With my suspicions confirmed, we headed to check the mountains behind the house.
About ten minutes away from the farmhouse, we came upon a hill with steps leading upward. Even from a distance, we could see a beautiful pink tree standing at the very top.
The climb wasn't particularly difficult, though the steps were a little uneven in places. As we ascended, more of the surrounding land came into view, giving me a better look at the farm we'd only begun exploring this morning.
Halfway up, we reached a flat stretch of land. Fences lined parts of the area, while shrubs and trees grew scattered about. There was even some debris lying around, making the place look as though it hadn't been visited in quite some time.
Looking to the left, a huge boulder blocked the way. There wasn't much point trying to force our way through that.
The right side was covered in greenery, but it remained walkable. We followed the path a little farther until I noticed an opening, mostly concealed by fallen rocks piled high around its entrance. Only a few gaps remained, barely enough to make out the darkness beyond.
I stopped to examine it.
"There should be a cave here."
I remembered that much, but not exactly what was inside. Was there anything important? Some resource to collect, perhaps? Or was it simply another part of the scenery?
I couldn't recall.
Well, there was no point trying to squeeze through those rocks today. Whatever was inside could wait.
We continued upward, leaving the blocked entrance behind.
The highest elevation was another patch of flat ground, though considerably smaller than the one below. Wild grass and flowers grew across the area, swaying gently in the breeze.
But the real highlight was the tree.
A large, pretty pink tree stood alone at the top, its branches spreading outward beneath the clear sky. The sight was breathtaking, and the view from this height was wonderful. From here, the surrounding landscape seemed to stretch farther than I'd expected, with the farmhouse and the land around it laid out below us.
In the game, there were some background assets, and this pink tree was one of them. I remembered seeing similar trees in places that were blocked off by fences, nothing more than scenery beyond the playable area. I recalled the Expanded mod allowed you to get closer to them, but I couldn't recall any interactions with the tree itself.
And this one wasn't unique, either. I'd spotted one or two similar trees just behind the farmhouse itself, but this one was considerably larger.
"What's this tree, Mel?"
"My guess is a cherry blossom tree, Master."
"Really?"
I looked up at its branches, watching a few pink petals drift lazily through the air.
I'd never really seen one in person before. Back in my previous life, it was the sort of thing I'd only seen in pictures, videos, or games. Seeing one right in front of me was a little different.
It was rather pretty.
"How about we eat lunch here? The view's magnificent."
I looked down at the farm below us.
It was larger than I'd expected. From up here, I could make out the farmhouse, the patches of trees, and the uneven stretches of land that would eventually need clearing. There was plenty of work ahead of me, from preparing the fields to figuring out where everything should go.
I found myself imagining what the place might look like once I'd settled in.
Where should I plant my first crops? Which areas would be worth clearing first? And what would I eventually do with all this space?
There were so many possibilities.
The "Game" was finally starting.
"Master."
I turned at the sound of Mel's voice.
She'd already laid out a picnic mat on the grass, placing our lunch neatly on top. A pair of sandwiches and some fruit juice. Nothing fancy, but more than enough for a simple meal.
"You're quick."
"As I should."
"Thank you, Mel."
I joined her, settling down on the mat as she handed me my portion.
We ate beneath the clear skies, with the occasional pink petal drifting down around us. A gentle breeze passed through the branches overhead, carrying a faint floral scent.
For a while, neither of us said much.
There wasn't any particular reason to fill the silence. The view was pleasant, the food was good as always, and we had nowhere else we needed to be.
I took another bite of my sandwich, glancing at the farm below.
Greenwood Farm.
My farm.
'No' I muttered, turning to look at the person beside me.
Our farm.
I still had no idea what I was doing, not really. But sitting there, looking over the land I had chosen for myself, I couldn't help but feel a little excited about what came next.
This is my farm, right? The source of this chapter is g.com.
Watching over the farm from above, I found myself pondering the question again. My gaze eventually settled on the system panel, which still displayed the same incomplete quest.
'Was the deed a dud?' I muttered.
Checking the time, I realized it was already past one.
"Mel, let's head back," I called.
When I turned around, the picnic mat was already gone, likely folded away into her bag.
Mel stood beside me, waiting obediently.
For some reason, seeing her there gave me confidence that living here wouldn't be as difficult as I'd imagined.
Back at the farmhouse, I headed straight to my room.
Beside the nightstand was a compartment where I'd placed the deed. Opening it, I pulled out the document.
"I'm stupid."
The deed was clearly unsigned.
I immediately signed it.
"Thankfully, it was just a misunderstanding. I was worried it would be a—"
Relief washed over me as the quest counter changed from 0/1 to 1/1.
Then I noticed something new.
Another line had appeared beneath the quest.
[Reward: Appraisal Eyes]
Before I could even speculate, the system began to change.
New lines of text appeared one after another.
[Main Quest: Friend of the Forest]
[At the heart of Community we shall meet, Offer thy favorite treat. 0/1]
Above the quest were two icons, both shaped like open scrolls. Their contents differed, however. One depicted what looked like a clock, while the other resembled an eye.
The eye-shaped icon was currently highlighted.