My Demonic Farm: A Progression Fantasy LitRPG

After confirming that the beast had indeed departed, Theo exhaled deeply. It was a peculiar encounter with the Terragon, made all the more odd by its abrupt departure without a farewell. He had expected at least a parting word after providing the food for its family, but the creature had simply vanished.

Shaking off the feeling of slight abandonment, Theo patted down his clothes, only to notice a sticky substance that covered them, accompanied by a rancid smell distinct from the lingering scent of blood in the area. Inspecting his body, he found a grimy black substance smeared across his skin.

As he pondered the source, his eyes caught a flickering notification at the corner of his screen.

<<<<

[You have received the Ancient Terragon's Blessing.]

[Ancient Terragon's Blessing]

[~ This is a revered blessing bestowed by the ancient Terragon, a creature of immense wisdom and power. The blessing not only offers protection but also permanently enhances your natural healing capabilities, reducing recovery time from injuries by 200%. Additionally, it imparts a resistance to environmental hazards and toxins, reflecting the Terragon's mastery over nature.]

[Advanced Body Refinement Achieved. Through the mystical energies of the Terragon’s Blessing, your body has undergone an Advanced Body Refinement. This profound purification has expelled impurities and reinforced your meridians, enhancing your vitality and energy flow.. ]

>>>>

“Good deeds never go unpaid.” Theo murmured, appreciating the blessings he had received.

Although he had an abundance of healing elixir in his golden vault, having his natural healing rate enhanced was a significant boon. Moreover, the advanced body refinement was a welcome improvement, though the part about the protection remained a mystery.

Deciding not to linger any longer at this site, Theo set off towards the northern direction without pausing to celebrate his gains.

By the time the sun was directly overhead, he had reached the place where he had parted ways with Lorian. The forest stretched out before him.

“Has he gone back already?” Theo pondered before marching into the forest.

As he wandered for another four hours, he encountered a few of his classmates but chose to pass by them without drawing attention.

The following day, Theo finally spotted the Elven boy perched high on a tall tree in the forest. If not for his Leywin’s Gaze, Lorian would have been nearly impossible to notice.

Upon noticing Theo, Lorian leaped from one branch to another, descending through smaller trees until he landed on the ground. His movements were more reminiscent of a playful monkey than a typical descent, but Theo refrained from commenting.

Lorian landed smoothly on the ground, a hint of surprise in his tone as he approached. “Brother, where have you vanished to? I've been searching…”

“I was at another corner of the desert, took me a while to track you down…” Theo replied, deliberately omitting the story of his encounter with the Terragon and the awakening of the Abyssal Eternal Bloom.

Lorian nodded thoughtfully, his expression turning more guarded as he spoke. “After we parted, I arrived here and noticed something troubling…”

Theo’s eyebrows lifted in curiosity, silently urging Lorian to go on.

The elven boy's gaze was unwavering as he explained, “I've been watching this forest and area nearby for days, but there's not a single beast in sight, not even the Sunflare beasts. It seems we were fortunate to secure those beast cores before the sandstorm hit. Otherwise, we would have returned empty-handed and failed our class mission.”

Theo understood the reason behind this phenomenon. He had witnessed the gathering of beasts for the treasure that was the Eternal Seed, and he was the one who had stolen it under their noses.

Noticing that Theo wasn't in the mood for an extended conversation, Lorian added, "We should head back. Some students have already returned after finding no beasts in the dunes. I stayed behind, waiting for you, knowing you might worry."

Theo nodded in agreement. He watched as Lorian retrieved a blue stone from his pouch and crushed it. As soon as the stone was crushed, space itself seemed to tear open in front of them. Without hesitation, they stepped into the resultant portal.

Returning to the Academy, Theo made his way to the dorm room. The day's adventures had left their mark, and he felt a pressing need to cleanse himself of the grime and the remnants of the journey. He entered the bathroom first, intent on washing away the dust and the surreal experiences of the day.

As the warm water cascaded over him, Theo’s thoughts drifted back to the enigmatic Terragon. Despite the abrupt end to their interaction, the experience of conversing with an ancient beast was something he wouldn’t soon forget.

By the time he finished, it was already evening at the academy, though it had been morning at the Crimson Dunes, a natural consequence of their different geographical positions.

After changing into clean clothes, Theo emerged from the bathroom. The door to Lorian’s bedroom was ajar, and he could see the elven boy sleeping soundly in his room.

Closing the dormitory's exit door behind him, Theo walked toward the Gathering Pavilion. The humid evening air brushed past his skin, the chirping of birds reminding him that he was no longer in the wild. Living within the Academy's walls, under the protection of the headmistress and Rowan, brought him a comforting sense of security.

Most of his loved ones were here. Whether it was Neria, the mysterious headmistress who was likely from his past, or his friends Aerin, Elena, and Lorian, he felt good to be back. Although he maintained a cold distance from them, it was reassuring to be at this place.

Even the most important person from his past, Princess Liliana, was living here, attending the very same academy. But he did not rush to meet her or question her. Revealing his identity to her would mean revealing it to others as well. Aside from Elena, no one knew he was the famous ‘Trash of the count's family.’ After all, he had transformed, not just in appearance but also in nobility rank.

He wondered what Liliana looked like now. His memories and flashbacks only recalled her teenage self.

‘She must have become prettier,’ Theo mused.

Pushing these thoughts aside, his gaze landed on a two-story building situated at the side of the Gathering Pavilion, nestled between the entrance to the Guardian's Bridge and the library.

A bowl and spoon, with vapor rising from it, was sketched on a signboard hanging at the entrance, marking the place where students gathered to eat.

Curious and somewhat peckish, Theo decided there was no harm in trying out the dishes served at the Academy Canteen, given that it was Phoenixwing Academy.

Upon entering the canteen for the first time, Theo was met with a bustling scene. Students clustered in groups, engaging in lively discussions over drinks and snacks. A few glanced in his direction before returning to their conversations.

Behind the counter, a burly middle-aged man was energetically instructing his staff about the orders. Theo approached, the man noticing him with a nod and a gruff greeting.

"What will it be, lad?"

"Send all of the items you have for today, on my table for three servings," Theo replied calmly.

The burly man gave Theo a puzzled frown, clearly taken aback by such an unusual order. Leaning closer, he replied firmly, "The academy doesn't provide food for free. You'll need to pay for your order."

Theo, unfazed, took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter, asking, “Is that enough?”

The man sighed, “You really think you can show off your money here… Don’t you know that students here come from noble and wealthy business families too? We have dishes prepared from enchanted crops, especially those from East Wind, which are quite expensive…”

“How much do I need to pay then?” Theo inquired, maintaining a neutral expression.

“At least seven gold coins would be required if you want all the dishes of three servings that we have prepared today,” the man replied, his eyes scrutinizing Theo for a reaction.

Without a word, Theo took out six more gold coins and placed them on the counter, then walked towards an empty corner seat.

The man shook his head, muttering “Crazy fellow,” as he wrote down the order. He wasn't a bit flustered by the display of gold coins; such sights were not entirely uncommon in the academy.

Theo found an empty spot near the windows where the evening breeze wafted.

After a moment, a female waiter approached with a glass of juice. “We will need some time before we can bring out your complete order,” she informed him politely.

Theo nodded and took a sip from the glass. It was cold and sweet, with a hint of citrus flavor that lingered pleasantly on his tongue. He sipped slowly, as if drinking tea, when his ear caught a conversation from a nearby table.

"Don't believe those rumors about the new Duke's death."

"Why not? There's been no movement since the war, and no one's seen him since. Everyone's saying he's dead."

"That's a lie. My father confirmed it himself—after the war, they found no trace of Count Cedric. The royal family even awarded Duke Leywin a commendation for clearing the notorious Eclipse Guild from the Empire."

"Then why isn't he appearing in Kingsgate anymore?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's on a tour?"

The voices of the group faded into murmurs as they continued discussing the young Duke’s whereabouts. Meanwhile, three waiters approached Theo's table, carefully arranging various dishes made from enchanted crops and other ordinary fare. Their movements were deliberate, ensuring everything was set up perfectly.

Theo waited until the waiters had left before he began placing the dishes into his inventory. He worked swiftly, slipping each plate and bowl—designed for single use—into the dark space of his golden vault. He wasn't concerned about returning them to the canteen, as students were expected to dispose of them in the trash once they'd finished their meal. He left only a modest plate of bread and cheese behind, along with his half-finished glass of juice.

Once the plates were emptied and neatly tucked away, Theo took a final sip of juice, pushed back his chair, and made his way to the exit.

Days passed without major events. He spent most of his time at the farm, trying to familiarize himself with the Abyssal Eternal Bloom, which demanded food time and time again. He had nothing to offer, which left the beast unhappy.

Soon, it was Monday, time for their next class. Theo and Lorian were ready early in the morning. When they entered the classroom, it was empty, except their teacher Zoe, who was already waiting inside. She stood near the instructor’s desk, scribbling down something in a notebook.

Noticing them, she looked up. “You’ve arrived early,” she said before closing the notebook and asking, “Did you finish the class mission?”

Lorian nodded. “Yes, but we were only able to get a few.” He pulled out two cores and placed them on the desk before her.

Zoe turned her questioning gaze to Theo, who also brought out his cores and placed them on the desk.

A glint of satisfaction flickered in her eyes as she started writing down their names and points.

<<<<

[Sunflare Serpent Class Mission]

Violet:

Felix:

Lorian: Two

Theo: Seven

Elara:

Garrick:

>>>>

Theo glanced over the list, noting his classmates' names as Zoe tallied the numbers next to each.

Once done, she stored the cores in her spatial storage before commenting, “These points will be added to the finals. However, the number of cores you’ve brought is rather low…” Her blunt words made Lorian sigh in resignation.

With Zoe returning to her work, Theo and Lorian moved to their usual seats. Ten minutes later, the classroom began to fill up with students, their faces tinged with nervousness as they took their places.

Closing her notebook once again, Zoe addressed them. “Submit the cores first, so we can continue with today’s class.”

A murmur of unease spread through the room as the students exchanged worried glances. Elara and Violet shared the same look of hesitation.

Observing their silence, Zoe's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why is everyone so quiet?" she asked, clearly puzzled by the students' hesitancy.

Felix decided to take the lead and stood up, saying, "Teacher, there were no beasts at the Crimson Dunes." His flat response made Zoe frown.

“But how is that possible?” She asked, her tone tinged with surprise.

“We have no idea, teacher, but none of us could find any beasts,” Garrick added, sitting beside Felix.

She folded her arms, pondering their words. “What exactly happened?”

Felix continued, “After arriving there, we searched the dunes high and low but could hardly find any traces..”

Zoe leaned back, her eyes scanning the room. “And none of you have any cores to show?”

As Zoe looked to the other students for confirmation, heads shook in response.

A moment of silence followed as Zoe digested their words. She let out a sigh and set down her notebook. “Very well, I will go there myself to see if it's true. Regardless of the unusual circumstances, I expect you all to try harder in future missions.”

She closed her notebook but paused, her gaze falling on two students. Lorian was chatting with Theo, who listened silently. They seemed unaffected by the somber mood in the room. Zoe didn't get upset by their silent chit-chat but wondered how they had managed to secure their cores if there were no beasts. Could the others be lying?