The fifth day.
Today is a very important day.
Because the windbreak grass Shiki planted on the first day is ready for harvest today.
At six in the morning, Shiki finished reading today’s weather forecast as usual and pushed open his door.
He saw that the farmland where the windbreak grass was planted was covered in leaves; the lush green sight was very pleasing.
“Finally, something to eat!” Having never eaten it before, he didn’t know what windbreak grass tasted like.
Shiki pulled one out, took a look, and fell silent.
How should he put it?
If no one told him this thing was edible, he would never believe it was meant for human consumption even if he were beaten to death.
Its appearance was similar to a carrot—a long strip thick at the top and thin at the bottom.
But carrots had that pleasing orange-red surface; the color of this windbreak grass was similar to soil, and it was somewhat pitted and bumpy.
“Are you sure this thing is edible?” Shiki thought while harvesting.
Fortunately, harvesting didn’t consume stamina; he only needed to walk over and touch it with his hand, which was very convenient.
The harvested windbreak grass was divided into three grades: from the most ordinary with nothing, to Silver Star, and Gold Star.
The higher the grade, the better the appearance and value.
But Shiki’s current farming level was too low.
After harvesting these fifteen plots of land, the highest grade was only Gold Star, and there weren’t many of those.
“Take a bite?” He picked a Gold Star windbreak grass and washed it in the farm’s small pond.
The Gold Star windbreak grass didn’t look quite as shabby, but it was still a bit hard to swallow.
Forget it, just a small bite to taste it.
If it’s no good, I’ll just throw them all into the Shipping Bin.
Eating fish for this period should be fine too.
He opened his mouth and took a bite out of the bottom of the windbreak grass.
How to describe it?
An apple with the taste of soil—that was roughly the texture.
The chewing sensation was like an apple, with a bit of crispness.
At first, there wasn’t much flavor, but after chewing for a while, a faint bitterness and the fragrance of earth emerged.
He decisively dumped the day’s harvest of 24*15, a total of 360 catties of windbreak grass, into the Shipping Bin.
His unit of measurement was the catty; every unit occupied in his backpack was one catty.
He even threw in the one he had bitten.
Shiki pulled out his phone and started contacting Yukari.
Shiki: Are you there?
Forever 19-Year-Old Beautiful Girl: Here, what’s up?
Why has my age increased by another year?
Was it your doing (furious)?
Shiki: It has nothing to do with me.
I’m just letting you know the first batch of crops is ripe.
360 catties.
Do you want to buy them?
Ordinary ones are 35 per catty, Silver is 43, Gold is 52.
The taste might not be very good, though.
Forever 20-Year-Old Beautiful Girl: Wait for me, I’m coming now.
How did I age another year again!
Shiki: Okay, I’ll wait for you at the farm.
Chat ended.
After a while, a Gap opened in front of Shiki.
A youthful and vibrant Yukari hopped out of the Gap, holding the hem of her nightgown.
She opened a parasol and rested it on her shoulder, every movement filled with the aura of a young girl.
“Where are the goods?” Yukari was a bit impatient.
She planned to take the things back and hold a grand banquet, but she would specifically ‘forget’ to invite a certain Miss Iizuna Maru.
She wondered if the other party would have any clues as to why.
“They’re all here.
I tasted one; the flavor is okay, full of the taste of nature, pure, natural, pollution-free, refreshing, and juicy.” Shiki lied through his teeth, but Yukari wasn’t a fool.
Looking at the pile of earthy-yellow roots in the Shipping Bin, her specialized ‘anti-scam radar’—evolved from spending a long time in Gensokyo—went off.
She felt Shiki’s words were somewhat problematic.
“Wait a moment, I’ll go call someone to appraise this.” Yukari hesitated and chose to call for outside help.
She didn’t know much about crops, but Gensokyo was full of all kinds of talents, and she happened to know one with the right expertise.
After a while, Shiki had already packed his bag and was ready to go fishing when Yukari emerged from the Gap again, bringing someone along with her.
A half-red, half-blue nurse’s uniform with constellation patterns embroidered on it.
Her silver-white hair was tied into a single braid draped over her chest—a typical ‘housewife’ hairstyle.
Eirin Yagokoro Race: Lunarian Ability: Ability to create all kinds of medicine Residence: Eientei Occupation: Doctor Unlock Condition: Plant either a Gem Sweet Berry or an Ancient Seed “Hello, Yukari asked me to come and see if the things you’re selling are edible.” Eirin Yagokoro nodded to Shiki.
She didn’t have the superior air of a Sage of the Moon at all; her presence was even less imposing than Shiki’s former bosses at work.
She was incredibly approachable.
“Let me see…
isn’t this windbreak grass?
It’s considered a type of medicinal herb.
It’s edible, but it definitely won’t taste that good.” With a glance at the items in the Shipping Bin, Eirin Yagokoro’s knowledge accumulated over countless years allowed her to judge what they were.
“Light taste, slightly bitter.
As a medicinal herb, it can dispel wind, remove dampness, and detoxify.
If used to steep wine, it also has the effect of treating kidney deficiency.
It’s a relatively common and cheap herb.
The price of 35 isn’t expensive; I suggest buying it all.” After evaluating the windbreak grass, Eirin Yagokoro started urging Yukari to pay.
For a doctor, you can never have enough medicinal herbs.
She didn’t care if it tasted bad; she wasn’t the one eating it.
“As long as it’s edible…
whether it tastes good or not, I’m not the one eating it.” Having the same thought, Yukari decisively took out the money and bought all the windbreak grass.
This banquet was definitely going to happen.
When that group of people ate the windbreak grass, she could sneak over here to eat fish.
“150 catties of ordinary, 140 catties of Silver Star, 60 catties of Gold Star—that’s 15,890 in total.
Let’s round it up and give you 16,000.
If you have any engineering needs, you can contact me.
I’ll arrange a construction team for you.
You can provide your own materials or let the team handle it, but the price difference is significant.
I suggest you provide your own; those profiteers at Kappa Heavy Industries are quite unscrupulous.” Yukari counted out 160 gold coins.
One gold coin was worth 100, the highest denomination of currency in Gensokyo.
“I’m not in a hurry for those things.
This house is fine for now; we’ll talk about it later.
This money still needs to be used to buy seeds.
I can’t always have you giving them to me; it’s not easy for you either.” Shiki looked at Yukari with some pity.
Last night, Yakumo Ran told him about Yukari’s situation.
A dignified Youkai Sage was reduced to following behind Chen to drink fish soup, without even a fish bone to suck on.
When she left, Yakumo Ran had even brought back a bowl of cold fish soup with an apologetic look—the kind without a single piece of meat.
It was truly a bit pathetic.
Wait, there’s something fishy going on!
Seeing Yukari’s somewhat touched expression after the young man finished speaking, Eirin Yagokoro fell into deep thought.
As the Sage of the Moon, what hadn’t she seen?
There was definitely something wrong with Yukari—a big problem!
Scanning the farm, Eirin Yagokoro’s gaze locked onto the large pot under the firewood shed.
That was the pot Yukari’s family used for cooking, which meant…
this old lady was secretly having private meals!