Matsu stormed through Flower Town's crooked alleys, kicking up dust as he muttered under his breath.
"Stupid Caesar… always running away. How far could that lazy animal have gone?!"
Grandpa is going to kill me if i lose him
He turned a corner sharply—and tripped.
THUNK.
He hit the ground face-first, skidding to a stop with a yelp. Dirt filled his mouth. Behind him sat the culprit: a plain terracotta flowerpot, tipped slightly on its side, a single purple tulip swaying mockingly in the breeze.
Matsu groaned, pushing himself up.
"Stupid plant!"
He stood, dusted off his knees—and kicked the flowerpot.
Thunk.
He kicked it again.
Thunk.
Then again.
THUNK.
Suddenly—
"OW! THAT HURTS!"
A fist flew out of the dirt—literally out of the dirt—clocking Matsu square in the cheek and knocking him on his back.
Dazed, he stared up as a tall, dark skinned, curvy woman rose from the soil like some blooming nightmare, a chipped flowerpot still balanced on her head, colorful petals sticking out like a crown. Between her lips, a violet flower drooped lazily, puffing smoke as if it were a cigarette.
Matsu rubbed his face. "Who the hell are you?!"
The woman narrowed her eyes, then blew a puff of flower-smoke from the side of her mouth.
"Don't tell me…" Matsu whispered, eyes wide with horror. "You're… a pervert—"
BOINK!
Another punch slammed into his forehead.
"Like hell I am," she growled.
The woman cleared her throat, instantly switching tone to chipper.
"I'm Geum Ferdinand!" she beamed, hands on hips. "Im Mayor of Flower Town. Pleasure to meet ya."
Matsu blinked.
"Wait. You're the mayor?"
"Yep!"
"And you were underground doing what?."
"Inspecting!"
yeah, definitely not a pervert…
"You're just another crazy old person like my grandpa."
Geum's eyes narrowed. The daisy in her mouth drooped slightly.
She stepped forward and squinted at Matsu, studying him head to toe — the dust, the bandages, the tired eyes… and the old wooden shovel slung over his back.
Her expression shifted.
"...Don't tell me," Geum said slowly. "You're Salatin's grandkid."
Matsu raised an eyebrow. "What if I am?"
Geum's face lit up.
"Ooh? That explains everything."
Geum turned sharply. "Come on."
Matsu raised an eyebrow. "Where?"
"To the town hall. In my inspection, I saw you stole from a vendor, that was a crime!"
"Wait- i didn't!"
Without waiting for a reply, Geum walked off down a side path.
Matsu hesitated, then followed. "What is it with this town..."
They walked through town with Matsu keeping an eye out for Caesar. As he followed the Geum, Matsu noticed the way people looked at her—how they smiled, how their shoulders seemed to relax around her, how safe she made them feel. He hoped that someday he could be that for the people back at the farm.
They passed a stone arch and came to a modest building tucked between larger shops. It wasn't flashy — just a two-story structure made of clean brick and trimmed wood, with an iron bell hanging from a crossbeam and a flower-shaped emblem carved above the door.
Geum pushed open the door.
Inside, the space was neat and functional. Smooth stone floors, wooden beams overhead, and shelves lined with town ledgers and maps. A few chairs sat against the wall beside a bulletin board filled with notices and announcements. The room smelled faintly of ink and flowers.
Matsu looked around, surprised. "Huh. You really are the mayor."
"Told you," Geum said, stepping behind a worn but well-kept desk.
She sat down slowly, took the flower stem from her mouth, and set it aside on a small dish like it was routine.
"So," Geum said, settling into his chair. "How's that old bastard doing?"
"He's doing fine. Grumpy as always."
Geum smiled. "That does sound like the idiot I know."
Matsu glanced over, curious. "You know him well?"
Geum leaned back, folding her arms behind his head. "Yeah. We've been friends for a long time. Always butting heads. Back when we were young, we always used to fight over a Aspen"
Matsu blinked, clearly still processing what he'd just heard.
"Wait, wait—hold on," he said, lifting a hand. "You're telling me… you and Grandpa were childhood friends?"
Geum raised an eyebrow, amused by his tone.
"There's no way!" Matsu stepped back a bit, looking her up and down in disbelief. "You're the same age as him?! You look way to young!"
She closed the distance in two long strides and pinched his cheek between her fingers.
"Ooh~ is that a compliment? What a cute kid"
"H-Hey—!" Matsu flailed, cheeks burning red. "I'm not a kid!"
Geum let him go with a light laugh, the flower behind her ear bobbing as she pulled away.
She chuckled to herself. "I thought I could win Aspen over with ambition — I wanted to reach Level 3. But I guess his brute strength charmed her more than my plans ever did."
"Huh? You wanted to go to Level 3?" Matsu asked.
Geum nodded. "Yeah. That was my dream, but in the end I was too weak to go there. I even asked Salatin to come with me. But his answer never changed. He said his place was here — with the soil, with Aspen"
Matsu looked down, then smiled quietly. "I want to be a full-fledged farmer too. I think that's my purpose."
Geum looked at him, studied him for a long moment. Then smiled. "Hah. I should've known. Dreams really can be passed down, can't they?"
She looked away, toward the soft sunlight coming through the window. "I aslo got a grandson. who runs a workshop up in Level 3" She gave a short laugh. "Some things don't change."
Then her gaze drifted, settling on the wooden shovel over Matsu's shoulder. Her voice lowered.
She stood again, walking slowly toward Matsu.
"Have you ever heard of the Artifacts, boy?"
Matsu shook his head slowly. "I heard Grandpa talk about them, but I thought they were just a myth"
Geum gave a low whistle and walked back toward her overgrown desk. She picked up a teacup that was somehow growing moss inside it and blew the rim clean before plopping down again.
"Artifacts hold the powers of the world. Each one is unique to the other, with each having a certain power"
Matsu swallowed, remembering.
That spear. That insane spear.
"The knight that attacked our village," he muttered. "He had one. His spear—it stretched like a whip and moved like a snake."
Geum nodded, lips tight. "Then it was an Artifact. No doubt."
She reached for her flower again, the smoke curling quietly in the still air.
"That's why the government banned Artifact collection. To keep them under control. Or… at least that's what they say."
Matsu looked up. "Wait—banned?"
Geum nodded. "If you find one, you're required to hand it in. The officials compensate you — sometimes a fortune — but once you give it up, it's gone. They choose who gets to use them. Who's qualified.' Who's allowed power."
Matsu's eyes lit up. "Wait, money? Like, real money?"
Geum raised an eyebrow.
"I mean," Matsu grinned, "if I found one of those things, I could buy so much food. Like, actual meat. Pastries. Oh man, imagine eating a pie that didn't taste like turnips—"
Geum let out a long, exasperated sigh.
She stood and simply pointed at the shovel on Matsu's back.
Matsu blinked. "Huh?"
He turned, looked at the worn handle over his shoulder.
Then his eyes went wide.
"HUH?! THIS is an Artifact?!"
Geum stepped closer, eyeing the shovel carefully. She reached out and ran her fingers along the worn handle, brushing away a layer of dirt.
Faint etchings glimmered beneath the surface — spiraling lines and symbols Matsu hadn't noticed before, carved so precisely they looked almost grown into the wood itself.
"It looks like it's the Shovel Artifact," Geum said, her voice calm but firm. "How didn't you notice? These markings… This thing breathes power."
"Of course not!" Matsu shouted, stepping back. "I thought it was just—just some old wooden shovel"
"It looks like you haven't unlocked its power yet," Geum said, stepping back, eyes still on the shovel. "But worry not. It will… in time. Usually when it matters most."
Matsu frowned. "What makes you think I'm going to keep it?"
Geum raised an eyebrow.
"This sounds like a whole lot of trouble," Matsu continued. "I don't need some grand weapon messing up my life. I want to have a quiet life at the farm. That's enough for me."
Geum watched him for a moment longer, then smiled faintly — not at Matsu, but at a memory.
He really is your grandchild, Salatin…