Inside the black box was what looked like a normal lotus plant, pink with streaks of white.
What truly confused Dravin and Freya was a folded latex material beneath the lotus.
When pulled out, it was an uninflated rubber raft, along with a latex vest that looked suspiciously like a life jacket.
Dravin blinked. "What the hell is this, a pool toy?"
"Ah… So this is how I'm supposed to put the lotus in the center of the lake," Dravin realized, grasping the purpose of the boat. "But why is there no pump? How am I supposed to ride it if it's flat?" he continued to grumble.
"Here." Freya held out a slip of paper containing the raft's manual. Both of them read it over.
Moments later, Dravin dragged the deflated raft to the shore.
His hands stuck slightly to the rubber—it was cold, clammy, and reeked of chemicals.
He spread the folded latex and, following the instructions, placed it on the surface of the lake. Magically, the boat inflated on its own, leaving both Dravin and Freya gawking in awe.
They shared a glance and a small, joking smile, united in their shared amazement over the magical boat. Then Freya handed the lotus plant to Dravin.
"Be careful," Freya cautioned.
Dravin nodded. "You should be ready, too." He put on the safety vest, which immediately inflated with air the moment he clipped it shut.
Then, just as suddenly, another deliveryman arrived, carrying a tiny black box. Dravin quickly took it, immediately slipping the bubble gum into his pocket.
"What's that?" Freya asked.
"A secret weapon," Dravin blurted. "I'll explain later."
After a knowing look passed between them, Dravin slowly stepped into the rubber raft.
The raft was flimsy yet stable enough to support his weight. He sat cross-legged in the center, the Lotus resting in his lap.
Once he was settled, the boat began to move slowly. This matched the manual, which stated the boat would pilot itself once Dravin was seated.
"Should we go and catch that cute hippo?" he muttered, scanning the water.
The timed notification made his stomach churn. Shit. Do you think that is what I needed to feel calm?
His nose twitched from the awful smell of the lake water.
He remembered Cheetoo Lake wasn't supposed to be this foul.
Dravin shuddered, half-expecting a slimy tentacle to tap the side, asking if he came alone.
The slow journey across the lightly rippling water made him wonder: Am I really the type of person who'd do anything for money?
He shook his head. He wouldn't just accept any job for a high payout.
The real reason he took this mission was to get on Freya's good side.
Since he'd be working with her daily, helping her with this problem would surely make her feel grateful toward him.
And who would expect that he didn't have to bother finding a barista for his restaurant? Killing two birds with one stone.
Dravin glanced back at the shore. Freya's figure was growing smaller, yet the raft still hadn't slowed. The manual said that once the raft took off, Dravin simply had to wait for it to stop.
[Don't worry Chef, you will be fine]
Rubby's voice echoed, sensing Dravin's distress.
"I know, but still… feels like walking into a haunted house, fun 'til it isn't."
Dravin's heart pounded faster as the raft began to decelerate and finally stopped.
The sound of water gently lapping against the rubber raft filled the silence in the lifelike stillness of the lake's center.
Ding!The system chime sliced through the quiet.
Dravin obeyed the prompt, slowly positioning the flower to his right.
He felt the cold lake water touch his fingers when he accidentally dipped his hand while placing the lotus.
Unlike when it was moving, the raft was incredibly unbalanced when stopped. "Oh God," Dravin hissed. "Please just stay still!"
His body kept swaying with every slight movement, and he immediately grabbed the sides to steady himself.
Even though the life jacket meant he wouldn't drown, Dravin refused to get soaked in this disgusting water.
"Mmphh!" Dravin choked back a wave of nausea. The raft rocked, and his stomach followed. He started to feel dizzy.
He took three deep breaths. Luckily, the overcast sky kept him from overheating.
Once the raft felt steady enough, he slowly released his grip and extended his slightly trembling right hand to pluck a single petal from the lotus.
The instant his fingertip grazed the soft petal, he plucked it hard.
Not long after, the plush raft began to move slowly again, leaving the broken petal behind.
Phew… He sighed, half relieved, half convinced the raft had a personal grudge.
Once the raft moved, it returned to its steady state.
The raft felt exactly like those wobbly swan boats you ride in a park pool when they weren't moving. It was so unstable that cold sweat was running down his temples.
The raft wasn't turning around, so he was moving backward now.
However, there was a key difference from his initial trip: a hidden seatbelt now locked his hips and thighs, securing his rear to the seat. Plus, the raft was moving noticeably faster than before.
He watched a bright blue light begin to shine from the core of the lotus, growing brighter and expanding into a blinding white as he moved farther away from it.
The lake stilled—
Then,
Boom!
An explosion of water erupted from the lotus, creating a massive whirlpool.
Water and wind mixed, slamming into Dravin's face. The massive wave pulled his raft into the vortex.
The raft spun sideways, and Dravin's body was left dangling over the side, making his head spin violently.
"Aaaaaaa…!" he screamed, but the roar of the water rushing past drowned out his voice.
His open mouth allowed his tongue to taste the lake water—it was fishy, metallic, like rotten stock.
He gagged, but adrenaline shoved nausea aside.
Then, amidst his struggle to keep his eyes open through the spray, the system chimed in with a hint:
"Oh, you just tell me that now?!" he yelled, reaching for the button, but the raft lurched again.