot be sustained by interest alone."

After saying that, Morichika Rinnosuke added, "As for the seeds, they are all in the warehouse in the backyard. I can take you to pick some."

"However, according to your budget, 620 coins will only be enough to buy seeds for half an acre of land at most."

Upon hearing this, Xia Xun couldn't help but show a hint of embarrassment and realization on her face.

I was so excited after weeding this morning that I momentarily forgot that seeds are also a significant expense.

The initial funding of one thousand coins, after deducting daily expenses, was simply not enough to support the sowing of fifteen mu of land.

Fortunately, I was just brought over by the misty rain Marisa, otherwise I would probably be busy cultivating the land, only to find out when it was time to sow the seeds that I didn't have the money to buy them, and all my efforts would have been in vain.

“Thank you for the reminder, shopkeeper,” Xia Xun scratched his head and said, “Then I’ll buy the seeds for 620 coins first, and use the rest of the money to buy those three books.”

Upon hearing this, Morichika Rinnosuke nodded and led him through the storeroom filled with miscellaneous items to the back warehouse. Pushing open the back door, the two entered a slightly dimly lit warehouse.

On the tall wooden shelves, all sorts of seed bags were neatly arranged. Some were sewn from linen, some were carefully wrapped in oiled paper, and some were in earthenware jars with labels on them. On the shelves against the wall, farm tools, fertilizers, and some farming supplies that Xia Xun couldn't name were piled up.

Rinnosuke Morichika lit the oil lamp on the wall, casting a dim yellow light throughout the warehouse. He took a thick ledger from the shelf, turned to a certain page, and slid his finger along the entries: "The crops suitable for planting now are potatoes, garlic, mung beans, cauliflower, spring wheat, and strawberries. However, strawberries are expensive and have a long growth cycle, so I don't recommend beginners plant too many."

Following Morichika Rinnosuke's advice, Natsumi carefully compared and weighed the options before finally choosing:

One hundred portions of potato seeds, each containing two plump seed potatoes, for a total of three hundred mon. Mori Chika Rinnosuke explained that potatoes are easy to store and have a stable yield, making them a safe choice for novice farmers.

Twenty portions of garlic seeds, each containing four coins, with more than ten cloves, for a total of eighty coins. Garlic is resistant to pests and can be used as a condiment for personal use or for sale.

Forty portions of mung bean seeds, each containing more than ten beans, for a total of one hundred and sixty coins. Mung beans are popular for their cooling and heat-relieving properties.

Ten portions of strawberry seeds, each containing more than ten tiny seeds, totaling one hundred and twenty coins. Although the cost is high, the women and children in the human village love strawberries, and they can fetch a good price after ripening.

The total came to 660 mon. Since he was a guest brought by Marisa Kirisame, Morichika Rinnosuke rounded down the price to 630 mon: "Consider it making friends. If you need anything in the future, just come and visit us often."

Xia Xun then took the three introductory magic books.