"That's right, it's a potato. But… well, it's a bit of a special variety."
Steven wasn't joking in the slightest. He had already tested it before, even in this world, the potatoes he planted still grew according to Minecraft's rules.
And, perhaps because he wasn't the only "player" in this world, these potatoes continued growing even when outside his 128-meter loaded chunk range.
The only difference was that their growth speed was no longer the ridiculous half-hour maturity rate of Minecraft. Instead, it followed the normal growth time of real-world potatoes.
But even that was enough.
The most broken thing about Minecraft's crops was that as long as you met three basic conditions: tilled soil, light, and water, you never had to worry about anything else.
Weather effects? Natural disasters? Droughts and floods?
Even if a snowstorm buried everything, as long as the water source didn't freeze, the crops would keep growing as usual.
A plant like this, something that could make agricultural scientists lose their minds, Steven knew exactly what kind of benefits it could bring to Terra, a world severely lacking in resources.
"It might not look like much, but don't underestimate it."
He spoke with absolute confidence.
"No matter how harsh the environment, as long as you have water, tilled soil, and light, this thing will keep producing crops."
"If you can find a way to promote it, I won't make any wild promises, but at the very least, this thing alone is enough to solve your nation's hunger problem."
Steven shrugged casually, but he was certain that he old man in front of him understood the weight of his words.
However, Carmen frowned slightly.
"But most of Iberia's land is near the ocean, so the soil and water here aren't even suitable for agriculture…."
This boy….
Was he oversimplifying things?
Did he not realize that in all of Iberia, the land suitable for farming wasn't even 1% of the country?
Steven chuckled.
"Who told you we need farmland?"
"I said three conditions: Water. Tilled soil. Light."
"Freshwater is water, seawater is also water, and if we stretch the definition, even the blood of these Seaborn creatures can be considered water, as long as it can keep the soil moist, it counts as a water source."
"As for soil? As long as it has even a little bit of dirt in it, just till it and it would count as farmland."
Steven knew just how absurdly resilient Minecraft crops were.
Unless you installed some hardcore realism mod, these plants were basically on the verge of magic.
"If you don't believe me, feel free to get some experts to test it out, I'm just here to discuss the idea with you, I don't expect the Inquisition to approve it right away."
"Of course, you're welcome to try it out first."
Steven reached into his inventory again and casually tossed a few more potatoes to Carmen.
For a moment, he considered giving him some beetroots or carrots as well, but then he stopped himself.
Why put all your eggs in one basket?
Wouldn't it be better to get multiple nations to invest?
<+>
Carmen caught the potatoes with a serious expression.
At this moment, these weren't just food anymore.
If what the boy in front of him said was true…
The benefits of these potatoes would be terrifying.
A crop that could ignore farming conditions was already absurd.
And no one understood the importance of food better than the starving people of Iberia.
To put it bluntly, these potatoes alone could become the lifeline that saved Iberia.
They could even change the nation's entire economic structure.
"So, what is the price, Mr. Steven?"
Carmen's perception of Steven had subtly changed.
Before, Steven was just a mysterious figure with terrifying power.
But now, he was a walking treasure chest.
If not for the fact that capturing him wasn't an option, Carmen would never let someone like him, who could casually pull out something so valuable, just walk away.
Steven smirked.
"Money. Resources. Anything of value."
"I don't care if you use these potatoes to feed yourselves, or sell them for profit. Whatever wealth these potatoes generate—I take a cut. Let's say… 30%."
"Or, if you prefer, you can think of it as me hiring your entire nation to farm potatoes for me."
He held up three fingers, looking just one monocle and a top hat away from a classic, lamp-post-hanging capitalist villain.
But Steven didn't think his request was unreasonable at all.
If anything, he was being generous.
If he didn't have a conscience, he could have easily demanded more.
After all, his potatoes could be replanted indefinitely.
On average, one potato could triple each season.
Steven only took one-third as his cut, leaving one-third for replanting, and the last third for Iberia's profits.
Even that remaining third was enough to bring unthinkable prosperity to a dying nation.
"..."
Carmen was silent for a long time.
A fierce internal struggle played out in his mind before he finally calmed himself and spoke steadily.
"We will need time to verify the authenticity of your claims, and to evaluate whether your proposal is reasonable."
Steven smirked.
Carmen understood the stakes all too well.
And that was precisely why he couldn't make this decision alone.
"Take all the time you need."
"I'm planning to travel with Rhodes Island anyway, plenty of time for you to think it over. you can even start promoting it in advance, I won't lose anything."
"We can discuss the details when I return."
Steven waved his hand nonchalantly, as if he wasn't worried at all about them going back on their word.
And honestly?
He wasn't.
Because Steven knew there was no way the Inquisition could reverse-engineer his potatoes.
And if they tried to cheat him afterward?
That'd be even funnier.
These potatoes came from him.
If they didn't pay up, he could simply ban their natural growth.
He had plenty of "convenience" mods, but he had even more self-inflicted suffering mods.
Carmen took a deep breath.
"If these potatoes are truly as miraculous as you claim—"
"Then the Inquisition will forever remember your generosity. No, sll of Iberia will remember."
He clenched the potatoes in his hands, his gaze toward Steven now filled with reverence, it's as if he's staring at a living saint.
Steven chuckled.
"Don't make me sound like a hero. I've told you before, I'm just a traveler and a businessman."
With a smile, he turned away, leaving behind the trembling old man who was still overwhelmed by emotion.
Just then, Steven's chat window popped up with a system notification.
A familiar one.
[Under Tides (Prologue) – Worldline Shift Detected]
[Base World Acknowledgement Points: 100,000. Plot Participation: 50% (Bonus +50%). Worldline Impact: 1% (Bonus +10,000%).]
[Evaluation: Your arrival has altered the agricultural structure of this world. Starting from Iberia, a revolution will sweep across the entire continent of Terra.]
[Total World Acknowledgement Points Earned: 10.05 million]
[Would you like to claim your rewards now?]
Steven grinned.
"Now this is what I call a worthy investment."