Chapter 78: i will update dont buy this
After Lyra, Talia, and Aria left, the shop went quiet again.
Rowen checked the time. 5:38 PM.
The wilderness gate had closed at five. That meant no more hunters or students passing by. No more customers were going to come.
He looked out the window. The street was empty now—just dust and late sunlight.
After a short pause, he walked to the door and flipped the hanging sign to CLOSED.
Fern floated near the counter, moving slowly.
Rowen walked back behind the wooden counter and pulled open the bottom drawer.
Inside the drawer, he’d been placing the day’s mana stones.
He started counting them, stacking them by hand.
Ten low-grade mana stones from Darian. Five low-grade mana stones from the teacher. Three low-grade mana stones from Lyra. One low-grade mana stone from Aria.
Total: nineteen low-grade mana stones.
He double-checked, then separated fifteen from the stack and placed them on the counter.
"Ten for your upgrade," he said to Fern. "Five to recharge the land."
Fern let out a small chime-like sound and gently absorbed the stones, one by one. A faint pulse of light passed through his body, then faded.
Once the last stone was gone, Rowen nodded. "I want to check the progress. Open the portal."
Fern floated back a few feet and raised his hands.
A small circle of light formed in the air—soft blue, pulsing gently. The shimmer grew outward until it became a stable portal, about the height of a doorway.
Rowen stepped through.
Inside, the air was warm and still. The cultivated land stretched out in neat rows, with some fresh sprouts just starting to push through the soil.
He raised his hand and summoned the system screen.
A flat, glowing panel appeared in the air. Simple interface. Nothing fancy.
[independent space status]
space level: level 1
capacity: 1 PLOT
soil quality: poor
water source: basic well
structures: none
Energy reserve: 50/50 mana stone
Upgrade requirement: 27 / 50 (total 50 mana stones before upgrade)
Rowen clicks his tongue. "Still need twenty-seven more."
Rowen swiped the screen away and looked out over the rows of soil.
Sprouts were already coming up from the patches Fern had planted earlier. Most were potatoes—thick-stemmed and stable—but only a few rows of tomatoes had started growing. The soil looked healthy. Mana spread was even. No problems.
He crouched near one of the tomato patches and checked the roots. They were growing fine—no mana instability—but there weren’t many of them.
He stood back up and glanced over at the potatoes.
There was plenty.
Around 2 a.m., Rowen stirred from sleep to the sound of a faint meow coming from outside the shop window. At first, he thought he imagined it, but then he heard it again—clearer this time, and with a sharp edge. A cry, not just a meow. It sounded like pain.
He sat up immediately and glanced toward the window, frowning.
"Fern," he called softly.
The spirit stirred from his rest, floating into view with a soft hum. "What is it?"
"There’s something outside. Sounds like a cat, maybe hurt."
Fern tilted slightly. "A cat?"
Rowen was already getting up, slipping on his shoes. "I’ll check the alley. Could be stuck or injured."
The narrow path beside the shop had always been quiet, but there were plenty of crates and clutter where a small animal could get caught.
He grabbed his torch from the shelf, the small beam of light flicking on with a click. Fern glided behind him as he unlocked the back door. Together, they stepped out into the night, the glow from the torch cutting through the shadows in the alley.
A weak meow echoed again—closer now.
Rowen narrowed his eyes and followed the sound, his heart picking up slightly. "Hang on, little guy. We’re coming."
They followed the narrow alley around the side of the shop, the torchlight casting long shadows on the wall. The meowing grew louder.
Then they spotted her.
A black-furred cat lay near an overturned crate. But she wasn’t a normal cat—she was larger, heavier in build, and had an unusual sheen to her fur. Her eyes glowed faintly in the light.
Rowen froze for a moment.
"That’s not a stray," he muttered. "That’s a mana beast."
Fern hovered beside him. "Looks like she’s transformed after prolonged exposure to mana. Low-grade mutation."
The cat let out another pained meow. One of her hind legs was wounded—badly. There was a deep gash just above the paw, dried blood matted into the fur.
When Rowen took a cautious step forward, the cat’s ears perked up. She tried to stand but stumbled, her body tense. She hissed weakly, swinging a claw in his direction.
She hadn’t noticed Fern floating behind him.
"It’s okay," Rowen said, crouching slowly. "I’m not here to hurt you."
The cat didn’t seem convinced. Her eyes locked onto him, still wary and ready to defend herself despite the pain.
Rowen glanced at Fern.
"She’s alert," he said. "Even in this state."
"She might attack if you get too close," Fern replied. "But she won’t last long if we leave her here."
Rowen hesitated for a moment, then made a decision.
"Let’s help her."
The translucent screen flickered, and new lines appeared one after another:
[Independent Space Status]
Space level: level 2
Capacity: 2 Plots
Soil Quality: Common (Improved growth speed & higher-quality yield)
He turned to Fern. "So... how do I even use this blueprint scroll?"
Fern’s leafy form tilted slightly, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Simple. Blueprints are for the space itself. Just channel a small amount of mana—or press it against the ground inside here. The scroll will dissolve, and the knowledge of construction will be imprinted into the space."
Rowen blinked. "So I won’t need nails, hammers, or wood from outside?"
Fern shook his head. "No. Once the scroll is absorbed, the space will provide the materials. All you need to do is decide where the structure should stand. Think of it as willing the blueprint into existence."
Fern’s leafy form tilted slightly, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Simple. Blueprints are for the space itself. Just channel a small amount of mana—or press it against the ground inside here. The scroll will dissolve, and the knowledge of construction will be imprinted into the space."
Rowen blinked. "So I won’t need nails, hammers, or wood from outside?"
Fern shook his head. "No. Once the scroll is absorbed, the space will provide the materials. All you need to do is decide where the structure should stand. Think of it as willing the blueprint into existence."
Rowen’s eyes widened slightly. "That easy...?"
Fern smiled knowingly. "This space was created to be far superior to anything the outside world could offer. That’s the difference."
Rowen looked back at the blue scroll, his fingers twitching with curiosity.
Rowen studied the blue scroll in his hand. "So if I want to use it, I just press it to the ground?"
Fern nodded. "Yes, but it won’t be free. To anchor the blueprint into reality, you’ll need to feed the space with mana stones. The stronger the structure, the more it demands. For this basic wooden shed, the cost will be five low-grade mana stones."
Rowen frowned. "Five, huh... So it’s not just about unlocking things; I’ll have to keep investing to build them."
Fern’s leafy form swayed with approval. "Exactly. This space isn’t like the outside world—you won’t need tools or wood. But the cost comes in mana. Think of it as trading raw energy for ready-made construction."
Rowen rolled the scroll between his fingers, weighing the choice. "So once I pay, the shed will appear?"
"Not instantly," Fern corrected. "The space will build it gradually, but still much faster than humans could. Within a few hours, the structure will be standing."
Rowen exhaled, glancing at the pile of mana stones inside his pouch he still had left. "Alright... five stones for my first building. Seems fair."
Rowen took the glowing blue scroll and carried it toward the empty patch of land near the field. He crouched down and placed it flat on the soil. The scroll flared brightly, dissolving into streaks of blue light that seeped into the soil.
A line of text appeared on the floating screen:
[Blueprint Activated: Basic Wooden Structure]
Requirement: 5 Low-Grade Mana Stones
Time required: 2 min.
Rowen nodded and pulled out 5 low-grade mana stones from his pouch. He set them down on the glowing patch, and the stones crumbled into fine dust, their energy drawn away.
With a low rumble, wooden beams sprouted from the ground, assembling themselves like pieces of a puzzle. Planks locked into place, forming sturdy walls and a slanted roof. In two minutes, a modest wooden shed stood firm, its frame solid and its timber fresh.
Rowen opened the door and glanced inside. The interior was plain but spacious—ideal for storing vegetables, harvested crops, or future supplies.
Fern smirked faintly. "Smart choice. With this shed, your harvest will stay fresh longer. Inside this space, preservation is already better than the outside world—this will only make it more efficient."
Rowen let out a satisfied breath, gazing at the structure. "It feels like the farm is finally coming together."
Rowen stepped back from the newly built shed, admiration flickering in his eyes. Then he remembered—inside this space, he could analyze anything. Narrowing his gaze, he focused on the wooden structure.