Gardener of Eden

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Sol-Aethel Representatives

The sun had begun its slow descent over the rolling green hills of Sunny Vale, casting a warm golden light across the courtyard of Squad 07’s private retreat. On the stone table lay a heavy parchment scroll bearing the silver-and-gold wax seal of the Imperial Ministry of Education and Martial Arts.

Rowan, wearing his Enchanted Straw Hat tilted slightly back, unrolled the parchment as the rest of the team gathered around.

Barney leaned in, resting his massive arms on the stone table, while Caelen stood with arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the imperial seal. Mirei leaned casually against a pillar, stringing her Breeze-Striker Longbow, and Seraphina swirled a faint violet elixir in a crystal vial, observing Rowan’s calm demeanor.

”The official directive for the upcoming Academy Exhibition Tournament just arrived,” Rowan began, his voice steady. ”And it’s completely different from the Mid-Term Tower Expedition.”

”Different how?” Barney asked, raising a bushy eyebrow. ”Don’t tell me they’re putting us back in a subterranean labyrinth so soon.”

”No maze this time,” Rowan said, laying the scroll flat so everyone could read the shimmering golden text. ”The Exhibition Tournament isn’t a team survival run. It’s an Individual Championship designed to highlight the single most elite talent across every major discipline.”

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed slightly with interest. ”An inter-academy showcase... meaning every top student from every military and arcane academy across the Empire will be competing.”

”Exactly,” Rowan nodded. ”And the stakes are higher than anything we’ve faced yet. The winners of each division won’t just earn national prestige—they will form the Imperial Representative Roster to compete directly against rival foreign Empires on the international stage. And the overall champions will receive a personal audience and rewards directly from the Imperial Royal Family.”

Barney let out a whistle. ”Personal rewards from the Royal Family? That’s legendary status. You could ask for high-tier forged metals or private territory rights!”

”Which is why the competition will be fierce,” Caelen said, his hand casually resting on the pommel of the Edge of the First Warden. ”How are the divisions structured?”

Rowan pointed to the five distinct categories illuminated on the parchment:

IMPERIAL EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT — DIVISIONS

1. Herbology & Terra Cultivation Competition

Details: Assessment of rare flora cultivation, soil alchemy, and natural mana resonance.

2. Alchemy & Reagent Dispersion Tournament

Details: High-speed potion crafting, chemical toxicity neutralization, and combat synthesis.

3. Blacksmithing & Forge Artifact Competition

Details: Equipment crafting, rune-engraving endurance, and metallurgy under live combat stress.

4. Melee Combat 1v1 Tournament

Details: Unrestricted single combat for Swordsmen, Vanguards, Martial Artists, and Close-Quarters Specialists.

5. Ranged Combat 1v1 Tournament

Details: Long-range dueling division combining Archers, Snipers, and Elemental Destruction Mages.

”It’s tailored perfectly for our squad’s individual strengths,” Rowan said, looking up at his teammates. ”Every single one of us has a natural home in these brackets.”

”A pure Herbology Competition...” Seraphina smiled faintly, glancing at Rowan. ”With your Virgin Soil domain, the Grade-B Solar-Starlight Wheat, and the ancient Celestial Lotus Pod you just retrieved from the Treasury, you’ll sweep the entire agronomy division before the judges even finish grading.”

”I don’t plan on holding back,” Rowan replied with a slight smile. ”But the same goes for you, Seraphina. The Alchemy Tournament tests combat synthesis and hazardous reagent containment—exact skills you proved during our fight against the Order’s toxic synthetic leylines.”

Seraphina’s eyes gleamed with quiet confidence. ”I’ve already begun formulating a new line of combat-grade stimulants and instant-reaction defensive vapors using the high-vitality herbs from Sunny Vale. No other alchemist in the Empire will have access to reagents cultivated in your domain.”

”And Barney,” Rowan turned to the heavy-armored vanguard. ”The Blacksmithing Competition.”

Barney pounded a heavy fist into his palm, a wide grin breaking across his face. ”Finally! A chance to show those pompous royal smiths what real frontline metallurgy looks like. With the Aegis of the Sunken Bastion as my blueprint, I’ll forge an artifact that’ll leave the judges speechless.”

Caelen stepped forward, his sharp gaze locking onto the Melee Combat 1v1 bracket. ”The duel bracket is going to be packed with noble heirs and senior martial prodigies.”

”And you have the Edge of the First Warden,” Rowan said. ”Spatial sword techniques combined with your speed will make you unpredictable in a duel. But you’ll need absolute precision against heavy vanguards and high-tier aura blades.”

”I’ll start intensive sparring tomorrow,” Caelen said, his aura flaring subtly. ”No one takes my spot on the Imperial Roster.”

Beside him, Mirei unstrung her longbow with a swift, fluid motion. ”The Ranged 1v1 Division mixes archers with elemental destruction mages. Mages have massive area-of-effect spells, but arrows move faster than casting chants.”

”That’s where our training plan comes in,” Rowan declared, taking a seat at the head of the table. ”Even though the tournament is individual, Squad 07 trains as a single unit. We win together.”

Rowan laid out their comprehensive preparation schedule:

Nutritional & Mana Conditioning: Rowan would use the high-vitality harvests from Sunny Vale to prepare daily nutrient-dense meals, accelerating physical recovery and permanently boosting their baseline mana reserves before the matches.

Custom Gear & Catalyst Support: Barney and Seraphina would work in tandem—Barney enhancing Caelen and Mirei’s weapons with custom elemental runes, while Seraphina provided specialized stamina-replenishing potions to sustain them through back-to-back duel rounds.

Cross-Discipline Sparring: Mirei and Caelen would engage in high-intensity ranged-versus-melee combat drills in Sunny Vale’s open fields, training Mirei to hit instant-cast mages from maximum range while forcing Caelen to weave through dense projectile barrages.

”We have three weeks before the imperial carriage transports the academy delegations,” Rowan said, looking each of them in the eye. ”Squad 01 and the other elite squads think our victory in the Tower was just squad synergy. When we step onto those individual stages, we show the entire Empire what Squad 07 is truly capable of.”

Barney let out a boisterous laugh, raising his mug. ”To sweeping every single division!”

Caelen clinked his cup against Barney’s, a rare, eager smirk on his face. ”To the Imperial Roster.”

Mirei nodded with quiet determination, and Seraphina raised her glass with an elegant smile.

Rowan raised his cup, looking out over the glowing fields of Sunny Vale. The individual tournament was coming—and Squad 07 was going to take the Empire by storm.

***

The warm scent of slow-roasted herbs, simmered grains, and freshly baked sourdough drifted across the courtyard, instantly catching the attention of Squad 07.

From the front porch of the newly renovated main household, Martha Vance wiped her hands on her apron and called out over the fields, her voice full of warmth.

”Rowan! Bring your friends inside! Lunch is ready before it gets cold!”

Barney’s stomach answered first, letting out a deep rumble that made Mirei stifle a laugh.

”Well,” Barney grinned, setting down his heavy smithing hammer against the courtyard bench. ”You don’t have to tell me twice. That smell has been driving me crazy for the last twenty minutes.”

Rowan chuckled, adjusting his straw hat as he gestured toward the main house. ”Come on in, everyone. My mother’s been looking forward to meeting you all.”

As Squad 07 stepped through the front entrance, they were greeted by the cozy, inviting interior of the Vance residence. The long oak dining table was packed end-to-end with a feast that looked more like a banquet than a casual lunch.

The Vance Family Lunch Spread

Vitality Roast Ribs: Braised in a glaze made from Sunny Vale’s home-grown honey and wild mountain berries.

Golden Sun-Corn Chowder: Steaming bowls of rich, creamy soup infused with high-mana vitality grain.

Garden Harvest Salad: Crispy greens, sweet vine tomatoes, and thinly sliced spirit-radishes tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette.

Freshly Baked Sourdough: Warm loaves served with churned herb butter made straight from local farm dairy.

”Oh, welcome, welcome!” Martha smiled brightly as the cadets filed into the dining room. She immediately fussed over Rowan, smoothing down his collar before looking up at his squadmates with genuine warmth. ”Rowan has written to us about all of you, but it’s so wonderful to finally meet the famous Squad 07 in person.”

”The honor is ours, Mrs. Vance,” Seraphina said politely, offering a gentle, respectful bow. ”Thank you for having us into your home.”

”Please, call me Martha! Sit down, all of you, eat until you’re full,” she insisted, ushering them toward their seats. ”You’ve all been working so hard in the Tower and training for the tournament. You need real nutrients, not those dense academy ration bars!”

Caelen and Mirei pulled out their chairs, taking in the home-cooked feast.

”This looks incredible, Mrs. Vance,” Mirei said softly, her eyes lighting up at the vibrant colors of the fresh vegetables.

”It really does,” Caelen added, taking a seat beside his sister. For someone usually as stoic as Caelen, the genuine comfort of a real family home was a welcome change of pace.

Once everyone was seated, Martha served generous portions onto every plate, taking extra care to stack Barney’s dish high with ribs and potatoes.

”Dig in!” Rowan smiled, taking his usual spot at the head of the table next to his mother.

Barney took a bite of the braised rib, and his eyes widened almost instantly. ”Spirits above... Rowan, I knew your farm produce was good, but your mom’s cooking is on a whole different level! This meat is so tender it’s practically melting!”

”It’s all in the ingredients,” Martha said with a proud smile, glancing at her son. ”Rowan keeps our kitchen stocked with the highest quality crops from Sunny Vale. Cooking with high-vitality produce makes every broth richer and every vegetable sweeter.”

Seraphina sampled the Golden Sun-Corn Chowder, taking a slow, appreciative moment as the warm mana subtly radiated through her system. ”The natural mana purity in this dish is extraordinary. It doesn’t just replenish stamina—it actively eases mental fatigue and relaxes mana channels. It’s soil alchemy in its purest, most delicious form.”

”Leave it to an alchemist to analyze lunch!” Barney laughed heartily, dipping a thick chunk of sourdough into his soup.

Laughter and conversation filled the room as Squad 07 enjoyed a peaceful, nourishing break from their intense academy schedules. Between Martha’s endless refills and the quiet comfort of the homestead, the pressure of the upcoming Imperial Tournament felt miles away—replaced by the simple warmth of good food and great company.