"Oh my god, this is really going to kill me..."

An hour later.

Ronald was miserably overwhelmed by the difference between reality and his ideals.

Helping with pea pollination was a task in which he of course made no mistakes in terms of rigor and accuracy. But before that, Ronald's physical strength became the biggest obstacle in this trial of the original text.

If it were his body from before he crossed over, handling this heavy work would have been no problem.

But now—

Although after previous trials of the original text, Ronald also did some basic exercises regularly. But this level of fitness clearly wasn't enough to support him in the flower pollination work.

It's important to know that this is a world where Ronald has been shrunk!

Even though the abbey garden was fresh air and pleasant environment.

But just climbing the pea vines, which were like towering buildings, twice was enough to leave Ronald gasping for breath.

So when he finally got to the pool with his pollen-stained backpack. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ronald simply tossed the backpack into the water for soaking, then plopped down on the ground, and began weakly complaining about the pain of this original text trial:

"Honestly, this is worse than racing a minotaur in 'Daedalus' Book'!"

"Dodging Mr. Minotaur's axe only requires running once, but this repetitive heavy labor, when will it ever end?"

"Every time it demands more physical strength, I'm really fed up with these trials of the original text!"

Such complaints about the unreasonableness of the trials.

During the process, Ronald couldn't help but look up at the pea vines above him.

These complaints actually made him feel a bit guilty.

Original text trials are supposed to be full of challenges, and for someone in excellent physical condition, this trial might not be unbearable. But for someone like him, whose physical strength is only slightly above the average person, such demands can be incredibly taxing.

At this moment, Ronald even had an impulse to just give up.

Why not just quit and run away?

After all, the troubles those casters are facing outside were essentially of their own making.

Why should he work himself to exhaustion here for some original text trial?

And besides—Ronald himself wasn't particularly keen on acquiring a new original text. Moreover, the spells this 'Plant Hybridization Experiment' offers likely overlap significantly with those Ronald already mastered from 'Origin of Species'.

"Hmm... these two do seem to have some historical connection?"

Thinking about this, Ronald's thoughts began to wander.

If he remembered correctly, when Mendel first engaged in this field of research, he was indeed influenced by the publication of the seminal book 'Origin of Species'. And yet, more dramatically, after Mendel's genius experiments proved two essential genetic theories.

The majority of the scientific community at the time showed little interest in his theories.

Apart from the advanced nature of his research, a major reason was that 'Origin of Species' dominated the discourse, leaving Mendel in a frustrating position.

"In that sense... as the current holder of 'Origin of Species', being tormented by the original text of 'Plant Hybridization Experiment' doesn't seem so out of place?"

Thinking of this, Ronald couldn't help but laugh at himself.

Realizing he had rested enough, he abandoned sitting on the ground to complain, instead cleaned the backpack in the pool, and embarked once more on the task of pea pollination.

Complain all you want, but the work still needs to be done.

...

Time slowly drained away during this strenuous yet precise work.

The trial's abbey also had its division between day and night.

So when Ronald worked tirelessly through the entire afternoon, the sun in the sky gradually set as time pressed on.

Accompanied by the crisp sound of a bell ringing once more.

Finally, from the direction of the garden's entrance, the figure of Miss Pea reappeared.

And unlike her hurried demeanor when leaving.

Before returning to the pea planting area, Miss Pea's gaze continuously surveyed the pea vines around her.

Then as if confirmed, that Ronald's pollination work was excellently done.

A radiant smile appeared on Miss Pea's face, and she joyfully bounced towards Ronald, offering her praise:

"Ronald, you were amazing!"

"It's the first time I've seen someone new handle the work so perfectly right off the bat. I have a feeling—you're definitely going to become the best plant cultivator in the entire abbey!"

"You flatter me... *cough, cough*!" Ronald was about to exchange pleasantries with Miss Pea, but being already exhausted, he immediately choked on his own breath.

Upon seeing this, Miss Pea quickly approached to help pat his back.

Once the choked breath finally subsided, the conversation returned to the main subject:

"In any case—Ronald, your work was done beautifully, we'll be partners in this garden from now on!"

Miss Pea happily declared this conclusion.

At that moment, Ronald felt he had completed this trial of the original text.

Just like the choice he made when overcoming the maze challenge within 'Daedalus' Book', he could now immediately exit the trial and gain access to the first spell; or he could choose to continue and proceed with further challenges in the 'Plant Hybridization Experiment'.

"I..."

Ronald was ready to end this trial, but the action suddenly halted.

He thought of those sea beasts rampaging and attacking the city outside, and a previous holder of this original text, a shared state of control between the parasite and a human.

Under normal circumstances.

Ronald now could indeed end the trial and return to the real world.

But what if, due to these complex circumstances, there was a problem with this original text?

This unique external situation added a layer of caution to Ronald's mind, knowing the world outside was in a critical crisis, very different from his buffered state within the trial.

If something went wrong again, it could cause serious trouble immediately.

—This was a critical, life-related decision!

After considering the issue carefully and seriously, Ronald decided not to end the trial, but to continue it instead.

And at this moment, as if the original text trial sensed his decision.

Miss Pea standing before Ronald spoke up again:

"Coincidentally, tonight, the abbey has some experimental data to organize."

"Ronald, since you've done so well with the pollination, would you also like to take on this challenge?"