Caught in a Hero Summoning: The Calm Life of a Plant Mage

Carter and Ivy walked into the treehouse sanctuary, the warm glow of bioluminescent flowers illuminating the cozy interior. Ivy immediately began running around, exploring her new home with excitement. The little fox chirped happily as she sniffed at the furniture, peeked into corners, and hopped onto the soft moss-covered bed.

Carter chuckled, watching her antics. "Well, Ivy, looks like you're making yourself right at home," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "Welcome to your new home, little buddy. I think you're going to like it here."

Ivy paused to look at him, her glowing green fur shimmering softly in the light. She let out a happy chirp before hopping onto the table in the center of the room.

"Hey, hey, watch the table," Carter said with a laugh as he walked over and sat in his chair. He placed his overstuffed bag on the table and began laying out the day's haul. Berries, flowers, seeds, and moss spilled onto the wooden surface, creating a colorful and aromatic spread.

"Alright, let's see what we've got here," Carter said, organizing the items into neat piles. "Verdantberries, 24 of them—enough to make a bunch of tea or healing paste. Sunspire Blossoms… looks like I've got 15 petals. Spikemoss… I gathered about 10 clumps. And these Flamevine roots… 7 of those. Not bad at all."

He leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "So, what do I do with all of this? Start planting some of it? Save the berries for potions? Maybe try making tea with the leaves?"

Ivy chirped and tilted her head, watching him intently.

Carter smiled at her. "You're right, Ivy. I should probably focus on getting a garden going first. Can't exactly live off the land if I don't have anything planted."

He looked down at the seeds he'd collected. "These will be great for starting the garden. The flowers can brighten the place up and maybe attract some helpful critters. And the herbs… yeah, I could use those for potions or trading. Definitely a good haul today."

Ivy let out a cheerful noise, jumping down from the table and running in a small circle.

"Looks like you're excited too," Carter said with a laugh. He glanced at the piles on the table again, his mind racing with possibilities. "Alright, first thing tomorrow, we'll start planting. Maybe I'll set up different sections for food, herbs, and flowers. Could even build some planters outside the treehouse for easy access."

He stretched and leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. "For now, though, I think we've earned a little rest. What do you think, Ivy?"

Ivy jumped up onto his lap, curling into a glowing, furry ball. Carter chuckled, stroking her softly. "Yeah, I think we did good today. Let's call it a night."

The next day came softly, the morning light filtering through the gaps in the treehouse. Carter was sound asleep in his mossy bed, his face relaxed and peaceful. Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the sound of small, pattering footsteps. Ivy bounded into the room, her glowing fur shimmering in the soft light, and leapt onto the bed with a joyful chirp.

"Ack!" Carter yelped as Ivy landed squarely on his chest, making happy noises. Still half-asleep, he groaned dramatically. "Ivy… what are you doing?" he mumbled, his voice muffled by the pillow.

Ivy chirped again and began snuggling up to his face, her soft fur tickling his nose. Carter let out a laugh, squirming. "Alright, alright, I'm up!" he said, sitting up groggily. He ruffled his messy hair, giving Ivy a sleepy smile. "You really don't waste any time, do you?"

Ivy let out another cheerful noise, nuzzling against his cheek. Carter chuckled and scratched her behind the ears. "Okay, okay, I get it. You're excited. Good morning to you too, Ivy."

He yawned dramatically, stretching his arms wide. "Alright, what's on the agenda today?" he said, mostly to himself. Ivy bounced on the bed, clearly ready for another day of adventure. Carter laughed again, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll get moving. Let's see what trouble we can get into today."

Carter walked out of his room, stretching his arms as he made his way into the living room. The soft glow of the treehouse's bioluminescent lights created a warm and inviting atmosphere. He plopped down into his favorite chair, letting out a content sigh as Ivy trotted over and hopped onto his lap, curling up with a cheerful chirp.

Carter chuckled, scratching Ivy behind the ears. "Alright, Ivy, another day in paradise," he said. "So, what's the plan for today?"

He leaned back, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I was thinking we could start planting that garden. I mean, we've got all those seeds and herbs we gathered yesterday. Might as well put them to use, right?" Ivy tilted her head, letting out a soft noise that almost sounded like agreement.

"Or," Carter continued, "I could try brewing some potions. Those Sunspire Blossoms are perfect for energy potions, and we've got more than enough Verdantberries for healing paste. But… do I even know how to make potions? I should probably figure that out first."

Ivy shifted slightly, looking up at him with curious eyes. Carter laughed. "What? You think I should just wing it? That's not a bad idea, honestly. Trial and error, right?"

He paused, gazing out the window at the forest beyond. "Then again, maybe we should explore a little more. There's bound to be more interesting stuff out there. New plants, maybe even other creatures like you, Ivy. What do you think?"

Ivy chirped, her tail wagging slightly. Carter smiled. "Yeah, you're right. There's no rush. We've got plenty of time to figure things out."

He leaned forward, gently scratching Ivy's chin. "Okay, how about this: we'll spend the morning working on the garden. After lunch, we'll take a walk and see what else we can find in the forest. Sound good?"

Ivy let out an enthusiastic noise, her glowing fur shimmering in the soft light. Carter laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Alright then. Let's get started. Today's going to be a good day, I can feel it."

Carter stepped outside, the crisp morning air invigorating him as he surveyed the area around the treehouse. "Alright, Ivy," he said, rolling up his sleeves. "Time to turn this patch of forest into a proper garden."

He walked to a clear area near the base of the treehouse, tapping his chin. "Let's see… I'll need sections for herbs, flowers, and vegetables. Maybe a little patch for medicinal plants too." He glanced down at Ivy. "What do you think? Big enough?"

Ivy chirped and wagged her tail, bounding around the clearing as if to approve the size. Carter laughed. "Alright, I'll take that as a yes."

He knelt down, placing his hands on the soil. "Skill: Verdant Architect," he said. The ground shifted beneath his hands as roots and vines emerged, creating natural dividers for the different sections of the garden. "Not bad," Carter muttered. "These look sturdy enough to keep everything organized."

He started working the soil in the first section, loosening it with his hands. "Alright, this is where the vegetables will go. Carrots, potatoes, maybe some beans. Gotta start with the basics." He glanced at Ivy, who was sniffing at a pile of seeds. "Hey, don't eat those," Carter said with a laugh. "We need those for planting."

As he worked, Carter began talking to himself. "This soil feels pretty good. Nice and loose. Plenty of nutrients too. Maybe those Verdantberries we found will grow well here." He paused to plant a row of seeds, patting the earth gently over them. "There we go. That should do it."

Moving to the next section, Carter began laying out the Sunspire Blossom petals. "Alright, flowers go here. These should make the place look nice and attract some helpful insects. Plus, who doesn't love a little color?" He glanced at Ivy, who was busy digging a small hole with her paws. "Hey, are you helping or making extra work for me?"

Ivy chirped innocently, wagging her tail. Carter shook his head with a grin. "Fine, you win. Just don't dig up anything important."

By midday, Carter had finished planting the main sections. He stood back, wiping sweat from his forehead and admiring the work. "Not bad for a morning's effort," he said. "This place is really starting to come together."

Ivy trotted up to him, her glowing fur shimmering in the sunlight. Carter crouched down to scratch her behind the ears. "Thanks for the help, buddy. Couldn't have done it without you."

Looking at the garden, Carter's mind raced with possibilities. "Alright, next step: setting up a watering system. Maybe I can use the treehouse's magic to make something automated. What do you think, Ivy? A self-watering garden sounds pretty cool, right?"

Ivy chirped enthusiastically, bounding around the freshly planted rows. Carter laughed. "Alright, I'll take that as a yes. Let's grab some lunch first, then we'll figure out the next steps."

Carter stood in the small kitchen area of his treehouse, humming to himself as he prepared lunch. The faint scent of herbs and roasted meat wafted through the air, and Ivy sat nearby, her glowing green fur shimmering as she wagged her tail excitedly.

"Alright, Ivy," Carter said, glancing over his shoulder. "Today's special is grilled Forest Serpent with a side of foraged berries. How's that sound?"

Ivy chirped happily, hopping in place. Carter chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's see…"

He turned back to the counter, carefully slicing pieces of the serpent meat he had saved from yesterday's battle. "This stuff's surprisingly tender," he muttered. "I guess magical creatures make pretty good ingredients. Who knew?"

Sprinkling some dried herbs over the meat, Carter placed it on a heated stone slab. The sizzle filled the room, and Ivy let out another excited chirp, her nose twitching at the aroma.

"Hold your horses, Ivy. It'll be done soon," Carter said, grinning. He reached over to a small bowl of Verdantberries and began mashing them into a sauce. "This should make a nice little glaze. Fancy, right?"

Ivy hopped onto a nearby stool, watching him intently. Carter laughed. "You're really invested in this meal, huh? Don't worry, I'll make sure it's perfect."

As the meat cooked, Carter's thoughts drifted to the garden he had started earlier. "You know, Ivy," he began, stirring the berry glaze, "that garden's looking pretty good so far. But there's one problem. I don't have water magic, so how am I supposed to keep everything hydrated?"

Ivy tilted her head, chirping softly. Carter tapped the spoon against the bowl, thinking aloud. "Maybe there's a river or a stream nearby. If I can find one, I could set up some kind of irrigation system. Or maybe I could use magic to guide water from somewhere else."

He sighed, flipping the meat on the slab. "It's a shame my status screen didn't include a water spell. Would've made this a whole lot easier. Still, I guess it's something to figure out. There's got to be a solution."

The meat finished cooking, and Carter carefully plated the grilled serpent slices, adding a drizzle of berry glaze over the top. "And done," he said with a satisfied smile. He set the plate on the table and placed a smaller portion in a bowl for Ivy. "Bon appétit, little buddy."

Ivy jumped off the stool and sniffed her bowl before digging in with enthusiasm. Carter sat down, cutting into his portion and taking a bite. "Not bad," he said, nodding. "I've got to admit, I wasn't expecting this to taste so good."

As they ate, Carter's mind continued to wander. "Maybe we'll explore a bit after lunch," he said, glancing at Ivy. "See if there's a water source nearby. Or maybe we'll run into someone who can help. What do you think?"

Ivy chirped, wagging her tail. Carter smiled. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. First, though, let's finish up and enjoy this meal. We've earned it."

let it be continued