novelcrest Chapter 298 Rome Stories February 19 New Share
Chapter 298 Rome Stories February 19 New Share
After leaving 2 Willow Lane, Leon rode his bicycle, planning to take the route through Coal Forest on his way back.
On the way, he decided to stop by the Sewer Drain to check if the green onions had sprouted.
Navigating with ease to the patch where the onions grew, Leon was greeted by a lively green carpet. Satisfied, he nodded and began pulling up all the long green onions.
Rather than stripping away the roots to remove the parasitic worms by the river as usual, Leon took the onions straight back to the farm.
Inside the fenced area, the little chickens were leisurely wandering about, occasionally scratching the soil with their claws before lowering their heads to peck up some kind of worm and gulping it down.
Leon had long grown used to this sight. These chickens from Marnie’s Ranch seemed to have a special knack for pinpointing hidden insects in the soil.
That gave him an idea—perhaps the chickens could handle the worms in the green onions for him.
From his backpack, Leon pulled out a green onion. For the sake of experimentation, he didn’t peel back the root to reveal the worms inside but instead tossed the whole onion in front of a chicken.
The sudden thump startled the unsuspecting bird, sending it running off in a flurry of clucks. After darting a good distance away, it finally realized that the onion on the ground wasn’t a threat.
Before it could return to investigate, the commotion had already attracted several other chickens. They gathered around the onion, circling it with interest, but not a single one dared to peck at it.“Is it the smell they dislike, or have they just been trained not to harm plants?” Leon wondered aloud as he observed their behavior.
To find out, he stepped closer.
Perhaps they’d gotten used to him—none of the chickens scattered. Instead, they clustered around him as if he were their mother hen, affectionately rubbing against his legs.
Leon gave a few of them a gentle pat. They weren’t the fluffy balls of down they’d been when they first met; now their sleek feathers made them far less soft to the touch.
He picked up the onion, peeled back the outer skin at the root, and revealed the pink worms hidden inside.
The moment the worms were exposed, the chickens around him grew restless, clucking excitedly. Yet, none of them lunged to snatch the onion from his hands—they waited patiently.
From time to time, they tilted their heads and scratched at the ground with their claws, as if trying to tell Leon something.
Leon chuckled. “Are you related to Rhubarb in the village? You’ve got the same habit of only eating what’s on the ground.”
He set the onion back down. Immediately, the chickens closed in, pecking precisely at the exposed worms without harming the vegetable in the slightest. Leon was impressed—despite their sharp beaks, their accuracy was uncanny.
Once the visible worms were gone, one clever chicken nudged the onion over to expose the underside, continuing the feast until the vegetable was completely clean.
“Green Onion (Forage): Grows rapidly in spring.”
Leon glanced at the System Appraisal—no changes to the description. He had no idea if this cleaning method would affect the selling price, but seeing how much the chickens enjoyed the worms, it was clearly a perfect chicken treat regardless.
He pulled out the rest of his onions, peeling back the roots before tossing them on the ground.
All eight chickens gathered, each one taking an onion for itself. Heads bobbed rapidly as they devoured the protein-rich worms.
When the last worm was gone, Leon gathered the now-clean onions back into his backpack. The chickens huddled together, clearly full and content, which made him smile.
He hadn’t expected them to have such a skill. This little discovery gave him a newfound appreciation for them.
It was no wonder Robin praised Marnie’s Ranch so much. These animals were smart and disciplined. Ordinary chickens would have shredded the onions to bits the moment they hit the ground—or at least left them riddled with holes after going for the worms.
You really do get what you pay for—luxury goods aside.
Leon tossed the worm-free onions into the shipping bin and left it at that.
Back inside, he watched some TV until it was mealtime. After cooking and eating, he took a walk around the farm, stopping by his thirty oak trees. They were already over two meters tall, though still shy of maturity.
When they were grown, they’d be his source of oak resin, so he took a careful look around to make sure nothing—no weeds or debris—was hindering their growth. Satisfied, he returned home.
After washing up, he went to bed and woke naturally the next day, a damp chill in the air making him more alert.
“Oh, it’s raining.”
Outside the window, a steady drizzle fell from a heavy gray sky. Leon’s brows lifted, and he smiled.
After a quick wash, he turned on the TV and tuned in to Welwick’s fortune telling.
“Today, the spirits are very happy. Child, you’re in for some good luck.”
Leon’s grin widened.
Rain, good luck—if he didn’t go mining today, it’d be a crime against heaven.
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