Healing in the Country Side with a Baby Dragon - CHAPTER 7 (Greetings)

It’s been over 30 years since the Gate opened.

Although it caused countless casualties, contact with that new world also changed many things. It brought new resources, plants, animals, and even unique human abilities.

A famous scholar once posited:

“Perhaps the Gate incident is a necessary stepping stone—a way to trim a population that has reached its carrying capacity, while elevating human civilization to a new level.”

Of course, he was instantly bombarded with malicious comments and dragged down into the social abyss. As an academic, he might have been looking at the big picture, but you can’t just say something like that out loud while the families of the victims are still alive and well.

Honestly, I left a comment on that article, too. Looking back, mine was actually pretty mild.

In any case, the Gates are still filled with mysteries unknown to humanity, and the text hovering before my eyes right now is a prime example.

[Effect: Possesses potent detoxifying and calming properties.]

It’s basic common sense that good food is good for your health. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which helps prevent cancer and regulate blood pressure. When you watch health programs, they always talk about certain ingredients as if they're a panacea.

You might think these tomatoes are just like that, but it’s completely different when a trait is officially attached as a system option. This means it can treat actual poisoning symptoms and actively stabilize the mind and body. Like a literal potion.

Because of that, the pricing for these kinds of crops is on a completely different level. If it offers detoxification and calming effects that work even on ordinary people, it goes without saying that the demand will be astronomical. And with that kind of demand, this garden is a literal gold mine. If I harvest and sell them, I can make a fortune.

"Hey, guys."

"The Great Master is back! We're all dead!"

"Everyone, hide!"

The earth fairies scrambled in a frenzy, terrified that they were about to get chewed out. I managed to snatch one of them out of the air.

"I'll hold him off! Everyone else, run!"

"Sob, sob... We will never forget your sacrifice!"

What on earth are these guys talking about? If a passerby saw this, they’d think I was going to eat them alive. Watching the captured fairy's intensely dramatic, determined expression, I couldn't help but feel a bit playful.

"Really? Do you think you can handle my anger?" 

I extended a finger toward the trembling earth fairy and gave its tiny body a few gentle squishes.

"Ack! I-I'll show you where the others are hiding! Please, leave it to me!"

"You traitor!" a voice yelled from the bushes.

The little guy flipped sides instantly. Not that I actually cared where their hiding spot was, anyway.

"Do these tomatoes keep growing?" I asked.

"Of course! It's only natural for a tomato tree to keep bearing fruit."

"Continuously? Like this?"

"Well, maintaining 'this' massive size is hard. It's only possible right now because a great being is lending her power."

"Hmm. Then how much can you grow if you keep at it? Assuming you don't overdo it. And how long does it take for a fruit to ripen like this?"

The fairy went quiet for a moment, appearing to run some difficult calculations. 

"About half of what we have right now is sustainable. As for the time... it depends entirely on the sun's mood."

"Depends on 'the sun's mood'?"

"It can happen within four days."

"And if it's not?"

"A week, maybe?"

"Hmm."

I set the captured earth fairy back down on the ground and lost myself in thought. Could this actually be marketable? For now, that was enough information. Since it had high commercial value and could be produced continuously, I could take my time researching the details. It wasn't like I was going to starve to death tomorrow from a lack of funds.

This was the peaceful, healing life I had finally started in the countryside. I had no desire to get caught up in a grueling work cycle all over again.

"But there really are too many."

The problem was the sheer volume of cherry tomatoes. It was far too much for me to eat alone—no, even if Seol-ah, the earth fairies, and I all gorged ourselves, we wouldn't make a dent.

Then, a great idea struck me. If you have too much food, you just need to find more mouths to feed, right?

‘Let's share them with the neighbors.’

Since I had received help on my very first day here, handing out cherry tomatoes would be a perfect moving-in greeting, just like exchanging traditional neighborhood rice cakes. It definitely wasn't a waste of crops. Tomatoes loaded with system options would be an incredible gift for anyone.

"Seol-ah."

"Huh?"

"Should we share some tomatoes with the neighbors? We can say hello to everyone while we walk around."

"Heigh!"

Look at that. Seol-ah was completely on board.

By the time we finished picking the golden bell tomatoes hanging from the branches, they nearly filled a massive washbasin. And there was still an abundance left on the tree. I divided the harvested tomatoes into smaller, clean bowls.

Still, since it was my first time formally meeting the villagers, walking up to their houses empty-handed would have been incredibly awkward.

First, I stopped in front of the nearest blue gate. The nameplate on the wall read: 'Ham Bong-seok.'

"Is anyone home?" I called out, knocking firmly on the door.

"Who is it?" a voice echoed from within.

The door swung open, revealing the village chief.

"Huh? What's going on? Is there a problem with the garden? The boiler?"

The chief, instantly assuming something had gone wrong because I had suddenly shown up, turned around to grab his tools. He really looked the part of a seasoned veteran looking out for a clueless newbie who had just moved to the countryside.

"No, nothing like that," I said quickly, waving my hands. 

"I was just so grateful for your help on my first day, and I realized I hadn't greeted you properly yet."

"What's there to greet? Neighbors can just say hello whenever they cross paths." Chief Ham Bong-seok replied bluntly, though his eyes softened. 

"But where's the little one?"

It seemed he was looking for Seol-ah.

"Seol-ah, come here."

Hiding slightly behind me, Seol-ah stepped forward. 

"Hello—" 

She bowed deeply, her tiny posture perfect.

Since she couldn't just rely on cute noises forever, I had been teaching her standard greetings. Seol-ah was an absolute genius; she executed it flawlessly despite only practicing for a short time.

The corners of Chief Ham's mouth twitched upward. 

"Yeah, are you doing well?"

"Bam!"

Ah. I hadn't taught her how to answer that part yet.

However, Chief Ham just burst into a hearty laugh, completely charmed by how adorable she was. 

"Right, right. So, do you need help with something?"

"No, sir. I just stopped by to say hello since I'm your new neighbor."

"What do you mean, 'just say hello'? I'm actually having a drink right now, so why don't you come in and join me?"

"Thank you, but I plan on stopping by the other houses, too. I brought these because I grew them myself and wanted you to try some."

The village chief looked down at the bowl of cherry tomatoes I extended, his eyebrows shooting up. 

"Huh? It's only been three days since you moved in, and you already grew these yourself?"

"I guess they just grew up fast," I offered with a sheepish smile.

"Well, alright, I'll enjoy them. Hold on a second, let me give your bowl back." 

The chief casually took the tomatoes inside, and when he returned, the bowl was filled with a generous helping of freshly boiled pork. 

"Take this and eat it. It's too much for an old man to finish alone."

"Thank you so much."

"Bam!" Seol-ah chimed in.

As it turned out, I had traded a bowl of cherry tomatoes for a feast of boiled pork.

"Get home safe. And you too, Seol-ah."

"Hello!" 

Seol-ah called out as her parting greeting.

"Yeah, yeah," the chief smiled warmly, waving as he headed back inside.

All in all, it wasn't a bad first meeting.

"Shall we head to the next house, Seol-ah?"

"Hello!"

"No, that's when you say 'yes.' Follow me: 'yes'."

"Bye—"

"Yes."

"Bye—"

Outside the gate, Jin-sol and Seol-ah’s voices gradually drifted away into the distance.

Chief Ham Bong-seok thought back to the two people who had just visited. 

'What a cute kid.'

Her hair and eye colors were incredibly unique. A young man moving out to the countryside all alone with a child—there had to be a story there. He was curious, but he had purposefully kept his mouth shut.

'Well, there's no one in this town who doesn't have a story.'

When he thought about it, didn't everyone out here have a past? In a world where Gates opened and monsters ran rampant, no one fled to a remote rural village like this without having suffered some kind of trauma. Perhaps that young man was one of them.

The chief recalled how nervous the youth had looked on his first day, which was why he had pushed his way in to help, even if it seemed a bit nosy. He had been worried, but it looked like the kid was adjusting just fine.

However...

"No, seriously, how do you grow cherry tomatoes in three days?"

It made absolutely no sense.

Anyway, since it was a gift, he set it on his table. 

"Ugh, I would've preferred rice cakes."

In this rural area, cherry tomatoes were incredibly common, so he wasn't particularly impressed. If he was going to eat a snack with his liquor, he would have loved a plate of freshly steamed, warm rice cakes instead.

Without much expectation, he popped a single cherry tomato into his mouth. The moment he bit down...

"Huh?"

Chief Ham’s entire body froze, his eyes widening in sheer shock.

With the very first bite, he felt an incredible, taut elasticity. The skin snapped perfectly, and a flood of juice erupted from the tearing flesh—and it was astonishingly sweet. It wasn't just sugary, either; it had the perfect, crisp hint of acidity to balance out the flavor. On top of that, the flesh itself was remarkably dense, offering a delightfully crunchy and chewy texture as he chewed.

What shocked him the most, however, was the intense, fresh aroma blooming from the tomato. It was incredibly deep, yet perfectly natural. It carried a striking clarity—so much so that it instantly cleared the mild buzz from the alcohol he had been drinking.

"What on earth is this?"

Were these really cherry tomatoes? He had lived his entire life without ever tasting anything like this.

What was even more mind-boggling was that this crop had been produced by a young man who had only arrived in the countryside three days ago. If that was true, then when it came to farming talent...

"Is he a genius?"

Was that young man a literal farming prodigy? A mythical agricultural genius had just moved into their quiet little village.

Forgetting all about his freshly boiled pork, Chief Ham Bong-seok began to frantically inhale the cherry tomatoes.

"I hope these suit your taste."

By the time we finished walking around the neighborhood, the sun was already dipping into the afternoon sky. Now, only the final house remained.

But my hands, which should have been getting lighter as I gave away the tomatoes, had actually grown significantly heavier.

"Everyone is so incredibly kind."

"Bam!"

Every single time I greeted a neighbor and offered them a bowl of cherry tomatoes, they insisted on stuffing something back into my hands. As it turned out, my casual greeting walk had accidentally turned into a neighborhood bartering tour. My hands were weighed down, but my heart felt light. They really were all good people.

Even when they looked at Seol-ah, they simply treated her with warmth, deliberately holding back any prying questions about her unique hair or eye color. It was a subtle, deeply touching form of consideration.

"Alright, Seol-ah, this is the last house. How do we say for greetings?"

"Hello!"

"And what's the response?"

"Yes!"

"Perfect."

"Bam!"

Having done this at several houses now, she seemed completely used to the routine. I walked up and rang the bell of a neat, modern two-story house. A sharp chime echoed inside.

"Who is it?" a child’s voice called out through the intercom.

"I'm the neighbor who just moved in down the road. I brought over some food to share. Are your parents home?" 

I realized if it was just a kid, I might have to stop by again later.

"Mom! Someone's here!"

Luckily, an adult was in the house. The person who stepped out of the front door was the wife of the young couple who had generously gifted Seol-ah her clothes the other day.

"Oh, hello! What brings you by?"

"Thank you so much for the clothes the other day." I said, offering a warm smile.

"As a small thank you, I brought over some cherry tomatoes I grew in my garden. I wanted you to try them."

"Oh, cherry tomatoes? Thank you so much!"

As I passed the bowl over to her, Seol-ah stepped forward on cue. 

"Hello!"

"Oh, my! Hello there," the woman smiled warmly. 

"What's your name, sweetie?"

"Baek Seol-ah!"

"And how old is Seol-ah?"

"Yes!"

As we all burst into a shared laugh at Seol-ah’s energetic but mismatched response—

"Mom?"

A small voice called out from behind the woman. A young girl peeked out from inside the hallway. She looked to be about seven years old.

"So-yoon, come say hello. This is our new neighbor."

"Hello..." the girl muttered, hesitantly stepping forward with her head lowered.

But her outfit was incredibly strange. Despite being indoors on a warm day, her entire body was completely covered, and she was wearing a thick mask over her face. She was wrapped up so tightly that I only knew she was a girl because of her voice and name. At a glance, the severe, red inflammation blooming around her exposed eye area heavily suggested a serious skin condition.

Noticeable under my gaze, little So-yoon flinched and shrunk back. Her mother’s face instantly fell into a painful, strained smile.

Afraid that the atmosphere would become incredibly awkward for the family, I quickly prepared to wrap things up. 

"Well, we should be getting on our way."

"Ah, yes. Thank you again for the tomatoes. Take care."

Just as I was about to turn around, Seol-ah suddenly marched past me right up to So-yoon. She extended both of her tiny hands, holding out a small cluster of tomatoes.

"Huh? Uh... why?" 

So-yoon stammered, stepping back.

"Ouch," Seol-ah grunted softly, shuffling closer.

"Huh?"

"Bya—" Seol-ah urged, thrusting her hands forward as if telling the girl to hurry up and take them.

So-yoon hesitated, looking visibly self-conscious about her skin disease.

"It’s okay, So-yoon," I softy encouraged.

"Please take them."

"Go ahead, So-yoon. Your little sister is giving them to you, so go ahead and take them." her mother added, her voice thick with emotion.

Only then did the little girl hesitantly reach out a gloved hand. Seol-ah carefully dropped a few gleaming, golden cherry tomatoes into her palm.

"Thank you..."

"Bya!"

Seol-ah chirped happily, even gesturing as if to say 'Make sure you eat them all!' before we turned to walk out the front gate.

Looking back at the house, I murmured quietly. 

"I really hope it works."

"Kyu."

I was desperately hoping that the system option attached to the Golden Bell Tomatoes would do exactly what it promised.

Early the next morning.

"Mom! Mom, look!"

"Huh? What is it? So-yoon, what’s wrong?!"

"Me! Look at me!"

"What do you mean? What—"

The young couple bolted upright in bed, startled awake by their daughter’s frantic shouting. But the moment their eyes adjusted to the morning light, they froze.

"It's not itchy at all! Look!"

"Is... is this real?"

"Oh my god... oh my god! Honey, look at her face! The eczema... it's completely gone!"

A literal miracle had just occurred.