Xivi’s Forest Farm

*A sweet Western fantasy food-business story, Darian's Little Magic Shop, opens for pre-orders in late April. Blurb below. [Complete] Xiwei inherits an abandoned farm from his unreliable parents. The farm sits at the edge of a monster forest, with dwarves, goblins, and witches for neighbors. An adventuring party occasionally drops by to ask for a place to stay, too. The farm is huge and there is so much work to do that after half a month of running himself ragged, he has only plowed two acres. This can't go on. Xiwei decides to hire a farmhand to help with the work. After putting up countless flyers and placing job ads in the local paper, the first applicant to show up with a flyer is... a dragon?! Xiwei grips the two silver coins in his pocket, wondering whether he can afford to hire a silver dragon. The silver dragon tentatively says, “I hope my daily pay can be two blueberry pies, a plate of butter-fried steak, mushroom-stewed quail, and a basket of crispy little rolls to dip in cream soup.” Xiwei lets go of his silver coins. That actually doesn't sound too bad? They both agree that it's a great deal. The silver dragon eats a lot and works even harder. In just three days, he has plowed ten acres, stacked the firewood high in the backyard, and cleaned the livestock pens until they gleam. One dragon can do all the work. Xiwei kneads dough in the kitchen and bakes crispy little rolls. Having a dragon to help out is wonderful! With the silver dragon's help, Xiwei finally has time to go to town and deliver raspberry pie to the priestess of the Temple of Light, ask the goblins in the forest to gather mushrooms, and attend the village harvest festival... Xiwei's farm thrives. Suppliers come from far and wide to buy its produce, adventuring parties are happy to share their stories here, and all sorts of nonhuman neighbors drop by for a visit. But one silver dragon secretly gets jealous. “Xiwei doesn't make blueberry pie just for me anymore.” Xiwei gently strokes his forehead. “Austin, are you pouting at me?” The silver dragon turns bright red in an instant and decides not to speak to his bold human lover for the next ten minutes. *Reader's Guide 1. A Western fantasy farming slice-of-life. The whole story revolves around farming and food. 2. There will be lots of fantasy species. What's Western fantasy without a few more of them? 3. All stories feature one-on-one romances between first loves who are sexually and emotionally devoted only to each other. 4. The cover was commissioned. Please admire this child's peerless beauty. *Upcoming Story Blurb Darian inherits a little magic shop and serves all kinds of customers. He once helped the exiled prince of the Rose Dynasty reclaim his throne, and restored the beauty of the empire's lilies... He can even send the souls of the dead back to their homeland. He can do anything. All you need to pay is a small price you can afford to give up. The revolving door can take the shop to any corner of the world, drawing in customers with fervent wishes. Every now and then, a little mishap happens. Darian says, “Welcome to my magic shop. How can I help you... Oh, why is it a raven?” The unscrupulous shopkeeper tricks Mr. Raven into signing a thousand-year contract of servitude. From then on, the shop has a handsome new assistant. Cleaning the attic, measuring ingredients for potions, tending the herb garden, reading bedtime stories... Someone else takes care of all of that now. A potion that grants human form in exchange for freedom, and a handsome, useful assistant. Any way you look at it, that's a great deal. A vivid rose that always blooms on the windowsill, glittering gemstones of every color, and goodnight kisses imprinted on his forehead are just a few little flaws in this useful assistant. The unscrupulous shopkeeper is hard to appease, so Mr. Raven will have to keep trying. * A legend circulates across the continent of Aristu: a miraculous little magic shop appears beside anyone who needs it, and its gentle, friendly owner will grant any wish. The doorbell rings. A disheartened customer steps through the revolving door. “Welcome to my magic shop. How can I help you?” The gentle, friendly shopkeeper smiles warmly, while his handsome assistant promptly brings over a cup of hot tea to warm the customer. “I want to make a wish!” “Of course. All you need to do is pay a small price.” Theme: Love life, love food.