The Verdant Merchant

Just then, his phone vibrated. Rowen removed the helmet, glanced at the screen, and saw the Federal Bank app open with the payment request. He tapped yes.

A second later, the payment processed successfully. Rowen put the helmet back on, and the screen inside the virtual space updated.

[Payment confirmed. Initializing virtual training]

After that, another screen appeared.

[Select Path: Mage | Knight | Tamer | Ranger | Healer, etc.]

Rowen didn't hesitate and tapped Mage.

The screen shifted again.

[Select Element Affinity to Begin Training: Fire | Water | Earth | Wind | wood | Lightning | Light | Dark ]

Rowen tapped Fire.

The screen flickered, and a new prompt appeared.

[Confirm: Fire Element Beginner Training. Estimated Mana Affinity Test will run first.]

He pressed confirm.

The white space shifted. A glowing red magic circle appeared on the floor, flames rising faintly from its edges.

[Place your hand on the circle to measure your Fire Affinity and Level.]

Rowen stepped forward, lowered his hand, and pressed it against the burning seal. Heat surged around his palm, but it didn't burn. Lines of fire spread out in patterns across the circle.

A moment later, text floated before his eyes.

[Fire Affinity Detected: high]

[Current Level: Apprentice-beginner level]

The words faded, and another screen unfolded in front of him, this time with a list.

[Available Beginner Fire Spells – Select One to Learn]

Fire Spark – The most basic offensive spell. Creates a small spark of flame, enough to ignite objects or cause minor burns.

Flame Orb – Forms a small ball of fire that can be thrown at a target. Slightly stronger than Fire Spark but requires more mana.

Heat Palm – Channels warmth into the user's hand, useful for close combat or survival situations.

At the bottom, the system displayed a warning.

[Note: With amount you paid and your currant level, you may only learn ONE spell from this list.]

Rowen exhaled slowly, his eyes moving between the glowing options.

Rowen nodded slightly. He had expected as much. "So it won't run as smoothly without more energy, huh?"

"Yes," Fern said, its voice quiet but firm. "The tree will be worth it in time, but for now, the space is demanding more."

Rowen didn't argue. He ladled out the soup, the warmth helping to chase away the exhaustion from earlier.

Rowen reached into his pouch and pulled out twelve low-grade mana stones. The small pile glimmered faintly in his palm before he passed them to Fern.

"Use these," Rowen said.

Fern's leafy body brightened as it absorbed the stones one by one. A faint hum echoed through the room as the energy dispersed, flowing back into the hidden space.

"That will keep things stable for now," Fern said after finishing. "But remember, the more crops and trees you plant, the more energy we'll need in the future."

Rowen exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. He had earned sixty-five stones today, and already twelve were gone. The weight of his growing responsibilities pressed faintly on his mind, but he kept silent, focusing instead on finishing his meal.

After finishing the meal, the three of them Rowen, Shade, and Fern went upstairs to his room. Rowen changed into a clean set of clothes, then sat down on the floor.

For a moment, he hesitated, his mind running through the things that had happened that day. But after taking a deep breath, he crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and began gathering mana.

His goal was clear: this was the start of his path as a mage. He would try to condense his first mana ring.

After what felt like hours of straining, something finally stirred deep within him. The unstable earth mana he had been gathering stopped scattering and instead pressed together, pulled by his will. A faint outline flickered inside his body, right at the base of his core.

It was shaky and incomplete, but there his first mana ring was beginning to appear.

The faint band of energy circled once before breaking apart, leaving him gasping for air. His chest rose and fell rapidly, every breath heavy as though he had been running uphill. But even as it slipped away, he could still feel the lingering imprint inside him, the proof that he had started on the path of a mage.

Rowen sat there breathing heavily, staring at the spot where the flickering outline had vanished. Why can't I keep it steady? He wondered, clenching his fists in frustration. The earth element had answered him, yet the ring slipped away every time he tried to form it.

His stomach growled faintly, reminding him of the drain on his body. With a sigh, he reached into the space and pulled out fresh tomatoes and potatoes. The crisp, natural energy inside them spread through his body as he bit down, easing the exhaustion that weighed on him.

Feeling a little steadier, Rowen wiped his mouth and straightened his posture once more. He closed his eyes, calmed his breathing, and began gathering the earth mana again, determined to make the outline hold this time.

Morning sunlight slipped through the window, laying a warm stripe across the floorboards. Rowen stirred where he had collapsed the night before, still lying on the floor instead of the bed. His body felt heavy with fatigue, every muscle stiff from the strain.

Fern was slumped in the chair nearby, dozing with his arms crossed, while Shade was curled up beside Rowen on the floor, tail flicking lightly in her sleep.

Rowen opened his eyes fully, the memory of the five-element ring pulsing faintly inside him. It hadn't been a dream.

Rowen pushed himself up from the floor slowly, joints aching. His clothes were stiff with dried sweat and faint stains of blood. With a tired sigh, he went to the basin, splashing cold water on his face first, then rubbing at the smears on his arms and shirt until the worst of it came off. He scrubbed himself down as best he could, then changed into a cleaner set of clothes.

The room still looked messy from last night blankets on the floor, a chair pushed aside, and bits of dirt scattered near where he had collapsed. Rowen took a few minutes to tidy it all, setting things back in place.

When he turned back, Fern was still asleep in the chair, his head tilted awkwardly, and Shade was curled in a ball on the floor. Rowen nudged them both awake. Shade stretched with a soft mewl, while Fern blinked and rubbed his eyes.

"Come on," Rowen said quietly.

He went to the small stove and set water to boil, tossing in chopped potatoes and a handful of fresh tomatoes. The familiar smell filled the room, simple but comforting. When it was ready, the three of them ate together in silence, the warmth of the soup easing the last of the night's weight.

Afterward, Rowen stood and drew in a slow breath. He focused, opening the portal himself this time. The air shimmered before him, and a portal appeared.

Fern and Shade followed as he stepped through.

The sight made Rowen stop in place.

The apple seed he had planted before was no longer just a sprout. In less than twelve hours, it had grown into a young tree, branches thick and leaves wide. Even more shocking, several round apples already hung from its boughs, their skins glossy under natural sunlight.

Rowen stepped closer, staring at the growth of the apple tree. Before he could reach out, the air flickered, and a familiar blue screen appeared in front of him, hovering just before the tree.

The glowing text shifted across its surface, waiting for him to read.

[Apple Tree] [Fruit Cycle: 6 hours after full harvest]

Rowen stepped closer and reached up, fingers brushing against one of the glossy apples. The skin was smooth, almost warm under his touch. He pulled it free with a soft snap, the branch bouncing lightly.

Holding the fruit in his palm, Rowen focused.

Faint lines of light wrapped around the apple, forming a screen of details before his eyes.

[commen+ Apple]

Status: Ripe

Effect: Restores stamina and body vitality when consumed.

Rowen's eyes widened as he read the effects. His chest tightened with a rush of relief and excitement.

This wasn't just some ordinary fruit. Stamina and vitality those were things knights, porters, and even mages desperately relied on. Hunters drained themselves every day fighting monsters, while laborers needed the strength to endure endless work. These apples would sell faster than he could ever stock them.

A grin tugged at his lips despite himself. "This… this is going to be great."

He could already see the demand. Knights would line up for fruit that restored stamina. Porters who carried monster materials until their backs broke would pay anything for it. Even mages, who often collapsed after overusing their mana, would value vitality recovery.

With this, Rowen now had items that covered both mana recovery and vitality recovery. Between the tomatoes and the apples, he held supplies that could make the difference between life and death in the wilderness.