Chapter 465: Erina's Rat Holes (2)

"The same cabbage from last time!?"

Isshiki's eyes lit up, vividly recalling the crispy, almond-like flavor. Although Sui had shared some with the Polaris Dormitory, Isshiki had always dreamed of growing such vegetables himself.

Seeing Isshiki's eager expression, Sui couldn't help but laugh. "Senpai, would you like some cabbage seeds?" he asked.

"Really? That would be amazing!" Isshiki's excitement was evident as he opened his arms and hugged Sui. "Sui, you're so good to me!"

"Senpai, please let Sui go," Erina, who was nearby planting vegetables, spoke up, frowning. She was worried that Isshiki's odd habits might rub off on Sui. The thought of Sui adopting Isshiki's eccentricities made her shudder.

"Oh, haha, sorry about that," Isshiki apologized sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "But growing vegetables like this has always been a dream of mine."

For someone passionate about farming like Isshiki, there was no greater thrill than cultivating high-quality vegetables.

"Well, Senpai, I'll give you some seeds, but in exchange, you have to help take care of my vegetable garden too," Sui said with a smile. Since these were fantasy ingredients, he wasn't sure if they'd require special care. Unlike the regular cabbage or bean sprouts, fantasy crops might need more attention.

"Also, it would be great if we could collect seeds to expand the garden," Sui added, suddenly remembering this key detail. If they could gather their own seeds, there would be no need to keep buying them from the system, allowing the garden to grow larger over time.

"Haha, I had the same thought! But we usually harvest the cabbages before they bloom and bear fruit. If they mature too much, their flavor becomes tough and unpalatable," Isshiki explained with a chuckle. "But, we can definitely set aside a few plants specifically to collect seeds."

"Great! I'll leave it to you, Senpai," Sui said confidently. With Isshiki's expertise, he was sure the fantasy vegetables would thrive.

"Leave everything to me, Sui!" Isshiki responded enthusiastically, patting Sui on the shoulder. "I'll stop by every day to check on the garden."

With that, Sui handed him some almond cabbage and marshmallow pumpkin seeds.

Meanwhile, Megumi crouched nearby, carefully placing seeds into the holes she had dug, then gently covering them with soil and patting them down.

"Wow, Megumi, you're really good at this. I didn't expect you to be so skilled," Sui said, noticing the neat rows of holes Megumi had dug, some already filled with seeds.

"When I was at home, I used to help my mom with the gardening. Plus, I've often grown simple vegetables in Isshiki-senpai's garden," Megumi replied, smiling sweetly, her eyes shining like the clear sky.

"What about me? I'm doing a good job too," Erina interjected, sounding slightly jealous. She had been working just as hard but hadn't received any praise from Sui.

"As expected from Erina-sama, you're amazing! I didn't expect you to do so well on your first try!" Her loyal assistant, Hisako, chimed in, sounding thoroughly impressed.

"Of course," Erina said with a satisfied grin.

However, when Sui glanced at the rows she had dug, he couldn't help but speak up, "Erina, what are these? Rat holes?"

Erina's face flushed red as she gritted her teeth in embarrassment. "Isn't planting just about digging holes?" she retorted.

Isshiki approached, took one look, and laughed gently. "Miss Erina, you need to make the rows neater, and the spacing needs to be consistent. Also, the holes you've dug are uneven in size and depth. If they're too deep, the seeds won't sprout. If they're too shallow, small animals might eat them."

"Look how perfect Megumi's rows are," Sui added. The pits Megumi had dug were evenly spaced and nearly identical in size, while Erina's were all over the place.

"Yours really do look like rat holes," Sui teased.

Erina's cheeks burned with indignation, and she bit her lip in frustration. Even Hisako blushed slightly on her behalf.

"Well, Miss Erina just lacks experience," Megumi said softly, trying to smooth things over and offering Erina a way out.

"You hear that?" Erina shot Sui a defiant look before beginning to fill in her uneven holes one by one.

"Exactly! With Erina-sama's intelligence, she'll master it in no time," Hisako added, quickly coming to her defense.

"Haha, Miss Erina, you don't really need to learn this, do you?" Sōma said, laughing as he scratched his head.

"What do you know?" Erina snapped back. "This is our family's vegetable garden. When you plant it yourself, it has a special meaning. Besides, it'll be such a happy moment when our baby eats vegetables grown by their mother!"

"See? People like you will never understand Erina-sama's maternal instincts," Hisako chimed in, pushing Soma away coldly. "Please stay three meters away from her so you don't interfere."

"Already thinking about the baby, and you're not even married yet?" Yoshino stuck out her tongue and teased.

"Looks like Miss Erina is eager to tie the knot," Ryoko added with a smile.

Erina's face turned bright red as she stammered, "I just think this kind of work is meaningful." Deep down, she believed that tending to the vegetable garden was an important skill for a good wife, especially since this was her and Sui's garden.

After a long morning of work, everyone finished planting the seeds. Sui also planted a few seeds for some fantasy fruit ingredients.