Terdin
Farmer
Summer 27
Woke up to the crowing of a rooster, feeling a lot better than I should have. I opened the pocket holding the cards and looked at the crafting recipes. Farm totems, tent kits like the one I'd received at the Trout Derby, oil maker, deluxe speed-gro, and keg were some I were sure I hadn't seen before. Now I could make my own rather than being limited to the one from the Junimo. I almost put the cards away before noticing that there were more recipes listed below. Bomb, slime egg press, and oil of garlic.
The last one made me frown. That sounded more like a condiment to use when cooking than... Unless it was used to keep monsters, and probably people too, away from me. Looking at its description confirmed my suspicion. It didnât mention anything about people, but theyâd probably want to keep their distance too unless I waited for the stink to wear off before approaching them.
The only problem was that I didnât know where to get hold of garlic. And I wasnât so sure it would keep shadow brutes and shadow shamans away. If they liked the smell of burnt hair, they might like the smell of garlic too, and comment on me coming pre-seasoned.
Went to check the TV.
Weather forecast, sunny and perfect for the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. I groaned. Was there another dance event? Maybe I should participate in this one now that I had started to know the townspeople a bit better. At any rate, my luck for today was good, which was reassuring.
As I picked up the bait and went outside, I shook my head at my reaction to Welwickâs prediction. How had I become this superstitious in just two seasons? Yet I hadnât believed in magic or monsters either, and those had proven all too real.
The keg was still busy fermenting the hops. It would indeed have been foolish to stay and watch it. The lightning rods on the other hand had battery packs waiting for me. Noting that all of them had been triggered I went to the materials chest. With the bat wings Iâd gathered yesterday, more than I had noticed at the time, I crafted more lightning rods and placed them too along the cliff edge. The sixteen rods that now formed a decent fence would probably be enough for now.
A movement in the grass distracted me from tending to the rest of the machinery, and made me go to take care of my chickens and Belle. Refilled Belleâs bowl, then picked up a gold quality mayonnaise from the coop. 285 G was a welcome addition. With no large egg available, I put a small egg in. The mayonnaise went into the shipping bin and I picked up almost 1600 G from the red mushrooms and the stuff from the morning.
A large bundle stood beside my mailbox, with a card attached to it. Robin had sent me 50 pieces of wood that she had âlying aroundâ. I couldnât deny that I could always use more wood even if I had gathered a fair amount in the last couple of days. Just what I needed to add a kitchen, build a simple barn, and upgrade the coop, would take over a thousand pieces of wood. Not to mention the need for making more preserve jars and kegs.
After some more crafting, I had two more kegs that got set to producing pale ale. The hops sold for even less than parsnips, so theyâd be worse as pickles too. If pale ale sold for more than 120 G, it was better than pickling them.
Thinking about processing crops reminded me that I needed to go harvesting and watering. Tea leaves, hops, corn, hot pepper, and some radishes. Picked up a crayfish and two snails from the crab pots and rebaited. Now I finally had 10 base quality corn for the SpiritsâEve bundle.
Belatedly put gold ore in the furnaces, then put the crayfish and snails in the shipping bin.
Maybe best to go fishing today. I had some bait and it might be a good idea to see if there was anything over by the tidal pools. Fishing was what had earned me the most money so far, and I didnât know how much Iâd need for seeds when Fall began. At best Iâd be able to afford both the seeds and the bigger backpack.
In rearranging the contents of my backpack to have more space for fish, I found the beach totems. One got used to get to the beach faster.
Haley stood musing about what Alex might be doing as I appeared on the beach. She flinched with a âOh, I didnât see you standing there.â
âI just arrived by using a beach totem.â
âOh.â
I frowned as I walked away to talk to Alex. Something was wrong. Haley had been all excited by the Flower Dance, but not tomorrowâs event. Maybe it wasnât a dance for humans. Some people said that the fireflies were dancing in the air at night, so maybe it was the moonlight jellies, whatever they were, that would be doing the dancing.
Alex complimented the tan Iâd got. An empty phrase considering how much rain there had been and how much time Iâd spent in the mines. I was pale compared to him or Haley. But rather than ask if it was a sarcasm, I returned the compliment. He then excused himself with a comment about needing to open the ice cream stand.
Six corals and two urchins, as well as a couple of clams and mussels, and a rainbow shell made their way into my backpack as I scoured the beach. There were also a couple of dig spots, one giving me a few stones, the other a book that the Junimo returned to the library. The two crab pots got relieved of their mussels and rebaited.
I went to Willyâs shop to sell them, only to find that he had put up his âgone fishingâ sign, reminding me that it was Saturday, his day off. Instead, I went to dump them in my fishing chest near Jodiâs house. Music was playing inside. An attempt at country music, even if they were obviously just starting out on it. I went in to talk to them. Abigail was with them, working the drums.
âYou found someone, I see,â I said when they noticed me and paused.
âJust my first attempt at it,â Abigail said.
âThatâs a very good first attempt,â I said.
âYeah, sheâs picking it up like...â Sam didnât finish it, as if he worried that his comparison might get him in trouble. âSheâs got a lot of talent, more than I suspected at first when Sebastian suggested her.â
âTold you so,â Sebastian said. âHavenât you heard her drumming her fingers on her book or the armrest of the sofa on Fridays? Or have you just had your entire mind on the pool table?â
âIâd better not keep you from it any longer. Iâd intended to go fishing today and have yet to catch a single fish,â I said before leaving.
Despite that, I still went up to the square to exchange a few words with Jodi and Caroline, and then up to the park to see if Dr. Harvey was there. He wasnât, but Penny was at the playground with Jas and Vincent. Penny clearly wasnât wanting to talk to me, more from how she said that the mountains were looking nice than from the words. Vincent and Jas were focusing on their playing, so I left them to it.
Demetrius was studying some nearby bushes again. Lichens this time, lichens I hadnât even noticed until he pointed them out to me. He showed me his notes of different kinds and how many colonies there was of each.
A dig spot in front of the community center was next to attract my attention. Another book getting transported to the library. I had found a few more now. Maybe I had better read them in case there was something useful there. But first I had to deliver the corn to the Junimo.
The scrollâs tension increased about as much as Iâd expected it to. Seven more gifts to complete the scroll. I nodded to myself. Should be able to get it to decrease in tension during Fall unless the two biggest bundles ended up lacking just one gift each.
The book seller had put up his poster. I took the closest bridge even though it brought me closer to him than I liked. Didnât want to bring up his hopes, and didnât have the money to spare for a book. Was still glad that I did, as there was another dig spot just north of it. I went for it, hoping for an artifact for the museum. No. Another library book. I sighed.
Reaching Clintâs shop, I wished Iâd brought the geodes. The mining cart did remind me that I had intended to ask Marlon about the note in the chest. The guild house should be open for business about now.
âLooking for a new sword?â Marlon greeted me when I entered.
âNot now. I need to save my money for seeds for Fall. I did want to ask why the note I found on floor 120 has the same handwriting as that board." I nodded towards the board with monster eradication goals. "Is the mine just a big test of ability?â
Marlon rubbed his pointy beard, looking slightly embarrassed. âIt is. There are more dangerous places out there. See it as your job to find them. Just... donât mention the depth of the mine to anyone outside the guild.â He gave me a stern look. âAn adventurer has to be willing to go into the unknown.â
âI figured as much. I know Clintâs a guild member, and that Lewis and Linus have at least been members even if I donât know if theyâre active anymore. Their comments tipped me off.â
âLewis quit active service when he became mayor,â Marlon confirmed. âWas there anything else?â His eyebrows rose.
He probably expected me to ask about the key Iâd found, but I wouldnât ask about that. With his insistence on secrecy, he wasn't likely to give me a straight answer anyway. He also hadn't said anything about whether Linus was still active, so he probably was.
"I know there are still types of monsters marked with question marks on the list of monster eradication goals, so I guess those may be found in the other places you are urging me to find," I said instead. "I think I've found every type of monster there are in the mine."
A slight smile was my only response, and I left.
I took the cart back to Clintâs place, considering yesterday's mention of asking the W... Rasmodius, about the treasure chests. Not today. I probably wouldn't get any fishing done if I did. The books I'd found was a different story, just a minor detour.
I found Dr. Harvey at the library, reading a book.
âWhat are you reading?â I asked him.
He flinched. âJust a fiction book about a pilot, an ace to be more precise. Itâs taking place towards the end of the previous Ferngill/Gotoro war. Itâs just to get my mind off work,â he said a bit hastily.
âI prefer fantasy novels when Iâve got time to read. Which I sadly havenât had much time for since moving here.â
âBut...â
I recalled the headache Iâd needed his help for. âMaybe Iâll show you what kind of book led to my migraine when I get hold of another one. Though the other effects might upset you as much as theyâre unpleasant to me.â
âWhat other effects?â he asked.
âIâll tell you when Iâm ready to show you. I donât know when Iâll find another one. I came here to see if thereâs something new on the shelves, so I think Iâll leave you to your book.â
âEr...â He looked at the book in his hands as if heâd forgotten about it. âYes.â
I went to the shelves at the back of the library. Highlights from the book of Yoba... I merely skimmed through a page with part of the creation myth. As I put the book back on the shelf I couldnât help but wonder if the myth was at least part true, considering all the other stuff Iâd learned was real.
Next was a marriage guide. I skipped the advice about first meetings and how to get your intended romantically interested in you. Those sections were usually too generalized to be of any help. Instead I went for the section about local marriage traditions. It briefly mentioned needing to be officially dating first and that a bouquet was necessary to make it official. Then something about a mermaid pendant. That made me recall a necklace Iâd found in my momâs jewelry box, the one with a seashell that dad had given her when he proposed.
The second act of The Fisherman play was also new. Good thing that anyone trying to set up the play would be able to do the whole thing. I flipped to the end of the narrow volume, where the old fisherman talked about a fish called the Legend. I frowned, hadnât I heard... Oh, Sebastian had mentioned something about a fish called that up at the lake. No doubt there were more than one fish that had earned the name Legend locally.
The science section had also grown by a narrow book. Technology Report mentioned a piece of machinery that could replicate gems and other minerals, apparently apart from prismatic shards, whatever they were.
The next new book made me stop and stare at it. Secrets of the Legendary Fish... My hands shook as I took the old book from the shelf. I skimmed the first page that mentioned that no-one had caught more than one of each legendary fish. Flipped to the section about legendary fish found in Stardew Valley.
Crimsonfish. Only read enough to confirm that it correlated to what Willy had taught me before turning to the next.
Glacierfish. Caught in Winter, at something called Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest. I considered which one it could be. Since it mentioned the southern tip of it, there had to be... Wasnât there one island that had a point facing south towards a deeper section?
Angler. Caught in Fall at the waterfall... I almost started wondering which one before noting it was the one coming down from the mountains. So, it had to be the one east of the community center rather than the one in Cindersap Forest.
Some kind of legendary fish apparently lived in the sewer too, but I merely skimmed that since I couldnât go there anyway.
Then a section about the Legend, correlating a lot with what Sebastian had said. My mind went back to the play. If I had to catch the other legendary fish first, it was good that Iâd already caught Crimsonfish.
I put the book back on the shelf. I should try to catch the Angler and see if it had less value than the Crimsonfish, since that seemed to translate to how much the roe was worth, then put the lowest into the pond. If I had to give 15 roe to the Junimo and it didnât matter which, Iâd rather give them cheaper roe.
Another frown as I noted the author of the old book. Willy Gaffer. I took it back down to see if there was a picture of the author. There was. Not the Willy I knew, though there was some resemblance. Could it be his father? I put it back again.
A further search revealed no more new books. I walked out of the library trying to gather my thoughts. I passed the ice cream stand, noting that Alex and Haley were too deep in conversation to notice much else.
Willy stood fishing beside the bridge to the beach. I paused.
âHowâs it going?â I asked.
âJust fine, lass,â he replied without turning his eyes from the float.
âI read a book in the library earlier. Did your father write a book about the legendary fish?â
He turned to look at me, surprised. A bite forced his attention back to his rod and reel in the fish.
âThe old man done that, but me thought the book gone forever. Vanished years ago. The guy before Gunther said he couldna find it anywhere. Gave up on it. Never went there again. Maybe should do that now.â
âItâs on one of the shelves in the back,â I said. âI thought Iâd get some fishing done today too.â
We parted ways.
I fished on the beach for as long as I had bait, helped by catching some chests with bait in them. Also found some stones, wood, and geodes in them. Of course, too late to have Clint break them open.
There was enough time remaining to stop by the Saloon on my way home, exchanging a few words with Pam, Gus, Emily, Shane, and Marnie. None of them had anything memorable to say. Clint congratulated me on my progress in the mine. Willy was there too, looking into his mug as if he might start to cry.
âWhatâs wrong, Willy?â I asked.
âNothing. Just felt good to read me old manâs book again.â He sighed.
So, nostalgia, possibly grief too, rather than something bad happening.
âI guess you still miss him. I still miss Grandpa,â I said.
âAye, lass.â
I nodded at him and headed home, dumping my fish into the shipping bin on my way past. The seaweed got saved for my next pond.
The first keg had finished brewing and I picked up my first pale ale, then blinked at the price provided by the price catalogue in me. 25 G worth of hops had become worth 300 G. Immediately, I got more hops and set the keg on a new cycle. Not enough time to get it to Pam though, and she had seemed pretty out of it, so Gus would probably protest if I gave her more alcohol tonight.
The furnaces and recycling machine got tended to before I went in to write in my diary.
Woke up to the crowing of a rooster, feeling a lot better than I should have. I opened the pocket holding the cards and looked at the crafting recipes. Farm totems, tent kits like the one I'd received at the Trout Derby, oil maker, deluxe speed-gro, and keg were some I were sure I hadn't seen before. Now I could make my own rather than being limited to the one from the Junimo. I almost put the cards away before noticing that there were more recipes listed below. Bomb, slime egg press, and oil of garlic.
The last one made me frown. That sounded more like a condiment to use when cooking than... Unless it was used to keep monsters, and probably people too, away from me. Looking at its description confirmed my suspicion. It didnât mention anything about people, but theyâd probably want to keep their distance too unless I waited for the stink to wear off before approaching them.
The only problem was that I didnât know where to get hold of garlic. And I wasnât so sure it would keep shadow brutes and shadow shamans away. If they liked the smell of burnt hair, they might like the smell of garlic too, and comment on me coming pre-seasoned.
Went to check the TV.
Weather forecast, sunny and perfect for the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. I groaned. Was there another dance event? Maybe I should participate in this one now that I had started to know the townspeople a bit better. At any rate, my luck for today was good, which was reassuring.
As I picked up the bait and went outside, I shook my head at my reaction to Welwickâs prediction. How had I become this superstitious in just two seasons? Yet I hadnât believed in magic or monsters either, and those had proven all too real.
The keg was still busy fermenting the hops. It would indeed have been foolish to stay and watch it. The lightning rods on the other hand had battery packs waiting for me. Noting that all of them had been triggered I went to the materials chest. With the bat wings Iâd gathered yesterday, more than I had noticed at the time, I crafted more lightning rods and placed them too along the cliff edge. The sixteen rods that now formed a decent fence would probably be enough for now.
A movement in the grass distracted me from tending to the rest of the machinery, and made me go to take care of my chickens and Belle. Refilled Belleâs bowl, then picked up a gold quality mayonnaise from the coop. 285 G was a welcome addition. With no large egg available, I put a small egg in. The mayonnaise went into the shipping bin and I picked up almost 1600 G from the red mushrooms and the stuff from the morning.
A large bundle stood beside my mailbox, with a card attached to it. Robin had sent me 50 pieces of wood that she had âlying aroundâ. I couldnât deny that I could always use more wood even if I had gathered a fair amount in the last couple of days. Just what I needed to add a kitchen, build a simple barn, and upgrade the coop, would take over a thousand pieces of wood. Not to mention the need for making more preserve jars and kegs.
After some more crafting, I had two more kegs that got set to producing pale ale. The hops sold for even less than parsnips, so theyâd be worse as pickles too. If pale ale sold for more than 120 G, it was better than pickling them.
Thinking about processing crops reminded me that I needed to go harvesting and watering. Tea leaves, hops, corn, hot pepper, and some radishes. Picked up a crayfish and two snails from the crab pots and rebaited. Now I finally had 10 base quality corn for the SpiritsâEve bundle.
Belatedly put gold ore in the furnaces, then put the crayfish and snails in the shipping bin.
Maybe best to go fishing today. I had some bait and it might be a good idea to see if there was anything over by the tidal pools. Fishing was what had earned me the most money so far, and I didnât know how much Iâd need for seeds when Fall began. At best Iâd be able to afford both the seeds and the bigger backpack.
In rearranging the contents of my backpack to have more space for fish, I found the beach totems. One got used to get to the beach faster.
Haley stood musing about what Alex might be doing as I appeared on the beach. She flinched with a âOh, I didnât see you standing there.â
âI just arrived by using a beach totem.â
âOh.â
I frowned as I walked away to talk to Alex. Something was wrong. Haley had been all excited by the Flower Dance, but not tomorrowâs event. Maybe it wasnât a dance for humans. Some people said that the fireflies were dancing in the air at night, so maybe it was the moonlight jellies, whatever they were, that would be doing the dancing.
Alex complimented the tan Iâd got. An empty phrase considering how much rain there had been and how much time Iâd spent in the mines. I was pale compared to him or Haley. But rather than ask if it was a sarcasm, I returned the compliment. He then excused himself with a comment about needing to open the ice cream stand.
Six corals and two urchins, as well as a couple of clams and mussels, and a rainbow shell made their way into my backpack as I scoured the beach. There were also a couple of dig spots, one giving me a few stones, the other a book that the Junimo returned to the library. The two crab pots got relieved of their mussels and rebaited.
I went to Willyâs shop to sell them, only to find that he had put up his âgone fishingâ sign, reminding me that it was Saturday, his day off. Instead, I went to dump them in my fishing chest near Jodiâs house. Music was playing inside. An attempt at country music, even if they were obviously just starting out on it. I went in to talk to them. Abigail was with them, working the drums.
âYou found someone, I see,â I said when they noticed me and paused.
âJust my first attempt at it,â Abigail said.
âThatâs a very good first attempt,â I said.
âYeah, sheâs picking it up like...â Sam didnât finish it, as if he worried that his comparison might get him in trouble. âSheâs got a lot of talent, more than I suspected at first when Sebastian suggested her.â
âTold you so,â Sebastian said. âHavenât you heard her drumming her fingers on her book or the armrest of the sofa on Fridays? Or have you just had your entire mind on the pool table?â
âIâd better not keep you from it any longer. Iâd intended to go fishing today and have yet to catch a single fish,â I said before leaving.
Despite that, I still went up to the square to exchange a few words with Jodi and Caroline, and then up to the park to see if Dr. Harvey was there. He wasnât, but Penny was at the playground with Jas and Vincent. Penny clearly wasnât wanting to talk to me, more from how she said that the mountains were looking nice than from the words. Vincent and Jas were focusing on their playing, so I left them to it.
Demetrius was studying some nearby bushes again. Lichens this time, lichens I hadnât even noticed until he pointed them out to me. He showed me his notes of different kinds and how many colonies there was of each.
A dig spot in front of the community center was next to attract my attention. Another book getting transported to the library. I had found a few more now. Maybe I had better read them in case there was something useful there. But first I had to deliver the corn to the Junimo.
The scrollâs tension increased about as much as Iâd expected it to. Seven more gifts to complete the scroll. I nodded to myself. Should be able to get it to decrease in tension during Fall unless the two biggest bundles ended up lacking just one gift each.
The book seller had put up his poster. I took the closest bridge even though it brought me closer to him than I liked. Didnât want to bring up his hopes, and didnât have the money to spare for a book. Was still glad that I did, as there was another dig spot just north of it. I went for it, hoping for an artifact for the museum. No. Another library book. I sighed.
Reaching Clintâs shop, I wished Iâd brought the geodes. The mining cart did remind me that I had intended to ask Marlon about the note in the chest. The guild house should be open for business about now.
âLooking for a new sword?â Marlon greeted me when I entered.
âNot now. I need to save my money for seeds for Fall. I did want to ask why the note I found on floor 120 has the same handwriting as that board." I nodded towards the board with monster eradication goals. "Is the mine just a big test of ability?â
Marlon rubbed his pointy beard, looking slightly embarrassed. âIt is. There are more dangerous places out there. See it as your job to find them. Just... donât mention the depth of the mine to anyone outside the guild.â He gave me a stern look. âAn adventurer has to be willing to go into the unknown.â
âI figured as much. I know Clintâs a guild member, and that Lewis and Linus have at least been members even if I donât know if theyâre active anymore. Their comments tipped me off.â
âLewis quit active service when he became mayor,â Marlon confirmed. âWas there anything else?â His eyebrows rose.
He probably expected me to ask about the key Iâd found, but I wouldnât ask about that. With his insistence on secrecy, he wasn't likely to give me a straight answer anyway. He also hadn't said anything about whether Linus was still active, so he probably was.
"I know there are still types of monsters marked with question marks on the list of monster eradication goals, so I guess those may be found in the other places you are urging me to find," I said instead. "I think I've found every type of monster there are in the mine."
A slight smile was my only response, and I left.
I took the cart back to Clintâs place, considering yesterday's mention of asking the W... Rasmodius, about the treasure chests. Not today. I probably wouldn't get any fishing done if I did. The books I'd found was a different story, just a minor detour.
I found Dr. Harvey at the library, reading a book.
âWhat are you reading?â I asked him.
He flinched. âJust a fiction book about a pilot, an ace to be more precise. Itâs taking place towards the end of the previous Ferngill/Gotoro war. Itâs just to get my mind off work,â he said a bit hastily.
âI prefer fantasy novels when Iâve got time to read. Which I sadly havenât had much time for since moving here.â
âBut...â
I recalled the headache Iâd needed his help for. âMaybe Iâll show you what kind of book led to my migraine when I get hold of another one. Though the other effects might upset you as much as theyâre unpleasant to me.â
âWhat other effects?â he asked.
âIâll tell you when Iâm ready to show you. I donât know when Iâll find another one. I came here to see if thereâs something new on the shelves, so I think Iâll leave you to your book.â
âEr...â He looked at the book in his hands as if heâd forgotten about it. âYes.â
I went to the shelves at the back of the library. Highlights from the book of Yoba... I merely skimmed through a page with part of the creation myth. As I put the book back on the shelf I couldnât help but wonder if the myth was at least part true, considering all the other stuff Iâd learned was real.
Next was a marriage guide. I skipped the advice about first meetings and how to get your intended romantically interested in you. Those sections were usually too generalized to be of any help. Instead I went for the section about local marriage traditions. It briefly mentioned needing to be officially dating first and that a bouquet was necessary to make it official. Then something about a mermaid pendant. That made me recall a necklace Iâd found in my momâs jewelry box, the one with a seashell that dad had given her when he proposed.
The second act of The Fisherman play was also new. Good thing that anyone trying to set up the play would be able to do the whole thing. I flipped to the end of the narrow volume, where the old fisherman talked about a fish called the Legend. I frowned, hadnât I heard... Oh, Sebastian had mentioned something about a fish called that up at the lake. No doubt there were more than one fish that had earned the name Legend locally.
The science section had also grown by a narrow book. Technology Report mentioned a piece of machinery that could replicate gems and other minerals, apparently apart from prismatic shards, whatever they were.
The next new book made me stop and stare at it. Secrets of the Legendary Fish... My hands shook as I took the old book from the shelf. I skimmed the first page that mentioned that no-one had caught more than one of each legendary fish. Flipped to the section about legendary fish found in Stardew Valley.
Crimsonfish. Only read enough to confirm that it correlated to what Willy had taught me before turning to the next.
Glacierfish. Caught in Winter, at something called Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest. I considered which one it could be. Since it mentioned the southern tip of it, there had to be... Wasnât there one island that had a point facing south towards a deeper section?
Angler. Caught in Fall at the waterfall... I almost started wondering which one before noting it was the one coming down from the mountains. So, it had to be the one east of the community center rather than the one in Cindersap Forest.
Some kind of legendary fish apparently lived in the sewer too, but I merely skimmed that since I couldnât go there anyway.
Then a section about the Legend, correlating a lot with what Sebastian had said. My mind went back to the play. If I had to catch the other legendary fish first, it was good that Iâd already caught Crimsonfish.
I put the book back on the shelf. I should try to catch the Angler and see if it had less value than the Crimsonfish, since that seemed to translate to how much the roe was worth, then put the lowest into the pond. If I had to give 15 roe to the Junimo and it didnât matter which, Iâd rather give them cheaper roe.
Another frown as I noted the author of the old book. Willy Gaffer. I took it back down to see if there was a picture of the author. There was. Not the Willy I knew, though there was some resemblance. Could it be his father? I put it back again.
A further search revealed no more new books. I walked out of the library trying to gather my thoughts. I passed the ice cream stand, noting that Alex and Haley were too deep in conversation to notice much else.
Willy stood fishing beside the bridge to the beach. I paused.
âHowâs it going?â I asked.
âJust fine, lass,â he replied without turning his eyes from the float.
âI read a book in the library earlier. Did your father write a book about the legendary fish?â
He turned to look at me, surprised. A bite forced his attention back to his rod and reel in the fish.
âThe old man done that, but me thought the book gone forever. Vanished years ago. The guy before Gunther said he couldna find it anywhere. Gave up on it. Never went there again. Maybe should do that now.â
âItâs on one of the shelves in the back,â I said. âI thought Iâd get some fishing done today too.â
We parted ways.
I fished on the beach for as long as I had bait, helped by catching some chests with bait in them. Also found some stones, wood, and geodes in them. Of course, too late to have Clint break them open.
There was enough time remaining to stop by the Saloon on my way home, exchanging a few words with Pam, Gus, Emily, Shane, and Marnie. None of them had anything memorable to say. Clint congratulated me on my progress in the mine. Willy was there too, looking into his mug as if he might start to cry.
âWhatâs wrong, Willy?â I asked.
âNothing. Just felt good to read me old manâs book again.â He sighed.
So, nostalgia, possibly grief too, rather than something bad happening.
âI guess you still miss him. I still miss Grandpa,â I said.
âAye, lass.â
I nodded at him and headed home, dumping my fish into the shipping bin on my way past. The seaweed got saved for my next pond.
The first keg had finished brewing and I picked up my first pale ale, then blinked at the price provided by the price catalogue in me. 25 G worth of hops had become worth 300 G. Immediately, I got more hops and set the keg on a new cycle. Not enough time to get it to Pam though, and she had seemed pretty out of it, so Gus would probably protest if I gave her more alcohol tonight.
The furnaces and recycling machine got tended to before I went in to write in my diary.