The morning passed quietly.
Fern had already pulled out the latest batch of harvested vegetables, a fresh load of potatoes and tomatoes, still warm with residual mana from the soil. Rowen stacked them carefully onto the wooden shelf by the window, separating them by type and size.
Meanwhile, Fern floated lazily nearby, planting a new batch of seeds into the soil inside of the portal. Everything was on schedule.
By the time Rowen glanced at the clock again, it was already 12:30 PM.
His stomach growled.
He picked up his phone and ordered lunch for two, a mana-rich meat dish, enough for himself and Fern. When the delivery arrived, they sat together at the back corner of the shop, eating in quiet.
By the time they finished, the heat of the afternoon had settled in. The air grew still, and even Fern was starting to drift toward sleep again.
But just as Rowen leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded,
The door opened.
