Once Ewan fully understood why someone had decided to pick a fight with him out of the blue, he ceased to be worried. So what if they were being brazen? It wasn't entirely clear who had the thicker skin, and besides, Ewan wasn't exactly a pushover.
Ewan turned to Simon and explained: "Actually, I'm just helping Asher out with this plot. He hasn't transferred the usage rights to me. Theoretically, this land still belongs to him."
"Huh?" Simon seemed taken aback: "I thought Asher intended to return the land? The last time my brother brought it up, Asher insisted he had absolutely no aptitude for planting. And honestly, that's true enough. Ever since his parents passed away, Asher tried his hand at farming for two seasons. The yield was abysmal."
Simon jogged his memory. Back when Asher's parents were still alive, his mother was an exceptional cultivator of crops, and his father was a master hunter. As their son, Asher had possessed potential in both. The family of three had been the village's ideal role model, not to mention incredibly happy.
In those years, the output from the Ryders' two acres always topped the village charts. They even had surplus to sell after taxes. But after his parents passed, Asher attempted two seasons on his own. The first season, half the saplings died, and production plummeted. The second season was even more tragic, pests ravaged the crops, leaving him with next to nothing. He actually had to dip into his hunting savings just to cover the tax.
After that, Asher simply gave up, not bothering with farming anymore.
The land lay waste for several seasons until the village head recently dropped a hint: if Asher didn't cultivate it this coming season, the land would be reclaimed. Asher remained indifferent, claiming he lacked the gift for agriculture and that it would be better to transfer it to someone more capable.
Today, when Simon heard his brother mention that Asher had rescued an Omega and was even taking him out to inspect the fields, he had assumed the same thing Gigi Cole had: Asher had decided to transfer the land to this newcomer.
He hadn't expected it to remain under Asher's name.
"Hey..." Simon hesitated. Although he was closer to Asher, the thought of this Omega toiling away only for the harvest to line someone else's pockets made him speak up: "Why don't you speak to the village head? You should at least have a piece of land to call your own. You can't just labor for free for Asher, even if he did save your life."
Ewan realized the boy was jumping to conclusions again and hurriedly waved his hands: "No, no, it's not like that."
"Why isn't it? Asher dropped you here and left you to haul water and till the earth all by yourself. You're new, so you don't know the rules: whoever holds the title to the land owns the harvest. Even if you break your back cultivating it, if you aren't listed as the owner, you won't see a single credit."
"It's not that..." Ewan signaled for Simon to listen: "Since I'm living in the same house with Asher now, he said he'd handle the hunting, and I'd take charge of these two plots. It's like... um, a division of labor. We're working together."
"Oh... living together, are we?" Simon exclaimed, his round eyes darting back and forth as he let out a couple of knowing clicks of his tongue. Although Ewan felt there was a heavy implication in that gaze, he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"Wait here a second, I'll go grab a watering can." Simon said, then dashed off before Ewan could utter a word.
Ewan watched the young man retreating back and couldn't help but sigh. He looked back at the two plots of land, which were by no means small, cracked dry and overrun with weeds. Did he really have to haul every single pot of water up here and till this earth with nothing but his own strength?
He didn't even have a water buffalo!
Why was everything so destitute?
Ewan lost count of how many times he had lamented the poverty of this region. He truly didn't want to rely on brute strength to plow this field.
It wasn't that Ewan was lazy, but he knew his limits. Could a physique that might blow away in a strong gust of wind really haul enough water for two acres? Ewan guessed not.
Was there no better way?
Ewan sat on the embankment, pondering, and suddenly remembered Flarie back at the house. If a Fire Elemental Slime could help boil water, could a Water Elemental Slime take his place in watering the fields?
At this thought, Ewan's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to summon a Water Elemental Slime, he paused. Ewan hurriedly stepped back into the field, stomping his foot to test the soil's density.
The topsoil had been baked so hard by the relentless sun that if he simply poured water over it, the liquid would likely just run off rather than soaking in. Furthermore, the surface was cluttered with miscellaneous vegetation...
While Ewan was deep in thought, people nearby occasionally glanced his way. It had been a long time since the village had seen a newcomer, let alone a good-looking Omega.
Several families with sons of age began to calculate. Although the boy had been saved by Asher, if no relationship had been established, why not try to secure him for their own sons?
He looked a bit thin, but his beauty was pleasing to the eye. Furthermore, he had gone straight to the fields to work upon arrival, he would be easy to manage. Though he did look a bit dim-witted, constantly stomping and touching the dirt as if he'd never seen soil before.
A nearby matron called out: "Young man, what are you doing there? Do you need a hand? My son is currently free."
Ewan turned at the sound of the voice, spotting the woman standing on the embankment. He smiled gratefully: "It's alright, I can handle it myself, thank you."
Having said that, Ewan took a few steps closer to the embankment. The woman thought he was coming over to chat, but just as she prepared to speak, she saw Ewan snap his fingers and mutter something under his breath. Before she could react, strange sounds filled the air.
"Pew! Pew! Pew!"
The cries weren't loud, but in the open space, they carried well, causing those nearby to turn their heads. They witnessed three Elemental Slimes, each half a meter in size, suddenly materialize from thin air. Just as the crowd was about to raise the alarm to attack the Star Beasts, they saw the three blobs bounce happily toward the young Omega and affectionately nuzzle his legs.
"Pew pew pew."
They kept squeaking. The villagers didn't understand, but Ewan clearly heard them calling him "Papa." This was largely because Ewan had originally referred to himself as "Papa" with Flarie. But hearing it now felt a bit odd, so Ewan crouched down and gently patted each of their heads. "Now, now, don't call me Papa. Call me brother."
"Pew pew."
[Why?]
[What is the difference between Papa and brother?]
[Big Brother said to call him that, so just do it. You're too noisy.]
Bubbly, the Water Elemental Slime, relying on its size advantage over the other two, bullied them with a shove, bouncing up to body-slam Dusty and Flarie. Consequently, all three Slimes began to brawl, arguing loudly.
The sound of "pew pew" was deafening.
Ewan was just about to shout at them to stop when the matron from the embankment rushed up to him, looking rather agitated: "Do you possess a Talent?"
"Yes, ma'am." Ewan replied modestly. "Though it's a bit lackluster, I can only summon Slimes."