The journey back was as quiet and dull as it was going to Mivvy. Rowan, sitting in the driver's seat, focused on the road, occasionally glancing into the mirror. Lyra Thorne's lead carriage maintained a precise, professional distance, followed by the two unassuming wagons carrying her crew.
Inside Rowan's carriage, the children were quietly engrossed in discussing their time with their grandparents.
"Grandpa Bjorn is the best," Lilly declared, swinging her legs and giving her wooden rapier a fierce, imaginary thrust. "He's like a giant, even bigger than daddy! And he didn't even yell when I accidentally bumped the big horse carving!"
"I think I prefer grandma," Alexia said while adjusting her spectacles. "Grandmother's soap workshop… the precision of the oil ratios is fascinating."
"Aunty Nytra is really fast with the numbers," Alex chimed in, tracing the lines on his new ledger. "She calculated that noblewoman's tax, discount, and final price in her head before the woman even finished speaking. I want to learn her method for rapid mental accounting."
Darius, who was carefully whittling a small ear onto the rough wooden sphere he had started carving, nodded thoughtfully. "Grandfather's workshop was so fun! It was so fun making my own wood ball."
Lucia, snuggled between Lilly and Alexia, clutched her empty cookie box and sighed contentedly. "Grandma cookies, the best. Warm, soft...sweet.."
Rowan listened to the chatter, his heart warming at their obvious affection for his family.
"I already miss them," Lilly admitted, resting her head against the window. "I hope we can go back soon."
"Of course, we can go back," Rowan assured them, glancing back with a smile. "They miss you too. Once summer approaches, we'll make sure to visit again. The farm is your home, but the shop is always there too."
As the carriage passed the familiar, sprawling boundary of the Blacksun farm, Rowan felt the familiar shift in the air. The faint, ambient mana grew stronger, the air cooler, and the scent of damp, rich earth replaced the dry dust of the road.
He could also see the houses of his villager neighbors too. As always, they were relaxing outside to mitigate the heat from their homes.
Rowan pulled the carriage up to the main farm gate and dismounted. He walked back to Lyra's carriage, knocking on her door with a polite tap. Lyra opens the door and takes a quick glance and Rowan but instantly turns toward the farm.
"Welcome to Blacksun Farm, Ms. Thorne," Rowan said, gesturing toward the vibrant fields beyond the gate. "Just give me a second to lower the shield spell. Please forgive the security. A father's home is to be safe at all times."
Lyra stepped out, her expression one of polite appreciation. Her sapphire eyes scanned the perfectly green expanse, the thriving rows of produce, and the impossible sight of a well watered field in the middle of a kingdom wide drought.
"Mr. Blacksun," she replied, her voice measured. "The sight is... exactly as extraordinary as your reputation suggests. A genuine defiance of the current drought. I am very intrigued."
She paused, gesturing back to her two accompanying wagons. "My staff will remain here. They are here only for security and record keeping, and they will not enter your land unless directed. I trust you will have no objection to a simple magical recorder being employed to catalog the crops for our procurement records?"
Rowan saw that she raised a metallic cube. He quickly scanned it with his mana sense and it was indeed something that just took pictures with magic.
"None at all," Rowan confirmed, giving her a brief, reassuring smile. "Just give me a moment while I settle my kids."
With that said, Rowan rode the carriage back into the farm and led it into the stables. He let Shiori and Capper go back into their stalls and let the kids out too.
"Alright everyone, head back in the main house and stay there while I show Miss Lyra around the farm. Once Im done with business, we'll make lunch."
"Okay daddy! Let's go everyone..follow me!" Lilly responded to Rowan's instructions and led everyone on the path to the main house.
She was following her role as the eldest correctly. Rowan smiled as he went on the path back to the entrance.
At the entrance, Lyra's employees had set up shaded tents, with some of them using a magic tool to cool the area. The devices were shaped like a fat log, about a foot wide. It was made from a glossy blue metal and had grooves that let out cool air.
This portable tool was made by the kingdom's ice wizard tower and the royal academy's research department in collaboration a couple of years back.
It was originally meant to just be a convenient ravel tool for nobles and wealthy merchants and that's how it was treated until the recent drought. Now it was something high in demand and being bought at 5x or 7x the original price.
The tower and academy must be rolling in cash this year. Rowan sighed at the thought and moved on.
"Well then, welcome to my humble farm miss Thorne." Rowan said to the elegant lady who was sitting in a tent by herself, sipping on a glass of cooled water.
"Lead the way." she replied with a faint smile as she adjusted her light blue dress and stood up.
Rowan led her through the gate and straight toward the nearest field. It was the Imperial Wheat that shimmered like gold in the harsh sunlight.
Elara felt the air get much cooler than outside when she stepped onto the farm. She wasn't surprised as his farmwide cooling circle was known by the departments.
"We begin with the kingdom's staple," Rowan explained. "This is the well known Imperial Wheat created by Royal Academy researchers many decades ago. Mine is an even higher yield strain that thiers.
My irrigation system and mana infusion have pushed the nutritional density to nearly twice its usual volume."
He plucked a head of wheat, running it through his fingers. The kernels were plump and gold. Lyra's pen scribbled on her notepad, taking actual notes.
"What volume can you guarantee, Mr. Blacksun?" she asked.
"I can guarantee ten tons of flour within the next month, and another ten every month after that, for a year," Rowan stated, inflating the numbers slightly to test her reaction.
Lyra didn't flinch. "Ten tons is a respectable volume, given the circumstances. But the price must reflect the quality."
"It will," Rowan assured her. "But before we talk numbers, I want to show you the heart of my farm."
He led her deeper into the farm, the path taking them past the normal crops and to the medicinal garden. The air here was thick with a concentrated, earthy mana, heavily scented with powerful, exotic herbs.
This is where Alexia spent most of her time during the week she had been here so far.
Lyra Thorne stepped inside, and for the first time, her perfectly constructed mask of professional composure cracked. Her sapphire eyes went wide, and she let out a small, sharp intake of breath.
"The Mana Infused Mountain Ginseng," she whispered, her gaze fixed on the low, powerful plants whose roots were barely visible, their leaves absorbing the ambient mana. "It's perfect. Not a single blemish. And the density of the mana..."
Her tone was just perfect, a merchant who usually keeps such a stoic face can't help but be shocked when seeing such a legendary item. Even this break in her mask was purposeful. To make her seem more human.
"It is, as promised, shrieks free and potent," Rowan confirmed, a satisfied glint in his eye. "A perfect base for the next generation elixirs that my daughter plans to create.
This is my true limited commodity. I will only sell thirty mature roots, a one time deal. If you prove yourself well with this. I'll let you have first go at my daughter's potions made using them."
Lyra Thorne turned back to him, the merchant's calculation back in her eyes, but overlaid now with genuine awe.
"Mr. Blacksun," she said, her voice dropping to a low register. "I believe we have a deal. Now, let us discuss price."
"A deal, yes," Rowan said, giving her a slow, confident smile. "But not yet. You are a curator of quality, Ms. Thorne. And a curator must feel the art of the product. The final piece of the tour."
He guided her toward one of his favorite places. And when he got there, there was an expanse of green leaves and bright red balls.
"Behold the sonnet worthy tomato." Rowan kept his promise about showing her the best tomatoes in the world, probably.
The sight of the tomato field was breathtaking. Hundreds of vines, thick with perfect, uniformly red fruit, stretched out in impossibly straight rows, a vibrant splash of color against the deep green leaves.
Lyra Thorne let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. This was not merely farming; it truly was art.
"The Heirloom Tomatoes," she breathed, the professional reserve in her eyes giving way to a simple, human appreciation. She walked slowly up to a vine, reaching out a hand with uncharacteristic hesitation. She gently detached a large, heavy specimen from the stem.
She lifted it to her nose, inhaling the deep, earthy, sweet scent that clashed with the dry heat of the world. Then, without a moment's pause for decorum, she took a clean, decisive bite.
The sound was a crisp snap, followed by the distinct sound of juice immediately flooding her mouth. Her eyes widened, a flicker of pure, unadulterated pleasure crossing her face.
"It's… incredible, Mr. Blacksun," she said, chewing slowly, savoring the flavor. "Sweet, perfectly acidic, and unbelievably fresh. It tastes like the memory of summer."
She took another bite, heedless of the juice that had dripped onto her light blue dress. The pretense of the stoic buyer was momentarily forgotten in the face of true quality.
Rowan watched her, his own smile becoming genuine. "I told you. Sonnet worthy."
"Indeed. I will take a significant portion of this harvest as well," she stated, her voice regaining its professional edge, though her eyes were still shining. "Now, if we might settle on the terms for the wheat and the ginseng, I can prepare the down payment."
They walked back toward the shaded tent where Lyra's staff was waiting, and over the next twenty minutes, the deal was struck. Rowan, leveraging the phenomenal quality and the desperate market, secured a price for the Imperial Wheat that was 40% above the Capital's going rate.
She said she would be able to turn it around for even larger margins when she gets back there. The nobles were, as always, desperate for every luxury, even in this climate.
The mana-infused ginseng, however, was in a league of its own. Lyra, knowing the profound medicinal and arcane value, offered an astronomical sum for the thirty roots. It was enough to secure Alexia's lab equipment and nearly half of the required 'childcare fund' in one go.
"A pleasure doing business, Ms. Thorne," Rowan said, shaking her hand, the weight of the silver and gold already secured in principle.
"The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Blacksun," she replied. "This harvest is an investment towards a possible long term relationship."
"One last thing, Ms. Thorne, before you depart," Rowan said, his voice taking on a casual, inviting tone. "A man who grows the best grapes must also make the best wine. It's a matter of principle. I'd like to offer you a tasting."
He led her away from the commotion of her staff and toward a long, low wooden building at the far edge of the farm. It was his brewing shed.
Rowan opened the heavy, thick wooden door. The air inside was immediately cool, dark, and filled with the rich, complex aroma of aging wood, fermented fruit, and a little bit dirt.
The shed was immaculate, its floor covered in clean straw. Inside, rows and rows of barrels stood in perfect rows. Some were polished oak, others dark cedar, and a few were made from the smooth, almost black wood of the Escenera.
"This is my cellar," Rowan explained, gesturing around the quiet, cool space. "Different woods for different processes. The Escenera wood, for example, is the only wood that can age a mana rich vintage without losing its magic. I have the Magic Berries in there, along with the grapes. Care for a sample?"
He led her to a small, cleared corner where a simple table and two stools were set up. He went up and grabbed a dark blue tinted wine bottle with a thorny white rose label.
He popped the cork with a twist and poured a small glass of the clear, light blue liquid into a clean glass.
"This is a special blend of my favorite magic berries and white grapes. This bottle should be just over 7 years old " Rowan informed her, handing her the glass. "It is a non-alcoholic wine. My family creed does not permit the consumption of true alcohol. But it's still rich, complex flavor, and packed with arcane energy.
It will give you a slight mana boost, but no intoxication. If you prefer a traditional alcoholic beverage, I have a few barrels of simple red I can tap from, made from normal grapes."
Lyra Thorne took the glass, swirling the contents with the practiced motion of a connoisseur. She inhaled deeply, her expression thoughtful. "A family creed of sobriety. Respectable, Mr. Blacksun."
She then shook her head politely. "No, thank you. I am a woman of business, and I still have a long day of work ahead of me. I appreciate the offer, but I don't 'day drink.' This non-alcoholic, magic wine is far more intriguing."
She took a slow, appreciative sip, her eyes closing for a moment as the flavor hit her palate. When she opened them, they held a renewed spark of interest.
"It truly is remarkable, Mr. Blacksun. The flavor is deep and layered, and I can feel the mana warming my core. You are a master of more than just soil and wood."
"Thank you, Ms. Thorne," Rowan replied, taking a small sip of his own glass. "It is a Blacksun family passion. We believe that anything worth doing is worth mastering."
He then pauses and looks at Lyra with a smirk. "Now that we've gotten to know each other a bit more, why dont you tell me your real name?"
Lyra nodded hearing this and gladly replied "Elara Voss…wa…wait? What did you do!"
Elara covered her mouth with her hand.