Reyan sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, the pale-blue sheets slightly crumpled beneath him. His eyes stayed fixed on the space in front of him, where the translucent screen had just vanished moments ago. His chest rose and fell slowly, the confusion in his mind still louder than the pain in his ribs.
"...What are you?" he finally asked out loud.
> [Fortune Ascension System. I assist my host in their journey toward influence, wealth, and fulfillment.]
Its voice wasn't metallic or cold—just clear. Like a neutral assistant. Not sarcastic. Not overly cheerful.
Still… it didn't explain much.
"Why me?"
> [Because you were chosen. The criteria cannot be revealed at this stage.]
Reyan frowned.
"What do you mean 'chosen'? I'm not some genius, I'm not brave, I'm just…" His voice faltered, too bitter to finish that sentence.
>[ You're at your starting point. What matters is how you move forward.]
He didn't respond.
Instead, he pressed his palm to his face and let out a breath. The pain from the bruises was real. So was the taste of dried blood in his mouth. But this whole… system thing?
It had to be some mental break.
There was only one way to be sure.
"If I'm crazy, this task won't work," he muttered, forcing himself to stand.
He limped slowly out into the hallway, where the nurse from earlier was reviewing some paperwork at her desk. She was in her late twenties, with tired eyes and a no-nonsense expression.
"Uh… hi," Reyan said awkwardly.
She looked up. "Don't overexert yourself. You're lucky nothing's broken."
"I… I just wanted to say… thank you," he said, attempting a small smile.
The nurse blinked. "Okay."
"And… um, I hope you have a really… pleasant day?" he added, his voice cracking midway.
She stared at him, unimpressed. "You hit your head too?"
Reyan flushed. "No, I—sorry."
He turned and walked back to the hallway, cheeks burning. That didn't work.
> [Genuine smiles require emotional connection. Flattery alone will not suffice.]
"Thanks," he muttered under his breath. "Real helpful."
His confidence had never been high, but ever since his father's death, it had taken an even deeper plunge. Everyone looked at him like he was guilty of something. Teachers, neighbors, even relatives. No one ever said it aloud, but he could feel it—every time someone hesitated before meeting his eyes.
All because his dad had been accused—not proven—of embezzling money. And then he died in a car crash on his way to prove his innocence. Case closed. Name tarnished. Family reputation shredded.
Since then, Reyan had mastered the art of walking quietly, avoiding attention, fading into the background. Maybe that's why he couldn't even make a nurse smile.
But there was still one person.
He made his way home slowly, the streetlights beginning to flicker on as evening painted the city in cooler tones. Their apartment was on the second floor of an old building tucked behind a corner shop. The moment he opened the door, he heard her footsteps.
Then came her voice.
"Reyan?"
She peeked out from the kitchen, her eyes widening at the sight of his bruised face.
"God, what happened to you?!"
"I'm fine," he said quickly, trying to sound normal. "Just got into a… thing. I went to the infirmary."
She rushed to him, checking his wounds with trembling hands. "How is this fine? Who did this? I swear—"
"Mom." He gently took her hands. "It's okay."
"Mom… I'm okay," he said again. Then, with a small smile, "And I promise… from today, I'm going to take better care of both of us. I mean it. You've done enough alone all these years. It's my turn now."
Her breath hitched. She looked at him for a long second—and then, her face softened.
A slow, genuine smile formed on her lips. Small. Warm. Real.
That was all the confirmation he needed.
>[ Task complete.
Reward: ₲10,000 has been transferred to your system wallet.
+1 Confidence ]
The notification flickered in his mind like a quiet spark.
And suddenly—for just a moment—something bloomed in his chest.
A feeling like he could pluck the stars right out of the sky and lay them at his mother's feet.
It vanished as quickly as it came, like a ripple on still water. But the effect lingered. He stood taller without realizing. His chest didn't feel so heavy.
Not because ₲10,000 appeared in his account.
Not because of the stat boost.
But because he saw her smile.
Really smile.
And for the first time in years… he'd caused it.