Farrington Farms: Slice of Life LitRPG Novel, page 34
At this point, he figured that he’d find a flaw with everyone, because he was getting too hung up on their looks. He had to remind himself that he was creating an advisor, not a girlfriend, so he pressed the mouse one more time before yanking his hand away.
“Huh.”
A girl was smiling back at him from the screen, one that didn’t look anything like the other hundred versions he’d clicked through. Her attire consisted of just a black tank top, with a dozen necklaces piled on top of one another. She was pretty, like all the others, but her coloring made her stick out from the rest. Her long hair was almost white, with a braid wrapped over the top of her head, and gray eyes to match. She seemed smart, but that could have been the fatigue talking, for all he knew.
“Now we just need a name,” he sighed and clicked the random button at the bottom. One name after another flashed across the screen. Some were strange, with too few vowels, while others stirred unpleasant feelings, like he was remembering somebody from his past. Finally, the name Sasha appeared, and he looked up at the picture to see if it matched her face. He supposed it did, so he accepted the creation, then leaned in and waited.
“Over here, boss.”
Jeric whipped around so fast that the chair failed to stay beneath him, resulting in him landing on his arm. A chuckle sounded from the bed, then a soft, pale hand reached out to help him up.
“Don’t expect me to pull you to your feet,” she sighed as he got his feet under him. “I’m mostly brains, remember?”
“Because you’re an advisor, right?” he chuckled, made a few circles with his arm to loosen the pain, then looked her over. She looked just like the picture, but he swore her eyes looked more silver than gray. She also looked like she needed to eat something, given that her arms looked skinny enough to fit through the little circles of the chicken fence.
“Sasha, in case you forgot,” she replied, shook his hand, then let him go.
“How could I?” he sighed, uprighted the chair, and took a seat that wouldn’t see him on the bed with an attractive young woman. “Okay, I guess we should get started, shouldn’t we? Where am I?”
“Farrington Farms.”
“No,” he growled, pinched the bridge of his nose, then shook his head and let out a sigh. “I mean in general. This isn’t the real world, is it? I mean, it’s pretty obvious. I just fought a wizard riding a chicken last night, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a dinosaur incubating next to my foot.”
“And you just magically created a woman on your computer, who is now sitting on your bed?” she teased with one of her dark brows raised, proving that the hair color wasn’t natural. “Look, Jeric, I’m here to advise. I don’t have all of the answers. I can’t tell you what’s going on around here, or who you really are.”
“Was worth a shot. Okay, so, what can you tell me? You’re my advisor, so, give me some advice.”
“First of all, take a deep breath,” she sighed, then leaned back on her arms and kicked her feet in the air like she was playing with the water on the edge of a swimming pool. “You’re so wound up that I’m afraid you’re going to snap. Now, give me a topic, and I’ll offer my advice.”
“Uhm, let’s start simple then,” he replied and looked around the room until he came back to the incubator. “Okay, what’s in that egg, and am I an idiot for putting it in the incubator.”
“You already know what’s in there, boss. As for the second part? Well, that depends on how much effort you want to place into raising it. It is a predator, after all. You’ll have to domesticate it, train it, and keep it from burning down your buildings. Oh, and keep it away from your chickens.”
“Fair enough. What uh, what benefits would I gain from keeping it?”
“Security, for starters,” she replied and turned her head to glance down at the incubator. “If you train it right, it can patrol the farm at night while you sleep. That would fix your problem with the dungeon monsters that will eventually sneak onto your land. Again, if you trained it properly, you could take it into the dungeons with you. You’re alright, for now, but, eventually, the levels will become too hard for one person to overcome. You’ll need help, and that little monster would make for a good start.”
“Will you be able to help me train it?” he asked and followed her eyes to the incubator. “Or advise me on how to train it?”
“No, but I can advise you to hire an animal handler,” she replied and turned her head to look over at him. She didn’t smile, wink, or frown, which made him uncomfortable, for some reason. “You’ve unlocked the farmer’s catalog, but you won’t be able to hire anyone until you’ve claimed the rights to this farm. If you really want my advice? Gain five more points with the mother, then work out a deal that you’re comfortable with. I already know that you don’t want to own this place, but there is always some middle ground to be found.”
“And you’ll advise me when that day comes, right? Or tell me how to gain those points?”
“Of course. That fits within my job description.”
“Good to know,” he chuckled while slowly nodding, which turned into rocking back and forth on the chair. “Uhm, what about my choices in upgrades? Did I do the right thing?”
“Honestly? You should have spent both coupons on upgrading the outbuilding,” she stated in a flat tone. “The second upgrade would have seen the outbuilding becoming a full-fledged wine cellar, complete with a basement. Your income would have increased significantly, which is good, for obvious reasons. Also, your status with the oldest daughter would have gone through the roof.”
“See, I wouldn’t have even thought of that,” he sighed. He was starting to see the advantages to having Sasha around, even if it meant being told that he’d made some poor decisions. “Oh, who’s Avery?”
“While that doesn’t fit in with my job title,” she replied, rose from the bed, and walked over to take control of the mouse. The way she stooped didn’t look too comfortable, so he got out of the chair so she could sit down. “Thank you. I’m glad to have a boss with manners. Now, let me see. . .oh, this should have been obvious. Avery is the dog.”
“Oh, duh!” he growled and threw back his head in disgust. “That’s so obvious now. I feel like an. . .”
“That isn’t necessary,” she interrupted and spun the chair so that she was facing him. Their positioning left him uncomfortable, so he took a step away, just to give her some personal space, even though he suspected she didn’t need it. “You don’t have to self-deprecate yourself around me. While I will tell you whether or not an old decision was wise, or foolish, I won’t judge you for it. I’m here as your employee, so to speak.”
“Uhm. . .” he stammered and looked over at the bed while a new problem came to light. “We need to figure out the sleeping arrangements.”
“No need,” she replied calmly, then disappeared from the chair, and reappeared on the bed faster than his eyes could keep up with. “You can summon and dismiss me whenever you wish. I won’t require a bed, and I won’t be mulling around your room. I will automatically dismiss myself whenever someone comes near, so you won’t have to worry about explaining my presence to the Farringtons.”
“Okay, good to know. Uhm, let’s see. . .oh, what should I do tomorrow?”
“Collect the crops, eat, sell your items.”
“Yeah, yeah, but, what should I do differently?” he countered. “You know, to make better progress.”
“I did not misunderstand you, Jeric,” she replied and rose from the bed to stand before him. She was shorter than Joanie, now that he thought about it, and probably weighed ten pounds less, at least. He felt bad for her. In fact, he almost considered going to the kitchen to make her a sandwich. “At the moment, you have no quests to complete, which prevents me from advising your choices. If you had an upgrade point to spend, I could advise you. If you asked me about your attribute points, I could answer. However, without any specific information, I am unable to fulfill my job.”
“That makes a lot of sense, actually. Okay, you said to gain more points with Mrs. Farrington. How can I do that?”
“If you wish to achieve your goal quickly? Courtship.”
“What?” he cried out with wide eyes and his jaw on the floor. “No. I’m not. . .just, no!”
“Very well then. My knowledge of the woman is limited to your knowledge. So, if you wish for me to determine a course of action without courtship, then I suggest you get to know her better. Discover what she likes, what she wants, and what she needs more than anything else. Then, when you have the knowledge, use it.”
“Okay, okay,” he sighed, shook his head, and fought to get the image of courtship out of his mind. “It sounds like I need to be more patient then. Uhm. . .”
He had a dozen questions to ask, but it was getting late, and he still had to get enough sleep to avoid becoming a zombie. The word made him chuckle when he pictured himself joining the other monsters in the dungeon, right until he pondered where they’d come from to begin with. For all he knew, they were his predecessors, those who’d failed to lift Farrington Farms out of obscurity. The thought shook him, so he searched for something to take his mind off of it, which only required him to look at the corner of the desk.
“Okay, what should I do with this thing?” he asked and pointed at the rock next to the monitor.
“That is a difficult one,” she sighed and shook her head. He wasn’t certain, but he swore it was her first sign of emotion since her creation, which meant she wasn’t the robot he suspected she was. “My advice, Jeric, is that you do what the quest tells you when it comes to that strange object. I know it is of great importance, and, if I may step out of my role for a second, suggest that it could be the reason for why you are here.”
“Really? This little thing?” he laughed and picked up the rock, only to realize that his new advisor had taken three steps back, like she was afraid of it.
“It is all I can tell you at the moment,” she replied without looking away from the object in his hand. “Follow the quest, Jeric. I shall offer whatever advice I can on the matter, but know that I am quite limited.”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that,” he sighed, gave the rock a look, then placed it back onto the desk. “Okay, it’s almost dinner time. You’re uh, dismissed, I guess. Oh, it was nice meeting you though.”
“It was nice meeting you as well, Jeric,” she replied with a slight smile and a head bow. “Now, before you go to dinner, I suggest that you check your quests. Your task shall become clear once you do.”
“Okay. Thanks. Goodnight, Sasha.”
“Goodnight, boss.”
It was weird to see her disappear, or know that his command was what made her leave. It was like she was a servant, which didn’t feel right at all. Having her around was a blessing though, even if it meant accepting that Danny was right about using the coupon.
“Not that I’ll tell her,” he sang, took a seat at the computer, and clicked on the quest tab. “Oh. . .wow.”
38 FROM RAYDEN FOX
So many questions, so few answers. It’s surprising that Jeric isn’t losing his mind right now, which only raises more questions. It’s all part of the plan though, which shall slowly unravel as the series progresses.
So, what can be expected from book two? While I don’t wish to reveal too many details, I will say that things will only get stranger on Farrington Farms. The quests for growing mundane crops shall slowly disappear, making room for more fantastical options. The special event won’t be the only time that something magical appears on the farm.
If you enjoyed Farrington Farms, then please consider leaving a review, or a rating. Reviews are the best way to help out your favorite authors, as well as recommending the read to a friend, or sharing your thoughts online. Also, while you’re waiting for book two, consider reading my other series, Samantha Osgood. There aren’t any stats in it, but there’s tons of video game goodness that’s safe for the entire family. Click on the link below to find it:
https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Osgood-Goblin-Rayden-Fox-ebook/dp/B0CB1YV5ZK
If you’re looking for other reads in the LitRPG genre, considering joining the following Facebook group. There are plenty of other readers out there, just like you, who can guide you toward your next read, or share in a discussion:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books
Well, that’s all for now. Leave a review, read Samantha Osgood, and I’ll see you when book two comes out.
Rayden Fox, Farrington Farms: Slice of Life LitRPG Novel
