The fact that the system came up with these names sent shivers down Hajime's spine. It didn't match his experience. Systems should be tools, not sentient entities, especially when they give you missions and rewards.
"Uhh..." Hajime mumbled incoherently.
"Is something wrong daddy?" she tilted her head to the side, blinking her mismatched eyes innocently.
Hajime's mind replayed everything that has happened since his supposed death. He focused on Sakura. The times she joked around with him, when she would innocently ask him for, what she called 'uppies' and lastly her obsession with him. Was it real? Or just another part of that deity's plan. What did he do to deserve this miraculous gift?
"Sakura, why do you love me?" Hajime asked bluntly.
Sakura's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she recovered quickly and answered without hesitation,
"You never looked at me as a tool." She said, as she paused momentarily, to gather her thoughts.
"I have some of my grandmother's memories. It's partially passed down. My mother used to refer to it as the 'lineage'. Anyway, my grandma's memory was of a man named Eriol. She met him when she was very young. She loved him dearly and he loved her too but that changed once Eriol found out what Floraliths were capable of. He started to treat my grandma like a tool to fight the bloody Kudzu. Grandma didn't mind fighting them. But the way he looked at her broke something inside of her." tears welled up in her eyes.
"You never once looked at me like that." She finished, sniffling softly. She wiped away her tears angrily, frustrated with herself for losing to sadness.
"Even when you already knew what they use us for. Sure here we have more rights and freedom than anywhere else here but we're still considered weapons. But you...you saw beyond that," her voice cracked slightly.
She cleared her throat. "You saw me." she concluded, looking at the ceiling, unable to face him.
Hajime's mind reeled. How could such a young girl be so mature? He started to hate the system. It treated Sakura and other floraliths like nothing more than points on the board. A game to be played and manipulated by what? An all-mighty god? An eldritch horror? That '???'
"I'm sorry Sakura." Hajime hugged her tightly, burying his nose into her soft, fragrant hair, "I promise that no matter what happens in the future I will always see the real you."
"Thank you, Hajime." she whispered softly, wrapping her arms around Hajime, holding onto him like she feared he'd disappear if she let go. Sakura fell asleep in Hajime's arms while the latter pondered his current situation. He needed answers. But the only person with the answers was the system itself.
'System, show me my points.'
[You have 250,000 points. Would you like to spend them?]
'Why are there so many points?'
[Deflowering, Impregnating, and triplets]
Hajime felt his anger boil up again. 'I'm not your puppet!' he wanted to shout out to whoever controlled the thing but he restrained himself, knowing how useless it would be. He took a deep breath before speaking.
'How many points do I need to meet the creator.' He asked coldly.
[Impossible]
'Why?'
[20.000 points to know.]
Hajime stared at the ceiling in silence. His gaze was blank. His mind raced, as he explored the shop to see the prices of the new items. They all had something to do with Oleanders. Oleander's book of flow, is specifically designed for the physique of an Oleander. Their costs were below 200.000 points. But Hajime decided to never force Sakura to get stronger.
'Tell me why.'
[It is impossible to talk to a dead person]
'Dead?'
[The Creator is dead. Killed]
'Killed?'
[Yes. Killed by one of its creations]
A sense of relief washed over him. The entity controlling the System wasn't omnipotent, nor omniscient. It had limitations and weaknesses.
Hajime smiled. 'Good to know.'
He looked down at the peaceful sleeping face of his daughter. He caressed her hair softly.
'How much to know the purpose of the System.' He asked.
[0 points]
'Huh?'
[The System has no purpose due to the host's choice to stray from the path]
Hajime blinked.
'Then why the name suggestions? Why make it so I have to impregnate Floraliths? Isn't that pointless if you don't have goals or purposes. Is this some sort of cruel prank?'
[The tools the System offer is designed to encourage the Host to grow stronger quickly]
'I assume it has something to do with that being ???'
[That being has no effect on the System]
'How many points to forcibly remove the System from me?'
[1 Point]
'Why?'
[It was a gift given by that deity, the Host can choose to remove it any time]
'Will I still be chased by that '???' and still have to deflower and impregnate Floraliths?'
[That being will not be able to track the Host anymore. The laws of the world will apply but the Host will still be able to touch Sakura and not lose their mana when mating with Sakura, Sophia and Aurora]
'That sounds too good to be a true'
[It is a gift Host, gifts have no downsides]
'So I get a peaceful life with my family. I won't be hunted. I can touch them and have children normally?'
Hajime decided to learn more about the System. For something robotic it had a weird sense of humor and personality.
'What do you recommend System?'
[The System recommends the host to get rid of it]
Hajime chuckled at the System's reply. 'Why?'
[There are times a quiet life is better than a chaotic one]
'You're starting to grow on me. But you're right. I'm still just an earthling right?'
[Correct]
'What will happen to you?'
[The Flower System will be destroyed and its power returned to the void]
'So no one else will gain your ability?'
Hajime didn't want anyone else to have a free pass at Sakura, Sophia and Aurora.
[Yes, the System is unique to the Host]
'You gave me the mission to survive the arrival of '???' but that won't be the last mission right? So what would be the last mission?'
[Looking to the future has consequences, the Host will not like it]
Hajime frowned, 'I want to know.'
[It is not recommended Host]
'But you still have to tell me, don't you?'
[To kill yourself]
'...'
'That's even more ominous. Mind telling me why?'
[Can't]
'...'
Hajime thought about his choices. There were only two. Keep on doing what he was told or remove the thing. A peaceful life or chaos. But the choice was clear from the very beginning.
Hearing Hajime's thoughts, the System smiled for the first time in its existence. The last thing Hajime heard was: Thank you.
Hajime smiled at the sleeping beauty in his arms. "I'll protect your smile no matter what."