novelraw Chapter 38: Cutting the Leeks
Chapter 38: Cutting the Leeks
When Leon finished his third bowl and set down the wooden bowl in his hand, Linus finally spoke.
“Full?”
“Mm, about ninety percent full,” Leon nodded. “Thanks for the meal. The fish soup was delicious.”
“As long as it’s delicious, that’s good, that’s good.” Linus chuckled, repeating himself. Then he tipped back the rest of his soup in one gulp, and casually grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground to smother the campfire.
Once he was sure the flames were out, Linus looked at Leon and said, “You’re a lot like your grandfather—so easy to get along with. But compared to him, you’re more carefree, while he, next to you, seems rather reserved.”
“So you know my grandfather too?” Leon was speechless. The old man’s presence in this valley was really something—every elder in Stardew Valley with a name seemed to know him.
“Yes, I do. He was an outstanding farmer,” Linus nodded, then offered Leon some encouragement. “I think you’ll be an outstanding farmer too—better than him, even.”
“Why do you think that?” Leon asked curiously.
“Because nature likes you, and the forest has acknowledged you.” With that, Linus stood up and reminded him, “Alright, you should head back now, child. The entrance to the mines has been damaged by some malicious miners, so you won’t be able to dig for ores there for the time being.”
“Alright. Goodbye, Mr. Linus.” Leon didn’t insist on staying. He stood, waved farewell, and turned to head down the mountain.He hadn’t come here to mine in the first place—just to wander. Meeting Linus had been an unexpected bonus. He knew that as one of the valley’s more unusual residents, the wandering hermit Linus lived in this area, but he had never deliberately sought him out.
When Leon stumbled upon him, his prior knowledge meant he wasn’t afraid of this strange old man living in a mountain tent. That was why he’d acted so naturally—he’d just meant to say hello.
He hadn’t expected to score a meal as well, or for Linus to change his view of him. In the game, Linus had seemed like just another homeless wanderer, with little background detail—a lonely old man living outside Pelican Town.
But every now and then, hints suggested he was more than he seemed. If the player’s friendship with him was high enough, he could even rescue them from a monster-infested mine in a pinch.
And at certain festivals, he’d be seen with the Wizard, the two apparently on very good terms.
Leon had already met the Wizard and knew he was a serious bigshot. If Linus was close to him, maybe Linus was a hidden bigshot too.
From what Linus had just said—nature likes you, the forest has acknowledged you—it seemed he might have sensed traces of the Forest Magic within Leon. Or maybe it was a blessing. Who knew?
Either way, these elders, Lewis included, were all like riddle-spewing sages. It was a bit exasperating.
Still, the bit about the mines was surprising, yet made sense.
In the game, some locations only unlocked over time—partly to give players time to prepare, partly so they weren’t overwhelmed early on.
But to see that mechanic carry over into reality was intriguing. Leon knew about the blocked mine entrance—caused by Joja’s illegal mining—but he hadn’t expected Joja to still be causing trouble here in the real Stardew Valley.
It gave him a vague idea, but one he’d need to discuss with Lewis before putting into action.
Following the same path back to his farm, Leon relieved himself in a secluded spot, then left again, heading toward Pelican Town.
When he arrived, he began looking for Lewis. The mayor wasn’t one to sit at home—he usually wandered around town, checking in on local businesses.
Of course, it was also a convenient excuse to visit Marnie, but who knew?
Fortunately, Leon didn’t have to search long. He spotted Lewis in front of Pierre’s General Store, standing at the bulletin board.
“Oh, Leon, there you are. Here to buy seeds from Pierre?” Lewis greeted him warmly.
“No, I’m here to see you, Lewis.” Leon shook his head. “Do you know about Joja’s illegal mining in the northern foothills that caused the cave-in and blocked the mine entrance?”
“I know. Joja reported it to me, and they’ve already sent workers to clear the debris. It should be fixed within a week,” Lewis replied with a nod.
“That’s it? No compensation or fines?” Leon pressed.
“Compensation? Why?” Lewis asked, looking puzzled.
“Because it was illegal mining. And they blocked the road through human negligence. Aren’t those valid reasons? Just a report and cleanup and that’s it?” Leon complained.
Lewis sighed and explained, “Yes, because that area’s considered abandoned. You’re new here, so you don’t know the situation. The mine was abandoned more than ten years ago after a cave-in and the appearance of many monsters inside. It no longer has any economic value.”
“And Joja, as a national chain, boosts the local economy, provides jobs, and pays taxes. As mayor, I need to give them some leeway to keep them in Pelican Town. Do you understand?”
“That doesn’t mean they can do whatever they want. Joja may run supermarkets, mining, manufacturing, transport, and sales, but as a former Joja employee, I can tell you—they need to file applications for these activities. So, did Morris from Joja submit an application to you for this mining?”
“No,” Lewis admitted after a moment’s thought.
“Exactly. Even for the sake of the local economy, you can’t let Joja get away with illegal mining. I’m sure the Fanjier Republic has laws about illegal mining, exploiting national resources, and damaging the local environment.” Leon wasn’t overly familiar with this world, but when it came to Joja, he knew what he was talking about—he’d worked at Joja’s headquarters in Zuzu City for nearly six months before moving to the farm.
“What are you suggesting?” Lewis asked, already suspecting but wanting to hear it from Leon.
“Don’t you want to boost Pelican Town’s economy? This is a perfect opportunity to cut the leeks. A fat sheep walks up to your door—wouldn’t it be a shame not to slaughter it?”