Farming in the Magical World

As evening fell, Black Tiger's father whistled as he carried some prey home.

Yesterday's traps yielded a bountiful harvest; several traps contained prey, making it a rare and prosperous day.

Based on the castle's acquisition price, today's harvest alone will generate a considerable income, and even more if the pickling subsidy is included.

In the past, the hunters in the village would marinate their prey after they hunted it. However, after marinating, the prey would be dried and made into jerky. Only after they had a certain quantity would they take the separated and boiled fur and jerky to Elfen to sell.

Don't think that selling in Elfen will be any better. Not only will buyers complain that your products aren't fresh and try to lower the price, but there are also many bandits and outlaws on the way there and back, and you could lose your life if you're not careful.

So usually they would arrange for seven or eight villagers to go together, and the round trip would take almost two or three days, which was very troublesome.

But not going is not an option. Although the cured meat can be stored for a while, it will eventually have problems. Otherwise, it would be a waste of all the hard work if we don't take it to the city to sell as soon as possible.

Now things are different. Since signing the acquisition contract with the castle, he no longer has to worry about hunting prey. He only needs to bring the prey home, skin it, and marinate it. A special person will come to transport it the next day, and he only needs to go to the castle at the end of the month to collect his share of the income. It's really very convenient.

Thinking about the income he was about to receive, he was in a very good mood, even walking with a slight sense of elation, humming an unknown tune to himself.

However, his good mood didn't last long; as soon as he got home, his heart sank.

As dusk fell, he staggered back to his doorstep and found that the oil lamps were already lit. He figured that Black Deer must have arrived home long ago, as he could see smoke rising from the chimney from afar.

"Father, you're back? You've worked so hard! Wow, today's harvest was great, it's all thanks to you, Father!"

Sure enough, as soon as the door opened, Black Deer came over with a fawning expression and took the various things from his hands, then gave his father a thumbs up.

Oh dear, did this kid get into trouble today? Why is he like this?

Seeing his son's smiling face, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked around to check the situation at home.

He knew his youngest son all too well; the boy only acted this way when he was in trouble, hoping to avoid getting a few more whacks from him.

Hmm, nothing seems wrong at home?

He saw what the boy had caught today: two rabbits. Not many, but still acceptable. It probably wasn't because of that.

The house has been cleaned, and dinner is almost ready, so it shouldn't be for this.

Suddenly, he remembered something, took two quick steps back to the bedside, touched the hidden stash of money under the bed, and only then did he feel relieved.

Yes, it's still there!

That puts my mind at ease. As long as the kid didn't secretly steal money, nothing serious should happen.

What's this kid up to?

He stared at his son, completely bewildered.

Black Deer was also puzzled by his father's bewildered look. "Father, what are you doing? I've been back for a while, and no thieves have broken into the house!"

The old father ignored him, sat down in his seat with an air of authority, and then asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, what trouble have you gotten into today?"

Black Deer was even more confused. "How did I get into trouble?"

"If you hadn't caused trouble, would you be so careful?" The old father glanced at Black Deer with a mocking look on his face. "Go ahead and tell me, while I'm in a good mood, I might not hit you!"

"Really?" Black Deer's eyes lit up upon hearing his father's promise. "You'd better keep your word!"

"Speak!" The father waved his hand, but in his heart he was thinking to himself. It seemed that this boy had really caused some trouble. Could it be that he broke the bow?

For a hunter, breaking a bow is a serious mistake, as it is his livelihood and something he can't live without every day. Not only is it troublesome to draw another bow, but it's also very inconvenient and might not even be as good as before, since the bow itself is already damaged.

However, he was in a good mood today and secretly decided to be magnanimous this time, even if his son broke the bow, he would forgive him this time.

There's no worry about selling the game the family hunts, and there's also a salary from their son, which they say will be paid every month from now on. They can save up some money, get their two sons married, and life will only get better and better, right?

"Father, I, I, I also want to attend tomorrow's guard recruitment meeting!" Black Deer cautiously observed his father's expression and hesitantly expressed his thoughts.

He had this idea a long time ago, and he wanted to sign up as soon as the guard was called up, but he didn't know how to tell his father.

He knew that letting his second brother stay in the guard was already the limit of his father's limits, and if he were to join the security guard, his father would definitely beat him to death.

But he still couldn't resist the temptation to join the security guard. He thought about it all night, and today while hunting with his friends, he made plans with Sam and Nick to go to the lord's castle tomorrow morning to register for the security guard.

"Hmm, it's nothing, even if you break the bow... ...What?" Still thinking to herself that she must be magnanimous and forgive her son's recklessness this time, she suddenly realized what her son meant.

In an instant, he forgot his decision to be magnanimous and immediately jumped up, grabbed the rattan cane leaning against the window, and lashed it at Black Deer.

"I'll beat you to death, you bastard! Of all things to do, why did you have to join the security force with your brother? Are you crazy?"

Black Deer had anticipated that his father would react violently. Unlike when he was a child, he did not run around the house to avoid his father's stick. Instead, he stood there straight and looked at his father stubbornly.

“Father, my second brother can go, why can’t I? I’m all grown up now, I know what I’m doing.”

With a few sharp cracks, red marks appeared on Black Deer's arm. The father had expected his son to dodge, so he didn't hold back his strength, but to his surprise, his youngest son didn't dodge this time.

Seeing the red marks, the father felt a pang of heartache and subconsciously loosened his grip. But upon hearing his son's words, he could no longer suppress his anger and struck again with all his might.

"Stop being stubborn, keep being stubborn, you think you're all that? I'm already thinking of calling your brother back from the guard, and you still want to go? Do you even know that people die in war?"

With each beating from his father, more red welts appeared on Black Deer's arms and back, some of which were already faintly stained with blood. But Black Deer still stood there stubbornly, not moving an inch, and kept saying, "I want to join the security guard!"

Seeing his son covered in bruises yet still unwilling to change his attitude, the father, whose anger was gradually subsiding, felt somewhat helpless.

This youngest son has known how to avoid being beaten since he was a child. As soon as I lay a hand on him, he will beg for mercy and promise to do so. Although he will soon be naughty again, he will admit his mistakes very quickly.

But this time, contrary to his usual behavior, he didn't flinch at all. It seems that this kid is really determined to join that guard.

"Hey!"

Feeling that hitting people was no longer a solution, the father stopped hitting them, sighed, and sat down helplessly.

He looked up at his stubborn son, and his anger surged again. But when he thought about how the boy hadn't dodged or flinched, he couldn't muster the motivation to get up and hit him.

Hitting him isn't enough to make this kid submit, so why bother hitting him?

Why has this kid become so stubborn, just like the eldest and second eldest brothers? It's giving me a headache!

Stroking his head and tilting it to the side, the father felt really troubled. None of them were easy to deal with. What was he going to do?

After a long while, he patted the seat next to him and, looking at his son who was still stiff-necked, said somewhat impatiently, "Come sit down!"

Seeing his father's attitude, Hei Lu was reluctant to go over, worried that he would be beaten again. Although he had made up his mind that he would not change his mind even if his father beat him, it would be better to avoid being beaten. His father's beatings really hurt!

Seeing that Black Deer looked hesitant, he didn't press the matter further. Instead, he said earnestly, "Son, do you know that the security guards also have to fight? Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"I'm not afraid!" Black Deer stubbornly replied, his neck stiff.

"You!" Seeing his son's expression, the father's anger surged again.

After catching his breath and barely suppressing his anger, he spoke again, "Our family, the eldest son has already sacrificed himself for the lord, and the second son is now serving the lord as well. Our family has already given enough and owes the lord nothing more!"

"You're the only son left in our family. What will happen to us if you leave? Have you thought about that?"

He wasn't very educated, but since he couldn't force his son to submit, he could only try to persuade him, even though that wasn't his forte.

Hearing his father's words, Black Deer did not waver. Instead, he turned around and tried to persuade his father.

“Father, didn’t you hear what my second brother said? If we can’t stop the threat from the Grummans, none of the villagers in our village will be safe.”

"Even if they don't plunder our village this time, what about next time? And the time after that?"

“Every year the Grummans come down from the mountains to plunder, and it will always be Black Mountain Village’s turn. As soon as they come to Black Mountain Village, everyone’s life will be in danger, and there will be no family left.”

"My second brother said that this is sacrificing the small family for the greater good. This is what Master Lanny said, and I think he is right."

"I will definitely join the security team! I want to protect everyone." In the end, Black Deer ended his persuasion with these words, demonstrating his firm determination.

"You..." Finding himself at a loss for words and unable to argue with his son, the father glared at him and once again asserted his authority as the head of the family: "I won't allow it!"

Unexpectedly, Black Deer didn't buy it this time, stubbornly sticking out his neck, "If you don't agree, I'll go secretly. I'm telling you just so you know, so don't think I've gotten lost and are looking for me everywhere."

For a moment, the father and son stared at each other with wide eyes, neither showing any intention of giving in.

After a long silence, the father stiffly reiterated, "I will not agree!"

After saying that, he returned to his bed, lay down fully clothed, and stopped talking.

That night, the father didn't even eat dinner, and the food that Black Deer had brought over was untouched. Neither father nor son said another word.

My father didn't sleep all night, his eyes wide open, lost in thought.

Black Deer's mother died from postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to him, leaving behind three infant sons and himself, a burly man.

If it weren't for the help of the aunties in the village, I wouldn't be able to support these three boys. I wouldn't even have time to go hunting. How would I feed them?

The most enthusiastic person at the time was Aaron's mother. She not only helped nurse the black deer, but also took care of her sons whenever she had time, which gave her the opportunity to go out hunting and raise her three sons, albeit with some stumbles and falls.

That year, the Grummans came down from the mountains to plunder. The villagers who were quick enough fled into the mountains, but she, worried about her three sons, ran back halfway to check on them, only to encounter the Grummans entering the village just as they arrived...

Many years have passed, and I've even forgotten her name, but I still remember very clearly the way she held the black deer and carefully protected it.

Black Bear remembered her appearance because he was older, and when the lord summoned his followers, he insisted on going to take revenge, but he never returned.

Black Tiger was also thinking of avenging his aunt and brother, so he joined that security guard team. He couldn't persuade him to stay. He never expected that even his youngest son would want to go. How could he accept this?

Although he agreed with his son's words—that if they didn't find a way to stop the Grummans, Black Mountain Village, being the closest village, would be the most threatened—he couldn't accept the thought of his only son leaving him.

But now it seems that Black Deer is determined to go, and he is very confused and doesn't know how to dissuade him!

Before dawn the next day, there was a rustling sound of clothes being put on in the room. Black Tiger's father knew that Black Deer was washing up, but he didn't want to move.

He didn't want to agree to his son joining the guard, but he couldn't dissuade him, so he could only pretend to be deaf and dumb and remain silent, but he kept his ears perked up, listening to his son's actions.

He still clung to a sliver of hope, wishing that his son would calm down after a night of reflection and give up on his plans; this was his only remaining hope.

But soon, Black Deer got dressed and went to his bedside, but did not say anything.

Just as he was about to open his eyes to see what his son was up to, he heard his son's voice.

"Father, I'm leaving now. My second brother and I will take turns coming back to visit you from now on. Don't overwork yourself; our salaries are enough to support you!"

"Also, Father, I'm all grown up now. I know what I'm doing, so you don't need to worry. I'll protect myself!"

Goodbye, Father!

Immediately afterwards, footsteps were heard leaving the room, and the door creaked shut.

Inside the room, Black Tiger's father opened his eyes on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought, a string of tears streaming down his face.