Chapter 317 Rome Stories March 1 New Share |
This answer also made Leon understand why he hadn’t seen Lewis when he arrived—turns out Lewis had gone to the farm with that girl named Sophia.
The scene oddly reminded Leon of his own first day in Stardew Valley. Back then, Lewis had acted as his guide, showing him around, while Robin was busy renovating the farmhouse.
The difference was that, unlike him, Sophia was a native of Stardew Valley. She probably felt far more at ease than he had.
“It’s just a few of us for lunch. Need me to help in the kitchen?” Leon glanced at his watch. It was only ten-thirty, still a while before lunch, so he made the offer to Gus.
“Just you, me, Sophia, Robin, and Lewis. No need to help—I’ve got most of it ready,” Gus explained.
“Originally, Lewis and I wanted to throw Sophia a big welcome party, but she refused. So this gathering will just be the five of us.”
“I can understand inviting Lewis and Robin. But why me? You didn’t just decide that on your own, did you?” Leon asked, puzzled.
From Gus’s description, Sophia didn’t sound like someone who enjoyed lively social events. Lewis was the mayor, Robin was fixing up her old vineyard—those made sense. But him? A complete stranger to her? Inviting him to a small, private gathering felt a bit abrupt.
“That wasn’t our idea. Even Lewis respects Sophia’s wishes. She specifically asked to meet you—the other farmer in Stardew Valley,” Gus quickly clarified.
Then it hit him. Leon shot Gus a look and said, “Gus… don’t tell me you spent the whole trip back talking about me.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable suspicion. Gus was part of the town’s matchmaking crowd and, as both a good-natured soul and Leon’s friend, this was exactly the kind of thing Gus would do.
“Well… partly my fault. But mainly because she read that interview of yours in the paper,” Gus admitted with an awkward smile.
“Interview? That?” Leon blinked, recalling his answers. Unless the reporter had twisted his words or stirred up trouble, it had been a perfectly standard, polite exchange. Nothing that should cause any trouble.
“Yes. You forgot what you said?” Gus nodded and quoted, “I have no intention of treating Blue Moon wine as a competitor, because I don’t plan to make wine.”
“Right. And that’s the truth. Competing with Blue Moon wine—which already has a mature market, loyal customers, and a strong reputation—would be a thankless task. So I’d avoid the clash and focus on other drinks to build my own market. What’s wrong with that?” Leon asked, genuinely puzzled.
“You and I see it that way. Sophia doesn’t. She took it as you looking down on her wine and the whole industry. So she wants to ‘have a good talk’ with you about it.” Gus’s expression was… complicated.
“Think of it as the first step in getting to know each other. Let’s hope your first exchange clears the air.”
“…,” Leon fell silent.
He honestly hadn’t expected such a misunderstanding. Was her reading comprehension off, or was her competitive streak just that strong?
Either way, it was absurd that such an answer could get him into trouble.
“It should be fine. I’ll repeat your actual meaning to her—she’ll probably understand,” Gus said.
Leon didn’t dwell on it. It was just a misunderstanding. Once it was explained, there shouldn’t be a problem.
“Maybe.” Gus kept smiling, though there was something… odd about that smile.
“Get some rest. I’ll finish up in the kitchen—they’ll be back soon, and I want to make sure you get hot food right away.” With that, Gus left for the kitchen.
Leon wandered over to the east side of the main hall, into the game room of the Stardrop Saloon, and started playing.
He’d noticed the place before—it was right next to the hall, with no doors to hide the pool table and arcade machines. But until now, he hadn’t had the chance to try them.
The arcade had several games, most of them dull—or downright punishing—like the infamous Junimo Kart. Out of concern for his mental health, Leon picked the simpler Prairie King’s Big Adventure.
This was a hugely popular franchise in this world—games, novels, merchandise, even a TV series. The show Leon was currently watching told the story of a cowboy on the Prairie Island.
So, while playing, Leon spotted scenes and setups that matched moments from the TV series, along with lengthy cutscenes that explained the story.
Unfortunately, whether due to game difficulty or his own lack of skill, Leon failed twice at the third stage—specifically, the first section—unable to progress.
“You’re not very good at this,” came a crisp girl’s voice from behind him, just as he was about to try again.
“If you’re so good, you try.” Leon had already noticed someone watching over his shoulder, but with so many enemies on-screen earlier, he hadn’t turned around. Now that she’d opened with a taunt, he wasn’t about to let it slide.
“Fine, I will.” The girl stepped up beside him, nudged him out of the way, claimed the Player One controls, and dropped a coin in to pick up where he’d left off.
With nothing else to do, Leon finally got a good look at his backseat gamer.
She had short, shoulder-length pink hair that hung loosely, skin so fair and smooth it was almost poreless, and an oval face with just a touch of baby fat—pure youthful charm.
A newcomer, clearly. Considering the day’s circumstances, Leon guessed this must be Sophia.
She was indeed beautiful. But there was something contradictory about her presence—energetic, yet tinged with melancholy. Even from the side, it was obvious her mood wasn’t high.
Even as she tore through the same pesky enemies that had stalled him, her face stayed utterly calm—no smile, no trace of satisfaction. Just the mechanical precision of a machine running a pre-set program, devoid of spark.
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