The barren land welcomed him once more. Fern floated silently nearby as Rowen walked toward a corner of the field.

"This should do."

He jabbed the hoe into the ground and started loosening the soil. It was harder than he expected—the earth was dry and resistant—but he didn't stop. Bit by bit, he carved out small rows. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, but he pressed on.

Once the rows were ready, he placed the potato seeds one by one, then gently covered them with the soil. Finally, he fetched water from the nearby well using a small wooden bucket and poured it over the planted area.

Fern watched quietly. "You know, even if the soil is poor, effort like that helps. You might not see growth yet, but the space will remember it."

Rowen sat back, wiping his brow. "I just want to see something grow. Even if it's slow… it'll be mine."

Fern smiled faintly. "Then let's make it happen."

Just as Rowen finished watering the last row, a sharp knock echoed from beyond the space—faint, but distinct.

He frowned.

"Someone's at the shop?" He looked up, puzzled. "It's already past eight. Who would come now?"

Fern hovered beside him. "The portal doesn't allow others in, but sound can pass through if your focus wavers."

Rowen stood up and brushed the dirt from his hands. "Can I close this door?"

Fern nodded. "Yes. You can open or seal it at will, as long as you're not interrupted. Just will it closed."

Rowen turned toward the glowing wooden door. He focused briefly, and the doorway shimmered before fading into a faint outline against the air.

Without another word, he stepped through and found himself back in his small room above the shop. The knock came again, this time louder.

He moved toward the stairs, eyes narrowing. "Let's see who's visiting at this hour…"

Rowen opened the door.

Calen stood there with a smirk, holding a covered basket. "Brought you food. Figured you wouldn't show up anyway," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "Are you busy or just avoiding people?"

Rowen closed the door behind him, scratching the back of his neck. "Something like that," he muttered. "I had a lot on my mind."

Calen placed the basket on the table and sat down. "You always do. So, what's your plan now? Going to try the knight path? Mage?"

Rowen shook his head. "Neither. I didn't awaken… the usual way."

Calen raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Rowen hesitated for a second, then replied, "It's complicated. Let's just say… I've got another path to walk."

Calen stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Huh. Well, whatever it is, just don't end up dead. I'll be too busy taming beasts to save your ass."

Rowen gave a small smile. "Noted."

After some time, Calen left, and Rowen quietly cleaned up the small table. The shop downstairs was quiet now, the streets outside empty and still.

He sat down and ate the food Calen had brought—simple but warm, the kind of comfort meal he hadn't realized he needed.

Once done, he cleaned up, then climbed the creaking wooden stairs back to his room above the shop.

"Fern," he called softly.

A swirl of green light shimmered in front of him, and the tiny spirit appeared, hovering in the air with his leafy hair and ever-calm expression.

"You're ready to go back in?" Fern asked.

Rowen nodded. "Yeah. Open the portal again."

Fern raised a hand, and the air in front of them shimmered.

A glowing doorway slowly formed, pulsing softly with green light.

Rowen stood, stepped forward, and placed his hand on the handle.

With a soft click, the portal opened once more.

Rowen stepped through the glowing doorway and entered the small farmland.

To his surprise, the patch where he had planted potatoes earlier was already showing signs of growth. Tiny green shoots poked out from the soil.

He looked around, puzzled. "It's only been a few hours…"

Fern appeared beside him. "This land consumes ambient mana. That's what speeds up the crop growth."

Rowen crouched and touched one of the shoots. "So the crops grow faster here?"

Fern nodded. "Yes. One full growth cycle for basic crops like these takes about two hours. But using this speed uses energy from the land."

"Energy?" Rowen asked.

Fern raised his hand again, and a translucent screen appeared before Rowen.

Energy Reserves: 25 / 50

Active Crops: Potato (x30)

Maturation Time Remaining: 1 hr / 2hr

"This screen shows the current energy left and what's growing," Fern said. "Once energy hits zero, growth slows to normal time."

Rowen narrowed his eyes. "And how do I refill the energy?"

"Mana stones," Fern replied. "Feed them to me, and I'll recharge the land."

Rowen exhaled slowly, glancing out at the small, quiet plot of soil where rows of freshly planted potatoes now sat. The soft night air within the space stirred slightly, carrying the faint scent of earth.

He rubbed his chin, thinking.

He had a shop. He could technically sell the crops once they matured. But… potatoes? They weren't worth much. Not in small batches. Not enough to buy mana stones, at least—not at the rate this land consumed energy.

No, this wouldn't work long-term.

He needed something more valuable. Something rarer. Crops that fetched a high price. Maybe even herbs or ingredients used by alchemists or mages. But first… he had to wait. Wait and see what this land could truly do.

Could it produce crops better than normal soil? Could it grow things others couldn't?

Only then would he know if this space was just a curiosity—or a real opportunity.

For now, all he could do was wait. And watch.

Rowen stood silently for a moment longer, watching the faint glow of the crop rows under the starlit sky. Then he turned back to Fern.

"I'll check again in the morning," he said.

Fern nodded without a word.

Rowen walked to the doorway. The green shimmer began to fade the moment he stepped through. A soft pulse followed, and the portal vanished behind him.

Back in his room, the air was still. The shop below remained quiet. The weight of the day was finally catching up to him.

Slipping under the worn blanket, he stared at the ceiling for a while—thoughts of glowing soil, fast-growing crops, and shimmering mana stones swirling through his mind.

Tomorrow might bring answers.

For now, he closed his eyes and let the silence take him.

He unfolded it with care, the old paper crinkling in his hands.

Rowen,

If you're reading this, you've just returned from your Awakening.

If you awakened, then congratulations. I'm proud of you. Use the crystal I left you to grow stronger. It's yours now, and it's rare. Rarer than anything I could ever explain.

If you didn't awaken… don't be disheartened.

The crystal still holds value. Sell it. Use the money to buy a good home in the upper district. Live peacefully. Live comfortably. That's what I want for you.

The pendant, though—that belongs to you. By blood.

I know you've suspected this… but it's time I said it plainly:

I'm not your real grandfather.

I raised you as best I could. I never told you where you came from because the truth was... too heavy for a child. Maybe it still is. But someday you'll learn it.

And no matter what path you walk—awakened or not—you'll always be my grandson.

Live well, Rowen.

Take care of yourself.

Grandpa always loves you.

Rowen stared at the page until the ink began to blur through watery eyes.

The pendant sat in his palm, warm now. Comforting.

He leaned back in the chair.

He felt hollow—like the world had made its judgment and turned away.

But now, staring at that letter and the strange items…

It didn't feel like an end.

He picked up the mana stone.

The moment it touched his skin, something unexpected happened—mana began to surge into his body.

At first, he panicked.

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He hadn't awakened, and yet… the mana was being absorbed.

But it wasn't him absorbing it.

Something inside him was pulling it in—something he was born with.

He watched in confusion as the mana vanished inside him, as if it was being swallowed whole, leaving behind no trace.

He clenched the mana stone tighter and sat down in a meditation pose, trying to sense where the mana was going.

Minutes turned to hours.

After two hours of rapid absorption, the mana stone cracked.

But still, he found nothing.

Then—something stirred deep within him.

A sensation he had only barely felt during the Awakening ceremony.

His soul shuddered.

Something was awakening.

Something… unlocking.

Then it happened.

As the last trace of mana was drawn in, and the cracked stone fell from his hand, something small and glowing began to float in the air in front of him.

It looked… chubby. No bigger than a melon. A floating, glowing creature—with pointed, elf-like ears and a faint shimmer around its translucent body. Despite its form, it wasn't solid—it hovered effortlessly, passing through the air like a ghost.

Rowen's eyes widened.

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