I Thought It Was a Healing Farming Game - Chapter 17

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I thought this was supposed to be a Healing Farming Game.
Chapter 17

“No!”
I cried out at once, watching Friam try to pin the blame on himself.
“I don’t want to do things you dislike! Even if they’re trivial…….”
The people of Nod were precious to me — my friends were everything.
They were the pillar that had steadied me through my hardest moments, my sanctuary.
“Miel…….”
Friam reached toward me, at a loss.
I gripped the hem of my clothes and stepped back, forcing down the lump rising in my throat as I spoke.
“I just… I want you to feel at ease when you’re with me. I want you to be happy. I don’t want to make you guard yourself or worry…….”
I bowed my head, eyes fixed on the ground.
I wanted to be that kind of presence for these people, just as they had given me so much.
“Miel.”
I startled at the sound of Friam’s footsteps drawing near, lifting my head slightly.
“Thank you.”
Friam gazed at me with a radiant smile.

Friam’s Affection Points +30

As I rubbed my eyes roughly with the back of my hand, Friam drew out a handkerchief and offered it to me.
“I never knew you cared for me so deeply. I’m happy.”
Friam’s lips curved upward in genuine gratitude.
I was relieved that he didn’t seem burdened by what I’d said. I carefully let my affection for the residents of Nod shine through.
“Actually, I’d like to become close with everyone here.”
“Everyone?”
Friam made no attempt to hide his delight at my answer.
“It seems you’ve taken a liking to our village. I’m relieved.”
Of course I had.
Without any memory of my past, I couldn’t explain all the reasons — but it was true.
“Oh! Miel, would you like to see more of the village? I’ll show you around.”
Friam made an inviting proposal.
“I’d like that, but didn’t you say you had something to do earlier?”
“I can do it later. We’re friends, after all.”
Friends?
I hesitated because Friam looked busy, but the word was irresistible — my heart tilted toward him at once.
“All right!”
I accepted readily and set off beside Friam, walking along the path.
“Over there are the apricot trees. They’re putting out small fruit now, so we’re tending them. And here are the peach trees. The blossoms are beautiful in spring.”
“They really are lovely. The fruit comes in summer, doesn’t it?”
The landscape was incomparably more dazzling than what I’d seen on a small screen.
I strolled through the village, admiring the deep pink petals scattering on the breeze as though I were out on a leisurely walk.
“This is wonderful.”
After wandering here and there, we settled down to rest on the nearby grass.
An inexplicable sense of freedom washed over me.
“Are you happy, Miel?”
Friam suddenly thrust his face close to mine as I lay on the grass.
“Yes!”
What delighted me most now was that Friam was taking steps toward me first.
I plucked a pale green leaf that had fallen on the grass and held it beside his eye, gasping in wonder.
“Wow, they’re identical!”
Friam burst into a clear, lovely laugh.
Then he pointed to a flower blooming among the grass and spoke.
“Your eyes are the same color as these yellow petals.”
“Hehe.”
“But…”
Friam gazed intently at something before asking.
“What’s that doll in your pocket?”
“Oh, this? Isn’t it cute! You know what it is too? They handed them out at the Village Hall…”
I trailed off and quickly pulled out the cat doll with a small cry.
“Look, see how it changes like this?”
“Changes how?”
“The color. It’s supposed to be white, but it’s orange now… wait, huh?”
Cheese Nyao had already transformed back into a white-furred cat.
‘Maybe white is its default color?’
Friam called it cute and gently stroked the doll with his fingertip.
“Miel.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re staying with Siad right now, aren’t you?”
“Hmm? Yeah.”
Friam shifted his head toward me, resting it against my knee as he asked.
“What kind of person is Siad?”
“Siad is…”
I closed my eyes and thought carefully.
From the moment I first awoke in Nod until now, Siad has…
Recalling his actions in sequence, I spoke as if entranced.
“An angel?”
“Pardon?”
I gave a gentle smile to Friam, who stared back in bewilderment.
“I’ve never met anyone as kind and virtuous as Siad in my whole life. Isn’t that remarkable?”
“Kind…”
Seeing that my words had made a deep impression on him, I continued my praise.
“Of course, when he first rescued me, I mistook him for an angel just by looking at his face! But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if maybe he really is an angel after all.”
“In what way…?”
“His gentle nature, his thoughtfulness—all of it. Most people wouldn’t even think to bring a stranger who’s collapsed to their home and care for them. And he even told me to stay as long as I wanted. I couldn’t do something like that even if I were born again.”
“Siad takes good care of you, it seems.”
“So much! Yesterday when I came home, he’d made me a Meat Pie, did you know? It was really delicious. I ate half of it all by myself, and he still urged me to eat more.”
Friam covered his mouth with one hand and murmured quietly.
“I see…”
“That Meat Pie was truly the best. It was the first time in ages I’d had it since childhood, so it was even… oh, I’m sorry. I’ve just been talking about myself this whole time, aren’t I?”
I quickly apologized to Friam, who seemed to have much he wanted to say.
“No, not at all. I like listening to you talk, Miel.”
“I love talking with you like this too! By the way, what are the other villagers like? I still don’t know many of them.”
“The other villagers? Near my orchard there’s a ranch, and everyone there is so energetic and kind. They’d be easy to get along with once you approach them.”
“Are you talking about Grandmother Mel’s ranch? I’ve already received a lot of help from her.”
“Right. Now she’s handed it over to her daughter Dei, so it’s become Dei’s ranch.”
“Does she not work the ranch anymore?”
“She still does. But she says she gets tired quickly if she tries to handle everything like she used to.”
“I see…”
“As for the others, there’s Tom at the general store and Kenny who runs the grocery market. Both are very kind people.”
Then Friam broached his most favorite subject.
“And there are a few young villagers who’d suit you well. There’s me, Siad, and a friend named Kais who manages the village.”
“Oh!”
“And there’s a mansion out in the Western Forest where twin siblings live. They… they’ll probably look quite young to you. Even younger than you are.”
I peppered him with questions, my eyes bright with curiosity.
“What are they like? What do they enjoy? I want to become friends with them.”
Seeing my eager expression, Friam slowly closed his mouth.
“…Rather than that.”
“Rather than that?”
“It might be better if you grew closer to Siad instead…”
“Siad?”
After some deliberation, he finally opened his mouth, as if uncertain what he was thinking.
“Getting closer to Siad might be… the best thing for you…”
I burst into laughter.
“What does that even mean!”
I understood their hesitation to speak, given Kais and the twins’ particular temperaments.
But I couldn’t help smiling at Friam’s expression—as if he’d just faced some grave crisis.
“Miel might get hurt.”
“Hurt? Why would she?”
“Oh, I meant… it might be hard for her to get close to them.”
“You’re here.”
A voice soft as cotton candy drifted down between our conversation.
I tilted my head back.
“Siad!”
I sprang up cheerfully and trotted over to him.
“Wow! How did you get here? They say speak of the tiger and he appears—”
“Tiger?”
“It’s a saying from my village. If you talk about someone, they show up.”
“You were speaking of me?”
“Yes!”
Siad glanced at Friam before turning back to me with a gentle smile.
“I woke and couldn’t find you, so I worried.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————