Kuroichi, Kuroni, Kurosan, and Kuroyon’s horns suddenly dropped off.
While I was standing there in shock, I noticed tiny new horns were already beginning to sprout where the old ones had been. The same thing was happening with Kuro and Yuki; new points were peeking out from their foreheads as well.
I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it must be an annual shedding cycle. Since Kuro and Yuki’s horns had been broken before, I was especially happy to see them growing back.
I gathered the discarded horns and displayed them in the Doghouse as a memento. They looked like Design Knives—quite beautiful, actually. I wondered if the collection would just keep growing from here.
Regardless, it was time to resume my work.
First up were the fields. I had gone through quite a lot of my stores over the winter, and I’d spent those cold months thinking about my next steps. If I didn't have any proper seasonings, I figured I should just grow crops with bold, distinct flavors.
Garlic, Onions, and Green Onions.
I couldn’t let Kuro and the others eat them, of course, but I hoped they would flourish for the sake of my own palate. Then there was Tea. I really should have thought of that sooner.
In the remaining open plots, I planted two sections each of Tomatoes and Potatoes, as was my habit. Two other plots were already dedicated to fruit trees, which left me with two final spots. After some deliberation, I settled on Cabbage and Spinach. One can't underestimate the importance of leafy greens.
Once the planting was finished, I went to inspect the Log Fence and Moat surrounding the farm. I had been worried about how they’d held up during the winter, but the Log Fence was perfectly intact. Inside the Moat, however, I found a single Fanged Rabbit that had fallen in and died.
Had it tried to charge the fence? Given the hygiene risks, eating it was out of the question. I offered a short prayer for it and then turned it into fertilizer.
Next, I checked the Reservoir and the drainage Waterway. The Waterway was fine, but I was surprised to find a fair amount of water sitting in the Reservoir. It must have been the snow melting. Since I had used the Hammer form of my Universal Farming Tool to pack the earth at the bottom, the water wasn't seeping away at all.
I wondered if the water would eventually go stagnant. I wanted to drain it, but the exit to the drainage Waterway was much higher than the current water level. Since there was nothing to be done, I left it be. It probably wouldn’t be a problem.
I decided to get back to work on the Waterway connecting the farm to the Waterfall. It felt good to be working on it again, even if the end was still a long way off. The closer I got to the Waterfall, the more earth I had to pile up to maintain the elevation. I felt a twinge of anxiety about whether the slope was correct, but I told myself to just keep pushing until I reached the source. I could always make adjustments later.
As I worked on what was starting to look like a miniature Great Wall of China, I had a sudden realization. This Waterway I was building from the Waterfall to my house... it was basically a wall.
If I didn't leave any gaps, wouldn't it stop the local animals from moving around? They might even try to tear it down. More importantly, it made it difficult for me to get to the other side.
...
Well, I’ll just finish the Waterway first and then cut some passages. There was no need to rush.
Despite that thought, I ended up creating several passage holes in various spots just for a change of pace. After all, men have a natural affinity for Tunnels.