Chapter 5
[Trait: Cringe Past]
You can bring out and use another version of yourself.
After barely surviving the first Prairie Dog Incident, I took a deep breath and glared at the floating window.
Without caring how I felt, [Trait: Cringe Past] kept blinking, as if telling me to touch it.
The moment I saw it, countless embarrassing memories flashed through my mind.
If I opened it, I knew I’d drown in shame.
But at the same time, curiosity pushed my hand forward.
What kind of embarrassing past was so powerful that it became my Awakening ability?
In the end, I pressed the glowing words.
[Trait: Cringe Past]
—Fairy—
A fairy born from the breath of a flower field.
—Dark Fairy—
Currently Locked.
—Demon King—
Currently Locked.
—Nine-Tailed Fox—
Currently Locked.
—■■—
Synchronization Rate: 0%
And so…
The Second Prairie Dog Incident occurred.
“AAAAAH!!”
I punched the floating window.
My fist passed straight through it.
“What is this?! Why is this here?! What is this thing?!”
The moment I saw the trait list, memories from elementary school all the way to my second year of middle school flooded back.
The memories of carefully creating character settings and filling notebook after notebook with them.
And it wasn’t just one character.
Perfect, beautiful settings…
Dark, tragic settings overloaded with misery…
There was practically every kind imaginable.
Thankfully, I threw that notebook away after graduating high school.
I had found it while cleaning out my study books.
Granted, it dealt a critical blow to both my eyes and my sanity that day.
But at least I had completely destroyed that cursed notebook.
Which meant those pages should have long since rotted into dirt—or burned to ashes.
And yet…
The system window floating before me had replaced those pages and was now forcing my embarrassing past back into my face.
“Cancel Awakening! Cancel!”
I shouted with all my strength, even though I knew it wouldn’t work.
Of course, nothing happened.
Instead, the unbelievably embarrassing word “Fairy” started flashing insistently, telling me to press it.
I searched desperately for a Back or Close button instead.
There wasn’t one.
It was as if the system were saying,
No take-backs.
In the end, I had no choice but to tap “Fairy.”
The window expanded and displayed another screen.
[Description]
A fairy born from the breath of a flower field.
Kind.
Pure.
Friend of flowers.
Current Synchronization Rate
0%
Stats
Strength: 75
Magic: 203
Agility: 215
Stamina: 134
Resistance: 187
Skills
—Call of Flowers—
You may receive help from plants.
Use by giving commands together with the activation phrase.
The brighter and more cheerful your tone, the stronger the effect.
Activation Phrase: Little flowers.
—Honey Wine—
Available when Synchronization Rate is above 40%.
Increases allies’ Attack and Defence by 50%.
Restores 10 HP every 20 seconds for 10 minutes.
—Bloom—
Consumes 90% of Synchronization Rate.
Completely restores all allies’ HP.
Also removes all status ailments.
Without another word, I emptied the rest of my beer in one gulp.
It was simply too horrifying to read while sober.
Why?
Why would this system record every tiny detail of my childhood fantasy settings?
The only explanation was that it held a personal grudge against me.
I crushed the empty can and looked back at the screen.
Unfortunately, the alcohol only made the memories clearer.
Yes…
Those elementary-school days when I was completely obsessed with fairies.
A fairy born in spring, when flowers bloom everywhere.
The flowers love her more than any other fairy.
She is kind and pure to everyone.
Unlike other fairies, she possesses healing powers.
Even villains covet her abilities, so everyone wants to protect her.
“…You little idiot…”
I couldn’t bear remembering the character that had confidently marched down the road toward a reverse harem.
If I’d known this would happen…
I never would have written any of it.
As I clutched my head and barely held back another scream, another message appeared.
Please issue the command: “Synchronize.”
“…”
The new instruction made me frown.
It wouldn’t let me cancel my Awakening, yet it kept ordering me around.
Still…
The word Synchronization caught my attention.
It had appeared in the description too, but I had no idea what it actually did.
I quietly repeated the word.
“Synchronize?”
The moment I spoke…
Flower petals poured down from above my head.
It looked as if someone had dumped an entire bucket of petals over me.
Before they even reached the floor, they disappeared.
“Whoa… you scared me.”
Thankfully they vanished.
Otherwise I’d have been furious about cleaning them up.
The only visible change was a rectangular Synchronization Gauge in the corner of my vision.
It remained fixed at 0%.
Nothing else seemed different.
I looked around to see what had changed.
Then…
Silver hair hanging past my shoulders entered my sight.
…Silver.
Not grey.
Silver.
“…”
Instead of curiosity…
I felt fear.
Slowly swallowing, I stood up and quietly walked into the bathroom.
I opened the door.
The mirror greeted me.
Along with the woman reflected inside it.
Silver hair.
Pink eyes.
A pale, beautiful face that somehow looked both like me and completely unlike me.
But the most ridiculous part…
Was the wings fluttering behind my back.
“Wings?”
As if answering me, two dragonfly wings shimmered softly with rainbow colours.
I cautiously reached out and touched one.
Flutter.
It felt thin and delicate.
At the same time, a ticklish sensation spread across my back.
The wings automatically fluttered to shake off the feeling.
The embarrassing fantasy character I had invented over ten years ago…
Had literally become me.
The girl in the mirror smiled gently.
Then…
Calmly opened the cabinet beneath the sink.
Took out a bottle of bleach.
Poured it into a plastic cup.
“…”
That day, our bathroom became much cleaner.
And my Awakening was officially sealed away.
* * *
But aren’t promises made to be broken?
And seals made to be undone?
I’d never seen a seal stay intact in my entire life.
So this outcome was only natural.
[Everything Store — Lettuce Growing Kit]
“Ahem.”
As I planted lettuce seeds and watered them, I questioned every life choice that had brought me here.
Still…
Curiosity always beat common sense.
I’ve awakened.
I should at least test my abilities.
“Little flowers… could you grow?”
I activated the only skill I could currently use.
Nothing happened.
Instantly, unbearable embarrassment rushed over me.
“Am I doing this wrong…? Little flowers, grow? Grow, little flowers?”
I awkwardly muttered to myself while turning the lettuce kit around.
The seeds remained completely still.
Thank goodness I was at home.
If I’d done this outside…
I’d have wanted to crawl into a hole.
Crack…
Crunch…
“Hm?”
A sound that absolutely should not have come from inside the house echoed through the room.
It came from the corner of the living room.
I looked over.
Something green was growing there.
“Uh…”
“Uh?”
That…
Shouldn’t be there.
It rapidly became larger.
In other words…
It was putting down roots and breaking through my wall.
“No! Stop!”
And this was a rented flat.
I ran over.
“Don’t grow! Stop growing! Little flowers, stop growing! This is a rental!”
The moment I grabbed the mysterious plant and shouted, it instantly turned yellow and withered.
Then it came loose easily in my hand.
But…
The wall was already beyond saving.
“There’s… a hole in my wall…”
A mouse could easily crawl through it.
“What is this…”
Did it actually make a mouse hole because I wished for one…?
Ridiculous.
But I couldn’t think of any other explanation.
I stared blankly at the hole.
This was not how I wanted to learn that vague commands were a terrible idea.
With a sigh, I threw the dead plant into the bin.
Then I returned to the lettuce kit.
This time I gave a clear instruction.
“Little flowers, grow until they’re ready to eat.”
The soil finally stirred.
Fresh green lettuce pushed through the dirt.
“Oh… it worked.”
I happily picked the leaves and placed them into a bowl.
Tonight’s dinner would be lettuce wraps.
After that, I checked the other skills.
[Honey Wine]
[Bloom]
Both remaining skills were support abilities.
A buff.
And a heal.
However…
Each required a condition.
Available when Synchronization Rate is above 40%.
Consumes 90% Synchronization Rate.
I looked up at the Synchronization Gauge.
It still read 0%.
No matter how I looked at it, I had no clue how to increase it.
Do I need to become kinder?
More innocent?
Should I try something?
I picked up my phone and opened the donation page that appeared at the top of the search results.
Please help children who survive on instant noodles by providing warm lunch boxes.
One lunch box felt too little.
So I donated enough for five.
A thank-you message appeared.
But I ignored it.
I immediately checked my Synchronization Rate.
Current Synchronization Rate
0%
“What?”
No change.
Was it because I donated with another motive?
“How are you even supposed to raise this? Do I have to enter a dungeon? There’s nothing about that.”
No matter how carefully I read every help page…
There was no explanation.
The most reasonable theory was still that it only increased inside dungeons.
“Hmm…”
Curiosity?
Or embarrassment?
That was the question.
I quietly picked up my phone and searched for the thing I was most curious about.
And I reached a profound realization.
In this world…
Neither curiosity nor embarrassment mattered most.
How much does a C-Rank Healer earn?
It depends on their skills, but at the very least around 100 million won a year. Almost nobody earns less than that.
The most important thing in life…
…was a high salary.
