Brain bloom

"Ladies and gentlemen! As usual, I have to go over the rules! What we have today may be the best harvest we've had in ten years!" the host shouted. "But no one knows what will be inside after we cut it open; it all depends on your eyesight and luck."

Mori was stunned. Luck? Cutting it open? This...this is...gambling on jade?

But with such a grand display, it's likely that the stone they're betting on isn't just any ordinary stone.

Sen Shi immediately pondered that the rise of Silvermoon City was likely related to this, such as the existence of some kind of high-quality stone production area.

Legendary stones? Rare gems? Sen Shi could use them all, her only worry was her wallet. She didn't have X-ray vision or any cheat codes to identify what was inside the stones; the only way to get her hands on some was to buy more.

"Sigh... let's see how it goes."

After the cheers from the audience finally subsided, the host seized the opportunity to shout again—

"No more talk! Load the goods!"

Countless gazes, sharp as knives, converged on the stage, all eager to see this year's goods. Escorted by a team of high-ranking holy swordsmen and mages, a truck slowly entered, mysteriously draped in black cloth.

The host continued, "The entry fee this time is two gold coins. Only after paying the fee are you allowed to come up and choose one! Anyone who dares to break this rule will be forever condemned by Silvermoon City!"

As soon as the price was announced, a chorus of boos erupted. Sen Shi heard someone next to him loudly complaining, "It's always this expensive every year." This piqued Sen Shi's interest. What kind of rough stone was it? Why was the entry price so high? And year after year?

“Sen Shi.” Dandelion’s voice was cold.

"Ok?"

"Lend me two."

The princess seemed ready to go to war, her eyes flashing with murderous intent. Intimidated by her aura, Senshi obediently gave her two gold coins, prepared ten for himself, and was ready to invest even more.

Clearly, this thing is definitely not ordinary!

Amid a chorus of boos, the host announced the lifting of the black cloth—which instantly flew up, revealing the precious item it contained.

Upon seeing that thing, the crowd gasped in astonishment, and even Mori was stunned, his mind going blank.

The things were piled up together, each larger than a human head, with strange, dark green markings on their skin, making them very tempting. Moreover, their shapes varied; some were larger and oval, while others were smaller and not perfectly round.

"Isn't this a watermelon?"

"Yes, as expected of Mori Toki, he really knows about watermelons."

Because the entrance fee was too high, many people were waiting to see how things would unfold—but one man, a strong minotaur, was willing to be the first to step forward. He tossed two gold coins over, then pushed through the crowd and strode forward.

After observing, the minotaur picked up the largest watermelon and gently patted it in his hand like he was holding a baby, his movements a perfect blend of strength and gentleness.

This technique drew praise from the onlookers, especially the two people next to Mori, who immediately started discussing it.

"The 'slapping watermelon method'? That's definitely the most reliable method."

"That's right, to see if a melon is sweet, first pat it in your hand! That feeling is the most important thing. This minotaur is an expert!"

"I wonder if he'll get to pick the sweetest melon of the year."

"Look at that melon! The stripes are like tiger stripes. It's called a tiger heart melon. It's said that melon farmers need to use special fertilizers to grow it. It's probably going to be very sweet."

Dandelion gave a cold smile, crossed her arms and said nothing, but looked completely confident.

As for Sen Shi, he had already come to his senses and threw the money he was holding in his hand, which he had prepared to use for gambling on stones, back into his bag.

It's just picking a watermelon...

……

Moon Crow has always believed that there is no real difference between picking a watermelon and gambling on jade.

After all, there's no jade to gamble on in another world, but if a novel wants to be popular, it needs some scenes of showing off and getting slapped in the face. I think gambling on watermelons would work too.

Volume 1 #048 The Cutter and the Curtain Falls

Mori couldn't resist taking out a gold coin from his bag and examining it closely. It was indeed made of gold. Watermelons in this world were incredibly valuable; it took two gold coins to buy one…

She tugged at her princess's sleeve and whispered, "Is there anything special about these watermelons? They're so expensive... enough to buy a house in the city, right? Don't tell me they're just for eating."

"If you're lucky enough to pick the sweetest one, it will be very sweet and delicious."

That's it? Nothing else?

“Yes, what else could it be?” Dandelion nodded and explained seriously, “After all, it’s a species that went extinct thousands of years ago. Only Silvermoon City has successfully re-cultivated it. Each year, only a small cartload can be harvested. Two gold coins are enough to make many people willing to join in the fun.”

"...After all, things are valued for their scarcity."

“Well, besides, watermelons are something that appeared in mythology, which is an added value. In addition, you can actually make money betting on watermelons—” Her eyes suddenly became extremely sharp, “Leave this to me, it’s time for me to show my skills.”

Dandelion pointed to the large watermelon that the minotaur had finally chosen after much deliberation and asserted, "That watermelon is definitely not sweet."

Her words not only surprised Mori, but also those around her, who immediately began to whisper among themselves. They probably thought Dandelion was talking nonsense, and wondered if her confident assertion was a deliberate attempt to cause trouble. Some wanted to say more, but at the same time, the most anticipated scene in the auction began.

The minotaur placed the watermelon on a tree stump and respectfully invited a knight to cut it open: "Please help me cut it open."

Is this your choice?

"Yes."

"Well."

The knight didn't ask any more questions and immediately fulfilled his duty, standing up from his chair. He was a very important figure who had been specially invited from the Kingdom of the Holy Coffin. Mori overheard the surrounding people talking and learned that this knight also had a nickname, something like "The Melon Slayer," apparently because his specialty was slicing watermelons.

The melon cutter ripped off his cloak, revealing a set of exquisitely crafted, dazzling silver-white armor. The level 80 knight walked towards the melon, slowly drawing his sword—a pure silver holy sword without a single flaw, its intricate patterns highlighting its extravagance.

The swordsman devoutly took out a glass bottle and poured some liquid, perhaps holy water, onto the sword, his movements elegant and dignified. He even chanted an English poem, blessing his sword.

After some preparation, he finally spoke:

"It's time."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then quickly became incredibly dense, everyone eager to see the first watermelon of the day cut open—that's the thrill of the gamble. Of all the onlookers, perhaps only Mori remained unmoved, though a little embarrassed.

"Just you wait, that's no good melon," Dandelion asserted once again.

The holy sword moved swiftly, its movements as graceful as a dance, slicing the watermelon in half.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a good watermelon. It was all white inside, with almost no red flesh. A collective sigh rippled through the crowd, and the minotaur who had chosen the watermelon, his face flushed, left the arena clutching his own. Those who lose at gambling always become the butt of jokes, especially when they lose so utterly.

Sen Shi glanced around and noticed that someone immediately went to talk to the minotaur and traded a handful of silver coins for a watermelon.

"What are they doing? Why are people buying rotten melons instead of using them as fertilizer?"

"It's said that a certain medicinal herb can be extracted from watermelons using a special method, and it sells for a high price, so some people are buying them to get their hands on it." Dandelion casually explained, then suddenly threw two gold coins onto the platform—"Let me end this farce."

"...Good luck to you."

The previously bustling meeting room fell silent as everyone turned to look at the new melon gambler. Her beauty further fueled the atmosphere, but Dandelion's melon-selection technique was incredibly clumsy, leaving everyone puzzled.

She didn't pick and choose at all. She didn't pat each one or use any mystical methods to carefully examine them. She just randomly pointed out an ugly watermelon that was small and had unattractive stripes.

“Cut it,” said the dandelion.

"Are you sure?" the melon-cutter asked, wiping his sword. "There's plenty of time. You can choose more options."

"Go ahead and do it, I'm sure."

"...Alright then."

The watermelon cutter didn't waste any time. He applied some more holy water, then swung his silver sword at the watermelon chosen by the dandelion, cleaving it open with incredibly fluid movements. Sen Shi couldn't help but admire him; this guy really knew how to cut watermelons.

The silver sword fell, splitting the watermelon in two and revealing the flesh hidden beneath the rind.

A deafening roar of cheers erupted, because it turned out to be a perfectly ripe watermelon.

The flesh was bright red and translucent, with reddish grains of juice so sweet they seemed to crack. The rind was thin and juicy, and the seeds were like black gems set in it. From any angle, it was a perfect watermelon.

"How...how did you choose it?" The melon cutter looked at the watermelon in surprise, then looked up at the dandelion and asked, which puzzled everyone even more.

"Because I'm very familiar with plants, that's it."

After she finished speaking, she gave Mori a thumbs-up to him in the crowd. Although her expression was still somewhat indifferent, she felt as sweet as a watermelon that had just been split open. She had finally shown some of her good qualities to Mori; she wasn't just a pretty face anymore. That was wonderful…

As for Mori, he could only lead the applause to celebrate for his princess, which was both funny and exasperating.

"Dear guest, this watermelon definitely meets the auction criteria; it's absolutely sweet... In that case, would you like to proceed with the bidding?"

The man chopping the melon was reluctant to wipe the watermelon juice off his sword, and then pointed to the eager crowd.

"I think a lot of people will buy it."

"I'll only sell half; I'll keep the other half for myself."

“…Alright.” He raised his hand and gestured to a few people to seal half of it into some kind of box. “Please give me your address, because this thing is very likely to be robbed. We will take care of delivering it safely to you…The same goes for the proceeds from the auction.”

Dandelion wrote the words "Four Seasons Winery" on the paper he handed her. The other party nodded and began the auction of the other half of the watermelon.

After that, under the watchful eyes of countless people, Dandelion returned to Mori Toki's side with the air of a victor.

……

They didn't continue watching the auction because people kept asking them all sorts of questions, which was a bit annoying. They went straight into Silvermoon City, finally leaving all the trouble behind.

"Haha, we've made money again!" Dandelion kept repeating this phrase the whole way. "And we can eat watermelon too! I can't wait, I wonder what it will taste like?"

"How many shots can you take?" Mori didn't know how to praise her, so he could only ask some cliché questions.

"Last year, a whole melon sold for eleven gold coins. The year before last, it wasn't sweet enough, so it sold for eight gold coins. The year before that, it sold for twelve gold coins... This time, only half of the melons are sold, so it will probably sell for between six and eight gold coins."

"How do you remember so clearly? Could it be... that you were the one who took the sweetest melon before?"

……

(No, I'm getting so embarrassed writing this myself. I'm so stupid for writing this kind of plot...)

Volume 1 #049 - Strolling in Progress

Dandelion glanced around to make sure no one was listening before lowering her voice to answer Senshi's question.

"I have indeed monopolized the sweetest watermelons in Silvermoon City every year."

"...After all, for those born in all four seasons, picking watermelons is a racial talent." Mori Toki seemed unsurprised.

"Yes, the nutrients in a melon determine its sweetness, so we can tell how well it's growing just by looking at it."

Mori nodded repeatedly in agreement, pretending that he wasn't a fake Four Seasons Person, but that was obvious at a glance.

“Actually, every year I would auction off the sweetest melons I picked to earn a living.” She sighed as she recalled the difficult early days of the winery, but her eyes immediately lit up. “But this year is different, we have money now.”

"so?"