The fresh spring breeze carried a mixture of salt and floral scents. Beneath the shade of two towering trees, a young man lounged in a hammock overlooking the sea, basking in the warmth of the midday sun.
He was just beginning to doze off when a translucent rectangular panel suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Two lines of text were displayed upon it.
[Farmer is Dead]
[Inherit the Greenwood Farm: 0/1]
"Huh?"
He blinked, wondering whether the heat was finally getting to him. But the panel remained, hovering stubbornly in his field of vision.
Before he could make sense of it, a flood of memories surged into his mind.
Scenes flashed past like fragments of a movie—familiar faces, places he had once called home, and moments from a life he had lived somewhere far beyond this world.
A life on Earth.
A life as Luke.
His breathing grew unsteady as the memories settled into place. They were not someone else's experiences. They were his own, memories he had somehow forgotten, belonging to a life that felt both distant and intimately familiar.
"...That was me."
He stared blankly at the panel, still trying to process what had happened.
"But why did the memories stop there? Did I die? If I did, then why am I still alive?"
He shook his head. Those questions could wait.
His attention returned to the two lines of text.
Farmer is Dead.
Inherit the Greenwood Farm.
Then his gaze lingered on the name that had surfaced alongside his recovered memories.
Stardew Valley.
For a moment, he sat perfectly still.
Then he abruptly sprang out of the hammock.
The peaceful afternoon was forgotten as he hurried toward his villa. He shoved the door open with enough force to make it rattle against the wall.
"Mel!"
His voice rang through the house.
"Pack our things. We're going to Stardew Valley!"
Melina, or Mel for short, was Anthony's personal maid, responsible for both her master's needs and the upkeep of his villa.
Hearing her master abruptly announce their departure, she didn't question him. She simply nodded and began making the necessary preparations.
While packing their belongings on the second floor, she heard his voice call out from below once more.
"Mel, help me investigate Stardew Valley, Pelican Town, and Greenwood Farm. We'll visit Father and Eldest Brother before we head there."
"Understood, Master."
And so, they packed.
By the following day, Anthony and Mel were already on their way to Zuzu City, the capital of the Bisque Region, where the Ashbelle family had held power for decades.
The Ashbelles were the region's most prominent governing family, having maintained their position for generations. Leonel Ashbelle, the current governor, was renowned for his political acumen and military prowess. Having fought in the previous war against the Gotoro Empire decades ago, he had since retired from the front lines and devoted himself to governing the region.
The war, however, had returned.
This time, his second son, Terrance Ashbelle, represented both his family and the region on the battlefield, leading their forces in support of the nation against foreign threats.
The Ashbelle family's influence extended across numerous towns and settlements, with Pelican Town being only one of the many places under its administration. Anthony could recall the names of several such places from his newfound memories, but memories alone were hardly enough to understand the world he now inhabited.
The journey to the manor took until early evening.
Beyond its tall concrete walls lay an expansive garden, its greenery framing a paved path that led toward the mansion. The estate was imposing without being ostentatious, a fitting residence for a family that had governed the region for generations.
During their journey, Mel had compiled the information Anthony requested the previous day. He spent much of the trip reviewing the documents, occasionally muttering to himself as he compared their contents with what he remembered.
"It's more or less what I expected..."
He leaned back in his seat, his eyes still fixed on the pages.
"So, I really am in Stardew Valley. And Father is the governor—the one from the Luau..."
His brow furrowed.
"But I don't remember him having children."
It was an odd discrepancy. Then again, the Governor was a character who rarely appeared in the game. Perhaps there was more information about him on the wiki, but Anthony had never bothered to look into it before.
Not that it mattered much now.
His position in this world would make accomplishing the task that had appeared before him considerably easier. Better yet, he could jumpstart the early game.
The translucent panel that had appeared before him yesterday was something Anthony had taken to calling the system, borrowing the term from the novels he remembered reading in his previous life. Thankfully, opening and closing it was as simple as willing it to appear or disappear, and no one else seemed capable of seeing it.
As far as he could tell, this world wasn't all that different from the one he remembered. Phones and cars existed, and the internet was readily accessible. Yet his memories also told him that this world was home to different races, monsters, magic, and all sorts of things that would have seemed impossible on Earth.
At least gathering information was easy enough.
Mel had made good use of the internet, compiling everything she could find about Stardew Valley, Pelican Town, and Greenwood Farm.
Among the documents was a brief report concerning the farm. According to the available records, the property had been inherited by a young woman. Beyond that, there was little information. Nothing detailed her circumstances, and there was no clear account of her death.
Anthony studied the report for a moment before setting it aside.
He wasn't particularly bothered by the lack of answers. He had no reason to rush, and what he had learned was already enough to give him a starting point.
For now, there was no need to overcomplicate things.
First, he would speak with his father and eldest brother. Then, once he had a better understanding of the situation, he would make his way to Pelican Town.
After all, if he truly had a chance to live in the world he remembered, he intended to enjoy it.