Pawns of Fate

With the passing of time came the changing of the seasons. As autumn transitioned into winter, the temperature dropped to below freezing and the prominent color scheme changed from the gold of falling leaves to the pure white of pristine snow. Even as the rich green of the foliage disappeared from the outside, the verdant beauty of the garden remained like an oasis amidst a desert of white frost.

After the first visit during which Wei was away trying to find more plants, people were spreading the word that Wei was a man who conquered nature and brought forth tidings of the earth. The fact that he could turn a decrepit estate into a green paradise convinced them of this and his manipulation of vines only furthered their belief. Due to being superstitious, the real estate manager dare not take anything and left as soon as his sanity returned. If other people discovered that the growth was due to the soil, they would have likely uprooted the entire estate in the name of "public interest". Although that would likely ruin the effectiveness of the soil as Wei was the one that actually maintained it.

Oblivious to this, he returned a few days later to a crowd gathered at the entrance to his estate. Discretely readying the Dull Knife under his sleeve, he then asked, "And why are you all here?"

The entire crowd then turned to look at him. As they neared, he had already established an escape plan, a fail safe, and an attack plan in his mind. To his surprise, they then knelt down on the ground as if to prostrate themselves.

"Oh, great Master Wei, please bestow upon us a bountiful harvest"

Through trading his abundant produce and sometimes his peculiar but high-quality wooden furniture, he earned enough money to compete with the major households of even the towns faraway. Wei's produce took longer to expire, tasted better, and were sold at reasonable prices. The people had assumed it was due to his magnanimity, but he just didn't want to want high quality food to become expired. He could not care less if average food was wasted but the figureheads assumed, he had been forced into a precarious position where greed and lust for power would override his cautiousness and began to scheme with malicious designs on the venerable botanist.

Due to his prominence as the most celebrated individual in the village, many began sending female suitors including the one that the original had previously fancied. Even if he had the capacity for romance, he still would have rejected them all. Their white lotus act didn't improve his evaluation of them as he could see through their facade due to innately never having a shred of innocence in him to begin with and naturally despising ignorance. To the beauties' displeasure, seduction was pointless, physical contact did not elicit a reaction, acting coy made him frown, and playing hard to get was counterproductive. All their usual and even more heavy handed tactics that would entice and hook every man failed when used on Master Wei. The refusal of all the female suitors simultaneously displeased and relieved the major households as he was neither an ally nor an enemy with backing from another threat. Of course, that's what they thought since he never relied on connections to further his own strength.

[C-Rank Quest:

Objective: Acquire the Caravan's Greatest Artifact

Reward: *Unknown*

Points: 500]

"Why is it unknown?"

[To signify the end of the tutorial]

"Does that mean I will be placed in another vessel?"

|Correct|

"Since, I am not burdened with their past desires, I would like to know what happened to Wei and what happens to the people who I replace?", Atlas asked, fully expecting that the System would just ignore the question or give a vague answer that kept itself safe from his prying eyes.

[Those chosen are pawns of fate. Externally, they are functional and seem to be self-driven but inwardly, they are blank entities led by the leash called fate. Unless bestowed a soul by another entity, there will be no trace of them left when Host "replaces" them. They will be chaste to not defile Host's corporeity]

"Are all "pawns of fate" are completely mindless?"

[No, these are an exception. They are far too dangerous to be allowed free-will according to their world]

"Even Wei?"

[Affirmative, he has an incredible affinity with nature. However, the reason will always vary. It can be as petty as having a charming disposition and can be as calamitous as having the blood of a god. This tutorial is but an introduction for harsher tribulations]

At this point in time, the village could be labeled a town due to the skyrocketing growth rate. Due to Wei's contributions, Wei was unanimously and unofficially nominated as the chief. Unlike the previous year, this winter would have no one starving to death and no one would even need to ration their food which is a first in this era amongst those not of nobility or great wealth.

And today would be marked in this world's annals for eternity, as fate would delineate completely due to a seemingly deific individual's death and the advent of a new era.

On that day the snow had gathered to be above knee height and a prestigious caravan could be seen on its way to the village.

"What do you think they're selling?", a curious child said.

"Things too expensive for us common folk", the more mature older brother replied. They then returned to making snowmen of many sizes and different shapes. The most detailed had the character of Wei carved into its chest.