Gardener of Eden

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Rebuilding

As the last transport wagons returned from the outer basin, a collective wave of relief washed over Keystone Citadel. Soon, every person residing in the city began cleaning up the streets. Citizens cleared away shattered glass and blackened ash, shopkeepers swept down scorched storefronts, and guild mercenaries assisted in moving heavy debris off the main thoroughfares.

Along the ruined perimeter, squads of adept earth mages took position along the structural fractures. Chanting in unison, they channeled steady streams of terra-mana through the stone, reshaping crushed masonry and rapidly rebuilding the destroyed buildings and city walls to restore the citadel’s defenses.

Watching the bustling recovery effort from a high plaza, Rowan felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. A grim realization lingered: he felt partially responsible for the attack. The Order of Humanity hadn’t simply launched a random raid; their primary objective had been to eliminate Rowan and extinguish the high-purity mana fruits that were actively dismantling their synthetic rot across the floor.

The burning streets, ruined storefronts, and wounded defenders were the collateral damage of a crusade aimed directly at him.

Determined to give back and offer lasting vitality to the citizens who had been caught in the crossfire, Rowan decided to undertake developing a plot of land within the city walls to cultivate a healthy, thriving agricultural plot.

Walking down to a wide, scorched courtyard near the eastern inner district that had been leveled during the breach, Rowan unslung the Hoe of the World-Tiller. Tipping the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, he drove the iron blade straight into the cracked pavement. Radiant pulses of vitality mana rippled through the stone, fracturing the calcified debris and churning the earth into soft, dark, nutrient-dense topsoil.

By infusing the newly cleared plot with his Breath of Eden, Rowan laid the groundwork for a permanent urban farm—a protected haven within the citadel’s walls that would continuously feed the populace, restore wounded guards, and fortify the city’s spirit against whatever the Order attempted next.

***

Returning to their rented high-end suite at the Keystone Lodge, Rowan closed and locked the heavy wooden door behind him. Setting aside his tactical gear, he centered his mind and activated his core domain skill.

[Activating Domain: The Virgin Soil]

In a flash of warm, golden light, the suite dissolved into the serene expanse of his primordial pocket plane. The realm’s heightened time dilation and sovereign earth flow had allowed the unharvested plots to thrive untouched, evolving the crops into vibrant B-grade spirit botanicals bursting with dense vitality mana.

Wielding the Hoe of the World-Tiller, Rowan moved down the rows with effortless precision. He cleanly gathered heavy crates of Grade-B Starlight Sun-Tomatoes, translucent High-Mana Crisp Lettuce, Azure Dew Berries, and golden Spirit Wheat into his system storage.

With the plots cleared, he sowed fresh rows of high-tier seeds into the nutrient-dense earth. Extending his palm, he released a soothing emerald wave of Breath of Eden, instantly invigorating the topsoil and triggering their initial germination.

Exiting The Virgin Soil back into his room, Rowan gathered the massive yield and headed back out into the bustling streets of Keystone Citadel.

He visited the city’s primary restaurants, taverns, and dining halls surrounding the central district, delivering the crates of high-purity produce directly to the head chefs. As kitchens across the citadel fired up their stoves, the intoxicating aroma of untainted nature quickly filled the ash-choked air.

Steaming bowls of spirit-infused stews, freshly baked golden bread, and revitalizing produce were served directly to the weary guards who had tirelessly defended the city from the cult’s attack.

Rowan’s crops did far more than satisfy their hunger—the divine vitality actively purged residual physical fatigue, soothed lingering mana strains, and rapidly restored the defenders’ stamina.

Cheers of appreciation and sighs of relief echoed through the dining halls as the soldiers recovered their strength, deepening the city’s awe and gratitude for the young cultivator.

The warm, bustling ambient noise of the tavern filled the dining hall, mixed with the rich, intoxicating aroma of roasted spirit-vegetables and freshly baked golden breads. In a quiet corner booth, Squad 07 and Princess Lyra sat gathered around a heavy oak table, finally enjoying a well-earned meal after a relentless day of rift mining, city defense, and soil purification.

As Barney dug into a massive bowl of stew with hearty enthusiasm and Seraphina casually reviewed their latest mineral extraction figures, heavy, metal-clad footsteps echoed across the wooden floorboards. A squad of half a dozen city guards—their armor unbuckled at the shoulders and their faces still lightly smudged with soot from the day’s fires—walked over to their corner.

The guard captain stopped right beside Rowan’s seat, holding a wooden mug in one hand and looking down at the young cultivator with deep, heartfelt respect.

”Cadet Rowan,” the captain spoke up, his rough voice carrying clearly over the surrounding chatter. ”We just finished our plates over by the main hearth. I don’t know what kind of divine magic you grow into those crops, but half my men were ready to collapse from mana exhaustion an hour ago. Now? We feel like we could sprint another ten leagues.”

Rowan adjusted the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, meeting the veteran’s gaze with a calm, humble smirk. ”Good soil and pure vitality will do that. You guys held the line against those zealots when it mattered most. It’s the least a gardener can do to keep the city’s defenders on their feet.”

”You did a hell of a lot more than just feed us, kid,” another guard added, stepping forward with a broad, weary smile. ”Clearing the eastern district, saving our wounded, and purging that foul sludge out by the basin... Keystone Citadel owes you and your squad big time.”

The captain grinned, giving Rowan a hearty, approving pat on the shoulder that thudded solidly against his coat. ”Eat up and rest well, Rowan. If you or your team ever need a hand while you’re stationed in the citadel, the garrison’s got your back.”

One by one, the remaining guards offered respectful nods, a few clapping Rowan warmly on his back before turning to head out toward the city barracks for a well-deserved night’s sleep.

As the heavy wooden doors swung shut behind the departing soldiers, Barney let out a satisfied laugh, tearing off a piece of crusty bread. ”Looks like you’re officially the most popular man in the entire citadel, leader.”

Princess Lyra rested her cheek against her palm, her luminous eyes twinkling with quiet amusement as she looked at Rowan. ”A true leader earns the hearts of the people through action, not authority. You’ve secured more than just coin today, Rowan.”