Jinyo browsed the product catalog that changed daily. By now, he had accumulated [13,140] Soul Coins in the system from killing Annov and selling Immortal Rice and Explosion Potatoes. Items priced in the tens of thousands that were once out of his reach were now within his budget.

  However, despite having the money, today’s catalog wasn’t particularly interesting. But there was one thing Jinyo could put to good use. It was called the [Gardener’s Bag], priced at 4,999 Soul Coins.

  [Gardener’s Bag: Keeps agricultural products in a stable condition. Maximum capacity: 150 kilograms.] It was a small waist pouch that didn’t look like it could hold much, yet it had the power to store up to 150 kilograms. Jinyo had noticed the problem during his fight with the Locust Demon—if he could pull out Explosion Potatoes or Happy Carrots to eat, he could continuously restore his energy. And if he ate Immortal Rice, it would stimulate his body to recover energy even faster.

  For Jinyo, who had a special body, carrying agricultural products was far more useful than ordinary recovery potions. They took up more space, sure, but if he stored them in a portable waist pouch, that drawback would disappear. Even though it was a bit pricey, Jinyo hit the purchase button without hesitation.

  Another new addition was [Heavenly Orchid Seeds], outrageously expensive at 2,999 per packet—twenty times more expensive than Immortal Rice. He ordered them along with Immortal Rice seeds and Explosion Potato seeds. Once he completed the payment, the goods were delivered to his cabin. He saw the waist pouch and a suspicious-looking seed packet. Jinyo slung the waist pouch over his shoulder instead of wearing it at his waist, then stored all the Moonlight-status Explosion Potatoes inside, followed by the large Happy Carrots and sacks of Immortal Rice until everything was packed away.

  He used Bloodline Inference to inspect the new seeds.

  [Name: Heavenly Orchid]

  [Status: None]

  [Growing Conditions: Spirit Energy above 10. Sprite Blessing bonus above E.]

  [Temperament: Likes cool air and water. Hates heat and arid places. Likes to cling to trees and absorb nutrients from other plants. Hates storms.]

  [Dominant Genes: [Beauty 2-Star] [Fragrance 1-Star] [Medicinal Properties 1-Star] [Spirit Energy Production 3-Star] [Flora Element 1-Star]]

  [Recessive Genes: [Heat Sensitivity 2-Star] [Low Yield 1-Star] [Slow Growth 2-Star]]

  Description: A parasitic plant that enjoys attaching itself to the trunks of other tree species. It absorbs the host’s nutrients in exchange for helping the host develop its power faster—a mutualistic relationship. It is a flower species from a different world that thrives on dense Spirit Energy. It grows best in areas with Spirit Energy above 50. Once it matures, it can produce enormous amounts of Spirit Energy. Its flowers can be brewed into tea. Its roots can be ground into ingredients for blood-nourishing and spirit-enhancing medicines. Its seeds have the power to nourish the Flora Element.

  Jinyo felt immensely relieved. It seemed the Heavenly Orchid truly was something exceptional—well worth the Soul Coins spent! He didn’t hesitate to plant it. Based on the description, the Heavenly Orchid seemed like a pampered princess, extremely picky about its growing conditions. Forget about Spirit Energy of 50—just getting to 20 would have Jinyo coughing blood. Its minimum requirement was 10 Spirit Energy, which the garden currently had in abundance.

  Jinyo filled a pot with soil and sowed the seeds. Once it grew, he would find a tree to serve as its host.

  “365 days to grow... It takes a whole year to fully mature! And something like this isn’t even Divine-grade seeds like the Immortal Rice?”

  Jinyo checked and found that Immortal Rice was Divine-grade while the Heavenly Orchid was Legendary-grade. Immortal Rice only took 120 days to grow! He couldn’t understand the system’s evaluation at all. But if he measured it, Immortal Rice was probably more important—easy to cultivate, good yield, and could be used continuously. The Heavenly Orchid, on the other hand, not only had low yield since it was a flower, but it also took far too long to grow!

  What was interesting, though, was just how much Spirit Energy it could produce. Even the Immortal Rice that generated the most Spirit Energy didn’t have the [Spirit Energy Production] trait. Jinyo had set very high expectations for it. Unfortunately, he had used up almost all of his Incubation Tickets by now. He called the little rabbit over to talk and instructed it to take special care of the Heavenly Orchid. If it didn’t do a good job, he wouldn’t let it draw Happy Carrots for several days. Since the Heavenly Orchid was valuable and Jinyo placed great importance on it.

  Jinyo returned to the mansion and mashed ten Moonlight-status Explosion Potatoes into a pot. He boiled them until soft, then mashed them, seasoning with butter, milk, and whipped cream, adding salt and pepper, blending until smooth before pouring into bowls. Finally, he baked them. The aroma of the mashed potatoes spread throughout the entire mansion and drifted all the way to the surrounding village.

  The aroma of the mashed potatoes was overwhelmingly powerful. Neighbors who normally paid no attention to Southern Cross Mansion began wandering out onto the street, peering through the empty front gate. Their hearts were restless and agitated.

  What was that smell? It was absolutely divine!

  If not for a shred of remaining dignity, they would have barged in and asked Jinyo already. The aroma was like food bestowed from the heavens above. Naho and Rice were the first two to wake up. The gluttonous aunt and niece duo, who were both members of the Explosion Potato Fan Club, could barely contain themselves from running downstairs from the second floor.

  Jinyo sat reading his [Botanical Arts] textbook and was surprised that Naho—who was famously the latest sleeper, the type who wouldn’t wake unless the sun was burning her backside—came running in with her hair a complete mess.

  “Bro Yo! What are you making?! It smells incredible!”

  “Daddy Yo, I wanna eat it so bad!”

  Rice flashed her adorable smile at her father. Her heart was pounding and she could barely wait to taste it. His little sister hugged him from behind while his daughter clung to his lap. Jinyo was ambushed from all directions with no power to resist. He sighed and gave each of them a small bowl of mashed potatoes.

  Rina came downstairs carrying her son. Her expression seemed annoyed, as if she was in a bad mood from having her sleep disturbed. Gretel’s attention was also fixed on the mashed potatoes. He denied being a slave to Explosion Potatoes, but who could resist this tantalizing aroma? Today’s potato aroma was different from other days—it was mysterious and indescribable. For some reason, Gretel detected a scent of nighttime from those potatoes.

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  “Everyone, come eat together.”

  Jinyo smiled as Rina and Gretel came down. He would distribute the mashed potatoes equally to everyone. One bowl of mashed potatoes was made from one Explosion Potato. Everyone in the Southern Cross household would get two bowls each.

  The mashed potatoes were served with a creamy onion sauce. The texture was smooth and delicate. The sweet, buttery flavor with a hint of saltiness from the salt and cream seeped into their taste buds. Rina shuddered the instant she swallowed it. It was converted into energy that nourished her body. She could feel that if she went to train in this state, her training efficiency would increase tremendously.

  “Delicious. Absolutely incredible. So good I could die.”

  Naho’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t believe this was just stupid mashed potatoes. How could the flavor be so profound? It was just mashed potatoes with creamy onion sauce, wasn’t it? Or had her brother added some secret ingredient she didn’t know about?

  Rice and Gretel used small spoons to scoop mashed potatoes into their mouths. The children lost control of their hands. They didn’t have the nuanced thoughts of adults—delicious food was simply delicious food. They simply thought that getting to eat something yummy was a good thing.

  Ever since moving in with Jinyo, the two siblings had been eating well every day and gaining weight. Gretel worried that the weight gain would affect his training. But when he looked at his half-sister, Rice seemed to no longer care whether she’d be called a little piggy or not. She begged Jinyo for dozens of Explosion Potatoes every day. Even though the potatoes were magical plants, they provided far more calories than regular potatoes. At this rate, Gretel would soon be able to call Rice “Little Piggy” for real.

  “Urk... Bro Yo... You didn’t put anything weird in this, did you?”

  Naho’s pretty face was contorted. She clutched her stomach, feeling a twisting pain in her intestines.

  “No, I didn’t. This batch of potatoes was just harvested last night. And I only used fresh ingredients. I even made the onion sauce from scratch myself.”

  “N-No... I can’t hold it anymore!”

  Naho sprinted to the bathroom before she could turn the dining room into the scene of the most terrible tragedy. With their sharp senses, Rina and Jinyo could hear the rumbling sounds from inside the bathroom. Naho moaned and suffered greatly during her moment of relief.

  “Jinyo, this isn’t ordinary Explosion Potato, is it? I’m not as gullible as Naho. You can’t fool me.”

  “It’s Explosion Potato with a special status. Like what you gave me to eat that day.”

  “A special status? So that’s what it is. No wonder it felt like something was different.”

  Rina furrowed her brows, contemplating the sensation she’d gotten from eating the mashed potatoes. She felt that she had gained enormous benefits from just one bowl. If she could distribute these to her unit, that would be wonderful. But produce with special status values wasn’t something easily obtained.

  She turned to look at the children, who had also eaten the mashed potatoes. Gretel showed no particular changes. But after a moment, Rice’s complexion began to shift. The little girl’s body temperature was rising bit by bit. Jinyo and Rina grew alarmed as their adorable little girl’s face turned bright red.

  “Rice, what’s wrong? Are you still conscious? Talk to Mama Rina.”

  “I feel dizzy... and tired.”

  Rice’s eyes drooped. She was clearly drowsy and exhausted. Jinyo was terrified inside, knowing he was the cause. He had only wanted the children to enjoy delicious potatoes—especially Rice, who loved Explosion Potatoes so much. He opened the system to check on Rice’s current condition and discovered a startling message.

  [Your daughter, Rice Palmer, has consumed produce with a special status. Commencing bloodline enhancement: Primordial Flora. Progress: 0.001%]

  “Bloodline enhancement?”

  “What?”

  Rina turned to look at Jinyo.

  “Rice is undergoing a bloodline enhancement. The same type of bloodline as mine. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

  Undergoing bloodline enhancement at a young age would give her an enormous advantage—a head start that would put her development above other children. Jinyo had been deeply worried at first, but now it turned out to be something to celebrate.

  “Gretel, you don’t feel unwell anywhere, do you?”

  Rina turned to ask her son, who was sitting in a daze.

  “My head feels foggy.”

  Gretel was also starting to turn red, though he wasn’t as drowsy as his sister. His thoughts and reactions had just slowed down a bit.

  “Phew... I thought I was going to die. I never knew my own stuff could smell that bad. And the color was so dark too. I really shouldn’t have looked in the toilet bowl. Sorry, my dear eyes. You had to witness such a horrifying sight.”

  Naho dragged her depleted body back to her brother and the children. The dining room was now in chaos. Jinyo turned to look at his sister and used Bloodline Inference to check. If Gretel and Rice had undergone bloodline enhancement, then what about Naho, his twin sister who shared an even closer bloodline?

  The result showed nothing had changed. Naho had not received a bloodline enhancement because she didn’t possess the [Primordial Flora] bloodline limit. However, what had changed slightly was that her Planar had increased by 2,000 units, and her already high durability stat had risen even further.

  “Huh? What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

  “Well...”

  Jinyo gave Naho a rough explanation—that what he’d fed them was Explosion Potato with a special status, and that Gretel and Rice had begun undergoing bloodline enhancement, which was making the two little ones feel unwell.

  “Then why didn’t I get a bloodline enhancement too?!”

  “Because you don’t have a special bloodline.”

  Rina answered before Jinyo could speak.

  Naho stood clutching her chest, devastated as if struck by lightning through the heart. “I’m his actual twin sister, so why am I just an ordinary person? I want to have a special bloodline like everyone else!”

  “In that case, we probably shouldn’t take them to the exam site. Both of them should rest at home.”

  Jinyo had wanted to take the children to see the exam site to broaden their horizons. But if they were in the middle of bloodline enhancement, they would surely be exhausted and in pain. He couldn’t bear the thought of the adorable children suffering outside.

  “No! I’m going. I’m not weak. I’m going too!”

  Gretel reacted with fierce resistance. His dream was to become a great Hunter like his mother. He wanted to see the Hunter Exam with his own eyes. Most importantly, he wasn’t that weak. To prove it to his parents, Gretel climbed up and stood on his chair, showing them he was still strong and fully alert—he just felt a bit tired, that’s all.

  Jinyo checked the progress of Gretel’s bloodline enhancement. It was nearly ten times slower than Rice’s. Gretel probably really wasn’t as fatigued as his sister.

  “Alright then. Rina, what do you think?”

  “If we know what’s causing it, there’s nothing to worry about. Just take some medicine and electrolytes. But if you start whining about being tired, I won’t take you anywhere again.”

  “Yes, ma’am!”

  “I wanna go too.”

  Rice spoke softly.

  “I wanna go too. Please don’t leave me behind.”

  “Hmm.”

  Jinyo looked at his daughter, her face flushed red, temperature rising. If he brought Rice along, would it be putting the little girl through too much suffering? Even if it was what Rice wanted, he couldn’t give in.

  “Rice, I want to take you too. But with a fever this high, it’d be too dangerous. It’s better to stay home. I’ll take you out another day.”

  “Bu—”

  Before Rice could finish, another voice cut in.

  “That’s right, that’s right! Big Sis Naho will stay with you. You won’t be alone, okay?”

  “No...”

  “Huh?”

  Naho blinked rapidly.

  “Don’t leave me... I want to go too. Please. Don’t leave me behind.”

  Rice trembled as clear tears fell from her eyes like raindrops. Jinyo had never seen Rice cry since the day he first met his daughter. Rina reached out to touch the little girl’s head, but her hand froze mid-air. Her lips stilled as if something had just occurred to her.

  “Nobody’s leaving Rice behind, okay? We’ll hurry there and hurry back. Or once the fever goes down, we can have Naho drive her over later. The exam doesn’t end in just the morning—there’s an evening session too.”

  Rina’s hand gently touched the little girl’s head. Rice whimpered even more. In the end, Jinyo had to steel his heart and leave his daughter at home. A child like Rice could go into shock if the fever got too high. He didn’t know if taking medicine and sleeping would bring the fever down, since the fever was a side effect of the bloodline enhancement.

  Cutting back to Gretel, who still looked fine—he seemed to hesitate about whether to stay by his unwell sister’s side, but ultimately chose to follow his parents and get into the rental car.