"How do I unlock the Trading Center?" I asked, my voice calmer now, more measured.
Green hovered in place, her wings fluttering with a soft humming sound. "Master must reach at least Level 3," she said with a bright smile, as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "Only then will the system connect you to the marketplace between dimensions. Right now, it's still buffering your presence."
Buffering? Like an internet connection?
"Wait, you said I'm selling to other people... not to the system?"
Green nodded, flipping midair like she was swimming. "Yes. People just like you. Some are from other worlds, some from other timelines. Some are... not quite people anymore."
My brow furrowed at that last bit, but I didn't interrupt.
"Trading in the system doesn't work like typical systems," she continued. "It's like a marketplace where everyone has their own farm or dungeon or... whatever their system gave them. You offer your goods, and if someone wants what you have, they'll pay you in system-regulated gold."
So basically, it was like online shopping. With interdimensional beings.
"And what if no one wants what I grow?" I asked quietly.
Green floated down and patted my knee gently. "Then master will need to be creative. Farm things others don't have. Grow things that are rare. Add value. Enhance your goods."
She made it sound easy, but I knew it wouldn't be. This wasn't just about surviving anymore.
And I was just an eight-year-old child in a malnourished body trying to help a family who didn't know I wasn't their daughter.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, feeling the weight of everything settling on my shoulders.
"So I need to level up, get rare goods, and somehow make myself stand out in a market of who-knows-what from who-knows-where?"
"Exactly!" Green chirped cheerfully. "Master is smart!"
I didn't feel smart. I felt overwhelmed.
"Alright then," I murmured, opening my eyes.
"If I can't sell yet, then how do I get gold, or even level up my farm?" I asked, frustration simmering beneath my calm voice.
Green's laugh rang out like wind chimes caught in a breeze. "Silly master," she giggled, twirling mid-air. "You can get plants, herbs, food from the outside, remember? For every growable thing you bring into the system, the system in turn levels up."
That... actually made sense. If I couldn't sell just yet, then my focus shouldn't be on profit but on input. Bringing things in—seeds, roots, even weeds if they counted—was the way to level up the farm.
"And gold?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to get my hopes up.
Green smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Ah~ once the system registers a new plant or food, it logs its value. You can only sell it later when the Trading Center opens, but for now, the act of bringing in new things rewards you with system experience. Sometimes, if it's something rare enough, it'll reward you with gold too."
I blinked. So the system had a kind of discovery mechanic.
"That means if I find something nobody's brought in yet..."
"You'll be rewarded generously." Green finished, floating upside down with her arms behind her head. "Though the more common it is, the less experience it gives. So try to bring in things that are special—or just keep bringing a lot."
That... was doable.
"How does it work exactly? Do I just pick it up and think about the system?"
"Just say 'input,'" Green replied, winking. "The system does the rest."
I looked out the window of the dimension, the corn and apple tree swaying gently despite there being no wind. Suddenly, the possibilities outside this world felt ten times more important.
"I'll need a basket," I murmured to myself. "And maybe a sharp stick..."
Green perked up. "Shall I prepare a storage bag, Master?"
I grinned. "Yes. Something light, but durable."
She twirled in place and a small cloth pouch appeared beside me on the sofa. "Limited capacity for now, but it'll grow with the system. You can store up to ten items—just for starters."
I reached out and took the pouch, its surface soft but cool to the touch. Then I shook my head.
"I just remembered something,"
"Yes?"
"I don't think I can even run or jump."
.
.
.
Green blinked at me, hovering mid-air as her wings gave a soft flutter. Her smile faltered just a little, replaced by something gentler—almost empathetic.
"Ah... yes, your physical body is still too weak, isn't it?" she said, floating a little closer. "Even if the well water helped, it will take time to rebuild everything. Bones, muscles, organs... you've been too malnourished for too long."
I let out a soft sigh.
"I'm going back outside." I shook my head.
The ceiling of the small hut greeted me once more once I opened my eyes —patched together with woven leaves and thin beams, letting streaks of sunlight filter through. I blinked, disoriented for a moment, the warmth of the farming dimension fading from my skin like the memory of a dream.
Outside, I could hear the soft clatter of pots from the kitchen. The scent of smoke lingered in the air, clinging to my clothes, to the walls, to everything.
I sat up slowly, my muscles creaking in protest despite the well water's earlier healing effects. It would take more time. My recovery wasn't a miracle,it was a process.
But at least now I could move.
I looked at the wooden bowl sitting by my bed, filled to the brim with that glowing, life-rich water. I reached for it again, drinking more slowly this time, letting its energy seep into every tired corner of my body.
The pouch was still sitting beside me. "This is a system-bound item. You don't need to carry things physically—if you see something you want to collect, just say 'store' and the system will absorb it directly." I could hear Green, I was getting used to her.
I raised an eyebrow. "So I can just walk up to a plant, say 'store,' and it's mine?"
I could almost see her nod enthusiastically. "Exactly! Of course, it has to be something your current level can register. But don't worry—simple herbs and common crops are within reach for now."
I stared down at my thin legs.