Lisa lay sprawled on her back beside the shimmering Snow Lake, panting like she had run three marathons while carrying a boulder. The ground was soft, the breeze was cool, and for once, the world wasn't exploding.
She sighed contentedly.
"Finally… peace."
DING!
The system chimed in with the enthusiasm of a rooster injected with caffeine.
> [SYSTEM: HOST! Stop resting! You still haven't collected the Snow Lake Orchid!]
Lisa covered her ears.
"System, not now… five minutes… let me breathe…"
> [SYSTEM: You are the queen of beastmen! Queens don't nap like abandoned puppies! Move!]
Lisa glared at the empty air.
"You bully system! You're worse than Rylan!"
> [SYSTEM: Rylan at least looks handsome while bullying you. I, on the other hand, attack your soul. Rise.
Lisa groaned and forced herself up.
Fine.
If she had to pick that stupid magical flower just to shut the system up, then so be it.
Snow Lake shimmered like liquid silver as she approached its edge. The legendary Snow Lake Orchid grew on a floating island of crystal-blue moss, its petals glowing faintly like moonlight trapped in a blossom.
Lisa reached out.
Her fingers brushed the petals—
And suddenly—
A swirl of glowing mist curled upward, forming a shape… a silhouette… and then—
A man stepped out.
A stunningly beautiful man.
A dangerously beautiful man.
The kind of beauty that could collapse kingdoms, ruin marriages, and make angels punch walls in jealousy.
Long icy-blue hair cascaded down his back like melted snow. His skin glowed porcelain pale. His eyes shimmered like frost-kissed stars. His lips… too plump, too pink, too soft-looking.
Lisa's brain short-circuited.
"Uuuh…"
The man's voice was soft like drifting snow.
"You have awakened me, maiden."
Lisa blinked slowly.
Her heart: (handsome… too handsome… what is this… what is life…)
Her soul: (marry him immediately)
Her common sense: (Rylan will kill you)
Right on cue—
> [SYSTEM: HOST! HOST!! Look away! You have Rylan! You are a queen! Not a petty lover drooling over strange pretty men emerging from flowers!]
Lisa snapped back to reality so fast she choked on her own spit.
"No—I wasn't—I mean— I wasn't drooling!"
The beautiful man smiled, and Lisa almost fell into the lake.
He bowed deeply, snowflakes swirling around him.
"I am the Spirit of the Snow Lake Orchid. I have waited for the one destined to awaken me."
Lisa blushed furiously.
The system screamed internally.
Then the spirit spoke again, in a voice softer than velvet:
"I now grant myself to you."
Lisa's heart: (Kyaaaaa—)
System's voice cracked like thunder:
> [SYSTEM: REJECT HIM! He is more girlish than you!]
Lisa sputtered.
"HEY! System, don't insult me with HIM!"
The spirit lifted a delicate hand.
"Oh my… you wound me, little queen."
Lisa nearly died on the spot.
The spirit stepped closer, hands elegantly folded.
"But before you accept me, I must inform you of certain conditions."
Lisa blinked.
"Conditions…?"
He nodded solemnly.
"One: I am extremely delicate. Handle me with utmost care."
Two fingers touched his chest.
"Two: I require exactly eight hours of sunlight daily."
He twirled dramatically.
"Three: My petals must be misted with dew at dawn."
Lisa stared.
"Uhh… that sounds like a full-time babysitting job."
> [SYSTEM: Host, congratulations. You summoned a high-maintenance plant prince.]
The spirit gasped theatrically.
"I am NOT high-maintenance. I simply must preserve my beauty. Without it, my charm would wilt!"
Lisa rubbed her temples.
"You ARE beauty… this should be illegal…"
He smiled again.
Lisa's knees almost buckled.
DEW ESSENCE REQUEST
But suddenly she remembered something important.
"Spirit… I need your dew essence."
His whole body stiffened.
"My… dew… essence? Already? We just met!"
Lisa flailed her arms.
"No! Not like that! I need it to save someone!"
The spirit dramatically clutched his chest.
"And you think I give my essence so casually…?"
> [SYSTEM: This man—flower—thing is more dramatic than ten opera singers combined.]
Lisa pursed her lips.
"It's for Rylan. He got poisoned earlier protecting me. Only your essence can cleanse it."
The spirit's expression changed.
Softened.
Darkened.
"Ah… the spearman."
He sighed sadly. "The man who guards you like a jealous wolf…"
Lisa blushed.
"I-it's not like that!"
> [SYSTEM: LIE DETECTED.]
The spirit rolled his eyes.
"You mortals are exhausting."
But he extended a hand.
Silver droplets gathered in his palm.
Lisa cupped her hands gently to take it.
The spirit blushed bright pink.
"Y-Your hands are warm…"
Lisa nearly dropped him.
"JUST—JUST GIVE IT!!"
Rylan lay near the lakeside, breathing raggedly, still stained by the dark poison.
Lisa knelt, lifting his head gently.
"Rylan… stay with me…"
He opened a single eye.
Barely.
"...Lisa…"
Hearing her voice, he reached for her hand weakly.
Lisa's heart flipped.
Quickly, she fed him the dew essence. The silver light flowed through him, pushing away the poison like smoke vanishing in sunlight.
His breathing steadied.
His eyes brightened.
He sat up.
"I'm… alive?"
Lisa exhaled shakily, tears pricking her eyes.
"Yes, stupid man! You scared me!"
Rylan rubbed his neck.
"...I'm sorry. I didn't want you to worry."
Lisa's chest tightened.
The spirit behind them coughed loudly.
"Ahem. MY essence saved him."
Rylan stiffened.
Slowly… his gaze lifted…
And saw the beautiful flower spirit standing behind Lisa.
Rylan's eyebrow twitched.
"…Who. Is. That."
Lisa gulped.
"He's… the Snow Lake Orchid spirit…"
Rylan stared.
The spirit fluttered his eyelashes, smug.
The spirit stepped forward, dramatically sweeping his long hair.
"I shall follow you from now on, Queen of Charm."
Lisa panicked.
"W-why!?"
"Because you are fated to me. And also… you touched my petals with gentle hands. I have decided."
Rylan's jaw clenched.
The spirit glowed and transformed back into a dazzling orchid bloom.
He floated up—
—and nestled himself onto Lisa's hair.
Like a jeweled brooch.
Lisa shrieked.
"What are you doing!!?"
> [SYSTEM: HOST, CONGRATULATIONS! You have acquired a clingy plant boyfriend!]
Lisa slapped the air.
"I did NOT ask for this!!!"
The flower sparkled proudly.
Rylan's aura darkened.
Very. Darkly.
He slowly rose to his feet, cracking his knuckles.
RYLAN'S JEALOUS FURY
"Get. Off. Her."
The orchid spirit trembled but refused to move.
Lisa tried to pry him off.
"No! Don't fight!"
Rylan glared at the blossom.
The blossom glared back.
An electric crackle of hatred sparked.
Lisa whispered, horrified, "Are you two… fighting?"
> [SYSTEM: The man vs. the flower. A classic love triangle.]
Then suddenly—
Rylan's hand shot out.
CRUNCH.
He crushed the flower.
Lisa screamed.
The system screamed louder.
The spirit screamed the loudest.
But instead of dying, the orchid poofed in a burst of glitter and reformed immediately back on her head.
Rylan's eye twitched.
Lisa smacked Rylan's arm.
"Don't break my spirit flower!!"
Rylan growled.
"He's sitting on your head. Claiming you."
"And so what!?"
"So I don't like it."
Lisa froze.
Rylan realized what he said and looked away, ears turning red.
The flower spirit gasped dramatically.
"Oh my~ jealousy!"
> [SYSTEM: Host, your attractiveness is now dangerous. Boys, spirits, plants, everyone is falling for you.]
Lisa whacked the system panel.
"SHUT UP!! All of you!!"
END OF CHAOS
Rylan stood sulking.
The flower spirit sparkled smugly.
Lisa held her head, praying for sanity.
The system cackled.
> [SYSTEM: Host, you attract disasters. Congratulations.]
Lisa cried internally.
All she wanted was to pick a flower.
Now she had a jealous warrior, a clingy flower spirit, and a system that wanted to watch the world burn.
And this…
Was just the beginning.