Before Leon could even process the double system floating before him, a familiar voice called from downstairs.
"Leon! What are you still doing up there?"
He jumped, the glowing windows vanishing instantly. "Coming!"
He rushed down, still dazed, only to find his older sister waiting with her arms crossed and an unimpressed look on her face.
"Did you forget again?" she said.
"Forget what?"
She groaned. "You're supposed to help our brother today! You two need to finish harvesting the fields before sundown."
"Oh — uh, right! I remember now," Leon said quickly, forcing a laugh.
His sister didn't look convinced. "You really need to start sleeping earlier. Now go, he's waiting outside."
She pointed toward the door with a tired sigh.
Leon grabbed a straw hat hanging by the wall too big for him and hurried out.
His brother was outside beside a wooden wagon, tightening the ropes around a pile of tools and empty baskets. He turned as Leon approached.
"Finally decided to show up, huh?" he said with a grin.
"Sorry," Leon replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Guess I overslept."
His brother chuckled. "You? Oversleeping? Now that's new. Come on, hop in."
Leon climbed into the wagon as his brother took the reins. The horses snorted, and the wagon began to roll forward.
The ride was bumpy, the wheels creaking over uneven dirt paths, but Leon didn't mind. He leaned on the edge, watching the landscape unfold endless fields of golden crops swaying gently in the wind, a few cottages scattered in the distance, and the faint shimmer of a river under the morning sun.
The air was clean. Fresh.
Not like the stale, polluted air of his old world.
His brother noticed him staring and laughed. "What? You've seen the fields every day of your life and now they look interesting?"
Leon smiled faintly. "Guess I'm just appreciating them more today."
"Ha! Maybe you finally learned something," his brother said, flicking the reins.
When they reached the fields, Leon immediately realized one thing he had no idea what to do.
His brother handed him a sickle. "You know the drill. Start from that side and work your way toward me."
Leon nodded uncertainly. "Right… the drill."
He knelt down beside the first patch and started cutting.
It was awkward his grip wrong, his pace uneven.
His brother glanced at him from a few meters away, shaking his head. "You really are a slow learner, Leon. We've taught you this so many times before!"
Leon laughed weakly. "Guess I'm just rusty today."
"You'd better not be getting sick," his brother teased, turning back to his own work.
Leon focused again, trying to mimic his brother's movements. It was harder than it looked the sun was hot, the air thick with the smell of earth and sweat. His arms ached quickly. But he kept going.
Then, suddenly
Ding!
A faint sound echoed inside his head, and a blue light flashed before his eyes.
[Body System: +2 EXP]
He froze mid-swing. "No way…"
He blinked, and the message appeared again this time, there were two identical notifications side by side.
[Body System: +2 EXP]
[Body System: +2 EXP]
His heart pounded. Both of his systems had reacted. It wasn't an illusion.
So they really are connected… and they both work.
He wanted to test more to see if the EXP would keep growing but his brother's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Hey, quit daydreaming! The field's not going to harvest itself!"
"Right!" Leon said, quickly returning to work.
Hours passed beneath the blazing sun. They took short breaks, drank water, shared a few laughs. Despite his lack of skill, Leon started finding rhythm in the motion swing, cut, gather, repeat. It was strangely calming.
By the time they loaded the last baskets onto the wagon, the sky was painted orange and purple. The day was fading, the wind cool against his face.
As they rode back, his brother stretched and yawned. "You did better than I expected today. Maybe there's hope for you yet."
Leon chuckled softly. "Maybe."
But his thoughts weren't on the harvest anymore.
When he quietly called up the system in his mind, both windows appeared again side by side, glowing faintly.
Body System Level: 1
EXP: 22 / 100
Strength: 5 (+1)
Endurance: 6 (+1)
Vitality: 12 (+2)
Agility: 6 (+1)
Mana: 5
Both systems reflected the same numbers.
He stared in disbelief.
"I actually leveled up…" he whispered under his breath.
The growth wasn't huge, but it was real. His body already felt lighter, stronger. If both systems kept growing together… that meant every improvement would double.
He clenched his hand into a fist, feeling the faint thrum of power under his skin.
"So I'm twice as strong as everyone here," he murmured, a grin tugging at his lips.
By the time they returned, night had fallen. Warm light spilled from the windows of their wooden house. His father was already home, seated by the hearth, talking to their mother as his sister set the table.
"Welcome back," his mother greeted with a smile. "You two must be tired. Go wash up, dinner's ready."
His father nodded approvingly. "Good work today, boys."
Leon gave a small nod and headed to the washroom. The water was cool, refreshing against his tired skin. He caught his reflection in the small mirror a young face with a hint of dirt and sweat, but eyes that burned with quiet excitement.
When he joined the family at the table, the smell of stew and baked bread filled the room again. His sister teased him for spilling water earlier, his brother bragged about finishing first, and his father's laughter echoed through the room.
Leon smiled faintly as he picked up his spoon.
In his old life, meals were silent. Just him, a cold desk, and the flicker of a screen.
But here, there was warmth.
As he ate, he thought to himself, Maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all.