Gardener of Eden

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: I’m going to be a brother

Rowan leaned back into the deep cushions of the living room sofa, a wide bowl of freshly popped buttered corn resting comfortably in his lap. The warm, amber glow of the television flickered across the quiet room as he caught up on local broadcast channels, enjoying the rare, luxurious stillness after his intense cultivation session within [Domain: The Virgin Soil]. The peaceful hum of the Sovereign Terra-Barricade pulsed softly in the background, anchoring the entire estate of Sunny Vale in unassailable calm.

The quiet atmosphere shattered with the heavy, satisfying click of the front door swinging open. Voices immediately spilled into the entryway—a cheerful blend of casual banter between Arthur and the hardworking young shop hands who had been assisting at the Eden International flagship store all day.

”Rowan, you’re home!” Martha cried out the moment her eyes landed on her son sitting on the couch.

Dropping her tote bags onto the entry bench, she hurried across the polished timber floor and wrapped him in a fierce, tight hug. Rowan set his bowl of popcorn on the coffee table just in time to catch his mother, letting out a soft laugh as he hugged her back deeply. The lingering scent of fresh produce and crisp evening air clung to her cloak, grounding him instantly.

”We’ve missed you so much,” Martha whispered, holding onto him for a long moment before pulling back to trace his cheek, looking over her son with overwhelming pride and relief. ”You’ve been working so hard at the academy and in the fields.”

”It’s good to be back, Mom,” Rowan replied with a warm, grounded smile.

Behind her, Arthur stepped into the living room, his weathered face lit by a healthy, energetic color—a clear testament to his steadily mending mana channels. He clapped a heavy, pride-filled hand on Rowan’s shoulder, while the young store helpers waved enthusiastically from the foyer, practically buzzing with excitement to see the continent’s top prodigy lounging casually at home. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

”We brought back fresh cuts from town, but having you here makes the evening complete,” Arthur grinned, hanging up his coat.

Rowan glanced around at his gathering family, his hand instinctively tapping his system inventory where the newly mutated Celestial Peaches of Revelation and Sun-Crystalline Eden Apples rested in perfect stasis. With a knowing smirk, he gestured toward the kitchen. ”Well, since everyone’s here for dinner, I think I have a special harvest that’s going to make tonight’s meal unforgettable.”

***

Martha tied her apron and headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner, accompanied by the bright-eyed young shop hands she had taken in and hired for the Eden International storefront. Moving around the counters with practiced sync, the kids eagerly took charge of prepping the ingredients—washing fresh produce and dicing aromatic herbs using the exact techniques Martha had taught them.

In the living room, Rowan settled back and began recounting Squad 07’s descent through the Imperial Tower from the 3rd all the way to the 8th floor. He detailed navigating the untamed Gateway Basin, clearing hidden trial portals, restoring the blighted crop terraces on the 5th floor, and stepping into the solo Eternity trial on the 6th.

Arthur leaned forward as he listened, a nostalgic gleam igniting in his eyes. Fond memories of his own youthful adventuring days swept through his mind—the weight of steel, the thrum of dungeon mana, and the thrill of pushing past dangerous boss gates before his circuits had shattered. Now, with his foundation actively rebuilding thanks to their domain-grown crops, listening to his son’s exploits filled him with immense pride and a long-lost spark of excitement.

Soon, Martha stepped out of the kitchen and beckoned the father-son duo into the dining room, where a sumptuous meal was spread across the long timber table.

The Vance Family Homestead Dinner

Braised Spirit-Cut Stew: Tender cuts of meat simmered in a rich, velvety broth infused with high-mana root vegetables.

Golden Vitality Bread: Warm, fragrant loaves baked from vitality-infused grains grown on the farm.

Crisp Homestead Salad: A vibrant toss of sweet vine tomatoes and crisp spirit-radishes harvested directly from Sunny Vale.

Glazed Terrace Medley: Roasted garden tubers lightly brushed with raw home-grown honey.

The young helpers beamed with pride as Arthur pulled out Martha’s chair, marveling at how skillfully the kids had prepared the spread under her direction. Rowan took his seat at the table with a warm smile, taking in the comforting aromas and enjoying the grounded peace of being home with his family.

After helping clear the dining table, the bright young shop hands offered their warm thanks for the feast and said their goodbyes, leaving the Sunny Vale homestead to return to their quarters near the Eden International storefront.

As the front door clicked shut, a soft, comfortable hush fell over the home. Martha and Arthur walked back into the living room and sat down together on the sofa right beside Rowan. Martha reached out, taking Rowan’s hand into hers with a soft, radiant smile while Arthur wrapped an affectionate arm around her waist.

”Rowan, your father and I have some wonderful news,” Martha said gently, her eyes shining with quiet emotion. ”We’re expecting a new child... a baby girl.”

”I’m going to be a big brother?” Rowan asked, caught completely off guard. A wide, genuine smile broke across his face as the initial shock gave way to profound happiness. He looked between his parents, seeing the radiant warmth in their faces and the deep joy filling the room.

Remembering his recent excursion down into the subterranean sanctuary beneath the World Tree in [Domain: The Virgin Soil], Rowan immediately focused his mind. Tapping into his system inventory, he called forth the high-grade glass bottles he had carefully filled at the crystal-clear pool of pure life essence.

In a flash of warm golden light, several sealed glass bottles filled with glowing, topaz-tinted Primordial Spring Water materialized on the coffee table.

”This is high-quality spring water,” Rowan explained quietly, looking over at both of his parents with a serious expression. ”Make sure to drink a portion of this regularly; it will be immensely beneficial to your health and to the growing baby.”

Martha cradled the bottles against her chest, her expression shifting to one of quiet understanding as she nodded carefully.

***

With a subtle tap of his system inventory, Rowan summoned the freshly mutated fruits directly from their stasis slots into the quiet room. Two brilliant, ethereal glows illuminated the living room.

The Sun-Crystalline Eden Apples shimmered like semi-translucent topaz, their cores burning with a soft, star-like energy.

Beside them rested the Amethyst-Gold Peaches, their obsidian-sheened skin marbled with translucent ruby patterns that thrummed with concentrated vitality and mental clarity.

The instant the fruits materialized, an intoxicating, hyper-pure aroma swept through the room, instantly clarifying the ambient air.

Rowan set the radiant produce on the table and pushed them toward his parents. ”Try these. They’re a new mutation from my personal harvest.”

Martha picked up an amethyst-gold peach while Arthur took a sun-crystalline apple, both freezing in place the moment their fingers brushed the skin. The sheer concentration of uncorrupted mana emanating from the fruit made their breath hitch.

Taking a bite together, an explosion of hyper-concentrated nectar washed over their palates. Warm, liquid energy surged down their throats, cascading directly into their mana pathways and flushing away every lingering trace of fatigue.

Martha’s eyes widened as a wave of profound focus cleared her mind, while Arthur felt his mending circuits thrum with unprecedented vigor.

Arthur stared down at the half-eaten golden apple in his palm, his mouth hanging open in complete shock. ”Merciful Earth... Rowan, the mana purity in this single bite is cleaner than a high-tier imperial elixir.” He swallowed, looking up at his son with wide, disbelieving eyes. ”We could sell them each for 1000 gold, and it would still be at a bargain.”

Martha cradled her peach with deep reverence, feeling the gentle, protective vitality circulating through her body to support both her health and the baby girl. ”The high noble houses and grand syndicates would go to war just to secure a single monthly crate,” she whispered, her voice trembling with awe.

Rowan offered a calm, grounded smirk, watching his parents savor the miraculous harvest. With these revolutionary mutated crops now secured within Eden International’s arsenal, their family’s future was not only unassailable, but bound for unprecedented heights.