Within the first twenty minutes of the trip, Jack had already tested and discarded Plushy Cacophony as useless. It triggered the random effects of tinkering items. Sometimes it scared beasts, like a [Jack-in-the-Box]. Other times, it lured them, like a [Toy Mouse]. But there was no way to control it. It was too unpredictable to rely on.
So he’d focused entirely on Metal Whirlpool instead. And so far, he hadn’t managed to play it well enough to trigger its effect even once. He could only hope all this practice wouldn’t end in another fiasco.
At least he’d gained a level in Bard and another in Beekeeping along the way. With them came a new candle-making recipe, and an upgrade to [Swing Step].
Beeatrice had mentioned the recipe when she’d first suggested adding candle-holders to the pot hives. It was called [Honeyed Candles], and burning them boosted bee productivity.
While it still needed testing, Jack was already making the most of the upgrade to [Swing Step].
Swing Step (Uncommon)
Skill level: 2
Skill description: When the music starts playing, you become unstoppable and can keep going.
Skill effects:
+25% movement speed while playing a song.
Buff persists for a duration dependent on performance grade.
The speed buff had increased to 25% from 10%, and now it even lingered for a few seconds after he finished the song.
It helped Jack make good time and within a couple of hours, he was zeroing in on the coordinates.
His father had started the game in a village within the domain of Galesgate, a city three cities over from Ashengate. True to the name of the nearest gate town, the wind swept across the plains, sending waves rippling through tall grass.
“Hmm. Strange. He’s not in a village.”
He’d reached the edge of the farmlands. According to the map, his father was somewhere between the beginner villages and the gate town—hours of walking from either direction.
The farms here looked tired and forgotten. Sagging fences bordered fields choked with weeds. Rusted tools leaned against half-collapsed sheds. Flies hovered over fallen apples and oranges, rotting in the grass beneath the trees.
Now and then, he passed an NPC elderly farmer but no players.
Out here, the farms were sparse and shabby. All of them belonged to NPCs. No player with a farming or ranching class would choose to settle this far from a hub.
Jack nudged Snowy onward until they reached a small farm. A squat farmhouse sat nestled among a cluster of apple trees. The fences were mended, the weeds under control, and the orchard was spotless. Trees stood in neat rows, red and green apples glinting like little gems in the light. Not a single one littered the ground, and the air smelled fresh.
Jack slowed Snowy to a stop, taking in the scene. He could see why Dad had chosen this place—it stood out.
“This is it, Snowy,” he said.
Snowy, however, had no interest in tidy rows or well-kept fences. The moment the apples came into view, the creature veered toward the nearest tree, leaving a trail of drool in the dirt.
“No, no, Snowy.” Jack tugged gently on the reins. “The last thing we need is to get my dad into trouble. There. Go eat that grass instead.”
Snowy let out a disgruntled huff and cast one last, wistful glance at the apples hanging just out of reach. Then, with great dignity, it trotted toward the field of grass—farting once for emphasis.
Jack dismounted and started up the path. As he neared the farmhouse, faint sounds reached him: water sloshing, soft whistling, low murmured voices. The house came into view bit by bit—the corner of a porch, the edge of a weathered roof, and then the thriving garden that stretched along the side.
His father stood at the edge of a garden bed, watering rows of leafy greens. Squash plants with broad leaves nestled beside tall stalks of corn. Bushy basil bordered carrot rows, and bright marigolds peeked between them.
Beside his father stood an old, hunched woman, a thick shawl draped over her shoulders and her hands clasped behind her back as she watched him work.
Jack slowed, taking in the scene. His father’s avatar looked like a younger, idealized version of him—taller, leaner, his mustache dark and even, his hair full and glossy.
Jack squinted, a smile tugging at his lips. Did he give himself a full head of hair?
He lingered a moment, watching José whistle softly as he watered the squash and carrots. Jack had only ever seen his father in the yard with a rake or saw, trimming hedges or clearing leaves. Never like this—quietly tending a vegetable patch. It suited him.
Jack finally stepped closer and raised a hand. “Hi there!”
José turned, blinking. “Jack?”
“The one and only.”
His father beamed and walked over, pulling him into a hug. “Good to see you, son. Huh? Blue eyes? And no beard?”
Jack gave a crooked smile. “You’re one to talk. You look good with a full head of hair.”
José chuckled, running a hand through it, a little embarrassed. “Thought I’d freshen up a bit.”
He turned to the woman beside him. “Mrs. Farmian, this is my son—the one I’ve been telling you about.”
“Hello, young man,” she said warmly, offering a nod and a bright smile.
“Hello, ma’am.” Jack glanced around and turned back to his dad. “So this is where you’ve been hiding the past week, huh?”
José straightened with quiet pride. “Yeah. Can you believe this place was abandoned? But we’ve been working on it: me and Mrs. Farmian. Look at it now.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Jack raised an eyebrow. Abandoned?
He looked again around him.
I thought he came here because it looked better than the others… but it looks better because he came.
His father had always been good with his hands, but Jack hadn’t expected him to turn an abandoned farm around so quickly.
“Very impressive,” Jack said.
José nodded. “Since you’re here, that means we have to go.”
“Yes.”
“Just a moment,” José replied. “I want to finish watering these first.”
“No rush,” Jack said. “We’ve got time.”
José walked to the well and filled a dented metal watering can. He moved slowly between the rows, giving each bed a careful soak. After a few minutes, he wandered over to a basket of apples in the porch shade, picked one up, and took a bite.
Then, not long after, he grabbed another.
Jack narrowed his eyes. Is his stamina that low? Just watering has him eating every five minutes?
He made a mental note to check his father’s stats later—maybe even get him some decent gear. Right now, he was still in the basic starter greys.
As the soil darkened with moisture, the plants visibly responded in classic game fashion—leaves unfurling, stems stretching, and in one case, a small flower blooming on the spot.
José set the can aside and gave the garden a final look, nodding in satisfaction. Then he turned to Mrs. Farmian.
“Mrs. Farmian, it’s been a pleasure. Thank you for teaching me so much,” he said with a respectful bow.
“My pleasure, José,” she replied, her voice catching. “You’ve really helped me here. I—” she faltered. “I’ll miss having you around.”
“I’ll come visit when I can,” José promised.
“I hope your trip to the desert goes well,” she said, then paused. “Oh—I almost forgot.”
She reached into her wide sleeve and drew out a brooch shaped like an apple, carved from dark red stone.
“My husband gave this to me years ago,” she said. “I want you to have it. A little memento of your time here.”
“I can’t accept that, ma’am,” José said, surprised. “If it came from your husband, it must mean a lot to you.”
“Nonsense,” she said firmly, stepping forward. With careful hands, she pinned the brooch to his tunic. “I insist.”
José blinked, then smiled softly. “Well... thank you, then.”
“Goodbye!” she called, eyes glassy with emotion.
Without hesitation, José stepped forward and hugged her gently, like greeting a favorite aunt or grandmother. She clutched his arm with surprising strength, resting her head briefly on his shoulder.
Jack watched, stunned. How did he end up this close with an NPC? She was treating him like her own son.
José turned and walked over, eyes still misty but smiling. “I’m ready.”
Jack pointed to the brooch now pinned to his father’s tunic. “What is that?”
“This?” José glanced down. “Mrs. Farmian just gave it to me.”
“Can I see it?”
“Sure.”
Jack stepped closer and tapped the brooch, triggering the tooltip.
Mrs. Farmian’s Sunstone (Rare)
The late Mr. Farmian couldn’t afford a ruby, but he bought the prettiest stone he could and polished it himself in the form of a brooch. It represents the love of a lifetime between two farmers and warms your heart like the sun.
Effects:
+30 stamina;
+1 luck;
Standing in the sun passively restores your stamina and health;
Eating apples grants you a special buff.
Jack’s eyes widened. “Oh wow! This is a good item.”
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but I mean the stats, Dad. Look at the bonus effects.”
“The bonus what?”
“Effects. Stats.”
His father still looked lost.
Jack exhaled, half amused, half resigned. His dad didn’t even know what a stat was. Looked like he’d be giving a crash course on the way to Sunsgate.
There goes my ocarina practice.
“Come on, Dad. Let’s get my mount.”
“Mount? As in an animal? You’ve got a horse or something?”
Jack smirked. “Better than a horse. You’ll see.” As they walked, he continued, “We’ll go over the basics on the way.”
“Okay,” José said, matching his pace.
“So, you already know what a skill is.”
“Right.”
“And quests?”
“Those are like missions, yes?”
“Exactly. Now, stats—they’re the numbers that determine how strong, fast, or tough you are. The more you have, the better.”
“Oh!” his father said, giving the brooch a second look.
“Do you know how to open your character sheet?” Jack asked. Walking him through it together would be the best way to show him.
“My character what?” José halted and pointed suddenly. “Jack! Look! There’s a giant dog over there!”
“Relax, Dad. It’s just my mount. Snowy!”
The ground sloth lifted its head, still chewing a mouthful of grass, and ambled over. It stopped right beside José.
“This is Snowy,” Jack said proudly.
“Snowy,” José repeated, patting the creature. “Who’s a good doggy?”
“It’s not a dog—it’s a ground sloth.” Jack pointed to the small fringes sewn into the saddle. “You can use those to climb up. Ready?”
José nodded and scrambled up with surprising ease. Jack followed a moment later.
The sloth lumbered toward Sunsgate, leaving them free to talk. Jack settled in, switching into teacher mode.
“Where were we? Oh, right. Say aloud, ‘character sheet.’”
“Character sheet,” José said clearly. “Oh! Something popped up.”
“Perfect. That’s where you check your stats. Can you share it with me so I can walk you through it?”
“How do I do that?”
“There should be a button with two little figures—looks like they’re talking. Press that.”
“Okay, now it’s asking who I want to share this with…”
“Pick me. You’ve got my name saved, right?”
A confirmation window appeared in front of Jack:
JoséFixesItAll would like to share his character sheet with you.
Jack accepted, and the stats unfolded in front of him.
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: JoséFixesItAll
Level: 7
Major: Journeyman Farmer, lvl. 1
Titles: [Friend For Life]
ATTRIBUTES (Free Stat Points: 7)
Hit points: 100/100
Stamina points: 36/130
Movement speed: 100%
Attack: 0
Defense: 0
Block: 0
Strength: 5
Constitution: 5
Agility: 5
Intellect: 5
Luck: 6
SKILLS:
Farming: [Farmer’s Eye], [Harvest], [Land Healing], [Pest Deterrence], [Restorative Farming], [Sowing], [Tilling], [Watering]
Jack blinked.
His father had actually been playing quite a bit and was already level 7. But despite earning stat points, none of them had been allocated. Every attribute was still at its default value.
That wasn’t the only thing that stood out.
His father had a title Jack had never seen before.
A Friend for Life (Uncommon)
You’re not satisfied with superficial relationships. Instead, you devote everything you have to the people you meet and make friends for life.
Effects:
NPCs are slightly nicer to you.
NPCs you know well are more likely to give you gifts spontaneously.
Slightly boosts the chance to receive bonus rewards from quests.
Unlock conditions:
-
Spend 100 hours in one week with the same NPC.
-
Complete at least 10 missions for that NPC.
What an interesting title, Jack thought.
He’d never spent that much time with a single NPC. He was always on the move, hopping between quest-givers. But his dad had stayed here all week, completing mission after mission for the old woman.
Hence the gift, Jack realized. Hence the tearful goodbye.
He flipped to the skill section next.
There was no sign of [Heavy Strike]—the standard tutorial skill. That meant his father had skipped the tutorial entirely, which explained why he didn’t know much about the game systems.
But he did have farming skills. In fact, he was already a journeyman farmer.
His father was doing better than fine on that front.
Jack found the special skill his dad had mentioned last Saturday, when they were barbecuing.
Land Healing (Epic)
No field is beyond recovery—if you know how to care for it properly.
Effect:
Passive: Enables [Farmer’s Eye] to glean information on soil.
Active: Trapping soil allows it to settle, starting the healing of damaged land.
Jack rubbed his eyes. Am I seeing this right? Epic? How on earth did he unlock an epic skill when he barely knows what a skill is?
He glanced over at his father, impressed.
“So?” José asked.
“Great job so far! But there is still a few basic things you need to learn about the game. Let’s go through your character sheet together, okay?”
The trip to Sunsgate would only take a couple of hours, but Jack planned to use every minute of it. He’d walk his dad through the gaming fundamentals and help him get the most out of that epic skill.
And, maybe just as important, save him from the embarrassment of showing up to the team with a total noob.