"You should value your body more," Lloyd murmured, his tone low but firm.
"Last night was only medicine, don't take it to heart" He reasoned.
Sylvara tilted her head slightly. Her emerald eyes narrowed, and her lips curved into something between a frown and a smirk.
"Medicine?" she repeated, her voice laced with mockery. "What was 'medicine' to you was pretty fucking real to me. You weren't the one getting fingered last night."
Lloyd froze, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.
"I… I'm sorry," he said quickly. His gaze wavered for a second before locking back onto hers. "I'm not good with words. I know I sounded like a scumbag, but what I meant was; you don't have to take it seriously, or feel indebted to me. Treat it as dust under the rug if you want."
Sylvara's arms folded tightly across her chest. Her eyebrow rose with sharp precision. "Then, if I say I want to take it seriously… what will you do?"
The question cut through the room like a blade. Lloyd hesitated. The weight of his next words hung in the air.
"I'll… take responsibility, I suppose," he finally said, his voice steady despite the slight tremor in his chest.
For someone like him, responsibility was second nature. Another mouth to feed? Another burden to carry? It wasn't that different from his daily life. In fact, having someone around who could share the load felt… comforting. And for Nora, having a woman in the house could only be good for her as she grew older.
More importantly, Nora wouldn't be alone anymore.
Sylvara's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Then, I'll be looking forward to your responsibility~" Her tone was teasing, yet underneath it carried a trace of genuine sincerity.
Without waiting for his response, she slipped out of the room to play with Nora, leaving Lloyd standing there, oddly unsettled yet strangely relieved.
_____________________________
The snow hadn't lessened. It swirled endlessly, a white curtain that bit at the skin. Lloyd pulled on his plain jacket, stepped outside, and grabbed his shovel. The cold stung his hands through the thin gloves, but he worked with practiced motions, clearing the heavy snow to uncover his small patch of earth.
And then, he froze.
The seeds he had planted days ago… had sprouted. Not only sprouted, but fully grown, vibrant crops stood where barren soil had been.
"What the hell…" he muttered, his breath fogging in the air.
Kneeling down, he carefully pulled a carrot from the soil. It looked ordinary at first, perfectly shaped, no larger than usual. But when he held it up, a glowing holographic panel materialized in front of his eyes.
[Carrot of Holyness]
[+20 Precision]
Were those stat points?
After that, he picked up a beet.
[Beet of Life]
[+20 Health]
His hands trembled slightly as he harvested the rest, replanting what seeds he had left. Seeds were running low. He'd have to buy more soon. But right now, he had something far more valuable than money. This was power, and it came straight from his soil.
While he worked, a chorus of laughter and triumphant shouts echoed from the forest path. Lloyd turned his head to see three men hauling a massive brown boar on a makeshift sled. The sight twisted his stomach for a moment. That could've been his.
He sighed, shaking the thought away. Forget it. What's done is done.
When he finally trudged back inside, snow clung to his hair and jacket. The house was warm, not from heat, but from the sight that greeted him. Sylvara stood in the middle of the room, broom in hand, sweeping the floor with an almost regal air.
She looked up. Her face brightened instantly. "You're back."
Lloyd nodded, his lips twitching into the faintest smile. "Yeah. Thanks for cleaning up the place."
"No problem. Just keeping my word." She puffed out her chest proudly before continuing her work.
"I'm taking a quick shower before making dinner," he said casually.
"Oh, let's take one together," Sylvara replied with natural ease, as if suggesting something as simple as sharing snacks.
"No." The refusal shot out immediately.
"Aww, come on! At least pretend to think about it. Hear me out, it'll save water!" Her emerald eyes widened, shimmering with faux innocence.
"Take one with Nora then." Lloyd countered dryly.
Sylvara pouted, turning her head with a huff. "...You're no fun."
Lloyd simply placed the crops on the table and headed to his room, ignoring her sulking. Under the cold stream of water, he exhaled, letting the chill clear his thoughts.
I need to buy clothes for her, he realized.
There was a market a few miles away that were filled with street vendors selling all sorts of stuff. That's where he usually sold his goods and where he bought essentials.
Walking a few miles in harsh snow was something Lloyd was used to but Sylvara looked even more delicate than him.
I'll just ask for her size later.
Although he didn't have a lot of money now, he was sure money would start raking in once he sold his crops.
He stretched and went to the kitchen. He washed the vegetables, biting into a carrot to test its taste. The flavor burst across his tongue. Sweet, crisp, unlike anything he had ever eaten. As he swallowed and finished eating it, a screen popped up.
[Lloyd Driack: Farming Class]
[SSS Skill: Crops Grown Become Mythical Edibles]
Stats
Health: 100
Strength: 0
Precision: 20
Agility: 0
Dexterity: 0
Stamina: 0
Rank: G-
Woah!
The stats screen was straight out of a videogame.
Very cool.
Temptation whispered in his mind to eat every single one of these miraculous crops. But he clenched his jaw.
No. I have a family to feed.
He shredded the carrots, roasted and mashed the beets, and cooked the remaining pork belly with careful hands. The aroma filled the small house, mixing with the loud sounds of laughter coming from Nora's room.