I Found an Old Manual

Two days later, Liam was living the dream. The farm looked completely different. 

Lush green fields stretched where dry land had once been. Rows of vegetables, herbs, and even exotic plants flourished under Tobias's care.

Liam spent most of his time lounging in a chair, sipping fruit juice while Tobias handled everything. 

Liam did nothing but just pure relaxation.

Then the first problem arrived.

A loud knock sounded at his front door. Liam groaned and got up, opening it to find a short, elderly man in fine robes, flanked by two armored guards. 

The old man squinted at him.

"You there! Are you the farmer responsible for growing high-grade spirit herbs in this village?"

Liam blinked. "Uh… what?"

The man thrust forward a small satchel, opening it to reveal glowing, fragrant herbs. 

Herbs that Liam recognized from his own field.

"These were sold at the market this morning," the man continued. "Their quality surpasses anything we've seen in years. Who is your supplier?"

Liam's eye twitched. He slowly turned to Tobias, who stood nearby, perfectly still.

"...Tobias? What did you do?"

The bot's eyes flickered. 

"Optimized agricultural yield. Market price maximization achieved."

Liam groaned. "I was trying to stay low-key!"

The old man straightened. 

"Young man, the royal court demands an audience with you. If you are truly producing this level of magical agriculture, the kingdom must know!"

Liam stared at him, horrified. So much for a peaceful farm life.

Liam sat in stunned silence. 

The old man, who had introduced himself as Master Hargrove from the Royal Alchemy Guild, stared expectantly. 

The two armored guards behind him shifted impatiently.

"Well?" Hargrove said. "Who is responsible for these herbs?" He held up a bundle of glowing spirit herbs. "This quality is unnatural!"

Liam forced a smile. 

"Haha… yeah, crazy, right?" 

He glanced at Tobias, who stood motionless beside him. 

'Uh, Tobias, care to explain?'

Tobias's eyes flickered. 

'Statement: Herbs were cultivated using advanced growth optimization techniques.'

Liam groaned. "Yeah, I gathered that much. I meant, why did you sell them?"

'Objective: Establish sustainable farm income. High-value crops provide maximum profit efficiency.'

Hargrove's eyes narrowed. 

"So you admit it! You grew these? A mere village farmer? Don't play games, boy! The Guild demands the source of this alchemy-grade produce."

Liam sighed. 

He had two choices: lie and risk further suspicion or come up with an explanation that kept him out of trouble.

"Alright, fine," he said. "I, uh… found an old farming manual with forgotten cultivation techniques. Turns out, they work pretty well."

Hargrove stroked his beard. 

"A manual, you say? Intriguing. The Guild would be very interested in acquiring such a text."

Liam forced another smile. "Oh, well, it's kind of… falling apart. And written in a weird dialect."

"I see," Hargrove said. He didn't look convinced. "No matter. The kingdom has great interest in agricultural advancements. You are hereby summoned to the capital to share your methods. Refusal is not an option."

Liam's stomach dropped. "Uh, how about… no?"

Hargrove's eyes darkened. "Boy, you don't understand the honor you've been given. The royal court does not take 'no' lightly."

Liam exhaled, trying to stay calm. "Look, I just want to live a quiet life. I don't care about politics, or guilds, or any of that."

Hargrove studied him for a long moment before finally sighing. "Very well. If you insist on being difficult, the Guild will simply send an agent to observe your farm."

Liam tensed. "Observe?"

"Yes. One of our best alchemists will arrive in three days. If you are hiding something, they will find out."

Liam faked a chuckle. "Oh, great. Love having strangers on my property."

"Good. Then it's settled." Hargrove motioned to his guards, then turned back to Liam. "See you soon, Farmer Liam."

With that, they mounted their horses and rode off. Liam watched them go, then turned to Tobias.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"Affirmative."

Liam sighed. "Figures."

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