"We’ve picked all the Sweet Fruit from this tree. Let’s move on to the next one."
Vili leaped down from the tree, bending his knees the moment he landed to reduce the impact.
Following the knowledge granted by the Title Attribute Panel, Vili had already gathered all the high-quality Sweet Fruit from this tree.
"Okay!"
Vilia glanced at the large basket, now a third of the way full, and agreed with a smile.
Without waiting for Vili, she shouldered her small basket and started dragging the large one toward another tree with both hands.
"Not that one."
Seeing this, Vili patted Vilia’s head, then lifted the large basket she was dragging onto his own back. "That tree won’t produce the best Sweet Fruit, so we need to find a different one."
The basic gathering knowledge he’d acquired didn’t just teach him how to identify Sweet Fruit. It also taught him the fundamentals of recognizing which trees would yield the best fruit. Finding a superior Sweet Fruit tree would not only result in tastier fruit but also save a lot of picking time, increasing their efficiency.
"Mhm!"
Vilia didn’t argue. She just followed obediently behind Vili, like his little shadow.
Carrying the large basket, Vili searched tree by tree for a suitable one.
"This is it."
Vili first examined the tree’s trunk carefully. Then he crouched down to look at the soil beneath it. After tearing off a piece of bark and gently sniffing it, he finally made his decision.
He set down the large basket and climbed the tree as effortlessly as before.
’It really is more efficient...’
Vili nodded to himself as he looked at the Sweet Fruit on this tree.
Not only were the Sweet Fruit here plump and perfectly shaped, but their fragrance was also much richer. You could smell their distinct aroma even without getting close. On top of that, the fruit grew more densely on this tree, which meant they could pick more from a single spot and wouldn’t have to switch trees as often.
One by one, Vili tossed the Sweet Fruit down, and Vilia caught each one perfectly.
Vilia grew more and more astonished, because the fruit Vili was picking was smoother and more fragrant than before.
When she used to pick Sweet Fruit on her own, she had rarely ever come across a top-quality tree like this. Yet Vili had found one so easily just by looking. It was incredible.
For the first time, the little girl discovered that her second brother, who always seemed honest and a bit slow, was actually so capable.
"That’s enough, that’s enough!"
Only when she was certain that the large and small baskets couldn’t hold even one more Sweet Fruit did Vilia shout up to Vili in the tree.
Hearing her, Vili glanced at the few remaining fruit on the branches and leaped down from the tree.
"If we take these to the market in town, we can definitely sell them for fifty Copper Rums! That’s enough for us to eat white bread five times!"
An irrepressible excitement showed on Vilia’s face.
Vili just smiled softly and didn’t reply.
They were commoners living under the rule of the Lanso Duchy, and the Copper Rum was its most basic currency.
In the Lanso Duchy, one Gold Rum was equal to one hundred Silver Rums, and one Silver Rum was equal to one hundred Copper Rums. A common family’s monthly income was about two thousand Copper Rums, or twenty Silver Rums.
The people of this world had already gone through the stage of bad money driving out good, discovering the nature of currency as a medium of exchange. Therefore, whether it was Gold Rums, Silver Rums, or Copper Rums, none were made of pure gold, silver, or copper. They were only alloyed with a small amount of precious metal, while the rest of the coin was cast from more common minerals. Anyone who tried to melt down the currency to extract the precious metals would lose everything down to the last scrap.
"Father and Mother will be so happy when they find out."
Vilia chattered on, as if it were the only way to calm her own excitement.
"Let’s go. Time to head home."
Vili shouldered the large basket, now filled to the brim with Sweet Fruit.
The basket was heavy, and Vili found it a bit strenuous. But seeing Vilia also carrying a basket full of Sweet Fruit, he didn’t utter a word of complaint.
The two of them walked out of the forest. The sun was still high in the sky, and though its rays weren’t as scorching as when they arrived, they were still enough to make one sweat profusely.
Because of the extra weight they were carrying, the journey back took much longer.
Whenever Vili and Vilia got tired, they would rest for a while under a tree by the roadside, eating a Sweet Fruit or two to quench their thirst.
It took them well over an hour to finally get back to the village.
By now, the village paths were no longer deserted as they had been in the afternoon. Many villagers who had finished harvesting wheat were heading home.
"Vili, Vilia, you hardworking kids went to pick Sweet Fruit again."
A middle-aged woman holding a sickle and a hoe walked toward them.
"Aunt Shana."
Vili and Vilia greeted her politely as always. Vilia even held her basket up toward Aunt Shana, letting her pick out a few Sweet Fruit to take home.
"My heavens, are these the Sweet Fruit you picked?!"
Aunt Shana’s eyes widened when she saw the quality of the Sweet Fruit they had picked.
She, her husband, and her children would also go pick Sweet Fruit during the farming off-season, but never once had they gathered any that looked as good and smelled as fragrant as what Vili and Vilia had.
"Mhm!"
Vilia seemed to be enjoying the envious looks. "Vili picked all of these!" she explained loudly.
"How did you do it?"
Aunt Shana picked up a Sweet Fruit and examined it closely, asking in confusion.
"Just got lucky. I didn’t expect to stumble upon such a high-quality Sweet Fruit tree."
Vilia had been about to describe the process and show off her brother’s talent, but Vili cut in before she could.
Vili didn’t want to publicize this Ability of his just yet. After all, jealousy was a Human instinct.
"Such lucky children."
Aunt Shana didn’t suspect a thing. She was simply envious; these two baskets of Sweet Fruit would sell for a good price.
After saying goodbye to Aunt Shana, Vili leaned in and whispered in Vilia’s ear, "Don’t tell anyone about my Ability to identify Sweet Fruit trees, okay?"
Although Vilia was young, she saw how Vili acted and guessed his thoughts. "I know," she agreed.
Later on their way, they ran into a few more villagers they knew. Vili used the same excuse to brush them off, leaving everyone to marvel at his and Vilia’s good luck.
A few minutes later, exhausted from their long journey, Vili and Vilia finally arrived back home.