Stardew Valley’s Farming Master

Chapter 173

Since Demetrius had already said as much, Leon wasn’t about to go sticking his warm face to a cold backside. After finishing watering his crops, he went over to check his mailbox.

It was completely empty. Not a single letter. That gave Leon a bit of a headache.

He’d been looking for the payment envelope for the two gems he’d shipped last time, but clearly, they were still somewhere along the road to being sold.

Leon figured that Lewis would probably deliver it along with the batch of goods sold yesterday, so he didn’t dwell on it. He glanced at Demetrius fiddling with instruments near the cave, then hopped on his bike and left the farm.

As for whether Demetrius might suddenly act on some deep-rooted racial instinct to do a “zero-cost acquisition” on his farm once he left, Leon wasn’t worried in the slightest.

If Demetrius really dared to try that, Leon reckoned he could get himself a nice big house out of it. After all, the value of the loss wasn’t about how much Demetrius took, but about how much Leon decided to charge. Whether Demetrius agreed or not wouldn’t matter.

The value of a local scientist was nowhere near that of a farmer who could produce high-quality crops. Leon was certain someone would step in to handle the matter on his behalf.

Still, it was most likely just a fantasy. No matter how much Demetrius disliked him, the man was highly educated. He hadn’t even dared drive straight in to modify the cave—he’d gotten out of his vehicle to personally ask Leon for permission to enter. Someone like that doing a “zero-cost acquisition” would be downright bizarre.

Leon headed south—towards the Coal Forest. His chat with Linus yesterday had given him two reasons to be here.

First, to find the secret room and see if it was the inheritance chamber his grandfather had left behind. Second, to meet with Rasmodius and confirm when they would deliver the Neptune Greatsword, a relic of the merfolk warrior, back to its people.He decided the first task was to find the chamber.

When he reached the clearing above the Sewer Drain outlet, he began a thorough search, focusing on the eastern rock face. Before long, he spotted a section of rock hidden behind a bush with bumps that were clearly not naturally formed.

Leon cleared the brush and pressed his hands to the bumps. He soon realized these stones, disguised to look like natural rock, could actually be pushed. He pressed hard.

With a click, the mechanism triggered. The rock wall split apart to the sides, revealing a heavy iron door hidden behind it.

There was no keyhole, no handle, and it fit snugly into the frame in the stone. Leon tried pushing it but couldn’t budge it. He began examining it for other ways to open it.

“Smart as you are, your clever head isn’t the key to this place. You’re not ready for it yet. Best come back another time.”

Leon was crouched, wondering if he could dig a tunnel underneath, when Rasmodius’s voice came from above.

He straightened up and greeted the wizard who had somehow appeared beside him without his notice. “Morning, Rasmodius. Out for a stroll too?”

Rasmodius gave him a look. “Did you not hear what I just said?”

“I heard you. But since you already said I can’t open it now, why waste time worrying about it? Might as well greet you properly,” Leon explained.

“….”

The wizard could only stare. Even someone as far from ordinary as he was couldn’t get used to Leon’s way of thinking. Fortunately, he had a way to change the topic.

“You should have the Neptune Greatsword by now. Are you ready to visit the merfolk with me?”

“Uh… we’re just going like this?” Leon felt uneasy. He’d been looking forward to the meeting, but he wasn’t prepared. If he’d known Rasmodius was in such a rush, he would’ve put on a sharp suit and slicked back his hair to look more mature.

Naturally, it was all to make a good first impression on the mermaid ladies—and maybe see if he could develop a “special friendship” with one who caught his eye.

“Were you planning to bring gifts?” Rasmodius asked helplessly. “Not necessary. This isn’t a party—we’re delivering an obituary. Keep it simple.”

“Alright then. How are we getting there?” Leon asked, nodding as he realized the solemn nature of their task.

“Teleportation.”

The wizard stepped forward, gripped Leon’s shoulder, and in the next moment, both vanished into thin air.

Behind them, the secret door began to seal itself. The rock walls slid back into place, perfectly blending into the surrounding cliff. Even the bushes Leon had cleared regrew, as though time itself had reversed.

Meanwhile, Leon was staring, wide-eyed, at the enormous glowing bubble standing at the bottom of the ocean. Inside was a town of coral and crystal buildings straight out of a fairy tale, their light stark against the dim seawater outside.

But what truly caught his attention were the two mermaids before them, each holding a Neptune Greatsword identical to the one in his pack.

Both had long, sea-blue hair and strikingly beautiful features, each in her own way. The seashells covering their chests left just enough to the imagination to make Leon’s head spin.

“Guardian, welcome,” said the more mature-looking of the two, smiling warmly at Rasmodius. Both crossed their hands over their chests in salute.

Rasmodius returned the gesture. Leon copied him, though his clumsy imitation made the mermaids giggle before they hurried to compose themselves.

“You don’t need to use that salute,” Rasmodius told him. “It’s a wizard’s greeting. You’re not a wizard.”

“I was just trying to be respectful,” Leon muttered, embarrassed.

The wizard rolled his eyes. “Take me to the queen. I’ve already informed her of our purpose.”