novelraw Chapter 61: The Ancient Mystery
Chapter 61: The Ancient Mystery
After leaving the blacksmith’s shop, Leon was riding his bicycle past the library when he unconsciously stopped to admire the building. It occupied a vast area, yet its exterior carried a charming vintage style—green walls, a purple roof, and hanging plants draped everywhere. He parked his bicycle under the wooden porch beneath the museum window.
Pushing open the library’s main doors, Leon saw the front desk at the far end of the hall, and behind it sat a bespectacled man with a mustache, reading a book.
Leon let his gaze wander further. The library was large, but the space immediately visible upon entering felt limited. To the right, nearly all the open space was filled with rows of bookshelves.
Although Lewis had mentioned that the library’s exhibits had been swept away by the previous curator, it seemed that the runaway curator hadn’t cared much for books. From Leon’s perspective, the shelves were still crammed full, with only a few small gaps here and there.
“Hello, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?”
The current librarian, noticing Leon’s arrival, put down his book, stood, and asked.
“No, sir. I’m just looking around,” Leon replied.
The librarian gave Leon a quick once-over. “You must be the new farmer everyone in town has been talking about lately.”
“How did you guess?” Leon asked curiously.
“Black hair isn’t common in Stardew Valley. Welcome to the library, Mr. Leon. My name is Gunther, and I’m the current librarian here in Pelican Town.”Gunther stepped out from behind the desk and approached Leon. “If you’re not too busy, could I trouble you to hear a small request?”
“Go ahead,” Leon nodded.
Gunther smiled and led Leon through the aisles of bookshelves and past reading tables to the easternmost exhibition hall.
Seeing the empty hall, Gunther sighed. “Sorry you had to see this. The former curator shamelessly stole every ancient artifact and unique mineral meant for display and fled Pelican Town. Now, there’s nothing left here.”
“Yeah, Lewis mentioned that to me,” Leon replied.
“I want to restore the collection here, but with the upkeep and cleaning work, I rarely have time to go out. That’s why I’d like to entrust you with a task—help me find ancient relics and distinctive minerals buried across Stardew Valley.”
Gunther looked Leon in the eye and bowed deeply. “I only need one of each. You can keep any extras to collect or sell. In return, I’ll give you items from my private collection as thanks.”
“I don’t know much about ancient relics. Even if I found one, I might not recognize it,” Leon said, feigning hesitation.
It was just an act—his real goal was to hint that he also had his difficulties, so Gunther might sweeten the deal.
“I understand. Without the right knowledge, ancient relics can look like ordinary junk. That’s why, as a condition for asking your help, I’ll grant you a special power.”
Gunther reached into his dark blue suit and took out a fragment of bone, handing it to Leon.
“Take it. It contains a special force that will let you see secrets hidden in the soil, revealing the true form of buried relics. With it, finding ancient relics will be much easier. Even after the collection is complete, I won’t ask for it back. From this moment on, it’s yours.”
Leon accepted the bone fragment, and a moment later, the long-absent System Prompt appeared.
“Ancient Mystery (???): With this, you can see traces from the distant past. You can now discover Ancient Spots.”
The bone fragment crumbled to powder in Leon’s hand. Gunther, seeing this, showed no surprise and simply smiled.
“I’ll be counting on you.”
“Mm, I will,” Leon nodded, finally understanding.
This special ability didn’t exist in the game. In-game, Ancient Spots randomly spawned in Stardew Valley’s outdoor areas. Digging them with a hoe could yield relics, stones, clay, and other items.
An Ancient Spot usually looked like three wiggling worm-like tendrils sticking out of bare ground—easy to spot from normal soil. There was also a green grass-like variety that could yield seasonal seeds.
Leon had never seen them during his foraging trips, so he’d assumed they didn’t exist in the real Stardew Valley. Now he understood—they required a medium to be detected.
Glancing at Gunther, Leon thought to himself that this librarian was no simple man.
Gunther noticed the look but kept smiling. “What is it? Do I have something on my face?”
“Mr. Gunther, where did you get this bone fragment?” Leon asked directly, curiosity winning over restraint.
“A gift from a friend,” Gunther replied, to Leon’s surprise.
“Friend?” Leon tilted his head, wondering which hidden expert that might be.
“Yes, a friend. A rather mischievous one. You might meet him someday,” Gunther said with a meaningful glance.
“I have shelves to organize. If you’re free, feel free to browse the library. Most of our books can be found on the market, but some knowledge might be useful to you.”
Without waiting for Leon’s response, Gunther vanished among the bookshelves.
Leon looked at the bone powder in his hand, clenching it to keep from spilling it onto the wooden floor. He began searching for a trash bin, intending to dispose of the now powerless remains.