Chapter 11
: Pierre and the Purchase of Tree Seeds
"Long-term? That'll cost a lot of money. Are you sure you're prepared, Xia?"
Clint wouldn't compromise too much on this, but he wasn't worried that Xia Ming couldn't afford it; the farm his grandfather left him was very precious.
Xia Ming was prepared for this. He couldn't give Young Kiras the best right now, but he could still provide him with above-average quality.
"Of course, I heard from Grandpa Lewis that you're going to the mine tomorrow? Please reserve twenty sandstones, three rock gems, and twenty tons each of iron ore and silver ore with a purity of over 60%, as well as two hundred tons of granite."
"Hiss~ This must cost a lot of money. Sure, but I can only import the granite from someone else for you. Don't worry, it's definitely top-quality."
I still have some leftovers from the last mining trip. See if you need anything.
Clint accepted the big order, and out of respect for Lewis, he could give Xia Ming a 20% discount.
Xia Ming wasn't surprised that Clint outsourced the granite production. The local mountains of Stardew Valley didn't produce these minerals. Because of the presence of the Pillars of Rock, the area contained more rare minerals, which wouldn't be depleted as long as they weren't over-exploited.
Currently, only the Clint family in Stardew Valley has the "authority" to mine in the mountains; anyone else who goes there will be driven away by a large number of local Pokémon.
Xia Ming wanted Clint to handle the outsourcing. He felt more at ease with the townspeople, which was better than him searching haphazardly outside.
"Yes, I completely trust the people Uncle Clint found. Do you still have any hard rocks and sandy rocks? I need some for Young Gilas to eat."
"Yes, we have two sandy rocks left, but plenty of hard stones. How many do you need?"
"I'll take all the sandy rocks, and twenty hard stones to start with. I'd like to pay with Holy Ash Crystals, but that will take some time."
"Holy Ash Crystals! That's alright. I'll have the Drill Horned Rhinoceros deliver them to you this afternoon. As for how many Holy Ash Crystals you need, I need to calculate that, and I'll give you the answer when you come back."
Clint was somewhat surprised, as he knew how rare the Holy Ash Crystal was; only the Super Dimension Devon Corporation had the means to mass-produce it.
One hundred Holy Ash Crystals are equivalent to one portion of Ho-Oh's Holy Ash, and their rarity cannot be measured in monetary terms.
It seems Xia Ming's graduation ceremony was quite successful.
Since he was using something so precious to pay the bill, Clint didn't care about whether he could get credit or not. He also understood that the acquisition process of the Super Dimension Devon Corporation would take at least three or four days.
Lewis, who was listening in from the side, also looked at Xia Ming with a shocked expression. No wonder this kid didn't accept his sponsorship. It turned out there was such an opportunity!
Natsume does have a good grandson.
"Here, have some tea first."
After finishing their business, Clint poured cups of tea, and the three of them chatted about everyday matters.
However, most of the time it was Clint and Lewis who were talking, while Xia Ming learned about the town through their conversations.
For example, the choices made by the new residents who have moved in in recent years, or by the former residents of the town.
………………
Goodbye, Uncle Clint.
"See you next time, Xia."
At 2 p.m., Xia Ming ate some fruit and vegetables at Clint's house and then got up and left with Lewis.
Meanwhile, the young Gilas was happily munching on a piece of fine iron ore, slowly devouring it like fruit.
The two people and their Pokémon walked slowly and soon arrived at their next stop—Pierre's Farm Shop.
Fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits are displayed at the entrance of the store, and you can smell the fragrant aroma of the fruits even before you enter. Through the transparent door, you can also see the various products displayed inside.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, there are also household oils, salts, candies, snacks, and so on.
"Welcome to Pierre's Farm Shop. Oh, it's the mayor, and... Xia!? You're back? That's a surprise. I'm sure Abigail will be very happy to see you."
"It's been a long time, Uncle Pierre. I've returned to inherit Grandpa's farm. But is Abigail still in town? Didn't you send her to school in the city?"
"You're planning to inherit the farm? That's great! The seeds I have here are definitely the best choice for you!"
Pierre first sighed and typed "GG," then said with a somewhat worried expression:
"Abigail... how should I put it? She's been suspended from school."
Pierre didn't seem inclined to discuss the specific reasons; after all, airing one's dirty laundry in public is too much of a test of one's mental fortitude. He quickly changed the subject:
"And you? Are you planning to order a batch of seeds from me first?"
"Yes, Uncle Pierre, I need seeds of tree fruits for the summer and autumn seasons, preferably the more marketable ones."
"Then I would recommend that you plant some cranberries and biba berries. It's already late summer, and these two types of fruit will allow you to harvest a crop in late autumn!"
Based on his experience, Pierre recommended two kinds of tree fruits to Xia Ming.
Cranberries are a spicy fruit that is used to make Energy Cubes. They are also delicious and are loved by Pokémon that enjoy spicy food. They are one of the best-selling products on the market.
In comparison, it's a bit inferior to the Bagu fruit, which is a tree fruit used to make intimate food and defense enhancers. Its flavors include sweet, spicy, and sour. Only specific companies will buy it, and there are many alternatives. It is not a necessity.
However, there is no shortage of sales for any tree fruit; the only difference is the price.
As for ordinary fruits and vegetables? If Xia Ming had inherited an ordinary farm, Pierre would definitely have recommended some, but he inherited the most fertile farm in Stardew Valley!
That place is naturally fertile soil for growing fruit trees and cones, and the underground contains extremely rich mineral resources to provide nutrition. No farmer can refuse this land.
Pierre's father sold everything he owned but couldn't buy it from Xia Ming's grandfather.
"Uncle Pierre, how much stock do you have? Can you accept payment in Ash Crystals? I need to clear the land tomorrow before I can determine the quantity I need."
"Holy Ash Crystal? Oh... alright then, but I think we can make another deal."
"Is it Abigail? Okay, Uncle Pierre, then please tell me."
Xia Ming saw the fleeting surprise on Pierre's face, followed by a pained yet helpless expression, and guessed the content of his deal. It must be for his rebellious daughter, Abigail.
Pierre didn't mince words and stated directly:
"You should know about Creation Crystals, right? Those things are extremely scarce, especially the large Creation Crystals for entering advanced hyperdimensional worlds. I have a way to get two large Creation Crystals every year..."
"I agree, Uncle!"
Before Pierre could finish speaking, Xia Ming eagerly agreed to the deal, as the two large pieces of Creation Crystal alone were enough to make him pay a heavy price.