The city bustled around Sarah as she dodged the flood of commuters on the street. Neon lights blinked overhead, advertisements vying for attention as sleek cars zipped by on magnetic tracks. It was the future, but for Sarah, it still felt like an uphill battle—one she wasn't sure she'd agreed to fight.
Her earbuds buzzed with the System's voice. "You're late, Sarah. The orphanage director isn't going to wait all day."
"Yeah, yeah," Sarah muttered, gripping her coffee cup as she hurried across the crosswalk. "Maybe if you gave me tasks that didn't involve adopting random kids, I wouldn't need caffeine to survive."
"Raising these children is crucial to preventing disaster," the System replied, its tone unbothered by her sarcasm. "Leon will grow into a leader, but only if you step up."
"Still not over the fact that you wiped my memory and dumped me in this mess," she grumbled, taking another sip of her overpriced latte.
---
The Orphanage Visit
The city's orphanage was tucked into an aging skyscraper, overshadowed by glossy high-rises on every side. The building's interior was clean but modest, filled with the chatter of children.
Sarah stepped inside and was greeted by a chipper receptionist. "Hello! Are you here for the adoption process?"
Sarah plastered on her best fake smile. "Yeah. I already have a file on someone. Leon."
"Ah, Leon," the woman said with a knowing look. "He's a lively one. I'll call the director."
Minutes later, Sarah was led into a room where Leon was sitting cross-legged on the floor, a plastic sword clutched in his hands. His messy brown hair stuck out at odd angles, and his green eyes sparkled with mischief.
Sarah leaned against the doorway, sizing him up. "Hey, kid. Heard you're a troublemaker."
Leon looked up, suspicious at first, but then smirked. "Who's asking?"
"Your new legal guardian, if you're lucky," Sarah replied, smirking back.
The director frowned. "Miss Sarah, you might want to—"
"It's fine," Sarah said, waving the woman off. She crouched down in front of Leon. "Here's the deal: You come with me, you get out of this boring place, and you get to swing that sword at more than just air. But you follow my rules. Got it?"
Leon blinked, clearly intrigued. "What kind of rules?"
"No setting things on fire, no stabbing people without a very good reason, and no whining."
Leon grinned. "Deal."
Sarah stood up, shaking her head. "This is going to be a nightmare."
---
The Gutter Child
A week later, Sarah was questioning all of her life choices. Leon had turned her tiny apartment into a war zone, his energy boundless and his curiosity endless. The kid's obsession with training—whether it was mock sword fights or running laps around the block—kept her on her toes.
And then the System gave her a new task.
"There's another one," it said during her morning coffee. "His name is Eren. He's at the edge of falling into darkness. You need to stop it."
"Fantastic," Sarah muttered, rubbing her temples. "Where is he?"
"In the lower district, Sector 12. Near the gutters."
Sarah sighed, grabbed her coat, and set off.
Sector 12 was a far cry from her neighborhood. Trash littered the streets, and the air smelled faintly of smoke and oil. People here moved quickly, their heads down, avoiding eye contact.
It didn't take long to find Eren. He was huddled in an alley, his black hoodie torn, his face partially hidden by greasy hair. He looked like he hadn't eaten in days.
"Eren?" Sarah called out, approaching slowly.
The boy glanced up, his dark eyes wary. "What do you want?"
"To get you out of here," Sarah said bluntly.
Eren scoffed. "Why would you care? Nobody else does."
"Because I'm apparently the only person in this city who's willing to clean up the System's messes," she replied, crossing her arms. "Now, are you coming, or are you going to sit here and rot?"
Eren narrowed his eyes. "What's in it for you?"
"Nothing," Sarah said honestly. "But you? You get a hot meal and a roof over your head. Take it or leave it."
For a long moment, Eren didn't move. Then, slowly, he stood up, his movements stiff. "Fine."
"Good choice," Sarah said, tossing him a spare hoodie she'd stuffed into her bag. "Now let's go before I change my mind."
---
The Chaos at Home
By the time they got back to the apartment, Leon was in the middle of dismantling the couch cushions, claiming he was "building a fort."
"Leon," Sarah said, dropping her keys on the counter. "Meet Eren. He's staying with us."
Leon paused, eyeing the newcomer with clear suspicion. "What's his deal?"
"None of your business," Eren snapped, glaring.
Sarah groaned, stepping between them before things escalated. "Knock it off, both of you. Leon, if you've got that much energy, go for a run. Eren, shower. You smell like the gutter I found you in."
Eren muttered something under his breath but obeyed, disappearing into the bathroom.
The System's voice chimed in as Sarah slumped onto the now cushion-less couch. "Eren's path to villainy is strong. If you don't guide him carefully, he could destroy this world."
"No pressure or anything," Sarah muttered sarcastically.
"You're doing better than I expected," the System admitted.
Sarah scoffed. "Gee, thanks."
As she listened to the sound of the shower running and Leon arguing with himself in the other room, Sarah couldn't help but wonder what she'd gotten herself into. Two kids, one destined to save the world, the other destined to destroy it—and she was stuck in the middle.
"This isn't babysitting," she muttered to herself. "This is disaster management."
But even as she complained, a small part of her felt a flicker of hope.