The chickens were as lively as ever, the mushrooms, as expected, were all just ordinary mushrooms, and the fruit bats performed true to form—the cave beneath the ground was completely empty.
“Sigh, just let it all end already… I’m tired.” Leon looked up at the fruit bats hanging upside down overhead and let out a long sigh.
He set down his slingshot, but couldn’t resist picking it up again—three times in a row. In the end, he silently stowed it back into his backpack and left the cave.
After tidying his messy hair a little, changing into a pair of clean, mud-free pants, and grabbing a few things from his chest, Leon leisurely rode his bicycle toward Pelican Town.
It was only just past ten, but that didn’t stop Leon from heading early to the feast. After all, waiting around somewhere was still just waiting—and at the Stardrop Saloon, he could at least have a good chat with Gus.
But before heading to the Stardrop, Leon planned to stop by Clint’s Blacksmith Shop. He had already prepared five Copper Ingots and five Iron Ingots, ready to upgrade his pickaxe to a Steel Pickaxe in one go.
“Hey, hey, hey! I’m here, Clint. What are you up to?” Leon called out as he pushed open the blacksmith shop’s door.
“Over here!” Clint emerged from the coal storage room, face smudged with ash, and asked, “What brings you to me today?”
“I’m here to upgrade my pickaxe.” Leon took it out from his backpack, set it on the table alongside the Copper Ingots and Iron Ingots, and handed Clint 7,000G.
“Straight to steel.”
“No problem, but it’ll take some time. Come back for it in five days.” Clint didn’t even glance at the money before slipping it into his pocket, his attention fixed on the pickaxe Leon had brought.
“Five days? Works for me.” Leon didn’t mind the wait.
Without a Cold Weather Outfit, he couldn’t yet go down to the 51st floor of the mines anyway. Coincidentally, Marlon also needed about that long to procure one for him. By the time the upgrade was done, the outfit would probably be ready, and then it’d be perfect timing for a mining trip.
“Rest assured, I’ll take good care of it. Oh, by the way, haven’t you found any Crystal Orbs lately? Haven’t seen you around in ages.” Clint patted his chest in assurance.
“I have, but not enough yet. I’m saving them up for a big opening.” Leon explained.
“Well, since you’re already producing Iron Ingots, that means you’ve mined Iron Ore. Why not gather the materials I mentioned before? I can make you a Crystalarium for your farm. Just a few pieces of coal, and it’ll open Crystal Orbs for you all day long.” Clint suggested again.
“You really don’t want to make money, do you?” Leon chuckled, hearing Clint pitch the Crystalarium again.
“My daily income is more than enough. Earning too much is pointless. I’m not interested in money.” Clint’s words sounded almost like a humblebrag, but Leon knew he was serious.
After all, Clint wasn’t much of a traveler and had no interest in living luxuriously. Outside of forging in his shop, he lived like an ordinary man.
“Alright then, once I’ve got the materials, I’ll come to you for a Crystalarium—five Refined Quartz, ten Iron Ingots, fifty Stones, two Copper Ingots, and one Battery Pack, right?” Leon confirmed from memory.
“That’s right. I’ll handle the other materials for you.” Clint nodded.
“Then it’s settled. But first, I need to get this pickaxe upgraded—its current strength just isn’t cutting it. Once this is done, mining will be much smoother.”
Leon shook Clint’s hand, then said his goodbyes and left the blacksmith shop.
…
This time, Leon had no other errands, so he pedaled straight to the Stardrop Saloon. After parking his bike out front, he pushed open the door like he owned the place.
“Hey, Leon!” Gus greeted him warmly, waving from behind the counter the moment he spotted him.
“Gus, I didn’t see you at all yesterday. Did you go out?” Leon sat down in front of him.
“I went to pick up Sophia.” Gus smiled. “You don’t know how happy I was when I got her call the night before last—she said she was coming back to Stardew Valley! I immediately arranged for a driver to take me to the outskirts of Grampleton to pick her up.”
“Sophia?” The name sounded strangely familiar to Leon. He searched his mental “memory palace” and finally recalled where he’d heard it before.
If he remembered right, it was the day before Easter. He and Abigail had gone scouting for the Easter Egg Hunt, and when they gathered at the cemetery, a gravestone for a young couple had sparked a conversation.
“That’s right—Sophia. A poor girl. Her parents passed away in an accident, leaving her all alone in this world. I used to be best friends with them, so I’ve been like a father to her ever since.
“But later, she didn’t want to stay in Stardew Valley, so she moved to the outskirts of Grampleton, where her best friend Scarlett lives.” Gus explained, seeing the puzzled look on Leon’s face.
“I see… So she’s the new farmer Lewis mentioned?” Leon asked, starting to connect the dots.
“Yes. Sophia’s parents were farmers here, running a vineyard called the Blue Moon Vineyard. Does that sound familiar?” Gus asked with a knowing look.
“Blue Moon Wine?” Leon’s eyes lit up.
“That’s the one! The Blue Moon Wine I’ve loved for years—it turns out Sophia was the one making it. I had no idea; I thought it was just a coincidence in name.
“Back when Robert and Alice were still alive, they didn’t make wine themselves—they only grew grapes and sold them to wineries. Blue Moon Wine was Sophia’s creation, entirely her own brand.”
Gus’s expression was a mix of pride and heartache. “Who would’ve thought that little girl who used to cry all the time would grow into a winemaker so important to the industry? I can’t imagine how many hardships she’s faced over the years.”
“No wonder I saw the news about Blue Moon Wine announcing a temporary production halt—it was because the winemaker was moving.” Leon recalled.
“So is she just coming back to visit, or does she plan to restart the vineyard and winery here in Stardew Valley?”
“She’s with Lewis and Robin right now, checking the old Blue Moon Vineyard site. She’s planning to renovate the abandoned house and grapevines.” Gus explained.
“I see.”
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