Judas stretched his arms high above his head as he stepped out of the house, the cool morning air brushing refreshingly against his skin.
The sun had not fully risen yet; only a pale, tentative glow peeked over the distant hills, but it was enough to paint the waking world in strokes of soft silver.
Behind him, Luna and Ezra were likely still standing inside the house with flustered cheeks, wondering how he could possess the audacity to act so shameless after thoroughly ruining their sleep.
He smirked to himself, turning his attention toward the farmlands that sprawled out around his modest little house.
His back ached slightly from last night's enthusiastic activities, but rather than a hindrance, the ache simply made his pride swell.
It was a physical testament to his victory, a reminder that he had survived the first true trial of married life. He couldn't wait to replicate this triumph with his other wives as well.
Judas breathed deeply, letting the rich, fresh scent of damp earth fill his lungs.
The field stretched wide before him, far larger than the plots most common peasants ever owned.
If cared for properly, this land had the potential to produce a thousand pounds of rice. It was a paradise for any dedicated farmer, yet a crushing burden for any sane man.
Judas clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "The previous owner must have been either brave or stupid to sell it this cheap."
Or desperate. Yes, desperation seemed the far more likely culprit.
He ventured further, his steps sinking into the soft, yielding soil. The early morning breeze made the tall wild grass sway in waves, the blades brushing against his legs as he passed.
Slowly, the horizon began to brighten, light creeping across the sky inch by inch.
His mind drifted back to what he had learned yesterday. Farmland in this region was cheap only to those willing to gamble their lives.
Any man who claimed ownership of land accepted the heavy responsibility tied to it. If he failed to protect his harvest, soldiers would come to collect him.
They would drag him to the borders and throw him into a battlefield where even seasoned warriors struggled to survive.
The more vast the land you owned, the greater the difficulty in protecting it.
This was exactly why most peasants preferred small, manageable plots. No one wanted to risk being drafted. No one wanted the looming threat of death hanging over their harvest.
Except, apparently, Old Judas.
The original owner of this body had marched into the town's land office with all ten coppers in his possession and purchased this massive field as casually as if he were buying a loaf of bread.
He had dreamed of becoming a wealthy landowner, living comfortably with servants and cattle at his beck and call.
Instead, he had left himself with no money for tools, no money for seeds, and certainly no money for hired help.
Judas sighed heavily. Now he had inherited this ridiculous expanse of land and the crushing burden that accompanied it.
And he had to do it with zero coppers in hand.
"Thanks, mate," Judas muttered dryly into the empty air. "You really left me a wonderful inheritance."
He stepped deeper into the fields, surveying the terrain more carefully.
The soil was unkempt but undeniably rich. Thick clumps of wild grass grew everywhere, the earth left untouched for seasons.
Yet, if someone with genuine skill tended to it properly, it would flourish quickly. On one side, rows of narrow dikes separated the land into uneven sections.
They looked old, weathered by time, but they were still workable.
And at the very center of the field lay a pond. Its still surface reflected the glowing sky like a polished mirror.
Judas crouched beside the water's edge. "At least water won't be a problem."
That small blessing lifted his spirits a little. Watering crops took immense effort, but the task would be far easier with a natural reservoir this close.
The sound of frogs croaking and insects buzzing around the reeds filled the quiet morning with life.
"If I can breed fish in this pond, my sweeties and I can sit here and fish together."
Fishing had always been one of his favorite pastimes. Sitting on the shore with a rod in hand, waiting patiently for a bite, feeling the line tense little by little… it was an exhilarating experience.
Nothing felt quite as rewarding as finally pulling a struggling fish out of the water after hours of anticipation.
Judas was certain his wives would enjoy the leisure just as much as he did.
He still had several lucky draws left in his inventory. Since the system's rewards tended to match his current circumstances, opening one beside the water gave him a high probability of acquiring fish larvae.
"System, let us open one Common Lucky Draw."
[First Draw: Item Acquired — Moonscale Larvae, ten thousand pairs (Common)]
[Description: Moonscale larvae mature into silver fish within a single day and breed at astonishing speed, filling any pond in weeks. Their meat is tender and sweet, capable of healing internal injuries and clearing the skin.]
The moment he accepted the item, a gentle ripple spread across the pond.
Tiny specks of silver light flashed beneath the surface as thousands of larvae materialized in the water.
They moved in synchronized schools, wriggling and darting with a vitality that seemed almost magical.
In seconds, they began to grow. Their bodies expanded visibly, scales brightening and fins forming right before his eyes. It was like watching time fast-forward.
At this rate, he could bring his wives here to fish as soon as tomorrow.
The thought alone lifted his mood significantly.
A smile spread across his face as he imagined Luna trying to act dignified while jumping at her first catch, Ezra pretending she was bored but secretly trembling with excitement, and Nina squealing in pure joy.
But the pleasant daydream shattered as reality settled back onto his shoulders. The grain quota for the month stared at him like a looming shadow.
Preparing the soil, planting, watering, maintaining, harvesting. Every step required labor. Tireless, backbreaking labor.
And he only had two hands.
He straightened with a heavy breath, planting his fists firmly on his hips. Hiring workers was impossible; he did not have a single copper left to his name.
And asking his wives to help?
That was absolutely out of the question.
What if their flawless skin tanned in the harsh sun? What if their delicate hands blistered from the rough tools?
And even worse, what if the village boys dared to look at them while they worked in the fields?
No. Absolutely not.
Judas rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "I have to plant those Speed Growth Seeds today. Otherwise, I will never meet the quota."
For any ordinary man, planting this much land in a single day would be madness.
But Judas was not ordinary. He had lucky draws.
With a silent command, he opened the second one.
[Second Draw: Item Acquired — Burrow Mole x2 (Common)]
[Description: A tiny spirit mole that digs clean planting furrows with remarkable speed.]
A pair of round-bodied, plump, furry potatoes dropped into his palms. They blinked at him with shiny, marble-like eyes.
Then, without warning, both leaned forward and bit his fingers.
"Ugh!" Judas jerked back in pain and flung them straight into the pond. "What is wrong with you!"
The two creatures popped back up, dripping wet, staring at him with large, trembling eyes.
[You have bonded with two Spirit Monsters.]
[You may view the stats of any bonded spirit with a thought.]
Judas stared blankly at them. "So biting is the bonding process? Really? Is there no other method?"
The moles squeaked miserably, sounding like abused dumplings.
"Hello…"
Their round furry bodies bobbed weakly in the water, tears glimmering in their eyes as they paddled for dear life.