Chapter 6
To be honest, I don't even know if he'd like the flower. But… it wouldn't hurt to try, right?
Besides, it's the only thing I could afford.
I just wanted to give him a gift since it was his birthday. And in this world, birthdays aren't celebrated with presents, so anything would be special. Hopefully.
After that, my mother kept browsing through the rest of the market stalls—even though she wasn't here to buy anything.
Had she even brought any money?
Either way, half an hour passed before she finished window shopping and we headed home. Then came the boredom again.
It was noon, and just like always, I had nothing to do. Mom was probably taking an afternoon nap. I could've joined her, but I just didn't feel like it.
Instead, I laid down on the grass under the shade of a large tree just outside our hut and opened my system.
Or rather, my "Shop." Because that's all there was to it.
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[SHOP(s)]
[Tier 1 Shop] (Locked – ??? isn't pleased enough)
[Tier 2 Shop] (Locked – ??? isn't pleased enough)
[Tier 3 Shop]
[Divinity: 5,230]
---
...Sigh.
Seriously, it's been three years since I got this system, and I still haven't unlocked a single skill. I just haven't earned enough Divinity.
I need another 5,000 points to afford anything. That's three more years of waiting. Just wonderful.
I could just sleep through that time, right? It's only three years.
I covered my eyes at the thought and drifted off. This whole thing is stupid.
---
My brother and father came home, and I had a decision to make. Should I give Father the gift now? Or wait? Maybe now wasn't the best time.
Mom was serving food. After dinner, Father would either tell us a story or go to bed. Yeah, instead of giving gifts, there is a custom here where the person whose birthday it was would tell his loved ones about his life to make him understood. A nightmare for Introverts but you could also refuse to tell a story so...
Well, If father decided it was story night, I'd give him the flower after. That seemed like the perfect moment.
We ate in silence. Only the occasional request for seconds broke the stillness. After dinner, Mom took the dishes to wash.
Father leaned back against one of the wooden poles supporting the hut and closed his eyes. My brother sat beside me.
"So, why'd you need the money? I could've just given it to you without the bet, you know."
"I wanted to buy something with my own money, that's all," I said. I hadn't told anyone what I bought, and why I bought it. Though honestly, they should've figured it out.
"Hm."
We talked a bit more while Mom finished up and prepared our beds. Then we all sat down, looking toward Father. He crossed his arms, staring at the ground, thinking.
"…Haa. I can't think of anything. Maybe next year," he finally said.
No story night then? That was fine for me but Kaito groaned beside me. Mom also sighed, then gently caressed Father's forearm.
"Honey, our kids need to know about the broader world. And they can only learn it from you."
Father looked at her.
"Broadening… the world?" he muttered. There was a pause before he started speaking again.
"Kaito, have you ever seen an ordinary-looking person make flames dance at their fingertips?"
Both our eyes widened—for different reasons.
For me, it was confirmation. I already had the system, I'd been reincarnated—but until now, there hadn't been solid proof that this world had supernatural energy or power. This was it.
"The world… it's broader. Much more than just a simple field."
For Kaito, it was the fact that Father had called on him specifically. Like he wanted him to aim higher.
"Three people once came from a clan unknown. They were arrogant, merciless. They plundered from nearly a hundred villages, until the villagers grouped together to stop them."
...At least this world isn't Minecraft. That's confirmed.
"None survived. Just one of those three defeated hundreds."
Father looked at me, then at Kaito.
"The world is much broader, yes. But it's also that much more dangerous. If you ever want to walk a different path than mine, I want you both to know that."
I glanced at Kaito, who smiled sheepishly. Then back at Father.
I wanted to shout, "Corny!" but held back. That'd be a bit much, right?
"Now, sleep. Your mother and I are going for a walk." He stood and offered Mom his hand.
Ohh? They are going alone? For a walk? At this hour?
I tried to hold back a grin as Kaito nodded innocently. Hopefully, he's just a sweet fifteen-year-old, and I'm not the only one whose brain goes places.
Still, I'm not confirming anything even if it gets me labeled the pervert.
"Also, Ren," Father said before leaving. "You should come with us to the fields starting tomorrow."
...What?
For some reason, I suddenly had a bad feeling.
Why does he suddenly want me to come to the fields? You just broadened your kids' view of the world! At least ask if we want to do something other than farming!
Ugh… I just want to use magic already.
I fumbled for a response, but he was already out the door. I sighed and went to bed. Nothing I could do about it now.
Still, I couldn't sleep. My mind was too full.
The system was still stupid, but maybe I could at least learn to use magic—or whatever supernatural stuff this world has. That thought kept me up. Magic… or something like it. God, I want it so badly.
Even with that little spike of excitement, I eventually drifted off. But as I did, that uneasy feeling crept back in. And then something else popped into my head—
"Am I forgetting something?"
---
Shit.
The sun peeked through the window slits, birds chirping in the background. A perfect morning—except it wasn't.
I forgot.
I looked at the slightly wilted blue sunflower in my hand. Its proud petals had drooped, heavy and tired.
My heart ached.
Wow, Ren. You really are something.
I sighed. I'd gone through all that trouble to give him a gift and still… damn it.
There was nothing I could do now. The flower wouldn't last another year—it was already fading. In a year, it'd be dust.
Another sigh. That's my way of dealing with frustration—just sigh it out.
I took the flower outside, found a patch of soft earth, and started digging with a stick and my bare hands. I made the soil comfortable, gently set the flower in, and gave it a bit of water.
I don't know if that'll keep it alive—but it was the best I could think to do.
[Divinity +10]
Yeah, that happens as well sometimes. I just randomly get Divinity. I just glanced at this like it is some kind of a pop-up before again focusing on the flower.
I stared at the flower for a while, It honestly looked better here, with droplets of water on its petals... hopefully it will not wilt. Suddenly, a voice called from behind.
"Ready for the fields?"
I turned. It was Kaito.
---
[A few hours later]
Haa… haa… fuu…
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and dropped the water bucket to the ground.
Brown soil stretched in every direction. Not far off, Kaito was working the ground with a hoe. It looked exhausting—and I was honestly glad I wasn't allowed to do it.
I picked up the buckets again and moved to another dry patch of soil, watering it carefully. Too little or too much, and it could mess up the freshly planted seeds.
"Kaito!"
Father's voice rang out. Time to switch again.
He took the hoe from Kaito, and Kaito swapped places with him, planting seeds into the freshly tilled earth.
I watched them do this silently from the side.
They rotated like that to share the workload and avoid burning out. Honestly, a pretty smart strategy.
I kept working in the blazing sun for a few more hours before Father finally called for a lunch break.
We sat under a tree at the edge of the field while he pulled out a cloth bag of rice balls Mom had packed.
They were chewy—but they still tasted good. We ate in silence. Kaito usually talks a lot, but I guess he holds back when Father's around.
A soft breeze drifted through now and then, cooling the sweat on my skin as we all are in comforting silence. Honestly, it was one of the nicest lunches I'd had in a long time.
Then we heard footsteps. Father stood, and so did Kaito and I. I turned around.
Two people were approaching, but one of them grabbed all my attention immediately.
He was in full armor—brown-plated chest and legs, leather boots and accents. No helmet, though. Instead, I saw a rough, scarred face, a thick beard, and long, tied-back brown hair.
It was… weird. I mean, if a fully armored guy walks up to you in the middle of a rice field, that's gotta be a red flag. Strangely, I wasn't that nervous.
The other guy—an old man I didn't recognize—walked ahead and gestured to the fields.
"This is also one of the areas under our village," he said, completely ignoring us.
"Hm," the armored guy grunted, barely reacting, before turning his eyes on me.
I swallowed. Okay… maybe I was a little nervous.
"Silver hair. That's… not natural."
What's that supposed to mean? I didn't dye it, okay? Don't throw accusations without proof.
"Y-yes. This kid is… an oddity in our village," the old man added.
Wow, this guy... I glanced at Father and Kaito—both looked a little irritated too. Not that it was the rudest thing ever, but still…
"Takamitsu…" Father said suddenly. While I wondered if he knew the old guy from the start or just remembered him now.
"Hoshida… uh, this person is Durendar. He—"
"Enough," the armored man cut in.
"Show me the other locations."
Without another word, the old man bowed and led him away.
That was… a weird encounter. Seriously.
Once they were out of earshot, I turned to Father.
He told us the old man was the village chief—our village's chief—but even he had no idea who Durendar was.
He did have a speculation though, Apparantly, our village comes under the protection of a clan, whom we give taxes and shit. Father thinks that Durendar might be from that clan.
This was just a speculation though and it could all technically be wrong.
Still, the whole thing swirled in my mind for a while. Then I shoved it aside and went back to trying to survive my first day of farm training.
---
At the time, I didn't know… that small encounter would lead to something so terrifying.
A hut burned, flames swallowing it whole.
Durendar stood in front of it, fully armored in a crimson armor. A silver haired boy unconscious in his arm.
He held the boy, eyes glistening and face softening "...However, it is normal," he said softly, eyes lingering on the boy's face. "For a monster… to destroy homes."
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A/N: Seventh chapter would either be Tommorow or the day after tomorrow.
Hope you like the chapter, and, if you did, pls support the fic however you can (Leaving reviews or giving power stones etc).
See you in the next chapter.