Scholar of Seeds: Reborn with a Farming Scroll

The sun rose behind the hills like a glowing ember, spilling golden light across the valley. Ikenna adjusted the sack of Spirit Rice over his shoulder, double-checked the cloth wrapping around the samples, and tied the scroll pouch tightly to his belt.

Professor brayed in protest.

"You're not coming," Ikenna said, patting the mule's thick neck. "You eat shoes and you snored in front of Elder Yomi. That's enough offenses for one week."

The mule turned dramatically and stomped into the half-built stable, kicking straw everywhere.

"I'll bring you something," Ikenna called after him. "Maybe a bribe."

He turned to the kitsune pup—still curled in a hollow near the Spirit Hare's den, its two tails flicking gently in the morning breeze.

"Stay," Ikenna said quietly. "You're not healed yet."

The pup blinked its amber eyes and rested its chin on the moss.

The path to the village was longer than it looked. A winding dirt trail cut through the thickets and climbed a slow rise. As Ikenna walked, his system pulsed updates and mild reminders.

Main Quest: "The First Harvest" – ACTIVE

Deliver Spirit Rice to Orin Village

Status: On route

Timer: 12 hours remaining

Optional Objective: Impress Elder Yomi

He wiped sweat from his brow. "I'm trying."

The village came into view just before mid-morning. Orin was small—maybe forty homes built of baked mud and timber, with spirit lanterns hanging at each door and narrow paths between plots of vegetables and herbs. Children darted between stalls, their laughter echoing off the hills.

As Ikenna entered, villagers turned to stare.

Some pointed. Some nodded. One or two crossed their arms skeptically.

He was escorted to the center square by a young boy with sharp eyes and a bright blue sash. "The Offering Table is there," the boy said, pointing to a wide stone altar beneath a thick baobab tree.

Elder Yomi stood nearby, robed in a heavy shawl embroidered with symbols of harvest and river blessings. Beside him were four other elders, their faces unreadable. Amara leaned against a tree with a half-eaten mango, grinning like she'd been waiting all morning.

"Step forward, Scholar-Farmer," Elder Yomi called.

Ikenna took a breath and stepped up to the table, placing the cloth-wrapped bundles of Spirit Rice onto the smooth surface. The moment they touched the stone, a faint green glow spread through the table's cracks.

One of the elders muttered, "It's real."

Another leaned closer. "And stabilized. No flickering aura."

Elder Yomi raised a hand. "Let the test begin."

The system whispered in Ikenna's mind:

Village Rite Detected: Local Appraisal in Progress

Please remain still.

Imprint Signature: Detected — "Scholar's Calm"

Grain Quality: High

Energy Affinity: Stable

Magical Saturation: Acceptable

Result: Pass

A bell rang softly above the altar—no one had touched it.

Elder Yomi stepped forward and placed his palm above the rice.

"Spirit nourishment that does not twist the tongue or cloud the mind," he said solemnly. "Food that offers peace in troubled hours. This field speaks not of ambition or conquest… but of thought, balance, and patience."

He turned to Ikenna.

"Do you swear to treat your land with care? To never take from it more than you return? To protect its soil and share its gifts with honesty?"

Ikenna nodded. "I do."

"Then receive the mark."

One of the elders stepped forward with a stone vial carved from red clay. Inside was a soft, glowing ink. Ikenna held out his right forearm.

The elder used a feathered stylus to draw a single character over his skin. It glowed briefly—then faded into a faint green sigil shaped like a leaf cradling a drop of water.

Quest Complete: The First Harvest

Rewards:

– Cultivator Mark (Tier F)

– Access to Orin Village Trade Network

– Crop Upgrade System Unlocked

– Reputation with Orin: +20 (Friendly)

Bonus Objective Complete!

– Elder's Seed Chest Obtained (Rare Quality)

Ikenna exhaled slowly. The tension in his shoulders melted.

The crowd murmured. Some nodded. Others seemed more curious than skeptical now. A little girl clapped excitedly, only to be hushed by her grandmother.

Elder Yomi placed a wrinkled hand on Ikenna's shoulder.

"You were not born of this land," he said. "But the land has chosen you all the same. Welcome, Scholar-Farmer."

Amara pumped a fist. "I knew it!"

Later that afternoon, Ikenna sat beneath the baobab, sipping tamarind tea offered by one of the market women. A cloth bundle sat beside him—inside it, the Elder's Seed Chest.

He unwrapped it slowly.

Inside were three seed pods, each one glowing faintly and labeled in ancient script:

Whisperroot (Enhances soil communication. Can detect underground pests.)

Moonblossom Vine (Blooms at night. Used in low-level spirit remedies.)

Stonecorn Kernel (Grows even in rocky terrain. Used for fortifying tonics.)

He couldn't help but smile.

Back in his old life, he had fought for basic lab access. Here, the world had handed him a growing future—literally.

"Looks like we're just getting started," he murmured.

Professor would complain about hauling the seeds back.

The kitsune pup would probably try to eat one.

Amara would definitely demand half the harvest.

And somehow, Ikenna didn't mind.

Not one bit.