novelraw Chapter 5: Working Overtime
Chapter 5: Working Overtime
When the pizza was finally placed in front of Leon, he swallowed hard at the sight of the thing—bigger than a washbasin. Just from the size alone, it outclassed every pizza he had ever eaten before. This was a monster, over fourteen inches across!
Normally, a pizza of this size could feed three or four people comfortably. Now, presented to Leon alone, it gave him quite a shock.
Seeing Leon’s surprise, Gus leaned close to his ear and whispered, “This one’s made just for you. Life on a farm burns through a lot of calories. Even if you can’t finish it, you can always take the rest home for breakfast tomorrow, right?”
“Thanks.” Leon remembered that his little farmhouse didn’t have any ingredients for cooking. He had no idea what he was going to do for breakfast tomorrow, so he quickly thanked Gus.
This plump bar owner and chef really did have a thoughtful side.
Gus chuckled and reminded him, “Go on, eat it while it’s hot. And if you ever get too busy to cook, you can place an order here. I can have someone deliver to your farm, so you won’t need to make a trip into town just for a meal.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Leon nodded. After all, this was a real need—his wooden cabin didn’t have any cookware yet.
He picked up a pre-sliced piece and took a bite. The rich cheese and soft crust were deeply satisfying. It was an American-style pizza, heavier on toppings than the traditional Italian variety, but that didn’t hurt its flavor one bit.
Along with the cheese and butter, there was basil and chopped ham, with onion and black pepper to enhance the taste. Every bite was addictive.
When you’re hungry, carbs are the best fuel. After three large slices, even Leon felt stuffed. He glanced at the five remaining slices and washed them down with the rest of his peach juice.“I’m full, Gus. You really are a great cook—this was an excellent dinner.”
Pleased, Gus grinned. “Of course. As long as you’re full. I’ll pack up the rest for you.”
As Gus helped him pack the leftovers, Leon looked around the bar. When he’d first arrived, a lot of people had eyed him curiously. Now, everyone was wrapped up in their own drinks and conversations. Even Jodi, who had brought him here, had found some friends and was sharing beers with them.
Leon suddenly remembered he still owed Jodi a beer. He turned to Gus. “Put Jodi’s drink on my tab. How much?”
“Twenty,” Gus said after glancing at the beer in front of Jodi.
Leon blinked. That was pricier than he expected, but he paid without complaint.
“Wondering why it’s so expensive?” Gus asked with a knowing smile.
“Yeah,” Leon admitted. It was a normal thing to ask—unless you were rolling in cash, few people ignored prices.
“She ordered a pitcher for four people, not just herself. Knowing Jodi, if she’d known you were buying, she would have just gotten a single bottle of stout.”
“No problem. Making friends, after all.” Leon didn’t dwell on it. With his pizza in hand, he said goodbye to Gus and walked over to Lewis.
“Lewis, I’m heading back to the farm. Thanks for dinner—this really is a great bar.”
Lewis put down his glass and patted Leon on the shoulder. “Of course, lad. Heading back now? Get some rest. I’ll come by to check on you tomorrow morning, so don’t sleep in too late.”
“Alright.” Leon didn’t mind the visit—Lewis was the mayor of Pelican Town, after all. Checking in on a farm was part of his job.
After saying goodbye to Marnie and Jodi, Leon started the walk home.
Truth be told, even though this was a rural town, without the pollution of neon lights, the night sky was filled with stars and a bright moon. Occasionally, a breeze from the valley would carry the scent of flowers to his nose. It was peaceful and pleasant.
By now, the square was nearly empty. It seemed most people here really did live by the rhythm of sunrise and sunset.
Leaving Pelican Town, the dirt road to his farm wasn’t too dark. The moon and stars gave enough light to see where he was going. The walk was uneventful, and he soon reached his farmhouse. Glancing at his quiet, moonlit fields, Leon felt an itch in his hands.
He set the boxed pizza inside and went to the plot of land closest to his cabin. Pulling out his pickaxe, he began clearing the piles of stones on the ground.
In theory, these piles could be cleared by hand, but since this was a system-provided pickaxe, it probably had special properties—just like the scythe he’d used earlier.
Sure enough, with one solid swing, Leon felt a clear jolt from the impact. The pile of stones cracked but didn’t disappear like weeds; it simply got smaller.
Another swing, and the pile shrank further. On the third strike, it broke apart entirely, scattering fist-sized stones on the ground.
Stone (Resource): A common material with wide use in construction and processing.
He put the stones into his backpack and noticed two chunks of black, moonlit-reflecting ore underneath.
Coal (Resource): A combustible ore used for processing and smelting.
It was a nice find, but not particularly exciting. Stone piles sometimes yielded coal, but Leon was hoping for something rarer—like a geode.
Take one of those to the blacksmith, and you could crack it open for all kinds of treasures, including rare minerals you couldn’t even find in the mines. Whether sold for gold or donated to the museum for rewards, they were always worth it.
A sort of mineral mystery box—fun and rewarding.
No geode this time, but it wasn’t a big deal. Leon kept clearing the stone piles.
Once he’d finished cleaning this patch of land until it was completely free of debris, he put away his pickaxe. After a short rest, he pulled out his hoe, ready for the most important pre-planting ritual—tilling the soil.