Many things were discussed at the worker syndicate meeting. One thing kept popping up. As Alfred put it, the system was weird. She was unlike the system of Grandpa Thinker and was almost like she had a mind of her own. So, Theanore decided to simply ask.

“System, who are you, really?” Nothing appeared before Theanore for a while and then the black words showed themselves.

I used to be a human woman from a planet called Earth. I lived in a continent called Europe. I died from a violent death and was transported here. You are the tenth dungeon core to which I am the system.

“Oh.” Said Theanore. She was at a loss for words. But the system must have a name!

“And what is your name, system?” Asked the nymph and the words appeared much faster than before.

My name is Tania.

“But why were you sent here, Tania?” Asked Theanore and then words flashed before her eyes and disappeared too quickly for her to read them. That action repeated itself a couple of times and then, finally, a text appeared and stayed.

I did money laundering. As I understand it, I was supposed to go to Hell, but my punishment turned out to watch murderous dungeon cores instead. I am glad that you are the newest core I am overseeing.

“Grandpa Thinker was from Earth too, although he is from a place called Alaska. He did bad things before coming here too.” Said Alfred and some of the worker elves nodded.

“Is that why you sometimes do things that are bad, Tania? Because you lived through evil for so long you don’t know any better?” Asked Theanore and this time she saw no words. Then the little nymph got determined.

“Then I will show you how to be good again and when my apple tree dries up, I will take you to Heaven with me, Tania!”

Most cores start out like you. Good and naïve. But they don’t stay this way. Thea…you will do much and more to protect the apple tree. You already allowed a ghost aura to wrap around it.

“But I won’t let outside people in the grotto! And that was Bellchime’s final gift to me. If I hadn’t taken it she would have been sad.”

I lied about Bellchime flying to Heaven. I have no idea if it even exists. The same goes for Hell. I just made up a story for you because you were upset, Thea.

“Are you saying that Bellchime might be trapped inside the ghost aura?” Asked Theanore.

It is possible. I tried to destroy the aura when it first appeared but it stayed.

“But, Bellchime needs to rest in peace! I need to do something.” Theanore went to the apple sapling and tugged at the ghost aura. It refused to budge.

“Bellchime? Are you in there?” Nothing happened and Theanore let the vine of the ghost aura return around the apple sapling.

“I’ll do better. I won’t become evil!” Said Theanore determined. Tania was silent and everyone was still standing by the table where they have discussed the work ethic of the apple tree grotto.

Theanore dragged her feet back and the discussion resumed. It was decided that no one was going to work during the night. No meals were to be missed. No new workers were to be hired, not that Theanore had the means to hire any.

Also, since her workers could absorb wealth just like Marinus and her, it was decided that they were going to be paid. The worker elves, that is. The ants and the fish didn’t have mana reservoirs and so it was decided that a roof over their heads as well as food was payment enough.

Theanore didn’t want to be alone that night and so she dragged Marinus to her father Crassus and they cuddled together. The next morning Theanore wanted to have something to do. She took the enchantment book and turned to the chapter on mana crystals.

For them to be formed they required something called a meditation state. The creator of the crystals had to be calm and with a clear mind. Theanore was anything but.

The guilt over Bellchime was eating her away. She really hoped that Bellchime wasn’t trapped into the ghost aura. But if she was in a better place then what was powering the aura?

Then Theanore thought about Tania. She was basically trapped in this world. She hadn’t even been born here. And this has been going for years. Theanore really hoped that if she stayed good then Tania would be released from her punishment. How bad was money laundering anyway?

Extremely bad. My country was in an economic crisis. The shops were empty and we were exchanging one failed regime for another. Yet, I had money to spare. Money which I hadn’t earned. I deserved what I got. A shot to the back of the head in a dirty alley. But you deserve a better system.

“Don’t say that, Tania! You are the best system ever! Just, from now on, think more about what is the good thing to do and not what will net me the most benefit. Because good things are hard but they are more rewarding for the spirit.”

I don’t remember your father teaching you these words of wisdom, Thea.

“He didn’t. I figured them myself.” Said Theanore proudly. She heard a chuckle and assumed it was Tania. Tania was not that bad. She was just molded by bad experiences.

Theanore was going to rehabilitate her in the small time she was allowed on this world. Small, for she knew she had only about 150 years left on this earth. But she wasn’t going to despair. She was going to make the most of this lifetime. A lifetime which was a human’s and a half.

Theanore got in the position of the meditation the way the book said wizard Odious did it and focused on everything she did up until now. Of her plants which she was going to harvest in the coming weeks. Of her apple tree which grew strong. Of all the friends she made. And then, without her noticing, a small pearl-shaped crystal fell from her hand. Her very first mana crystal. The beginning of her enchanting career.