I Grow Crops with a System

Ethan thought it over.

Most likely, it was the bucket. His earlier creation carried the Purify effect — and using Purified water to make pottery must have made the Detoxify effect easier to obtain.

He took out the rest of the pieces. Unfortunately, only that one clay bowl had gained a special effect.

"This bowl has a Detoxify effect attached."

"Detoxify? What is that?"

The Minotaurs stared at him blankly. They genuinely didn’t know the word.

"Beastmen are naturally immune to most toxins, meow! It’s perfectly normal that they don’t know what detoxify means, meow!" Pearl explained.

"Beastmen really are something... Well, since this bowl is useless to you, I’ll keep it."

"Could you leave that large basin for us?" the Minotaurs asked.

Ethan handed the glazed, gleaming basin to Draugor.

"This is a gift. For you."

"Waaaaahhh—! I’ve never seen pottery this beautiful! I’m the only one in the entire Minotaur tribe who owns pottery this beautiful!"

Draugor hugged the basin to his chest, refusing to put it down, while the other Minotaurs looked on in open envy.

"I can make you more, but we’re out of materials. And this kiln is about to give out."

The prolonged high heat had opened cracks all across the kiln’s surface.

"Moo~! If the kiln breaks, we’ll just build another!"

"Why don’t you move to our village and live here! Moo~"

Living in the village would spare him the long trip every time — and he did need more pottery.

"That... seems like a good idea."

With that settled, Ethan said his farewells and headed home.

Back at the shelter, he filled the small bowls he’d made with water and set the Honey Sweet Potatoes inside.

"What are you doing, meow?" Pearl asked.

"Hydroponics. I mentioned it before."

"I’ve never seen this method, meow. I’ve read plenty of agriculture books in the Lady Witch’s library, but I’ve never seen most of your methods, meow!"

"For a cat, you already know too much."

"I only know what I know, meow!"

Ethan shook his head, then looked over the sprouting Honey Sweet Potatoes and the Sweet Beet seeds waiting in the soil.

"Alright, let’s begin. Growth Acceleration."

At his whisper, the plants in the bowls and the soil alike surged into motion. Slender roots stretched, tender leaves unfurled, and soon robust seedlings stood where sprouts had been.

He studied them closely. The hydroponic potatoes were growing faster than the ones in soil.

"Looks like hydroponics wins."

"That’s wonderful, meow! We’ll be harvesting in no time, meow!" Pearl bounced in excitement.

"Are we planting them in the ground now, meow?"

"No. First, we prepare the field."

They headed for the land beside the Sweet Beet field they had cleared before. Ethan eyed the weed-choked wasteland and rolled up his sleeves.

"First, all these weeds have to go."

"I’ll help, meow!"

Pearl hopped down and set upon the weeds. It took a long stretch of work, but at last the ground lay clear.

And then Ethan’s foot caught on something.

Thinking it a stone, he bent down and dug through the soil — and found something strange instead.

"What is this?"

A stone statue.

He pulled it free and stood it upright. Pearl leaned in curiously.

"This is a statue of the Goddess Gaia, meow."

"Gaia?"

Ethan thought of his hammer. Gaia, Goddess of the Earth. He had received Gaia’s blessing through it — and now he’d dug her statue out of the dirt.

’Could that really be a coincidence?’

"Beastmen rarely worship the Goddess Gaia, meow."

"Why?"

"Because Gaia is the goddess of the earth and of production, meow. Beastmen mostly live by hunting, so they prefer other gods, meow!"

Ethan gazed at the statue with mixed feelings. The carving was beautiful — and it had been left abandoned in the forest, forgotten by everyone.

He carried it to the edge of the field and set it down securely.

"Why put it there, meow?"

"She’s the goddess of production. That suits me pretty well."

Farmers prayed for good harvests too, after all.

Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the statue again. Its surface was caked in dirt and dust, making the beautiful thing look like discarded junk. He couldn’t stand the sight of it. Carefully, with his bare hands, he wiped the statue clean.

"There. All clean. We should head back—"

[You have received the blessing of the Goddess Gaia.]

[You have acquired the skill: Green Thumb.]

[Green Thumb (Lv. 1) — When planting flora, quality and growth speed are significantly increased.]

"...What’s going on?"

"What’s wrong, meow?!"

"I think I just... received a blessing?"

"A blessing? What blessing, meow?"

Ethan told Pearl what had happened — the Green Thumb skill, the boost to quality and growth.

Pearl pondered for a moment, then burst out in a shout.

"You’ve received the Goddess Gaia’s blessing, meow! Congratulations, meow!"

"Only those who meticulously care for a god’s statue, or who hold deep respect for the gods, ever receive their blessings, meow!"

"I’ve never seen anyone receive the Goddess Gaia’s blessing before!"

"You’re the first!"

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