[Farmer] Mage

The two figures of the pack leader and Nibbles grew smaller as they walked off into the wasteland. Cal told them that the two oxen needed to be returned safe and sound,

He might not have formed a bond with the two oxen, but since he bought them intending to make the oxen long-term residents of the farm, he wouldn't allow such a transgression to pass.

However, Nibbles telling him that a donkey took the two oxen for training made no sense. It was more confusing that neither the pack leader nor Nibbles stopped this donkey. They seemed almost embarrassed when he questioned them, but didn't give him a proper answer—the first time that had ever happened.

Why would a random donkey want to train two oxen? Is this a thing among magical beasts?

Cal scratched his chin as he returned to a waiting Bran. He wasn't even able to question him before everything spilled out.

"That donkey was too strong, Apprentice Cal! I tried to pull the oxen back, but they followed the braying with zero hesitation."

"Braying… you mean the donkey spoke to the oxen?"

"Um, maybe they did. It looked like the oxen were listening."

"… and what did the pack leader—the enormous wolf—and Nibbles do in response?" Cal asked, hoping to get a hint of why they were acting strange.

Bran tilted his head in confusion. "I think they said something to the donkey? I'm not sure, but I think they knew each other… you know, it seemed familiar even to me."

Cal received more questions than answers and promptly abandoned the issue. With the pack leader and Nibbles sent to retrieve the oxen, he'll know soon enough from the source.

"Let's forget about this. You can go ahead and help your friends with relocating the crop."

"Are you going to take a rest?" Bran asked.

Cal shook his head. He considered it, but while his body wasn't in the best condition, he could do something as simple as farm work if he was careful. "It's time to harvest the Sunfire Grains. No point in delaying because I'm slightly under the weather."

"Oh! I can help—"

"No," Cal said, cutting him off before he could get ideas. "I told you before I prefer to do the planting and harvesting myself."

Bran slumped before wandering off to join his fellow hires. Cal went the opposite way, starting from the edge of the planted field to give the hired Initiates as much space as possible to move the crop they were interested in.

He almost felt bad at the way Bran reacted to his refusal, but he really didn't need help or advice to harvest the Sunfire Grains. All he had to do was pull them out with brute strength. Even if he wanted help, he honestly doubted Bran had the endurance for it.

I'll make it up to him when I plant something new. His knowledge will help then.

Cal rubbed his hands together as a smile grew on his lips. He bent down and grabbed the Sunfire Grain at the base before yanking up, ripping the crop free of the soil in a practiced motion. He was happy to note that he was successful in avoiding irritating the damage his body carried.

He could comfortably carry on with the harvest until the end.

Cal had missed this.

***

"He's so dedicated," Bran said with a soft smile as he stared at Apprentice Cal.

"If you stare for longer, Apprentice Tavia might just burn you to a crisp," Liora said drily.

Stolen novel; please report.

"What? Why?"

Liora and Vaela shared a glance before they burst into laughter, which only confused and annoyed Bran even more.

"Oh, I get it. You're both jealous that Apprentice Cal likes me best. I'm the one he took to the auction."

"Sure, that's definitely the reason. Not because you were the one that told him of the auction and would be of most use." Liora sounded sincere, which made it sound even worse to Bran since he knew she couldn't be more sarcastic.

"Please, I'm taking my chances to earn a bigger role whenever it opens up. You two should do the same."

Vaela stood, pausing her careful digging around the Sunfire Grain, and patted Bran's cheek with a pitying look. "If we acted like you do, Apprentice Tavia would make sure we're out of a job in the next hour."

Bran blinked in confusion before throwing up his hands. "This again! Why would Apprentice Tavia be so aggressive? I thought she was the reason we were hired in the first place."

"That's true," Vaela said. "But when she sees her generosity being spit on when we flirt with Apprentice Cal, she will also be the first to get rid of us."

"Flirt? That's what you both think I'm doing?" Bran couldn't have been more shocked.

He admired Apprentice Cal for being the first [Apprentice Farmer] in the Celestial Order, and he wasn't the only one. Most [Farmers] felt the same, and if not that, envy.

Bole, the fool who had the opportunity to have this job, squandered it by acting like an arrogant, unruly sod.

Bran—and everyone else—knew that Bole thought highly of himself, but sabotaging a job offer from the Apprentice Cal was something even the arrogant idiot wouldn't do. It made sense when Bole drank himself into a stupor afterward as he complained about job negotiations not working as intended.

Bole gambled on whatever pay Apprentice Cal offered as a floor and tried to get something higher. It obviously did not work, and to Bran, that was a fine thing since he ended up with a job that paid him even though he would have done it for free.

Still, Bran didn't know he was flirting with Apprentice Cal. Since when did being eager to do good at his job make things so complicated? And he liked women! Specifically, he liked Vaela! This was a disaster of epic proportions.

"It can't be anything else," Liora replied without stopping her work.

Bran ignored her and stared at Vaela intensely. "You know I wasn't, right? I admire Apprentice Cal, but not like that. I bet that even he knows there's nothing like that behind my intent."

"Sure, I believe you. But tone it down anyway. We don't want something silly like this to cause issues."

Bran looked devastated as Vaela patted his arm in pity before rejoining Liora. She might have said that, but he knew there must be some part of her that believed it to be true.

He despaired at another setback. Vaela already seemed oblivious to him despite the many hints he had given, and sometimes blatantly saying so in simple words. She always laughed it off… though he had an idea why now. This really was a disaster.

Maybe I should ask Apprentice Cal what to do. He should know since he's with Apprentice Tavia… and this could be another bonding opportunity!

***

"Pack whatever you need, and take extra silver with you in case Orrin needs to hire more carts," Tavia said to Seris as the girl ran up to her room.

"You treat her as a sister," Vivi commented.

"I treat her as the older girls treated me when I joined the group." Tavia regretted the words immediately afterwards. None of the older girls joined them on the trek to the Celestial Order. They had correctly assumed that they were too old, even for a guild that was accepting outsiders.

It was a needle lodged in the back of everyone's mind, and one they reluctantly ignored. None of them could do it, and that included Tavia. There were far too many problems that had to be solved first.

Amara cleared her throat. "I'm not sure if we can work on the farm. Vivi and I tried, and while we weren't hopeless, I know we were burdens on the others."

Tavia was thankful for the blatant change of subject and acknowledged the issue with a frown. "That's not ideal, but I wondered if something like this would happen. Are you sure time can't fix it?"

"I doubt it. Even at our best, it would be only through your influence that would make Cal keep us when there are Farmers itching to work here."

Tavia dismissed that at once. While she imagined Cal wouldn't mind, she would feel guilty enough for both of them to avoid going that route. Thankfully, there were other options that were now open after Cal revealed his doubts about the guild.

Tavia knew Cal was reluctant to abandon the farm, not to mention his bond with Seris and Orrin—two people even she was fond of. However, no concrete plans existed for leaving the guild or staying.

Cal had built something wondrous, and if that continued, Tavia knew the farm could be their impenetrable fortress given enough time. She didn't want him to worry about leaving and splitting his attention from the farm, so that would be a task she took on herself.

Tavia met Vivi and Amara's puzzled eyes. Besides the friends who had crossed several territories with her to join the Celestial Order, who else could she trust with something like this?

She just had to make sure the flakier ones didn't do something stupid with good intentions. And that was more difficult than it sounded.