After a morning dedicated to fishing, Link, Clay, and I walked back to the farm, our bounty of fish stowed in my bag. The fish had been biting, and we’d caught several, so we were eager to bring them back to Maple and Leia to prepare for tonight’s dinner.

  Fishing had always been an afterthought for me. It was difficult to do during the winter, and to make time for during the spring, but when I’d leveled the farm up to level nine, I’d received an unexpected perk that directly affected my fishing skill. Now, I tried to take every opportunity to fish, even if I only got out a few times per year.

  During our excursion, Link and Clay managed to capture a frog. Though I pretended not to hear the amphibian’s persistent croaks emanating from Link’s pocket, I knew why they were hiding it. A prank was in the works. Still, I played along, ignoring the frog. I was intrigued about their target, and curious to see the mischief unfold.

  As we walked, Link and Clay, unable to contain their giggles, trailed behind me. Our visit to the carpenters proved fruitless, as Renna, Rowan, and Carter weren’t home. They’d been travelling a lot lately, so it didn’t surprise me when they didn’t answer.

  As we journeyed back to the farm, I was captivated by the enchanting landscape encompassing the well-worn paths. Despite being early in spring, the trees boasted a rich green, adorned with blossoms that hung low and heavy on their branches. The forest enveloping us teemed with vitality, showcasing buds and leaves larger than any I’d ever seen before. Sagewood, true to its name, unfolded in an ever-deepening green with each passing year. By the onset of summer, the entire valley would be immersed in a boundless sea of flourishing foliage. As I marveled at the forest around us, something nagged in the back of my mind. It was early in the season, how was it so green now? I shook my head and dispelled the thoughts. I was probably overthinking it—the early blossoms were nothing short of wonderful.

  Finally, we reached the farm, and I turned to the trailing pranksters.

  “Alright, Link, I’ve got some work to do. Can you manage to stay out of trouble for a few hours?” I noted the mischievous glances exchanged between Link and Clay.

  With a tight-lipped nod, Link agreed. “Sure, Dad.” He and Clay scampered off, erupting into a chorus of giggles. I shook my head, anticipating tales of a frog-centric prank later that night. Honestly though, I was a little excited. Even with all the spring projects happening, it could still be monotonous on the farm. Having kids definitely added a little spice to life, even if both Leia and I were exhausted by them every day.

  I met Woods near my crop fields, both of which boasted thriving frostmelons that would undergo a harvest in the coming days. Even though they’d only been planted a few weeks ago, the leaves were full and drooping, heavy with rapid growth. Beneath the leaves, I could spot several melons adorning each plant, like giant, sapphire-colored ornaments. I admired them, putting my hands on my hips as I scoured the field for potential weeds or areas that needed extra care.

  “Have these plants always been this big?” Woods asked without turning around.

  I glanced around the fields once again, confused by his tone. “What do you mean?”

  Woods pointed to a melon growing in the small field. “I swear this plant has doubled in size in the past two days. Don’t you think that’s… strange?”

  I tried to repress a smile as I offered him a nonchalant shrug. “What can I say? I guess I’m just that good at this farming thing.”

  He gave me a flat look, but I couldn’t resist teasing him a little more.

  “And here I thought all these years, you were the expert. Looks like the apprentice has now become the master. How the turn… tables.” I drew my eyebrows together. That wasn’t how the saying went. As the years passed here in Sagewood, it was getting harder to recall Earth’s idioms.

  Confusion flashed across his face before he turned back to the plants. “They’re just growing faster than normal. We need to keep an eye on things like this.”

  I snorted, retrieving my watering can from my bag. “I’m sure it’s fine, Woods. The whole forest is thriving, haven’t you noticed how green it is this year?”

  Woods nodded but remained skeptical. “Growth is good, but only if it’s kept in balance.

  Since Corruption’s gone, I worry that there will be an overcompensation.”

  I shrugged. It seemed like a silly thing to worry about. “It’s probably just a fluke. The forest isn’t sick anymore, and my crops are doing extra well this season. Why borrow trouble worrying about a good thing?”

  Woods remained silent, a worried expression still on his face.

  “It’s probably from all my perks. I know I gained a growth perk a few years ago…” I trailed off as I mentally pulled up my list of farming perks.

  Level 1 Perk: Limitless Energy. You now tire half as quickly doing the same amount of work. Limited to work done within the farm’s boundaries.

  Level 2 Perk: Handy Harvester. You have a twenty percent higher chance of harvesting multiple crops from a single plant.

  Level 3 Perk: Steady Hand. Your scythe and pickaxe skills have increased and double the amount of debris will be cleared from each strike. Limited to work done within the farm’s boundaries.

  Level 4 Perk: Sixth Sense. You have an uncanny sense of everything and everyone who steps foot on your farm. You may now read the names of any person who is in the vicinity of your farm, regardless of familiarity.

  Level 5 Perk: Green Thumb. If all crop needs are met, crops grow twice as fast.

  “Right here, level five’s perk—it makes my crops grow twice as fast.” I glanced at the sprite, who still looked skeptical. “You worry too much, Woods.”

  I worked through the fields, pulling up the weeds as I went through the rows. The plants were thriving, and this was the largest crop I’d ever had.

  “Twice as fast or twice as large?” Woods asked skeptically.

  I pulled up the perk list again, glancing at level five’s perk and frowning when I saw it referred solely to the speed of growth.

  “Size doesn’t matter.” I said, trying to distract the sprite. “You of all people should know that, Woods.”

  He looked offended for a split second. “Why me, of all people? Ugh. Never mind. All I’m saying is we should keep an eye on this.”

  Dismissing his worry, I weeded around the plants, working with the loamy soil to eliminate the bothersome thistles and briars. This crop was truly remarkable—so lush and beautiful. “Maybe this harvest will be the one to get the farm to level ten.” I said absentmindedly as I worked.

  “Let’s hope so,” Woods said, still examining the plants. He ran a hand over one of the full leaves of one of the frostmelons, giving it a disapproving look. I didn’t let it bother me. He was a worrier by nature, always concerned if something seemed off. I was certain the plant growth was from the expertise I’d garnered over the years coupled with my various farming perks. Thriving plants weren’t a problem to be dealt with.

  Still, I checked my other gained levels and their perks to see if there were any others that might make the crops grow unusually fast.

  Level 6 Perk: Crop Mutation. This ability allows the farmer to experiment with local magic sources to affect crop quality and yield. By infusing seeds with magic, you can yield unique, valuable plants with special properties or appearances.

  Level 7 Perk: Livestock Whisperer. You understand the needs and feelings of your animals more fully. All mature animals produce ‘excellent’ quality items, and have a higher chance of producing rare items.

  Level 8 Perk: Weatherman. You can control the weather on your farm, ensuring perfect conditions for your crops. This ability can be used once per day.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Level 9 Perk: King of the Fish. Your fishing skills are so refined that any fish you catch is of the highest quality. You also gain the ability to fish in unusual places, such as wells or ponds on your farm, and still catch something valuable.

  After a few minutes of looking over them, I shrugged, buckling back down on my chores. Working through the rows of plants, I rid the entire field of weeds, each one dissolving into a puff of black dust. That was one of the nice things about farming in this magical world—a portion of the work was done for me. After the weeds were pulled, I could just toss them, and they’d magically disappear. The same thing happened with monsters and harvested crops—when they’d run their course, they simply vanished. Small things like that certainly made farming more enjoyable.

  Once the fields were cleared of weeds, it was time to water them. In the first years of my time in Sagewood, this involved filling my watering can at the well and trudging back and forth, from field to well and back again, until my boots were more mud than leather. A few years back, I’d thought about asking the River Spirit and the Cave Spirit to help me set up sprinklers—like the ones they’d graciously installed in my orchard. That plan fizzled out when the Cave Spirit decided to play the world’s longest game of hide-and-seek. No one had seen the entity in years, and I didn’t have time to start spelunking just to track him down.

  Thankfully, my luck changed when I leveled up to eight and unlocked one of my favorite perks: Weatherman. Now, all I had to do was think of a rainstorm, and within seconds, a hulking mass of gray clouds would materialize over my crop fields. These clouds, heavy with rain, seemed to appear out of thin air, drenching the soil in record time. With this perk, it was like nature had finally decided to work on my schedule. I hadn’t touched my watering can in years.

  Of course, Woods had been standing right next to the frostmelons, still focused on the crop, unaware of the impending downpour. Of course, I didn’t warn him.

  The rain poured down in one giant torrent, soaking everything within seconds. Woods turned to me, his small frame drenched, water dripping from his pointy ears. He shot me a look that could have curdled milk.

  “Oops, didn’t see you there,” I said with a mischievous grin.

  Woods stomped off into the forest, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him.

  Watering the plants had become one of my favorite chores, solely because I got to drench Woods a few times a year when he wasn’t paying attention. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, it truly brightened my day.Top of Form

  I left the soaked fields behind and turned my attention to the livestock. I’d gotten up early to milk the cows before heading out to fish, but the goats were still waiting, along with a few other chores. Fortunately, I could count on the sprites to feed and water the animals. Milking, though? That was a different story. The sprites were too small for the job—or they just didn’t want to do it.

  I saw Lucy with Flint and Holly on my way to the barn. All three of them were crouched and looking at something on the path. Lucy wore overalls and a sweater, both caked in mud. Like always, she wasn’t wearing any shoes, even though Leia always insisted whenever she was outside, she needed to have them on. I’d probably find the pair somewhere near the farmhouse, hidden in a bush or discarded on the porch. That girl never keeps shoes on for more than five minutes.

  As I neared the trio, I saw what they were all looking at. They’d built a small house out of mud, like a sandcastle, but a lot droopier, and Lucy was smearing the mud everywhere. I sighed.

  “Just don’t let her eat any of that, all right?”

  Flint and Holly muttered something of an agreement, fixated on the mud pile before them. They too, were caked in mud, but then, the sprites never missed an opportunity to get a little muddy.

  A couple of hours slipped away as I milked the goats. Even though I’d had all four for a couple of seasons now, I always had trouble recalling their names. Between the cows, goats, chickens, sprites, and my children, I often called everyone by the wrong name at least once a day.

  Thanks to a perk I’d picked up at level seven—Livestock Whisperer—all the animals on my farm had developed a fondness for me. Even the rooster I’d once wanted to turn into chicken nuggets now tolerated my presence. The perk also made it so that the cows and goats produced extra milk, and the chickens produced more eggs, all of which were the finest quality.

  With that task completed, it was now the cows’ turn for their second milking of the day. Spring brought with it a constant juggling act, as I often found myself grappling with a shortage of hours to accommodate all my chores. Fortunately, only half of my cows were currently producing milk, the remaining half being pregnant and awaiting delivery in the coming weeks. After the cows had their calves, I’d be drowning in milk. Luckily, fresh milk sold for a high price in the market. With four goats, six cows, and two horses, my twelve-stall barn was filled to capacity. The calves would stay with their mothers for a few weeks, but I would need to either find room or build new homes for the coming animals.

  Always another project, I thought to myself.

  After finishing with the cows, I stepped outside and felt the chill in the air, a sure sign that evening was closing in. I sighed. Despite everything I’d accomplished today, it always felt like there was more to do—one more task needing to be completed. Such was the life of a farmer in the springtime.

  The next item on my list was pruning the trees in the orchard, a job I’d been putting off for weeks now. But if I wanted a good harvest come fall, I knew I had to tackle it in the spring. The last frost had come and gone, and if I wanted to encourage fruit production, the branches that didn’t survive the winter had to be trimmed away. Woods and I were supposed to work on the orchard together later this afternoon, though I wondered if he’d avoid me for the rest of the day due to his unforeseen drenching.

  Just as I turned to head toward the orchard, I heard Leia’s voice from the farmhouse.

  “Matt! Come here!” she called.

  Intrigued, I made my way to the porch and met her there. She exuded radiance, her hair artfully gathered in a loose ponytail, the dark waves flowing down her back. Face-framing curls were pulled out of the hairstyle, giving her a sophisticated look.

  “Is everything all right, Leia?” I asked, looking past her into the farmhouse. It was unusually empty, the sprites and the children undoubtedly exploring somewhere on the farm.

  “Everything’s fine, it’s just,” she looked up at me through her dark eyelashes, and I felt my heart skip a beat, “the sprites took the kids to the forest. The farmhouse is empty, and you’ve been working a lot lately. I was wondering if you could take a break from your chores—”

  Before she could finish, I scooped her up and easily carried her into the farmhouse, kicking the door closed behind me. She giggled as I turned the lock on the front door. It wasn’t often locked, but all the sprites knew that when it was, they weren’t allowed inside for the next eight to twelve minutes.

  ***

  I left the farmhouse eight to twelve minutes later. Smoothing my crazy hair down, I returned to my original task of pruning the orchard. Even when the chores were stacked up and my duties were overwhelming, I always had a few minutes to spare for Leia. Especially when the farmhouse was empty and the children were occupied. You’ve got to make hay while the sun shines.

  Woods was waiting for me by the orchard, his clothes and hair completely dry. His arms were crossed, and though he tried to look annoyed, the amusement in his eyes was hard to miss.

  “You’re late.”

  “I was busy. It’s spring, farmers are always busy in spring.”

  Woods smirked, turning his attention back to the trees, and thankfully dropped the subject. “These have grown so much these past few seasons,” he said as he observed the trees.

  I nodded and pulled out a pair of pruning loppers from my bag. The trees had experienced fast growth since I’d planted them years ago, but something was different about them this season. The branches were far above the ground now, a lot higher than they’d been last spring, but I could still reach them. Barely. It seemed the trees had grown exponentially over the past year, despite my care for them remaining the same.

  I’d chosen applepeach trees specifically for their fast growth, but now it seemed their rapid expansion was bordering on unruly—much like my frostmelons. After a few seconds of observation, I set aside the thought and moved to the first tree, cutting away the dead branches. After all, the inherent nature of plants was to grow, that’s what they were designed to do. There was no need to worry about how fast or large they were growing. Perhaps they would produce an overabundance of fruit in the fall. Even if something weird is going on, I reasoned with myself, at least it’s weird in my favor. It probably had something to do with the magic finally being balanced after years of being dominated by Corruption.

  I moved on to the tree nearest the irrigation spigot, and an idea sparked in my mind. Casting a casual glance over at Woods, who was inspecting the tree I’d just pruned, I noted his position—right where the sprinkler would drench him. Without a second thought, I turned the spigot on.

  This time, however, my plan backfired. Instead of the sprinkler dousing Woods, the spigot—which had been purposefully loosened—erupted in my face, shooting a stream of icy cold water that instantly soaked me from my head down to my boots. Gasping in shock, I scrambled to find the nozzle and spent the next several minutes trying to screw it back in place while the water continually gushed out. When I finally succeeded, I shot a glare over at Woods.

  “Loose fittings,” he said, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval. “I suppose that even experienced farmers like yourself can still miss important details.”

  I stared at him for several seconds, but my glare slowly morphed into a grin. I chuckled and shook my head, and Woods cracked a smile as well. “You got me,” I said, wiping the excess water from my eyes. “Truce?”

  Woods thought for a moment, then nodded. “Truce,” he replied.

  I heaved a sigh, then began stripping off my shirt and trousers to place into my bag for drying. “You know,” I said as Woods turned his back to give me privacy, “if we combined our powers, we could probably pull the world’s most epic prank on the other sprites.”

  Woods harumphed. “I would never stoop so low,” he said. Then, pausing for a moment, added, “Unless, of course, they deserved it.”

  Top of Form

  ***

  By the time I finished pruning, a velvety blanket of night covered my farm. The animals had all been put into the barn, the chickens could be heard softly clucking from the coop, and a warm glow radiated from the windows of my farmhouse. Smoke drifted from the chimney, mingling with the darkness that had settled over the land. Everyone was gathered inside, and dinner hour was fast approaching.

  Weary from the day’s demands, I trudged through the muddy paths, stumbling upon Lucy’s shoes haphazardly strewn on the porch. I gathered the tiny shoes, taking a moment to appreciate how small and clean they were. She’d had them for a while, but they remained in near-perfect condition because of how infrequently she wore them. Carefully, I arranged them near the front door, then proceeded to peel off my work boots, placing them beside Lucy’s. Upon entering the farmhouse, I was welcomed by the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread and savory soup gently simmering over the fire.

  Leia winked at me from the kitchen, and the sprites waved to me from their place by the hearth. Lucy ran to me, jumping into my arms. The life of a farmer was tiring, but I always had enough strength to lift her.

  I hefted her into the air, eliciting high-pitched giggles from the toddler. Link appeared from the back hallway, coming over to hug me. I scooped him up as well, and both kids giggled as I spun them around, one in each arm. When I got too dizzy, I collapsed on the couch, and Link and Lucy erupted into chatter about how their day had gone. I nodded, trying to discern what each child was talking about, but their voices blended together. I continued to nod and smile, looking between them. Even though I had no idea what they were talking about, I still loved listening to them. I tried to take in their voices and their expressions. They were both growing so fast. Ever since I’d gotten married, it had felt like time had slowly been speeding up, each year passing by a little faster than the one before.

  Leia screamed from the kitchen, and we turned sharply to see what had elicited her alarm.

  “Who put a frog in my cooking pot?” Leia asked as she turned to glare at me, the kids, and the sprites. She lifted the lid off the soup pot, revealing the bright green frog from our fishing adventure earlier that morning.

  I repressed a smile as I turned to Link, who was expertly avoiding eye contact. “Link,” I began, using my best ‘stern dad’ voice. He turned to me, giving me an innocent smile reminiscent of Leia’s.

  “It wasn’t me, Dad. I don’t know who would do such a thing.”