The next morning, Evan woke up, bright and early. He needed to help out in cleaning the field with his dad right after breakfast, since that has been their routine everyday.
"I asked Terrien if they needed help this morning." Erwin says, as he ate. "Told me he did need help with the watering of his own field."
Sylvia hums in response, since she was drinking water when Erwin spoke. "That's good. I'm heading out to get the carrots to the market too."
Evan looks at his parents. Usually, it's not weird that they were going to leave early to do their work or ask people if they need anyone to part-time for them. But after the talk with Erwin last night, he thought they would be talking more about the brochure.
"I'll tend our field then." Evan replies.
Erwin shakes his head. "No need. I did that before breakfast." He pats Evan's head, ruffling his hair. "Actually... You can tend our garden instead."
"Yeah, and harvest the mushrooms that are big enough, just like I taught you." Sylvia quickly chimed in.
Evan looked at them both. "Okay, I can do that. Is there anything else?"
"Not that I can think of. You know our routine well and I've done it." Erwin chuckles. "Take this day as a rest day, yeah? We'll be back by lunch, or a little later."
That was how breakfast went. After his parents left, Evan followed through the usual routine.
He went to the fields to check on the corn there. There was no need to water them since his dad was done, just like he had said.
Evan then went to the forest. Erwin brings him there after their early morning field work, to grab some berries that they can harvest to make jam in the afternoon after lunch.
Thankfully, the berries were there. Evan took his small hand-woven basket from the small pouch he had. There is a lot of berries, in fact.
He can harvest them on his own. He had seen his dad do countless times, after all.
Before he can start picking, he remembers about Iva.
The voice in his head would started talking, mostly unprompted, based off of yesterday's events.
Evan hasn't heard the voice in a while, even during breakfast.
"Iva?" He called out loud.
No response, like last night.
Evan's eyebrows furrowed. He was planning on asking Iva how the simulation zone works, but it looks like he could try something on his own for now.
"Simulation Zone?" Evan says out loud, not really expecting anything to happen.
He was ready to wait for Iva instead before he tries again. Until he heard what his usual basis was.
There was an air whoosh passed his ear. Just like yesterday, the entire view of the field was darker, not too dark like it was nighttime like yesterday's midday. But it was like he is just in a light shade.
It worked.
Evan looks at his hands and the basket. He tried to put the basket up. It was... Heavier? Maybe? Heavier than what an empty basket should be.
However, he's still holding it. Last night, he couldn't hold anything. Now, he's still holding a basket.
Evan looks at the basket in confusion. Maybe he can only hold items that came with him in the zone?
He reached his hand towards the berries, but he felt something solid. That made him even more confused.
"I'm not holding the berries but they're solid. I have my basket too and my hand doesn't pass through." He mumbles to himself.
Evan tried to think what he was trying to do before he called out the Simulation Zone. All he was thinking about was thinking of talking to Iva again.
Before that, he wanted to harvest the berries.
Evan tried to touch the leaves on the shrubs and the berries. His hand did go through the leaves and anything else, but the berries remains something he can touch.
Is that the answer? Intention? Could that be his clue?
Well, he could just try and harvest them then.
Evan looks at the berries and began trying to discern which ones to take. He remembered what method his father took. Usually, the bigger ones and those softer to the touch were ripe enough.
He used that basis.
So far, nothing strange happened. The berries would remain affected by gravity when they settled on the basket.
Evan picked up a berry that was slightly smaller than his usual. He looked at it and felt that it was soft enough.
Sometimes, those small ones can be ripe too. So, he thinks he could put it in the basket along the others to. He puts the berry in the basket.
The next blink, he realized that he's staring at the same berry in his hand, the very same he had just placed on the basket.
He looked at it confused. Then, he looked at his basket.
The spot where he had put that berry is empty.
"What...?" Was all he could say to himself.
He placed the same thing on his basket again.
And just like earlier, the berry is back in his hand.
Evan tried it again, before deciding to throw it this time. He looked at the shrub of berries, took an obvious, unripe one, and placed it on the basket.
Another blink, and the berry is back on his hand.
It was as if time goes back a little bit to redo every time he could've done a mistake.
He drops the unripe berry on the ground and continues with his harvest.
As long as he got the ripe, good quality ones, he realizes that time goes on. However, there was something that he didn't notice before but now did.
Every time he picks up something he thinks is good enough and places it on the basket, the berry goes back in his hand, as if he had just picked it up and he judges it back again.
It was as if the Simulation Zone is aiding him to get the best possible result.
When the basket is full, the muffled sound of his surroundings disappeared.
He glanced at the basket and saw that it was empty. He looked at it in confusion then back at the shrub that he hasn't harvested yet.
He sighs. Looks like he would have to repeat what he thought he had just done.