I Grow Crops with a System

”Meow... Ethan...” Pearl gripped his collar tight.

Even without Pearl’s warning, Ethan already knew, this kindly old woman was the master of this territory.

The giant dragon.

”Meow... what do we do, meow...”

Pearl trembled on Ethan’s shoulder.

Ethan was just as tense, but the Scythe of Gaia in his hand hadn’t changed, there was no reaction at all, that meant no hostility from the other side.

’If she’s not hostile, then I’ll be courteous.’

”Please forgive our intrusion into your territory, my name is Ethan.”

He bowed.

”Hello there, young man, and this little cat on your shoulder is...?” the giant dragon asked, still smiling.

”Meow, meow-woo, I am Lady Witch’s cat, my name is Pearl...” Pearl managed an introduction in a voice barely above a whisper.

”You two are quite polite, by the way, you mentioned a witch... are you talking about Sylvia?”

”Meow?! How did you know?!” Pearl’s eyes went wide.

”I met her long ago, back then, she was still a little girl afraid of being lonely... I didn’t expect her to have taken in familiars now.”

The giant dragon drifted into memory for a moment.

”Hmm?”

”What’s wrong?” Ethan asked.

She blinked back to the present and looked him over with a puzzled expression, the attention was uncomfortable, Ethan stepped forward.

”It’s tiring for you to stand and talk, why don’t we sit down? I’ll prepare a drink for you.”

”May I?”

”Of course, it’s just a drink, no trouble at all.”

”No, that’s not what I meant.” She tilted her head.

”I’m curious, why aren’t you afraid of me?”

”Do you intend to harm us?” Ethan asked in return.

”If I intended harm, I wouldn’t have appeared in this form,” she said with a gentle smile.

”How strange, the humans I’ve met in the past either shivered in terror the moment they saw me, or were full of hostility.”

Ethan thought of the people he had fought alongside in the Ascendant Tower, he had been on the front lines once, back before logistics became his role, those days had a way of adjusting your sense of scale.

”I haven’t always lived a peaceful life,” Ethan said.

”Hohoho, interesting, then, could you do me a favor?”

She seated herself on the handcart as she spoke, Ethan lifted Pearl from his shoulder.

”Meow, is this okay?” Pearl asked, ears flat.

”It should be fine,” Ethan said.

He began preparing Moonlight Tomato juice, the giant dragon watched him work with clear interest, a flash of appreciation in her red eyes.

”These Moonlight Tomatoes have grown very well, I haven’t seen such plump fruit in a long time.”

”I grew them,” Ethan said.

”You farm?”

”Yes.”

”Farming is a blessing bestowed upon humanity by the Creator God, I am gratified that you treat it with such care.”

’Farming is humanity’s blessing?’

Ethan looked at Pearl, confused, Pearl shot a nervous glance at the giant dragon, then leaned in.

”Only humans can farm, meow.”

”When the world was first born, the Creator God gave each race a different gift, meow, but when it was humanity’s turn, the gifts had run out, meow, so the Creator God gave them the ability to farm, meow.”

”Goddess Gaia has been guarding that blessing ever since, meow.”

”I see, but if other races can’t farm, how do they develop? The elves built a kingdom,” Ethan said.

’Without agriculture as a foundation, how could there be class differentiation?’

”On the lands blessed by Goddess Gaia, there’s a special soil where crops grow without needing cultivation, meow,” Pearl explained.

”Really?”

”There are also naturally growing crops, meow, the elves are skilled foragers, so they live mostly by gathering, meow.”

”I see...”

”But compared to what humans grow, those crops are still far inferior, meow.”

The giant dragon nodded along as she listened.

”You are far more special than those humans who only knew how to accept blessings, come, let me smell the fruit you grew.”

”Of course.”

Ethan handed over a Moonlight Tomato, the giant dragon held it to her nose, while she sniffed, he finished making the juice and offered the cup.

”Please enjoy.”

”This is the first time I’ve seen a beverage like this, let me taste it...”

She drank with slow elegance, but didn’t leave a single drop.

”Truly wonderful, Elven Yogurt was added to this, wasn’t it?”

”You’re exactly right.”

”Hoho, I didn’t expect the two to pair so well, your ideas are quite interesting, do you have any other drinks?”

”Well, about that—”

”I’m back... Ah?!”

Zharok returned at a jog and froze the instant he saw the giant dragon.

”Why is she here?!”

”I don’t know either.” Ethan spread his hands.

Zharok dropped his voice to a hiss. ”Are we making a run for it?”

”Can you outrun her? Since we can’t hide, let’s eat together.” It was mealtime anyway.

Zharok stared at him.

”Are you just completely fearless, or are you actually out of your mind?”

”I also think he’s pretty gutsy, meow... Why isn’t he panicking at all, meow?” Pearl whispered.

’I’m panicking too, okay?’ Ethan kept that one to himself, he had been through plenty of storms in the Ascendant Tower, but this was a genuine giant dragon, of course he was panicking.

But panicking was useless.

”Start the fire,” Ethan said.

”Sigh... alright.”

Zharok got the fire going, resigned, Ethan set to work on dinner.

Before long, fragrant toast and honey-roasted sweet potatoes sat on the makeshift table, the giant dragon took one bite and lit up.

”This is too delicious!”

”I’m glad you like it.”

”I once heard someone say that there are not many things in life that bring people joy, but good food ranks first among them, I finally understand that now, it has been a long time since I felt this kind of simple happiness.”

”You flatter me.”

The giant dragon’s gaze fixed on him, intense and warm.

”Since that is the case... I would like to taste other dishes you make.”

”Are you willing to come with me?”