Chapter 11: Mana Recovery effect

In the meantime, In the outer border of the wilderness, four people are resting together. Among them were two mages and two knights. They were resting after battling a group of low-level goblins, which were threats from the training stage. They belonged to the group of Darian Velastra, heir of the powerful Velastra family—a respected house known for its legacy in arcane research, magical trade, and quiet influence. The head of the family, Lord Elric Velastra, was a master-level mage and one of the most influential figures in the region. His son, Darian, had only recently awakened but carried the full weight of his family’s expectations. What most people didn’t realize was that the Velastra family also operated a low-ranked guild, quietly tucked beneath their noble reputation. Officially registered as a C-rank guild, the Velastra Guild appeared unimpressive. But in truth, it was for hunting and resource-gathering operations The guild was led by Orlen Velastra, a master-level mage and distant cousin to the family line. Though semi-retired, Orlen managed the guild with strategic precision, making sure it remained under the radar. He let people believe that the guild was small; he oversaw adept-level experts—mages, knights, scouts, and even beast tamers—each experienced in field combat and dungeon runs. They hunted not for glory, but for raw magical materials: monster cores, hides, alchemical blood, and mana-rich organs. These were sold discreetly to enchanters, alchemists, smiths, and even military buyers. Keeping the guild "low rank" was a tactic—it avoided taxes, scrutiny, and political meddling. It also gave young Velastras like Darian a place to train in the real world, without being burdened by noble eyes. Darian had recently reached Apprentice Peak, thanks to a mana potion. Eager to prove himself, he requested a field mission—his first real outing. His butler, a calm and loyal knight at Adept Peak, had accompanied him. Alongside them were two hired escorts—a mage and a knight, both at the mid-adept level. Their job was clear: keep the young master alive. Right now, all four were exhausted. Darian, especially, had pushed himself hard. He’d already used one mana potion and was sitting on a fallen log, chest rising and falling, the last of his strength barely holding on. But he was proud. He had gained something important—battle experience. Just as they were about to leave the area, a sudden roar split the quiet. They turned sharply. From the shadows burst a massive goblin—taller than any of them, wearing jagged armor and carrying a cruel, rune-etched blade. Panic swept through the group. This was no scout—it was the leader of the horde they’d just wiped out. The three escorts—Darian’s butler, the knight, and the mage—gulped down their final mana recovery potions and readied their weapons. The goblin didn’t wait. It lunged at the butler, its blade crashing into his shield with enough force to send him stumbling. The second knight struck from the side, but the goblin kicked him back, then ducked under a firebolt from the mage and countered with a vicious slash. The fight was raw and brutal. The group held their ground through training and teamwork. The butler was the knight, so he fought with shield and sword, holding the line, commanding the group. Darian stood at the rear, casting minor support spells: barriers, deflection charms, and reinforcement threads. His breathing was uneven, but he kept going. After a vicious struggle, the goblin captain overextended in a heavy downward swing. The butler seized the chance, plunging his sword into the goblin’s side. The second knight followed up with a clean strike to the neck. The goblin collapsed. Dead. The battlefield fell silent—except for their gasps. Everyone dropped to the ground, completely drained. Mana spent. Limbs heavy. Even Darian’s vision blurred from exhaustion. If another monster shows up, we’re finished, he thought. They all began searching their bags, hands trembling, desperate for something—anything—to keep them moving. The butler finally pulled out a cloth bundle. Inside were two raw potatoes. Darian stared. "Those... from that shop Uncle Velor told us to visit?" The butler gave a nod. "Yeah, from that shop." "They’re raw." "We’ll boil them." With no better option, they got to work. The knight lit a small fire, while the mage conjured a weak flame to help heat water. They dropped the potatoes into a travel pot with the last of their clean water. The smell was plain—but to them, it was hope. When they were soft enough, they peeled them, split them, and began eating. A few minutes passed. Then it happened. A slow warmth stirred inside them. Their bodies felt lighter. Their minds are clearer. Mana was returning. Darian’s eyes widened. He quickly tapped his enchanted bracelet. A translucent screen flickered up: Name: Darian Velastra Race: Human Path: Mage Level: Apprentice Peak Mana: 20/50 He stared as the number slowly continued to rise. "...It’s real," he said. "The potato—it’s restoring my mana." The others froze. That simple vegetable had done more than their expensive mana recovery potions. They had laughed at the shop before—called it shabby. Worthless. But now, one of its products had just saved their lives. They exchanged glances. "We’re going back," Darian said, standing up with renewed strength. They all nodded. In the meantime, after purchasing the tomato seeds, Rowen left the shop. He had paid one low-grade mana stone, which left him with eight. After walking for a while, he arrived back at his shop. He unlocked the front door, stepped inside, and locked it again from the inside. Then he went upstairs to his room. There, he called out. "Fern." The little sprite appeared a moment later, floating in the air as usual, still half-asleep. "Portal," Rowen said. "Let’s go." Fern rolled his eyes but made a small circle in the air with his finger. A soft shimmer appeared, and the portal opened. Rowen stepped through. On the other side, the familiar scent of soil hit him. The next batch of potatoes is ready to harvest. Rowen’s face lit up. "Nice." He walked closer, crouched down, and checked He could harvest now. After that, he could plant the next batch—this time including the tomato seeds he’d just bought. He moved row by row, pulling each glowing potato from the ground and placing them into a basket. The potatoes were firm, warm, and pulsing slightly with stored mana. After finishing the harvest, he also got the seeds from them, just like Fern said. With that done, he looked over the field. There was still energy left in the land, but not enough to sustain a next batch. If he planted now, growth would be slow—too slow to be worth it. He needed to recharge the field. Rowen pulled out four low-grade mana stones from his bag and tossed them to Fern. "Recharge the field with these." Fern caught them midair, grinning. "Finally." The fern bit into the mana stones like they were a snack and began absorbing the energy. Within seconds, the field shimmered slightly—the soft glow of mana spreading back into the soil. "That should be enough," Rowen said, watching the light settle. Now fully recharged, the field was ready. But Rowen was left with only five mana stones in his pouch. Then he started to plant the next batch of potatoes and tomatoes. He worked steadily, placing each seed carefully into the soil—potatoes in the same rows as before and tomatoes in a new section off to the side. He made sure the spacing was right and covered them with just enough dirt. It didn’t take long, but he double-checked everything before standing up. Now, it was just a matter of time. Then he thought of something and asked, "How much time is this tomato going to take before it fully matures?" As he said it, another thought hit him. Do I have to remember all this? Track each crop? Plan it all by myself? What about the energy levels, timing, seed count... all of it? It felt like too much to manage alone. He turned toward Fern. "Hey... Can’t you handle all that stuff?" Rowen asked. "Like, manage the energy reserves without me opening the portal every time? And recharge it whenever it drops? You could also handle the planting and harvesting when it’s ready, right?" Fern floated in silence for a second. Then nodded casually. "Yeah. I can do all that." Rowen stared at him. "...Then why didn’t you tell me this before?" Fern shrugged, looking completely unbothered. "You never asked." Rowen gave him a sharp glare. "You’re unbelievable." He sighed. At least now he knew. If Fern could handle the behind-the-scenes work, that meant no more running back and forth just to check mana levels or worry about the land going dry. That alone made everything a lot easier.