“This concludes the provisional system administrator lesson.”

Myeongwoo manipulated the system, causing the piled harvest to vanish into thin air as he spoke.

“Use the one-day rest period to practice everything you’ve learned thoroughly.”

“Excuse me, Teacher Myeongwoo. We’ve already been here three days—what’s happening outside?”

It’s as if we’d all gone missing at once. Chatterbox’s team explained and moved, but the longer this drags on, the worse it gets.

“Outside, only one day has passed. We can extend the discrepancy if needed.”

“Can we at least pop home briefly? I left a child behind.”

“The Transcendents won’t allow it.”

Myeongwoo frowned slightly.

“If we return to our world, we can’t be moved unless they consent. Yujin, you got permission for each teammate when you arrived here, remember?”

Indeed, a message had demanded permission then. Here, they whisked us around at will.

“Couldn’t we contract, ‘I’ll return when summoned’?”

“In case it’s needed. And don’t make contracts casually. Even if it’s in your favor, hesitate before accepting.”

Myeongwoo nagged me to be cautious. I shut up and nodded vigorously. He glanced at Seong Hyunjae’s window, then slipped close, lowered his voice, and whispered:

“When the post-lesson wager begins, I can’t block system attacks for you. You need to raise your defense as much as possible—matching your mastery to Haeyeon Guildmaster’s is impossible.”

“...There’s a big gap, huh?”

“Your mana sense is high, but theirs too, and they’re near mastery. When you return to your room, request system defense training. I’ll set up mock attacks right away.”

“Thank you sincerely, Teacher.”

Myeongwoo, who’d looked so worried, vanished. It had been practice; now the real thing began. My hand clenched unconsciously in tension.

[Settling dungeon accounts!]

A message window appeared. The monster corpses piled on the beach vanished.

“Oh? I leveled up, Uncle. Rewards—AAAAH!”

“Yerim?!”

Yerim suddenly leapt.

“Chilling Sigh skill rank! Cold Sigh is now S-rank!”

“What? Really?”

“Yes! From watering the field? But I never used Sigh!”

“You simulated Sigh with misted moisture. That probably leveled you up faster—without relying on the skill.”

She’d carefully sprayed water like mist all sixteen hours to avoid freezing or drowning the crops. She deserved that mastery rank. She’d used Sigh often before.

Still, less than a year to S-rank was astonishing. An A-rank skill usually needs at least a year, often three. Without use, rank-up is impossible.

“When rank increases, new effects appear—how is it?”

“The range’s bigger, the mist is stronger... and inside the mist, enemies lose sensation!”

“Lose sensation?”

“That’s all it says.”

“Makes foes sluggish? Let’s test it later.”

“Yes!”

Yerim bounced happily. That skill was useful in combat; with bigger range, power, and debuff, it’d be a breeze. The others gained experience but no levels or skill ranks rose. Yuhyun’s Black Flame was already SS-rank, so harder to improve.

And I leveled up, too—for the first time in a while. But stat gains were probably minor...

[Brutal Chick Class Teacher skill rank has increased!]

“...Huh?”

“Hyung?”

“No... my Teacher skill leveled up. Check it!”

I quickly opened my skill window.

[Brutal Chick Class Teacher (SSS)]

My Teacher skill had gone from SS to SSS. Wow—I’d used it to death, but it still ranked up!

Its range expanded, and target cap rose from SS to SSS. No other effects listed, but this was huge. Likely my burden and rejection penalty would ease.

“Maybe because I used Teacher skill like crazy on this island.”

“Uncle, you’ve been using Teacher skill nonstop—even on S-rank foes.”

My struggles had paid off. I also received minor dungeon rewards—mostly B–A items. Presumably crops sales yield separate rewards.

“What a shame.”

As monster remains vanished, the fields reverted to the original forest. I nodded at Yerim’s mutter. The lush vines and cornstalk forest were swept away in an instant.

[Caregiver title effect activates.]

A chill ran down my spine. Wait—

[Caregiver bonus skill “Final Boon”: the skill and stats of cared-for targets transfer to you at double efficiency for seven days.]

‘...Boon skill? Here?’

Not just melons—strawberries, corn, and more triggered Final Boon messages in rapid succession. Crop memories blurred: pouring sunshine, life-giving moisture—all flooded me at once.

“Hyung! Are you okay?”

Yuhyun caught my staggering form. What on earth—

“I’m... a bit... tired, that’s all.”

I gasped for breath. Only a handful of crops—under ten—had keyword buffs, just those I’d addressed affectionately and repeatedly.

Yet to absorb all those crop...

“...Hyung.”

Yuhyun, half supporting me, lowered his voice.

“I smell... grass and flowers on you.”

“...Huh?”

“I’m serious, Uncle!”

Yerim snatched my hand, pressed her nose to it, eyes wide.

“I think I smell something sweet too?”

What on earth... I opened my status window. New skills caught my eye:

[Fresh Leaves (F)]

[Ripe Fruit (F)]

[Photosynthesis (E)]

[Regeneration (E)]

[Forest Camouflage (E)]

What are these? Maybe because they came from common crops, they’re low-rank.

“So... I got a few skills as dungeon rewards.”

“Skills? Amazing!”

“They’re seven-day limited...”

I reviewed them:

[Fresh Leaves (F) – Leaves are lush. You emit a pleasant grass scent, attracting herbivores.]

[Ripe Fruit (F) – Fruit is perfect. Improved taste and sometimes attracts animals.]

Seven-day limit aside, these skills are practically useless. Becoming tasty myself—what good is that?

“They’re plant skills... grass scent, I taste good?”

Yerim and Noah looked stunned; Riet eyed me curiously.

“Let’s taste him!”

“What? What nonsense! No way!”

Eat! Yuhyun shielded me protectively; Noah stepped before her sister. Riet pouted, “Just one taste?” No way.

“And Photosynthesis to refill energy from sunlight, Regeneration for plant-like healing, and Forest Camouflage to blend in.”

“Photosynthesis and Regeneration sound good, though.”

“They’re so low-rank, they won’t have much effect.”

Double efficiency makes them D-rank at most—still inferior to mid-grade potions. Might be useful if I can’t use potions, but they only last seven days.

Meanwhile, the field fully reverted to its original state, and a message blinked:

[Return to your room, please.]

“Well... no harm in it.”

“Right.”

My stats had improved a bit—near D-rank, I guessed. To feign normalcy, I opened the system admin window. Beside it lay my status window showing Final Boon:

[Final Boon (L) – Upon the death of a keyword-imprinted target, receive their skills and stats at double efficiency. Duration: seven days. Cannot stack.]

Cannot stack. It was clearly stated. Yet I’d just received nearly ten crops’ Boon skills at once. Messages had flooded in—and skill number and stat gains were far beyond a single crop’s worth.

‘...When I first checked after returning, did it say “cannot stack”? I don’t recall seeing that.’

I rummaged my memory. It felt distant, but I was sure it hadn’t been there initially. The “cannot stack” note must have been inserted later.

‘Only Transcendents or Pariahs could add info to the status window.’

When they lacked manpower, they’d withheld budding skills. They’d also delivered messages through status descriptions. So they could insert false info too.

‘Why would they lie about “cannot stack”?’

One of the Pariahs’ demands: fill fifty S-rank keyword targets. I bit my lip unconsciously.

“Hyung, you really okay?”

Yuhyun peered at my lip. I shook my head.

“I’m just tired. Working the field all day isn’t easy. My stats are F-rank, after all.”

“You were running around so much today, Uncle.”

“Rest deeply for a day, Yujin.”

“Do you think my hair smells good?”

“...I’ll protect you, Sister.”

I forced a smile as we all returned to the house, which had been tidied somewhat.

“Let’s wash up and sleep, hyung.”

“Don’t worry and rest~”

Though I agreed, my mind raced.

‘Stackable, fifty targets.’

No matter how I think of it, only one interpretation comes to mind.

‘...Still, surely not. Gaining abilities from fifty S-rank at once would make me stronger, but hardly Transcendent level. Even if I did reach that, what then? Seven-day limit.’

If they intend to use my power, I’d rather they turn it into a tool. No way I’d comply with any lunacy. They said the newcomers would not harm those around me... the newcomers are trustworthy.

I paused at the bathroom doorway, checking the keyword-applied list. All were dear to me...

[Riet (S)]

“...Huh?”

R-Riet? When...?

‘When I kissed her, saying I loved her?!’

Could keywords apply that easily? I’d known and been close to Riet for a long time.

“Riet!”

“Yes, my fruit!”

“...Do you... have special feelings for me or something?”

“What do you mean? I’m just curious about the taste! Strawberry? Watermelon? Melon? Or sweet potato?”

“Can I ask how you feel about your parents—your guardians?”

I glanced at Noah’s reaction as Riet answered casually:

“When I was little, they were a bother and a nuisance, but now I don’t care~”

She had ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) no concept of guardians, so she was indifferent. That was fortunate—but why apply the Boon skill now, when I’m most uneasy?

‘I really must watch my words from now on.’

Once enough trust is built, keywords apply easily. I washed up and changed into loungewear. In the living room, Riet lay sprawled, flat out. Even S-ranks feel fatigue; she looked ready for a deep sleep.

“Yerim, want to sleep in Yuhyun’s room? I’ll turn the desk into a bed.”

“A bit awkward, but okay~”

“I’ll be fine on the sofa.”

Noah sat on the sofa. Yerim and I went to Yuhyun’s room and converted the desk. Creating new items was still impossible, but reshaping was now quite doable.

“Uncle.”

Yerim, testing out the new bed, spoke softly.

“About the elemental egg—maybe you should take it back.”

“Huh? Why?”

“...It’s been with me a long time... and it hasn’t hatched.”

Yerim toyed with the pendant holding the water elemental egg. It was indeed slow to hatch. I’d given it to her believing it would soon awaken.

“I thought since it’s so clear and water-like, it’d hatch quickly.”

Almost transparent—hard to notice there even was an egg. Yerim looked anxious.

“Has something gone wrong?”

“No, it’s fine. It’s that clear. Let’s ask Myeongwoo. If it’s Ismuar, he might know.”

“Okay. Here it is.”

She handed me the pendant. I contacted Myeongwoo at once.

[If it’s clear, it’s fine. Only cloudy eggs are a problem.]

“When will it hatch?”

[I can’t say. When the spirit is ready? Ismuar said it wouldn’t be long.]

We couldn’t learn why. I reassured Yerim that tardiness happens—Shorok’s egg took long too. “Remember those photos Hyunah-ssi sent?”

“Yeah... it’ll be fine?”

“It will. If the egg ever clouds, tell me immediately.”

Yerim nodded. Once the water spirit hatches, she’d be at ease. It was just slow.

Before the day’s rest ended, we received a summon: “Collect your harvest rewards.” We moved to the meeting spot shortly before Seong Hyunjae arrived, pulling needle and thread as if prepared.

“Kiss me. I’ll stitch your lips.”

Seong Hyunjae strode forward, leaning close, eyes laughing.

“You gave your lips to others, but now you try to snatch them from me.”

“...You saw everything?”

“Of course.”

I’d expected as much—and felt my neck flush.

“It’s how they grow best! It’s business, after all.”

“Good, lovely strawberries—”

“Stop it! I really will stitch them shut!”

He paused mid-sentence, cocking his head, then leaned closer.

“Is that scent coming from you, Han Yujin?”

“It’s fragrance.”

“It’s not artificial.”

“My body lotion’s natural ingredients.”

His skill refused to deactivate. I waved him off, and at that moment Myeongwoo, the Devourer King, and the Mermaid Queen appeared. Seong Hyunjae held his needle and stared at the Mermaid Queen, whose calm, icy gaze met mine.