Arianne stared at the system window.
[Quest Target Located.]
[Target: Unknown.]
Unknown?
That was new.
Very new.
Arianne had expected many things after waking up in another world.
A strange ability?
Yes.
A mysterious system?
Sure.
Dangerous quests?
Probably.
But a system that refused to tell her who she was supposed to save?
That was just annoying.
“System.”
No response.
“Can I get more information?”
Silence.
“Some details?”
Nothing.
“A hint?”
Still nothing.
Arianne narrowed her eyes.
“Are you doing this on purpose?”
The system remained completely emotionless.
Which somehow made it feel like the answer was yes.
She sighed.
Of course.
A mysterious system had to be mysterious.
Apparently, explaining things was against system law.
Unfortunately, Arianne did not have time to argue.
Because the target was getting closer.
Distance: 0.5 km
Then:
Distance: 0.4 km
Then:
Distance: 0.3 km
Arianne’s expression changed.
That was too close.
The target wasn’t approaching slowly.
They were already here.
Inside the Rowland estate.
Which raised a very important question.
How?
This place wasn’t a normal neighborhood.
The Rowland Family was wealthy.
Powerful.
Protected.
There were security guards.
Magical barriers.
Hunter-grade defenses.
Someone dangerous shouldn’t be able to just walk in.
Unless…
Arianne looked around.
Unless they weren’t dangerous yet.
The system had said:
The First Seed has not awakened.
Meaning whoever this person was…
They were still ordinary.
For now.
Arianne looked back at Mr.
Rowland.
The conversation was still happening.
The broken crystal was still on the table.
Fiona was still pretending to be the perfect daughter.
Everyone was still focused on something completely different.
Nobody noticed.
Someone was in danger.
Arianne frowned.
This was a problem.
She wasn’t supposed to care.
At least…
That was what the logical part of her brain said.
She had her own problems.
She needed to survive.
She needed to understand Spirit Gardener.
She needed to find out why she became F-rank.
She needed money.
And most importantly…
She needed her farm.
Arianne imagined it.
A quiet piece of land.
Fresh air.
Vegetables growing.
A small house.
Maybe some animals.
No monsters.
No guild politics.
No family drama.
Just peace.
A perfect dream.
Then the system appeared again.
[Warning.]
Arianne froze.
[If the First Seed fails to awaken safely…]
A pause.
[Future disaster probability will increase.]
Arianne stared.
Future disaster?
That was a little concerning.
She looked at the ceiling.
“System.”
No response.
“You know, when someone says ‘future disaster,’ normal people usually explain.”
Silence.
Arianne sighed.
Fine.
She understood.
The system was forcing her hand.
Which was rude.
Very rude.
But unfortunately…
It worked.
Because Arianne knew Control.
She could ignore many things.
She could ignore insults.
She could ignore unfairness.
She could ignore people being annoying.
But someone dying because she refused to help?
That was harder.
Especially now.
Because she knew what it felt like.
To have nobody come.
Arianne looked at Mr.
Rowland.
“Excuse me.”
Everyone looked at her.
The sudden interruption surprised them.
Mrs.
Rowland frowned.
“We are not finished.”
Arianne nodded.
“I know.”
She glanced toward the window.
“But I need to go outside.”
Silence.
Mr.
Rowland looked confused.
“Outside?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Arianne paused.
Because a mysterious system told me someone important was about to suffer?
Probably not the best explanation.
She needed another excuse.
Her eyes landed on the broken crystal.
Then she immediately regretted looking at it.
Because now everyone thought she was connected to it.
Wonderful.
“I just…”
She searched for a reason.
Then remembered something.
Children were allowed to have weird instincts.
“I feel like I need fresh air.”
The room went silent.
Arianne internally sighed.
Great excuse.
Absolutely convincing.
A child wanting fresh air after being accused of breaking something.
* Perfect.
Fiona tilted her head.
“Sister, are you feeling okay?”
There it was again.
That sweet voice.
Arianne looked at her.
“I think so.”
Fiona smiled.
“Then maybe you should rest.”
Arianne almost laughed.
Because the translation was obvious.
Stay here.
Don’t move.
Don’t interfere.
Interesting.
Arianne looked at Fiona carefully.
For the first time…
She wondered.
Did Fiona know about the First Seed?
Impossible.
Or maybe not.
The original novel was full of secrets.
Arianne hadn’t even finished reading it before she died.
She knew the major events.
The important characters.
Some of the future disasters.
But that was all.
The memories she inherited from the original Arianne weren’t much better.
Fragments.
Names.
Faces.
Pieces of conversations.
Nothing complete.
Which meant…
There could be countless things she never knew.
The thought made her uncomfortable.
She had entered this world thinking she had an advantage.
But maybe…
She was just another character walking blindly through someone else’s story.
“Miss Arianne?”
The servant’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
The servant looked nervous.
Probably because everyone was waiting for her answer.
Arianne straightened.
“I’ll just take a short walk.”
Mr.
Rowland studied her.
Then sighed.
“Fine.”
Arianne blinked.
That was easier than expected.
But then he continued.
“Do not cause any trouble.”
The words hit harder than they should have.
Not because of her.
Because of the original Arianne.
A child.
A child who had probably heard that sentence many times.
Arianne lowered her eyes.
“Okay.”
She turned away.
But before leaving…
She noticed Fiona.
The girl was still smiling.
But for a brief moment…
Just a brief moment…
The smile disappeared.
Fiona looked confused.
Like she was seeing someone she didn’t recognize.
Then it returned.
Perfect.
Arianne walked out.
The moment the door closed behind her…
The system appeared.
[Target Distance: 0.2 km]
Arianne looked ahead.
The hallway stretched before her.
Somewhere nearby…
Someone who could change the future was waiting.
And Arianne had no idea who they were.
She took a deep breath.
“Okay.”
She clenched her small fists.
“Let’s find this First Seed.”
Then she started walking.
Not knowing…
This one decision would become the first step toward creating the strongest team the world had ever seen.
Arianne walked through the mansion.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The system’s distance kept decreasing.
0.2 km
0.15 km
0.1 km
Arianne frowned.
The closer she got…
The stranger it felt.
There was no powerful aura.
No overwhelming magic.
No sign of a future powerhouse.
Nothing.
If she didn’t have the system, she would never have noticed anything unusual.
Which was exactly why this bothered her.
In every novel she had ever read…
Important characters always had something special.
A mysterious atmosphere.
A unique appearance.
A hidden identity.
Something.
But this?
Nothing.
Arianne stopped walking.
“Wait.”
She looked at the system.
“Are you sure this isn’t broken?”
No response.
Of course.
She was starting to think the system enjoyed watching her question reality.
Arianne continued forward.
The hallway led toward the back garden.
The quietest part of the Rowland estate.
That was strange.
Most people would spend time in the beautiful areas.
The places everyone could see.
Not here.
This place was forgotten.
The garden was still maintained.
But barely.
Some plants had grown wild.
Some flowers were unattended.
Arianne looked around.
Her Spirit Gardener ability reacted.
A faint warmth spread through her body.
She froze.
The plants.
They were responding.
Not strongly.
Not dramatically.
But they were responding.
Arianne stared.
“…So you really are a gardening ability.”
She wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or offended.
The system remained silent.
“Still rude.”
Then she heard something.
A sound.
A cough.
Arianne turned.
Behind a large tree near the edge of the garden…
Someone was sitting there.
A child.
A boy.
Around her age.
But unlike Fiona, who looked like she belonged in a magazine…
This boy looked completely ordinary.
Messy black hair.
Plain clothes.
A tired expression.
He looked like someone who had already given up.
Arianne blinked.
The system reacted.
[Target Located.]
Her eyes widened.
Him?
Seriously?
This kid?
She looked at him again.
Nothing.
No legendary appearance.
No obvious talent.
No mysterious power.
Just a normal child sitting alone.
Arianne slowly approached.
The boy noticed her.
His expression immediately changed.
Fear.
Not surprise.
Fear.
Arianne stopped.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
The boy looked away.
“Sorry.”
Arianne frowned.
Sorry?
Why was he apologizing?
She hadn’t even done anything.
She sat down a few steps away.
“What’s your name?”
The boy hesitated.
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to answer.
Then he stopped himself.
“Nobody important.”
Arianne stared.
That was not a normal answer.
“That’s not a name.”
The boy remained quiet.
Arianne sighed.
This was harder than expected.
She was supposed to save someone who apparently didn’t even think he mattered.
That was…
Actually kind of sad.
The system appeared.
[Target Information Unlocked.]
Arianne immediately focused.
Finally.
Some explanation.
The screen appeared.
Name: Unknown
Current Status: Unawakened
Potential: Hidden
Arianne waited.
That was it?
“System.”
Nothing.
“Really?”
No response.
She looked at the boy.
Then back at the screen.
Potential hidden.
Great.
Very useful.
Arianne sat there silently.
The boy looked uncomfortable.
“You should go back.”
She tilted her head.
“Why?”
“You’ll get in trouble.”
Arianne blinked.
“You mean because I’m outside?”
He nodded.
“Your family doesn’t like you being away.”
Arianne froze.
Interesting.
He knew about her.
“You know me?”
The boy immediately looked nervous.
“I…”
He stopped.
Arianne noticed.
He wasn’t afraid of her.
He was afraid of saying something wrong.
That was familiar.
Too familiar.
The original Arianne had been like that too.
Always measuring words.
Always trying not to make things worse.
Arianne softened slightly.
“Okay.”
She lowered her voice.
“Let’s try again.”
The boy looked at her.
“My name is Arianne.”
A pause.
“What is yours?”
The boy hesitated.
Then quietly answered.
“Leon.”
Arianne waited.
Just Leon?
No family name.
Interesting.
Before she could ask more…
The system flashed.
[First Contact Successful.]
Arianne froze.
First contact?
What did that mean?
Then:
[Spirit Gardening Condition Detected.]
Her eyes widened.
A new window appeared.
[Target requires nurturing.]
Arianne stared.
Nurturing?
She looked at Leon.
Then at her own hands.
She had expected fighting.
Training.
Something dramatic.
Not…
Talking.
She almost laughed.
Of course.
Her ability was literally making friends.
She was a gardener.
Not a warrior.
The system continued.
[Requirement: Establish Trust.]
Arianne blinked.
That was it?
The first step was trust?
She looked at Leon again.
The boy was sitting alone in a forgotten garden.
Someone who expected people to leave.
Someone who probably believed he wasn’t important.
Arianne understood.
Because plants were the same.
You couldn’t force them to grow.
You couldn’t scream at a seed and demand a tree.
You had to give it the right environment.
Time.
Care.
Patience.
Maybe people were the same.
Arianne smiled slightly.
“Leon.”
He looked at her.
“Yeah?”
“Do you want to help me with something?”
He looked confused.
“Help you?”
“Yes.”
“But…”
He looked down.
“I’m not good at anything.”
Arianne stared at him.
Then smiled.
“Perfect.”
Leon blinked.
“Perfect?”
“Yes.”
She stood.
“Because I’m also not good at a lot of things.”
That wasn’t exactly encouraging.
But somehow…
It made him look less nervous.
The system appeared again.
[Trust Level: 1%]
Arianne stared.
One percent?
She had to start from one?
She sighed.
“This is going to take a while.”
She didn’t know it yet.
But the boy sitting in front of her…
The one everyone ignored.
The one with no reputation.
The one nobody thought mattered.
Would one day stand among the strongest beings in the world.
And the first person who believed in him…
Was an F-rank Spirit Gardener who only wanted to buy a farm.