As he woke up and opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was that Chris is gone, only her blanket remained. He hung his head down to look if his friends were still sleeping, which they did. His plans, to make a potato, carrot and wheat farm(Fuck beetroot.)
He quietly slipped out of the pillow fortress, before heading out towards the guild, why, he needed information, and also it felt almost logical to ask if they had potatoes.
"Morning, Luna."
"Morning, Svetislav, It's been a while. What can i do for you?"
"Yeah, uh does the guild have any potatoes? It's alright if it's budding too."
She blinked and looked at his weirdly. "Well, probably... You can ask the cooks for this."
"Alright, thanks!"
"No problem!"
"Also do you know if there is a gardener in town?"
"Yes, he is near the eastern gate, just go right right before you are about to leave town, you will find him. He is a sweet old man."
"Alright, thanks again. See you later!"
"See you."
With that he headed to the restaurant area of the guild, he sat down menacingly.
A waitress came to him. "Hello, what can i get you?"
Svetislav looked at her. "A single raw potato."
"A-Alright???" She said confused, before going to the cooks and saying the order.
After a minute his potato came, on a plate, knife and form.
"Here you go, sir. Anything else?" She said trying to hold her laughter.
"No, thank you."
"Alright, if you need me for anything, you can call me. Enjoy your meal." Out of politeness she turned around taking a deep breath.
In that moment his friends walked in, they looked at him.
"Hey guys!" He said, lifting a single hand to greet them.
They looked at him weirdly, but eventually joined him.
"What are you going to do with that?" Kazuma asked with a raised eyebrow, half-mocking.
"I'm going to farm it." Svetislav answered with utter seriousness, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Darkness leaned forward, intrigued. "So you plan to feed the people? How noble..."
"No, not really." He spun the potato in his hand, making it rotate at an unimaginable rpm. "This one's mine. Potatoes are tasty." The potato vanished into his astral storage.
Aqua puffed her cheeks. "That's boring! You should plant grapes and make wine."
"You are banned from my farms." Svetislav said flatly, looking quickly at her.
"WHAT?! But-!"
"I do admit, that's a good project idea, but not now. I would rather have infinite food, before being infinitely drunk."
Kazuma smirked, watching Aqua melt down in exaggerated despair, and muttered, "This is probably for the best..."
A moment of silence followed, just to be broken again. "Hey, we are going on a quest. Wanna come with us?"
Svetislav's shoulder bounced and stood high for a moment. "As much as i like hanging with you guys, I have got to meet with this gardener Luna mentioned." He stood up, and waved lazily before leaving. "Good luck, and see you later."
And so he headed out of the guild and towards the east gate. The world was just waking up, people heading out to do what they had set themselves up to do. Svetislav reached the open gate, he turned right, as instructed, and continued, until he spot an slightly rounded old man, reading a book with glasses.
"Morning." Svetislav called out.
"Ah, a new face." He said with a voice so gentle, yet holding manliness. "What brings you here, young man?"
"I was looking for seeds."
"Hmm, usually i don't sell seeds, but i could tell that you are special. I have seeds at home, if you want you can return tomorrow to take them. What seeds do you need?"
"Carrots and wheat."
"That's ease enough. In the spirit of trading, i will give them to you for ten thousand eris."
"In the spirit of not having to feel guilty about exploiting my plants, i will give you one million."
"No, that's not necessary."
"I insist."
The man gave a sigh, there has been a talk around a person over paying for everything. "You are the tycoon?"
"Tycoon? Cool title, and yes. I am the best cabbage farmer."
"So you are planning to automate the entire process of growing these crops? My grandkids keep bragging to me about what they saw."
"They have been entering my property?"
"It seems, my apologies for this." The man apologized, leaning forward.
"It's fine. I just need to not forget to lock next time..." Svetislav said, looking to the side, already thinking of leaving.
"Nothing is holding you here, you can go."
"Yep, probably best i keep on moving. Tomorrow at the same time?"
"I usually come here before sun rise."
"Ain't it dangerous."
"Young man, i used to be an adventurer - ain't no evil taking me. Now go."
"Have a great day." Svetislav said walking away.
"You too." The man said with a smile.
And so Svetislav went across town to go through the other exit that was towards his farm lands.
His plan for today was just to draw outlines, maybe take a nap and make schematics with his skill, so it's easier to build later. He went back to the land of the widow, and stuck planks where the perimeters were... Actually, why is he doing this? It doesn't matter the size, in his dream he will build it how he sees fit.
He went inside his cabbage farm, on the second floor, and placed down a few pillows down before laying down and closing his eyes. His feet hung over the armrest.
He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, focusing on it, to avoid unnecessary thoughts which would slow the process down. In thirty or so minutes he was out cold.
Back to the drawing board, back to the field of creativity. He began with a simple question: "Where do i start?"
"All is fine"
He thought that the potato and carrot farm would be better, so he decided to do something else entirely - instead of building them spaced out, he would make himself a small room, a toilet, a bath, and a bedroom, the idea is that it would be better to sleep here if it gets too dark - the first time wasn't pleasant, felt like a horror game.
The project was simple, He would make the farm wider, which meant that he would have to install support beams, because all the engineering videos haven't prepared him for something wide on both end and also flat.
So now his build would seem more like a ware house than a farm... It kind of never looked like a farm unless you looked inside.
He continued building in his mind, moving onto a wheat farm, which he immediately promoted to a wheat factory, he thought of making bread, but he didn't know how to make yeast, so it wouldn't be that kind of bread. Then he got an idea, ships biscuit, one time he saw this survival food come up in a documentary, it seems to have stuck with him well.
It was a simple recipe, water, flour and a lot of working the dough, then it is baked on low heat for a while.
So he began with the harvesting part, the first part, the metal cylinder, in it were multiple floors, in each one can plant. The harvester was like the one in the cabbage farm, but unlike it, this one went in a circle, after harvesting it plants the next generation and dumps the rest into a grinder, which he planned to power with steam engine. It simply felt more fitting.
The building was made out of red bricks, lime mortar, and a few windows as well as a metal wall with a mechanism only he can use.
And so he began with the machines, first the grinder, the teeth of the wheel that spun were outside, so it doesn't interfere with the falling wheat. After enough grinding the flour would fall in a basin, which would create water automatically when the amount of flour is sufficient. Then the mixer would come down and start mixing, until the dough is well mixed.
The system would check if it's ready and turn it information, moving it on a conveyor belt which would throw the dough in a kneading the dough until its stiff.
Then the machine throws it onto another conveyor, which would lead in between two wheels, flattening the dough and cutting it. The cut circles are sent to a slow moving conveyor belt which would cook them for several hours.
Just how he has been cooking in his mind for several hours now.
He finally decided to wake up.
His eyes opened to see the sun up and drooping slightly towards the west.
That was his cue to go home.
He stood up quickly, he felt fine for a few seconds, but then his vision began to darken. He held onto the railing for a second until his vision recovers, before continuing to walk.
This time he locks the door, before heading back to town.
The walk was more pleasant, a fresh mind perceives better.
The snow crunched under his boots, there were no birds to hear, just the gentle breeze, playing with the branches of the naked trees. It was calm, a lovely walk worth experiencing. It reminded him that everything was meant to be enjoyed.
Later that day he got back to the mansion to take a shower and lay a bit while waiting for his friends, but when they didn't come he went to the guild alone, by now the sun was nearing the horizon. "Hello, my dearest companions. I will join you in a minute." He said as he entered the guild.
His gaze turned to Luna, who sat behind the reception desk.
"I'm sorry in advance." He placed a bag of ten million eris, which rolled over and opened to shower her.
"Uh- what?!" Luna's voice cracked as she staggered back. The coins made quite the impact. "S-Svetislav! Does money mean anything to you?"
"Nope, it is a loyal tool to create my own heaven!" He struck a pose. Megumin approved the passion he had while saying that.
He dusted his hands. "Anyways, i need a lot of materials. Red bricks, iron, stone bricks, windows, many. Like four times the last purchase."
Luna struggled out of the coin pile. "A-after this kind of money dump, I don't think i have a choice!"
"You are right," Svetislav said, fishing another pouch from his astral storage - a big bag of money, which he placed in front of her.
"Here's one billion. When the bill comes, pay with it. When i get my materials, i will come to take my spare change."
Her jaw fell open. "One BILLION?! Are you crazy?!"
His comrades and many others turned to stare at him.
Svetislav, completely unfazed, game a tired shrug. "Yeah. Materials aren't free. Don't lose it, Luna." He turned around and went to his friends, while she pressed her forehead into the desk, muffling a scream with her hands.
And so he ordered himself some meat, salad and wine. He believed it was time to treat himself to some wine. The waitress brought his drink first, because pouring something is easier than cooking.
The wine was served in an iron goblet, which he took and drank from. Aqua looked at him and stopped drinking from her tankard, she immediately smiled sweetly and asked. "Svetislav, can i have a little sip?"
"No."
She didn't continue asking.
Megumin pulled on his sleeve. "Can i try some?"
"You know what we talked about."
"Yeah."
"Might as well let you know." He said quietly, before waving a hand and asked one of the waitresses for another goblet.
Darkness was eying him suspiciously.
Svetislav poured just a little bit and explained. "When you are trying wine, you usually smell it first, then a little sip. Wine is basically condensed fruit juice."
He handed her the drink. Darkness flinched, and Megumin didn't even sniff the wine before gulping it down. Svetislav frowned sadly, he was teaching her how to enjoy herself and she just drank it without a second thought.
"Why does she get a sip and i don't?! I'm deserving of it!" Aqua cried.
Svetislav turned to look at her. "Because you drank an entire bottle, every night, while i was still paying for your meals!!!"
"I couldn't resist it. It was calling to me!" She retorted pleadingly.
"I also get called by my own desires, but i have more self-control." Svetislav said, he then turned to the entire group. "Also, you guys should stop saying that alcohol is bad, cuz responsible drinking is an option." He then gazed directly at Darkness. "Just like you Darkness, you don't get drunk. Why don't you teach Megumin responsibilities, instead of keeping her blind and tempted?"
"She is too young to be drinking!" Darkness scolded.
"So what?! I started drinking at the age eight. Nah, just kidding. I sipped some alcohol for the first time when i was twelve or something like that."
"Yeah. And i'm fourteen. Why am i not allowed to drink?!" Megumin lashed out.
Darkness pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "Because you are still a child. I can't believe i have to explain this..."
"A child who can cast Explosion! I deserve the respect of an adult." She crossed her arms.
Svetislav sipped from his wine and placed the goblet down before saying. "Respect comes from responsibility, not age. You handled that sip fine... But you didn't actually drink it responsibly."
"What was i supposed to do? Darkness was going to take it from me." Megumin turned to him.
"Still, When you consume something do it with respect, you are not an animal." Svetislav explained.
Aqua, meanwhile, puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, clearly displeased. "I's still upset! I'm a goddess! If anyone deserves wine, it's me!"
"I would rather not have you drunk in the Palace of Dreams!" He said dramatically, his voice changing just when he refereed to his creation. "If you puke in it, i will rip your head off!"
"I-" Aqua faltered for a moment before huffing. "You're just stingy with your wine..."
In the meantime Darkness and Megumi were talking. "Look, the point is-"
Megumin cut her off mid sentence, her eyes gleaming with determination. "If i can handle casting Explosion every day, i can handle one little sip of wine or any other alcohol now and then."
"She's not wrong. Explosion's harder on the body than a sip of red."
Kazuma, who had remained inactive, let out a groan and leaned his face in his hands. "Great. Just what we needed... The underage Arch Wizard and the Tycoon teaming up to justify drinking."
"Hey, it's not just drinking. Learning how to drink responsibly. Big difference." Svetislav explained.
After a bit of this needless arguing, Svetislav decided to cut it short.
They all shut up. Darkness murmured that she would keep a closer eye on Megumin, but Svetislav decided to give her more hope. "I will let you try beer tomorrow, just a little bit, see what all the fuzz is about, if you like it, you like it, if you don't, don't drink it." To which Darkness gave him a smack, which he barely felt because he converted most of the impact into information, but he pretended like it did something.