Over the next two weeks, the greenhouse took shape. Leon installed the glass panels, and Im added a small heating rune array to keep the temperature stable even on cold spring nights. Leon mixed a mushroom medium using sawdust, wheat bran, and wood ash, and he inoculated it with mushroom spores he'd collected from the forest's rotting logs.
He also planted spinach and carrot seeds in small clay pots. The greenhouse's warm, humid environment made the seeds sprout within a week—tiny green shoots pushing through the dark soil. "Finally, fresh vegetables in winter," Leon said, grinning as he watered the seedlings with a wooden watering can.
Dahlia helped him tend to the plants, while Flower and Im worked on expanding the herb garden's magic plant section. "We can sell the extra mushrooms and vegetables to the nobles in Sarneth," Dahlia said, plucking a weed from the spinach pots. "They'll pay a fortune for fresh greens in winter."
Leon nodded, checking the mushroom beds for any signs of growth. "And we can use the money to buy more high-grade mana crystals for the furnace. I want to try making glass bottles for potions next—they're always in demand at the Mage Guild."
Im approved of the plan. "High-quality glass potion bottles are hard to find. Most are made by hand by skilled glassblowers, and they're expensive. If we can make uniform, durable glass bottles, we can sell them to the Mage Guild for a good price."
One afternoon, Leon was checking the mushroom beds when he noticed a faint blue glow coming from the herb garden. He walked over to find Im standing in front of the element-concentrating rune array, his hands glowing with mana as he adjusted the runes.
"What are you doing?" Leon asked, stepping closer. The air felt thicker with mana, making his skin tingle slightly.
Im turned, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "I'm adjusting the rune array to channel some of its magic into the greenhouse. It will help the magic herbs grow faster, and it might even make the mushrooms more nutritious."
Leon stared at the rune array. The lines were glowing brighter than usual, and the air around the greenhouse felt warmer and more charged with magic. "Will it affect the regular vegetables?"
"Probably," Im said, smiling. "They might grow bigger and taste better. We'll have to wait and see."
That night, Leon sat down at his wooden desk to write in his journal. He'd come a long way since he'd arrived in Etho as a reincarnated kid with a 12-year-old body and an adult's mind. He'd gone from a confused, homesick child to a mage apprentice with a successful business partnership, a growing greenhouse, and a promising future in magic. He still missed his old life on Earth sometimes—his family, his friends, and the convenience of modern technology—but Etho had become his home.
He thought about Eldrin's leather-bound journal, which he kept locked in a wooden chest under his bed. Eldrin had left him a mandate to explore the ancient ruins in the northern mountains, and he was getting closer to being ready. "Soon," he whispered to himself. "I'll find out what happened to your friends, Eldrin. I promise."
The next day, Serena visited the valley to update Leon on the joint venture's progress. She arrived on a white horse, wearing a practical traveling dress instead of her usual elaborate gowns. "We've found a workshop in Sarneth Town," she said, dismounting and tying her horse to the valley's wooden gate. "It's a former blacksmith's shop with a large forge—perfect for pen production. Orlando has already found three rune mages who want to join the guild, and we've ordered the first batch of materials: gold alloy for the pen nibs, oak wood for the pen bodies, and ink from a specialized ink maker in the capital."
Leon nodded, leading her to the greenhouse to show her the growing plants. "Good. Make sure the rune pens are made with high-quality materials. We don't want to ruin our reputation with shoddy products."
Serena rolled her eyes, but she smiled as she looked at the tiny spinach seedlings. "Relax. We've been selling luxury goods to nobles for years. We know how to make high-quality products."
She stayed for lunch, and Leon served her a fresh spinach salad with mushroom soup and crusty bread. Serena was surprised by how good the vegetables tasted. "You grew these in the greenhouse?" she asked, taking another bite of salad.
Leon nodded, grinning. "Wait until winter—these will be worth their weight in gold. Nobles will fight over them."
Serena laughed, sipping her mushroom soup. "You're always thinking of new ways to make money. No wonder my mother wants to work with you."
After Serena left, Leon went back to the greenhouse. The mushrooms were starting to grow—small white caps pushing through the dark medium. He smiled, feeling proud of what he'd built. He was creating something lasting here, something that would help him, his family, and his friends thrive in Etho.
As he tended to the plants, he practiced his Mage Hand, using his tentacles to gently move the soil around the seedlings. His tentacles were stronger than ever, and he could feel the mana flowing through them more smoothly. He was getting closer to mastering advanced Mage Hand techniques, like shaping molten metal with precise detail and holding multiple objects at once.
He knew that one day, he'd be able to do things no other mage in Etho had ever done—things that combined Earth's science with Etho's magic to change the world. For now, though, he was content to work in his greenhouse, tend to his plants, and build his future one day at a time.