Parks and Jogging Areas, QRF Element Complex.

0905, 18 Aug 2025

Two days ago Vex completed the survey in the Herron Mountains, and before going back to Harley Quinn, he studied the report's summary made by Lt. Col. Slane.

Hundreds of farmers and agricultural experts from the Northern Coalition were invited to attend an agricultural seminar held on Berril Plain. The seminar only lasted 12 days, but according to ADG that time span was more than sufficient to provide the necessary knowledge for the participants.

Since the Northern Coalition had to send Nouel up to a certain quota to Kingdom of Makai, some farmland would be sacrificed to plant Nouel until it was damaged. Then, it would enter the recondition program. As for the rest of the farmland, it would be planted with foodstuffs and reconditioned until it was ready to be planted with Nouel again.

The costs of the seminar and accommodation for the participants were fully borne by Amethyst Merchant. The farmers would also get superior Nouel and various food plant seeds for free.

A few days ago the seminar was finally over, and all the Northern Coalition farmers led by an agricultural expert named Maester Rig sent their deepest gratitude to ADG and Amethyst Merchant.

Maester Rig even volunteered to become an intern at ADG. After intensive examination by IDG, it was concluded that Maester Rig was a fanatical agricultural engineer who was not tied to any authority or group. So Lt. Co. Slane gladly granted Maester Rig's request and even designed a mission for him.

The Maester was asked to provide counseling on the regions along the entrance to Desolate Land. There are 18 Regions in total, starting from the Region bordering the Northern Coalition to the Rowane Region which was located at the tip of the northern border right before Kingdom of Horrep.

Maester Rig's goal was to increase the production of foodstuffs such as wheat and cereal crops. As well as making sure that the 18 Regions near the entrance to Desolate Land were willing to open new Nouel farmlands, up to a radius of 2 km from Desolate Land entrance which had changed into South High Road.

If the 18 Regions agreed, then a 934x52 km new Nouel Farmland would be opened and TF Amethyst would provide the security from Dangerous Wildlife.

Regarding the purchase of Nouel from the 18 Regions, Lt. Col. Slane would hand it over to the Northern Coalition. He had already proposed a trading scheme that would make the Northern Coalition sell whatever they could offer to Amethyst Merchant.

Other than firearms, explosives, radio communications, vehicles, and other equipment that could provide tactical advantages, Amethyst Merchant was happy to sell other available commodities, and the Northern Coalition absorbed it like dry fields soaking up rainwater.

So far, the quota of commodities requested by the North Coalition had far exceeded the initial target, and the North Coalition had even started selling it to the 18 regions that Maester Rig would visit.

Moreover, the Nouel price offered by Amethyst Merchant was slightly higher than the price offered by Kingdom of Makai. So outside of the mandatory quota, it was certain that the Northern Coalition would sell their remaining Nouel to Amethyst Merchants, and would even actively bought Nouels from other regions.

The incident on Berril Plain had indeed delayed Amethyst Merchant's plans to enter Makai Royal City. However, since Amethyst Merchant got the opportunity to spread its wings to other places, Lt. Col. Slane wasn't too disappointed.

For today, Vex decided he's going to relax the whole day before returning to Harley Quinn tonight. He sat on a wooden bench enjoying the morning air while beside him lay Big Brown, a German Shepherd ex-K9 of QRF Unit who had been with him since he arrived in Magwurt City.

Vex was about to inhale deeply when two little girls appeared out of nowhere and looked intensely at Big Brown. Both of them have cute faces, brown hair that falls straight down their backs, and wear matching pants and t-shirts.

The older girl turned towards Vex before saying, "Uncle, can we play with the Doggie?"

While holding back laughter in his heart Vex answered, "Of course you can, but introduce yourself first, then call me Lucan, and this is Big Brown not Doggie."

After nodding her head three times, the older girl then pointed at her own nose. "Seira, 6 years old."

Seira then pointed to the younger girl, "Keira, 4 years."

"All right, now you can play with Big Brown."

As soon as they got permission, Seira and Keira immediately stroked Big Brown, who seemed to enjoy it.

Vex thought Seira and Keira would take Big Brown to run around the park or play the frisbee that he happened to put next to Big Brown. However, Seira and Keira just stroked Big Brown starting from the head, back, and then rubbing his belly. Even so, from the laughter of the two children it seemed that they were very happy with what they were doing.

Without realizing it, Vex smiled too whenever Keira and Seira chuckled, and it didn't feel like the time went on, until lunchtime finally arrived.

Vex began to wonder where Seira and Keira's parents were, and how they could leave their child in the park alone for nearly two hours.

With a gentle tone Vex asked, "Seira, where are your parents?"

Without turning towards Vex and continuing to caress Big Brown's belly, Seira answered, "Jessie lives in California, and Daddy's going to a very far place."

"Then, who are you currently living with?"

"Big Sis Lan."

Of the thousands of TF Amethyst personnel there was only one person with the first name 'Lan', and it just so happened that Vex knew her.

First Lieutenant Lan Yan'er, the best psychologist TF Amethyst had. Born to a Chinese couple with Canadian citizenship. When she tried to get a scholarship to major in surgeons from the Canadian Navy, Lan Yan'er was instead directed to take a scholarship to major in psychology.

She completed her psychology education brilliantly, and she had a very solid experience through a Canadian government-sponsored humanitarian mission. She later also succeeded in getting an assistant surgeon's certificate.

With the expertise and field experience she had accumulated, Lan Yan'er should have become a Lieutenant Colonel. However, her love for fieldwork made her repeatedly refused promotions.

Medic Quarter personnel nicknamed Lan Yan'er as Madonna, short for Primadona which referred to the many men and women who send her love letters. Meanwhile, the children in Settlements 116 called her Miss El-tee.

And the relationship between Vex and Lan Yan'er could be likened to water and fire, after Lan Yan'er found out that Vex was trying to evict the children from Settlements 116 when they were in Medic Quarter.

'Feck me.'

Vex sighed silently as he recalled the sharp gaze Lan Yan'er gave when they accidentally passed each other on Harley Quinn.

Even so, it didn't mean that Vex then had negative sentiments towards Seira and Keira just because they were relatives of women who were hostile to him.

'Well, I think there's nothing wrong with me taking these two kids out to lunch before taking them home.'

Vex then turned to Seira and Keira. "I'm going to have an ice cream, would you two come with me?"

Seira tilted her little head for a moment before asking back, "Is Big Brown coming too?"

"Of course, he is."

"Then we'll come too."

A smile immediately bloomed on Vex's lips while he carried Keira and held Seira's hand. Together with Big Brown, the three of them then walked towards Chow Hall.

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Chow Q, QRF Element Complex

1215, 18 Aug 2025

Chow Q was a Chow Hall devoted to personnel who have duty rotation in QRF. Therefore, it was not strange that many visitors to Chow Q wore full-body gear and carried weapons. Some of them even brought Javelin or Carl Gustav.

Chow Q's interior was far from the military style and looked more like a mid-class restaurant. The tables consist of a table with two chairs or a table with four chairs.

The menu at Chow Q was also two levels higher than the rest of the Chow Hall, with 23 hours of service and closing hours of 23.00 - 00.00 for cleaning.

After washing their hands in the sink beside the entrance, Vex immediately led Seira and Keira to the queue. First, he helped Seira and Keira get their lunch before leading them to a table with four chairs. Only then did he take his lunch and some plain sausages for Big Brown.

Vex was just sitting down after placing his lunch tray on the table when Seira asked, "Lucan, where's the ice cream?"

"After lunch, you two can get as much ice cream as you want."

Seira and Keira nodded together and the lunch began.

The menu at Chow Q was not designed as Kid Meal, so Vex had to make sure that Seira and Keira could enjoy their lunch without using a knife and just using a fork.

He skillfully cut Keira and Seira's fried chicken into one small bite.

"Aaaa...."

Without any warning, Keira who was sitting beside Vex suddenly approached while opening her mouth. Vex smiled reflexively, then fed Keira a piece of fried chicken and asparagus.

At the same time, Seira looked expectantly at him, and Vex responded by feeding her.

Several female QRF personnel tried to suppress their laughter when they saw Vex feeding Seira and Keira, but Vex ignored them. This was not the first time he had fed a child in a public place.

After Seira and Keira finished their lunches, Vex took them to the dessert counter to get ice cream, and while Seira and Keira were enjoying ice cream, he ate his lunch.

*****