To me, qi control was a door that peaked open just wide enough to see inside. Behind the door, once shut, was an assortment of every food I never got to enjoy. Fried fish breaded with pineapple cake crust served on a bed of the highest quality sat in a bowl behind the door. Rare sea-king crab from the far-off northern sea bathed in finely churned goat butter steamed on a mountain of cheesy biscuits. Whole hogs stuffed with fruit roasted over an open fire on a mountain buttery boiled yam. Sitting on a golden platter was a three-inch-thick steak from golden cows basted with butter grilled rare and served with red wine. I saw line after line of positive effects with each meal that could help me grow strong.

I felt when I saw my 6 extra points appear from my familiar bond. Putting them in anything but my cultivation skill tree would end in a 5-hour lecture from my father. He would poke and prod at my insecurities until I was a crying wreck of myself. I could keep the power inside with qi control and finally enjoy food and their bonuses. It wouldn’t work on anything from the farm, but I could get bonuses from wild game or food from town.

But at the same time, I knew that I needed to train qi control myself first as much as I could. Once a skill passes 50, normal training methods wouldn’t work. Father would make me use my points as soon as he returned, so I needed to work on qi control.

From what I could tell, the best way to do that was to make more pills. There were still plenty of ingredients leftover.

Kara ran over and headbutted my knee. Even just born, the little goat had benefitted from my power. For once, I didn’t mind. She didn’t just benefit, but I did too. Really the more I helped her, the more I benefitted. I decided to bend this farm to make my familiar as strong as possible. The best thing I could do was make sure her Phoebe had plenty of hay.

Before I could go back to pill-making, all the dogs started barking. The carriage had arrived, and Ser Darron was at our door on behalf of Macduff, heir to the county. As I understood it, he was here to call on Violet today, and my sister chose to grind exp instead. I couldn’t blame her; Macduff was Macduff. While there was nothing wrong with being him, he stood to inherit the entire county. My sister didn’t seem interested, but he kept calling.

I heard the pounding of hooves, and by their sound, Ser Darron had stopped to snatch a peach from our trees. My familiar bumped my hand, and I shook my head. All my plans were up in the air. Violet most likely wouldn’t leave the woods until Macduff left and father wasn’t here to play host. So, it fell on me to treat these nobles as guests.

“Are you sure the boy is here? I haven’t seen anyone since we arrived? You would think a farm this size would have many laborers.” That voice wasn’t familiar, but the owner was of high standing by his vernacular. So I figured the speaker was a knight or maybe a priest.

The dogs continued to bark, and Fred bounded across the farm, ready to kill their horses. I doubted the red dog would listen to me; the only one he listened to was Violet. I rubbed Kara’s head and sent her back to Phoebe. While I couldn’t benefit from my cultivation skill, every animal and plant that partook could understand my commands. Whether they chose to listen or not was up in the air.

Ser Darron the Ogre Slayer lvl150

Rank: 2 

Job: Knight lvl10

Ser Darron, dressed in casual clothes with only a sword at his side, was just as intimidating as when he wore heavy plate mail. The man was the third strongest in Noma County after the Count. Even with all the advantages our farm gave my sister, she wasn’t at this man’s level. While she had far higher base stats than him, Ser Darron had all the percentage multipliers. At Rank 2, his stats fell into a 2.5x multiplier, and his knight job boosted his VIT and STR by another 25% per class level. If Ser Darron wanted to steal a peach, there wasn’t a thing I could do to stop him.

I stepped out of the barn and saw Ser Darron riding beside the man. The man had a mop of greasy black hair and a strong chin. He wore white, a poor choice for traveling Noma’s dusty barrens. Though not a speck of dust-covered his robe. Father taught me to look at a man’s sleeves when his hands are empty, and in this man’s sleeves, I saw a glint of steel. A small circlet of chains wrapped around the man’s wrist, probably holding a medallion of the four gods. Every priest holds at least one on their person.

Friar Benjamin the Faithful lvl101 

Rank: 2

Job: Priest lvl4

Priests were known to heal the sick and infirm in the name of their gods. They could cast out evil spirits left behind by diabolists, and they served the light lords. It wasn’t unheard of to see one in the party of a noble. This one looked middle-aged and had only just made it to the second rank. His odds of rising further were almost as low as mine.

“Four blessings upon you; I understand you work this farm. Do you know where the owner and his daughter have gone?”

Ser Darron bit into a peach larger than a melon and seemed content to let the priest talk. He had taken a knife to its tougher than hide peel.

“They have gone into the forest to grind exp. I’m sure they will return before long.”

“That is good to know, young man; we are guests of this farm’s owner, and it has been a long journey. Fetch me water from the well and see to our horses while we situate the young lord inside.”

“We don’t have a well, and don’t you have grooms, manservants, and stable hands to take care of your horses?”

Ser Darron looked over at the priest then to me and smiled as he took another bite of his peach. “Don’t be inconsiderate; we are guests of your employer. He would be quite displeased if he found your hospitality lacking. We’ve ridden here with the Count’s own son to call upon his daughter. And I am here to consecrate these grounds in the name of the four.”

“I know why you’re here, and we don’t want your consecration. Care for your own horses; they aren’t my concern.”

“When Ser Hero returns with his daughter, I’ll have words with him about your behavior.”

Ser Darron could have ended this farce at any time, or I could have by giving my name. But at this point, the priest saw red, and I doubted words from me would help.

“Oh, my, you befriend everyone you meet.” I turned my attention to the young heir of Noma County, currently resting two fishing poles on his shoulder. Macduff had his father’s blond hair, blue eyes, and hawk-like nose with his mother’s unfortunate butt chin. That was something my little sister couldn’t get over. On the countess, the chin didn’t detract from her beauty, but her son hadn’t grown older enough to grow a beard to cover it yet. Besides his unfortunate chin, Macduff wasn’t a bad guy. He didn’t make fun of me for only being lvl10, so I didn’t comment on his chin. While my sister wasn’t around, our relationship was friendly.

Macduff the Bright lvl80

Rank: 1

“Young lord, do you know this hooligan?”

“Of course, he’s my dear Violet’s older brother, and why this farm is a slice of Utopia.”

The Count’s heir looked at me with his icy gaze. “This day, I will catch the legendary silverfish and regain my honor.”

Fat Cat was the largest catfish in the pond and probably weighed well over a ton. I didn’t think the flimsy fishing poles in Macduff’s hands would do anything. There was work left to do before I went inside to make lunch. Father would bring Violet back soon, and I should prepare lunch with many guests. Father was all about showing off how useful I could be to the young lord.

“You should give up now. So far, all you’ve lost is a little pride, and I don’t want hooks in our pond.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t be an issue for much longer. Once the betrothal is set, you will all come with us to live in the castle. My wife-to-be will get access to my family grinding zones, and you will join the cooks as an apprentice chef.”

My mood plummeted. “The peach is 10 ounces of silver.” I expect it and anything else you eat here outside the kitchen to be paid for.”

“Gold for a peach, you must be out of your mind. Five of normal size sell 5 an ounce of copper. The young lord offered you a place in his castle, and you insult him.” The friar said.

“I know you resent your sister,” Macduff said.

A shard of ice stabbed my heart. I didn’t want to hear this noble say something like that.

“Fish if you want; we normally sell them 2 ounces of silver a pound.”

“Outrageous, you can’t even catch the monstrous fish yourself, from what I understand. So how is it yours to sell? You’re a peasant, and while you might work, this land is ultimately owned by the Count. I’ve seen your type before.”

“That’s enough, Friar; I brought you here to assist against the undead, not antagonizing my betrothed’s brother.” Macduff looked at me. “You were born to help your sister become great. That isn’t a bad thing; take pride in that, and you could live a pleasant life. However, while you can cook magnificent food, it would be an insult to my professional staff to place someone without a class ahead of them. Therefore, the most I could give you is an apprenticeship. In the future, that could change, but you must work with me.”

My hands shook as the Count’s heir’s words found their way into my heart. His charisma was too powerful; the world seemed to spin around me as his will attempted to swallow me up. Father never intended for me to be strong. All he wanted was to marry my sister well and to do that, I was tossed in to sweeten the pot.

I heard a loud baah from the shed and knew it was my familiar. An unsteady breath took me out of the moment and let me shake off Macduff’s influence.

“You can not make me surrender. I expect everything you take to be paid for. My father will return soon with my sister; until then, make yourselves at home.” I said.

“You have a familiar. But your stats don’t seem to be any higher. So you should give up; there is no way for you to equal your sister, much less your father.” Ser Darron said.

I turned my gaze to Macduff. “Truly, my sister would be happiest with you. Without a doubt, I’ll speak positively of this encounter.”

“Mention any of this to your sister, and I’ll insist on our meal being your familiar. A newborn goat is considered a delicacy in some regions. Your father agreed to this match. He wants your sister to marry me; why else would he often invite me here.”

“Don’t pretend to know the thoughts of my father. He is a hero and so far beyond your understanding that he might as well be one of the gods.”

The knight snorted. “You presume too much about him. To those powerful like myself, the actions of Ser Hero are quite predictable. He merely wants his daughter to marry well and his disappointment of a son taken care of. I think he still thirsts for adventure and wishes to leave his domestic life behind.”

Was that true? Did he want to get rid of us? He refused to let me strengthen myself. My every point has been spent on a skill tree that can only help others. What if I maxed it out? Would he let me spend the points on myself then? Why would he? I’m sure other skill trees could prove helpful to him. Maybe he will force me to max the next farming or cooking skill tree. That way, I’ll always be useful but dependent on him or others.

“I will not cook for any of you. You can fend for yourselves in the kitchen since you’re so powerful. Father will be back soon, so keep your theft to a minimum.” I said and walked away.

“Where are you going, young man?” The friar asked.

Macduff laughed. “It looks like you hit a nerve, Ser Darron. You probably have work to do, so go ahead and run away to finish up. I’ll just pick off Violet’s plate, then I know you won’t deny her.”

I smiled and turned around. “She’s cooking lunch; I hope you’re all prepared,” I said.

The sun was getting higher. Father and Violet should be getting back soon, but there was no sign of them. I stared across the farm to the small forest where we used to throw out our table scraps. Then, with minimum effort, a few squat trees into a towering forest full of monsters. Used to only small slimes appeared, but as our farm grew, so did the forest. Monsters started to hide within to make raids on our farm. Sometimes they got a chicken and made it back to eat. Some of them grew exponentially more powerful, and more monsters joined them.

Fred, Violet’s massive shaggy dog, suddenly turned its head to the forest and took off in a sprint. I watched the red-furred dog leave and felt uneasy. My thoughts traveled back to the shadow. It had to be a goblin or something; there was no way something dangerous to my sister could be in the woods. If father was there, then nothing bad could happen.

With that final thought, I made another batch of pills, and this time 3 were successful.

Pill Making lvl16

I glanced out of the shed at old Slim glaring at the forest with all three of his eyes. Something was there that he didn’t like.

If I compared strength, he could probably take on Macduff and win. I turned my attention further upfield. Our donkey Bobby stood on its hind legs and let its spiked mace rest on its shoulders. The Rank 3 donkey had gone through 2 evolutions.

Bobby the Destroyer lvl213 

Rank: 3

Job: Barbarian 

Monster Class: Man Donkey 

Bobby would bash them into paste if the noble or his party did anything. He had more stat bonuses from living here than any other animal on the farm. I had no idea how many thousands of VIT he had. When I was on a potion-making bender, he happily drank most of the including my failures. While he was around, I had nothing to fear.

Bobby yelled a war cry and charged for the woods. I blinked, rubbed my itchy scalp, and watched the flakes fall. My dandruff was back again. Even if it was a young forest dragon, Violet should be able to easily handle it. She had the Phoenix magic and sword techniques. If she couldn’t beet one of those green bastards at this point, then she should quit.

Father did leave to look for her, so maybe she was lost, and father needed help searching. That made sense.

I concentrated on the correct amount of power needed to get the pills successful and put them in another batch.

Qi Control lvl8

Pill Making lvl17

+1 INT 

INT9

While it wasn’t much of a leap, the more I used it, the better I felt. The power that always poured out of me for once settled down. Of course, trying to hold it all in at once wouldn’t work with the amount of control I had now, but I could work on it, and maybe someday, I could be normal.

Once the pills were done, I counted my successful pills and tossed them in a mortar before grinding them into powder. I took some goat milk and mixed the powder into it. While food was great, pills were far more concentrated. I could measure out the effects I wanted in my pills. Having a personal benefit at the end of this process made me much more invested. I could feel how this would benefit me.

My current pills weren’t the same as what I made before. Bananas were used as the base to improve VIT AGL, and moon leaves to give her a higher chance of getting a moon-based skill tree. I’d never even heard of a moon-based skill tree until I saw it in the description for moon leaves. Concentrating it into a pill form increased the odds even more.

I grabbed a rubber nipple from one of the sheds and walked over to the goat pen. The sky was growing dark, but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I looked up, and the sun was still shining, but it was still getting darker out. Rubbing my eyes didn’t do me any good. In the distance, the young lord and his party charged into the woods.

A sudden baah greeted me as I entered Phoebe’s pin. Kara charged out to greet me dutifully with eyes too intelligent for a young goat. Normally stat changes needed several days before they had a physical improvement. Still, younger bodies were known to adjust more easily to rapid changes. Her head was a little larger than it had been before. She also looked much healthier, and I couldn’t see her ribs anymore. The other newborn goat looked just as large, but it didn’t have the increase in awareness that Kara had.

I offered her the bottle, and she took it without complaint. Kara downed the whole bottle so fast that I was afraid her stomach would burst.

Kara

+40VIT

+30AGL

New Skill 

Mind Of Dark Moon 

While I knew something was happening, a part of me didn’t care. Father made sure I couldn’t do anything about it one way or the other. They could all be dead right now, and I couldn’t do anything. So what would rushing into the woods do for me? I should only focus on my skills, nothing else. Wasn’t that what father told me? Kara bumped into me and rubbed her fur against my leg.

Familiar Bond lvl2

I left the pin and snatched a fist-sized strawberry from a bush, and tossed it in my mouth. All I felt was the rubbery seedy texture of the strawberry. I tasted none of the sweetness or acidic bite that Violet loved. Even if I pulled my power away from it, the strawberry grew in a land filled with my power. While I lived here, I couldn’t even taste the food. This slice of utopia felt more like ruin to me.

The sun vanished, and darkness swallowed the world.