Chapter 4: The Joy of Sharing a Meal

With a joyful heart, I pulled up the first potato plant.  

“Here we go!”  

Rustle, rustle.  

The potatoes, dangling in a row beneath the stem, revealed themselves.  

“These are pretty hefty!”  

Eight fist-sized potatoes came up. One alone would fill my stomach.  

“Start the fire! Hurry!”  

The guardian, drooling, urged me on.  

I chopped thorny vines with a hand axe and lit a fire like yesterday. 

Soon, it blazed brightly.  

“Potatoes~ Delicious potatoes~”  

The guardian, brimming with excitement, hummed a tune. 

I was just as eager.  

“The fire’s ready. Time to put in the potatoes.”  

“Ugh!”  

The guardian grabbed a potato as big as herself and tried to toss it into the fire.  

“Wait! The fire’s too strong now—it’ll burn before it cooks.”  

“Is that so?”  

“Just wait a bit. We’ll put them in when the fire dies down.”  

The guardian dropped the potato with a thud.  

Grrrr.  

She rubbed her stomach, clearly struggling with hunger.  

“Hold on a sec.”  

I washed a potato at the well, cut it into small pieces, and skewered them on a branch.  

“Cutting them small like this will make them cook faster.”  

I rotated the potato skewers over the fire like roasting meat.  

This should tide us over until the coals are ready.  

“Mmm! It smells delicious!”  

“Chirp!”  

After about five minutes, white steam rose from the golden-brown potatoes.  

“Shall we try one?”  

“Give it here!”  

“Chirp!”  

“It’s hot, so blow on it first.”  

I handed a warm potato piece to each of them and took one for myself.  

Munch.  

“Mmm…!”  

The outside was crispy and fluffy, the inside moist and tender.  

Even slightly undercooked, it was surprisingly tasty.  

It was sweet, like someone sprinkled sugar on it, despite not being fruit.  

With each chew, a nutty, subtle sweetness filled my mouth.  

“Wow! This is amazing!”  

“Chirp!”  

The guardian beamed with satisfaction, and Dorori flapped his wings excitedly.  

“The fire’s died down, so we can put the potatoes in now.”  

I placed the potatoes into the glowing coals.  

Now we just wait.  

Dorori, the guardian, and I stared at the potatoes roasting in the coals.  

Are we a family now, sharing a meal together? Come to think of it, I don’t even know the guardian’s name.  

“Hey, I’ve got a question.”  

“What is it?”  

“Does the guardian not have a name?”  

“Why wouldn’t I? I have a noble name. Want to know?”  

“Yeah. Since we’ll be living together, it’d be nice to know your name.”  

“Elenia. That’s my name.”  

“Elenia. Nice name. I’m Fabir. It’s a bit late, but let’s get along.”  

“How formal. But fine, I look forward to it too.”  

Elenia and I exchanged proper introductions.  

“Fabir, can I have another piece of potato?”  

I pulled another piece from the skewer and handed it to Elenia.  

Munch, munch.  

Elenia took a big bite, smiling contentedly.  

She’s got quite an appetite.  

“What did you eat on the island before? It didn’t look like there was much food around.”  

“This place wasn’t always barren. As the island weakened, the plants here gradually sickened and died.”  

“That’s how it happened. So you couldn’t eat well either?”  

Hearing Elenia’s story tugged at my heart.  

It wasn’t just pity—it was a sense of kinship. 

Her life, scraping by with hunger, was so much like mine.  

“Don’t look at me with such sad eyes. Focus on the potatoes so they don’t burn.”  

“Oh, right, the potatoes!”  

The coals had weakened considerably. 

I dug through the ashes to pull out the potatoes.  

They looked perfectly cooked inside and out.  

“Ow, hot!”  

Elenia, trying to grab one, blew on her hands.  

“Careful. I’ll handle it, so wait.”  

I split one in half, and steam rose from the soft, white flesh.  

I broke off a piece for Elenia, blew on the rest, and took a big bite.  

“…So, so good!”  

It was too delicious. 

I could confidently say it was the best potato I’d ever eaten.  

The fluffy texture melted in my mouth, with a rich, buttery flavor.  

This wasn’t just because I grew it myself.  

Crops grown in fertile soil taste exceptional without any extra cooking or spices.  

“Ah, I’m so full.”  

“Chirp!”  

“I ate too much to have any more.”  

These delicious potatoes deserve to be shared with the world.  

Should I sell the rest at the market?  

With my stomach full, I figured I could harvest the remaining potatoes quickly.  

Pulling the remaining stems, potatoes came up in heaps.  

I filled my bag until it was bulging.  

“…Did I get too greedy?”  

Will this be too heavy? 

I worried as I lifted the bag.  

Lift.  

“Huh? Why’s this so light?”  

Oddly, the bag full of potatoes felt easy to carry.  

No way it’s this light…  

Did I gain muscle already?  

I tilted my head. 

All I’d done was farm potatoes and clear thorny vines.  

“Chirp?”  

“It’s nothing. Let’s go before it gets late.”  

 *** 

The village entrance was bustling today.  

“Freshly harvested carrots! Come see these tasty carrots!”  

“Come on, give me a discount. I’ll buy these onions too.”  

It seemed today was market day at the village entrance.  

Fresh crops from nearby farmers and manufactured goods from the city filled the stalls.  

Merchants and customers mingled, creating a lively atmosphere.  

“Perfect timing.”  

I’d been wondering where to sell my potatoes, and setting up a stall here didn’t seem like a bad idea.  

Selling directly to customers would likely fetch a better price than to a shop.  

I went straight to a guard.  

“I’d like to set up a stall here.”  

“The fee’s 5 coppers.”  

Not a bad price, so I handed over the coins and was assigned a spot.  

“Uh-oh…”  

Looking around, most merchants had carts.  

In comparison, my haul was modest, and I hadn’t even brought a table to display my goods.  

I should’ve at least brought a mat.  

What if no one pays attention?  

As I started to worry, I realized I couldn’t just sit here after paying the fee. 

I had to at least make it worth the cost.  

Rekindling my resolve, I opened my bag and picked up a large potato.  

“Wow!”  

A gasp came from somewhere nearby.  

“Are those really potatoes? They’re as big as fists!”  

The fruit vendor next to me glanced over and was startled.  

A woman nearby chimed in.  

“Really! I’ve never seen such hearty potatoes. This young man’s farming skills must be something else.”  

My crops are amazing, aren’t they? 

My potatoes were noticeably larger than the others around.  

These folks, who grow their own produce, would know how hard it is to grow potatoes this size.  

Grown with dragon dung on a floating island, my crops are unbeatable.  

Grinning, I felt a surge of confidence and shouted boldly.  

“Homegrown potatoes! Come take a look!”  

As soon as I started selling, people began showing interest.  

“What kind of potatoes are this big?”  

“Goodness, I’ve never seen such hearty potatoes in my life!”  

“How did he grow these?”  

Murmur, murmur.  

One or two sold, then the pace picked up.  

Good products always catch customers’ eyes.  

But not all reactions were positive.  

“Are they just big and tasteless?”  

“No way! I tried them myself, and they’re sweet and delicious!”  

“If they’re dry, they won’t taste good.”  

“Feel them! They’re firm and full inside.”  

I had to deal with skeptical customers too.  

And despite the curiosity, actual buyers were far fewer.  

“Sigh… This isn’t easy.”  

“Business is tougher than it looks.”  

The fruit vendor nearby spoke up.  

“But you’ll get the hang of it. I struggled too when I started dealing with customers.”  

“Yeah, he was sweating buckets back then!”  

Selling is a skill. I need to learn how to handle customers better.  

Gathering my courage, I shouted again.  

“Homegrown potatoes! Bigger than big—come check out these mighty potatoes!”  

Just then, a woman strode over confidently.  

“Let me see.”  

“Uh, sure.”  

Grab.  

Exuding a bold aura, she picked up a potato and examined it closely.  

“They’re fresh. How much?”  

“One copper each.”  

“One copper per potato?”  

Her question made me flinch.  

Normally, two or three potatoes sell for one copper, so my price was high.  

But my potatoes were easily twice the size, so this price seemed fair.  

“Hmm…”  

She tapped the potato and listened to it, like an expert.  

The longer she deliberated, the harder it was to breathe. 

I braced for complaints about the price.  

With my limited selling experience, this kind of situation felt overwhelming.  

She’s got such an intense presence. I felt almost intimidated by her.  

“How many do you have?”  

“Huh? Uh, about fifty.”  

“Hmm…”  

Thud.  

She put the potato down.  

“I’ll take them all.”  

“…Pardon?”  

Did I hear that right?  

“All of them?”  

“Yes, give me everything.”  

Sparkle.  

Was it my imagination, or did a halo of light shine behind her?