The forest path shimmered with dew, sunlight filtering through the canopy in warm shafts that turned the air gold. Birds sang faintly in the distance, and the soft crunch of footsteps mingled with the steady, rhythmic thud of Brontus's hooves.
Fir, the young elf girl, clung shyly to her brother's hand as they walked between the towering bull and Roland. Her pale green hair brushed her shoulders, still matted from travel, while Pine — thin but sturdy, his eyes sharp with quiet resolve — kept watch on the trees, as though expecting trouble even in this peace.
Brontus walked with the patience of the earth itself, his pace slow and deliberate, each step pressing faint warmth into the soil. His breath came in soft snorts that carried the scent of growing things — like sap, bark, and the faint sweetness of clover.
For a long while, no one spoke. Then Fir glanced up, her small voice timid but curious.
"Mister Brontus… were you always this big?"
The bull let out a low chuckle, deep as a drumbeat.
"When I was young, I was no taller than your brother. I grew because I listened to the land — I worked, I learned, and I stood my ground even when the wind tried to bend me."
Pine's brows lifted slightly. "You mean… you weren't afraid?"
"Oh, I was," Brontus said with a rumbling laugh. "Courage isn't the absence of fear, little sprout. It's walking forward even when your knees tremble."
Fir tilted her head. "Like when we left home?"
Brontus looked down at her, his golden eyes glowing softly. "Exactly so. You left because your hearts knew something needed to be done. That is bravery — not fighting monsters or wielding magic, but carrying hope through hardship."
Pine glanced down, gripping his sister's hand tighter. "I thought… I wasn't strong enough. That I was just running away."
The bull shook his great head slowly, the buds along his horns fluttering like tiny leaves in the breeze. "You walked, not ran. You sought help instead of giving in to despair. That is the work of someone strong."
A faint smile tugged at Pine's lips. "…Thank you."
Brontus rumbled softly, satisfied. "You will both grow well. Roots deepened by kindness — hearts watered by courage. Remember that, and you'll never wither."
Behind them, Roland smiled quietly, watching the scene unfold as Sol padded beside him. The golden dog seemed unusually alert, ears perked but tail wagging in a steady rhythm.
Roland's mind drifted as he walked, until something caught his attention — a strange lightness in his limbs, like his body had been subtly reforged overnight. He frowned, flexing his fingers.
"Hmm… I don't feel tired at all."
Sol barked once, as if agreeing.
Curious, Roland lifted his hand and focused. His vision shimmered faintly as the familiar translucent screen appeared before his eyes — his status window.
---
[Roland Evergreen – Farmer of the Verdant Path]
Race: Human
Age: 1 New body (27 former)
Title: Verdant Artisan, Keeper of Growth
Rank: Bronze (Lvl. 23)
Strength: 36 → 216
Constitution: 40 → 240
Dexterity: 28 → 168
Wisdom: 33 → 198
Intelligence: 31 → 186
Comprehension: 52 → 312
Charm: 35 → 210
Skills:
Verdant Bracelet (Divine Tool Transformation)
Farmer's Insight (Advanced)
Mana Control (Intermediate)
Crafting Proficiency (Intermediate)
Cooking (Intermediate+)
Seed Bond (Verdalis)
Earthsense (Passive)
Soil Nourishment (Passive)
---
Roland blinked several times, staring at the numbers. "That… can't be right."
He flexed his hand — the strength that pulsed beneath his skin felt real. His muscles didn't bulge, yet every movement was light, balanced, and precise. His breathing felt deeper, calmer. Even the air seemed clearer.
"Sol," he murmured, "I think I just jumped six months ahead in progress overnight."
The dog tilted his head, wagging as if to say, Good job.
Brontus's deep voice rolled back toward him. "Feeling different, Farmer?"
Roland nodded slowly. "Yeah… feels like I just shed ten years of fatigue."
The bull snorted approvingly. "The land returns what is given. You've worked with heart — the world remembers."
Pine turned his head curiously. "The land… gives strength?"
Roland smiled faintly. "If you take care of it long enough, yes. Maybe not the way I do, but in its own way, it always gives back."
They continued on, Fir giggling as she patted Brontus's sturdy back while the bull carried her and Pine across a shallow stream. Roland followed with Sol, lost in thought.
His stats weren't just numbers — they were a reflection of growth, of every seed he'd planted, every harvest he'd nurtured. Whatever had caused the change, he knew one thing for certain:
He was stronger now — not for battle, but for what was coming.
And as the sun climbed higher, Roland could feel it — the pull of the land ahead, the faint, struggling heartbeat of a village that still needed help.