Free Web NovelChapter 29: Chapter 29: New Skills
In the end, Duane decided against killing Hardy and his men outright. He wanted to first see what stance the Broken Wave Gang would take.
If they were willing to de-escalate the conflict, killing their men would only push them into direct opposition.
On the other hand, if they insisted on a confrontation, it wouldn’t be too late to act then.
After all, killing a man wasn’t like breaking an object; it couldn’t be undone.
And so, Duane and his men began the busy work of moving into their new home.
"Sir, do you still want these Willow Tree saplings?"
While sorting through their belongings, Owington presented the Willow Tree saplings they had brought from Lakefront Manor.
The slender saplings were about a meter long, and there were a dozen or so of them.
Although they had been uprooted for ten days and their leaves looked a bit withered, they had been kept in fresh soil and Water on the journey. They should still survive if planted now.
"There are Willow Trees on the island."
Owington added, "I saw quite a few near the ponds around Lingang Village. There are probably more in other places, too."
"I saw them too."
Duane took the Willow Tree saplings. "Go on with the moving. I’ll take care of these."
With that, he picked up a nearby Longsword and walked out of the courtyard.
The crude castle faced south, its back against a mountain. Two hundred meters to the west lay a sizable pond.
Below the pond was a series of terraced paddies, where rice seedlings had already been planted.
Duane had seen many such paddies filled with seedlings on his way here. It seemed the primary crop on Black Forest Island was rice, rather than wheat or barley.
This was somewhat different from most parts of the Pruck Kingdom, where wheat and barley were commonly grown.
After all, for the Nobility, white bread made from wheat was a status symbol. It signified finer flour, a longer sifting process, and more complex manual labor.
However, the popularity of wheat and barley didn’t mean rice had disappeared entirely, only that it was cultivated in smaller areas and on a smaller scale.
Black Forest Island had a humid climate with high rainfall, an environment more suitable for growing rice.
Duane guessed this was why the locals cultivated rice so extensively.
He pulled his gaze away, walked to the edge of the pond, and drew his Longsword. He jabbed the tip into the ground to make a hole, then stuck a sapling inside.
He then stomped the earth back into the hole with his foot and scooped up a few handfuls of Water to pour over it.
Although Willow Trees love Water and are hardy, Duane’s planting method was decidedly crude. If it lived, great. If not, so be it.
Yet even this crude method yielded an unexpected reward:
[Successfully planted a Willow Tree sapling, Basic Planting Skill Level +3]
’Basic Planting?’ freёwebnovel.com
Duane quickly opened his attribute panel and saw a new entry had been added under the [Basic] category:
Basic Planting (Initial 3/100).
He hadn’t expected planting to count as a Skill. The corners of his mouth lifted into a slight smile.
With the situation on Black Forest Island still uncertain, increasing his strength was his top priority.
On Black Forest Island, he needed to become at least an Advanced Warrior to have sufficient power to protect himself.
Duane had already resolved to start dedicating himself fully to raising his various Skill Levels tomorrow.
Of all his current Skills, only Basic Planting and Basic Brewing were still at the Initial Level; the rest were at least at the Skilled Level.
Those Skills at the Skilled Level and above improved much more slowly. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
So, Duane planned to activate some new Skills.
The five he could think of were Archery, Spear Skill, Forging, Tailor, and Medical Skill. Once he attempted and activated them, he could gain a substantial number of attribute points in a short time.
Duane put those thoughts aside, picked up his Longsword, and poked a few more holes in the ground to plant the remaining Willow Tree saplings.
However, now that he had activated the Basic Planting Skill, he took the task much more seriously.
He planted closer to the water’s edge, dug up some pond mud to mix in, and even wrapped the roots with weeds as if to keep the saplings warm. He tried every trick he could think of, and sure enough, he gained a bit more Skill Level for his efforts.
After busying himself for over an hour, he finally finished planting all dozen or so saplings.
Checking his attribute panel again, his Basic Planting Skill Level had risen to (Initial 68/100).
’The rate of improvement is excellent!’
Pleased, Duane washed his hands in the pond.
He shook his hands dry and looked at the row of Willow Trees planted along the pond’s edge, feeling a distinct pleasure in admiring the fruits of his labor.
’Haien is skilled with farm work, so he must have a lot of experience with crops. Maybe I should find some time to talk with him and learn the theory behind planting.’
’Theoretical knowledge also grants Skill Level, and all I’d have to do is listen and think, instead of finding a spot, digging holes, and sourcing fertilizer like I’m doing now.’
Just as he was mulling this over...
SPLASH~
The surface of the pond rippled as the tail of a black carp broke the surface before quickly disappearing back into the Water.
Duane’s eyes lit up. ’Could fishing activate a new Skill, too? Hmm... I should give it a try.’
"Baron!"
Conaberton called out.
He had followed the moving party to the castle. After collecting his payment from Ralph, he’d heard from the Guards that the Baron was outside the courtyard and came to find him.
"I was hoping to sleep soundly in your castle tonight, but it looks like there isn’t a bed for me."
Duane laughed. "My apologies, Captain. We are indeed short on rooms. But I’m sure there will be a comfortable one waiting for you the next time you visit Black Forest Island."
Conaberton laughed as well. "Please forgive my jest. This courtyard is actually quite nice, especially for Black Forest Island."
Duane shrugged. "Indeed. I’m satisfied with most things here, aside from the complicated relationships."
"I’m sorry, I can’t help you with that matter."
Conaberton said apologetically, "However, if you do have business to conduct, I can still introduce you to some of my acquaintances."
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Conaberton."
Distracted by the business with the Broken Wave Gang and the Holy Hand Association, Duane had forgotten to ask about the economy on Monport Island.
"When are you planning to return?" he asked.
"The crew and sailors will be relaxing on the island today and tomorrow, restocking our fresh Water and food."
Conaberton paused to think. "I expect we’ll be leaving the morning after next."
’What kind of "relaxing" could they do on Black Forest Island? It was nothing more than finding women.’
’The island might be remote, but it wasn’t short on people.’
’Besides, with so many people living on the island, the Broken Wave Gang and the Holy Hand Association probably ran that kind of business themselves.’
’With money or goods to trade, the crew members should have no trouble finding what they were looking for.’
Duane didn’t try to stop them. For one, the conditions weren’t right. For another, that sort of thing could never truly be stopped.
Even if he took control of Black Forest Island and started to police it, a trade like that could only be driven underground, never truly eradicated.
"I will give you an answer before you leave."
Duane shook his hand. "I hope you enjoy your time on the island. And of course, if you run into any trouble, please don’t hesitate to find me."
"You’re the master of this place. Who else would I turn to?"
Conaberton gave Duane a polite bow, then left the courtyard with his crew and headed for the port.
They didn’t seem at all worried about what the Broken Wave Gang or the Holy Hand Association might do to them.
In truth, the Broken Wave Gang and the Holy Hand Association had no time to worry about them right now.
...
At the border between Broken Wave Bay and Forest Village, a small creek was spanned by a simple stone bridge.
At this moment, the core members of the Broken Wave Gang and the Holy Hand Association stood on opposite ends of the bridge.
The burly, imposing Bard dismounted and stepped onto the bridge. "Daniels, long time no see."
Daniels, a Level 3 Mage in an exquisite white robe and hood, also dismounted.
"Bard, why the urgent summons? What’s going on?"
The two men spoke as they walked toward the center of the bridge, while their Vice Leaders and other followers remained on their respective sides.
This was a customary way for the two leaders to parley. Under these circumstances, whoever struck first would be seen as dishonorable and be universally scorned.
"Cut the crap, Daniels."
Bard said impatiently, "I refuse to believe you don’t know what happened on the island today!"
