Chapter 22: System’s User – 1

Chapter 22: System’s User – 1

*…Are you okay?*

“What? About being attacked like this?”

After the robbers attacked me, I anonymously reported it to the defense force a little later.

…Christie is probably racking her brains out by now… but this is a kind of revenge.

Because I got involved with Christie, I ended up suffering this kind of thing.

“Not really. That’s why I tried not to get involved with the main characters in the first place.”

*Someone who says that was from the beginning…*

“No, I didn’t know I’d meet the great mastermind of the world so early on, logically speaking.”

…To be honest, I knew it was dangerous to get involved with the main characters, but it seemed like this was the first time I had felt it with my body.

The novel hasn’t even started yet, but I’m already being attacked…

Judging from what the robbers said, it seemed that they attacked me because I regularly visited Christie.

You might say, ‘Why attack me for something so trivial?’ but in fact, it’s not just any old thing.

Christie, that she has a guest who visits her regularly for quite a long time? I’m probably the first one at least at this point.

It seems they thought that if they caught me, they could use me as Christie’s weakness…

“Hey, System.”

*…What is it, that ominous voice.*

“It’s been over a week since I came here, so why don’t you explain the ‘resurrection cost’ or the VIP system or whatever?”

*Suddenly?*

“I think I need to fully utilize the ‘system’ that you guys provide now.”

To be honest, I wasn’t interested in getting stronger.

I just thought it would be enough to have enough power to protect my body, and I got that much power within a day of coming to this world.

…My body changed as a price, but I’m satisfied with this new body, so I don’t care.

However, unexpectedly, and because of some damn mastermind group leader, the level of ‘power to protect my body’ has skyrocketed.

A daily life where at best thugs or organized crime members were a threat is turning into a daily life where it wouldn’t be strange for any danger to come.

I’m lucky that those three robbers were careless today, but if they had attacked all at once…

Looking at the particularly aching shoulder wound, I let out a small sigh.

*…I see. More than that, first…*

Immediately after that, the shoulder wound healed quickly.

I looked at the system with a questioning look.

*As I said repeatedly, we also need you. You are… a kind of ‘business’.

It is more profitable for us if you get stronger or show new sides of yourself.*

“So from now on…”

*This is only this time. It seems like you’re going to start using us in earnest now, so it’s troublesome if you start awkwardly because you’re hurt.*

“Yeah, yeah. As if you would.”

After a moment of silence, the system displayed messages again.

And, I could tell.

…These guys were more conscientious than I thought.

…There was a lot of content, so the guidance didn’t end until I got home.

***

The messages that the system displayed on the way home can be summarized as follows.

“First of all, the ‘resurrection cost’ can be paid all at once, and if it is not paid, it will be forcibly collected?”

*That’s right. The amount varies depending on the user’s current situation, and ‘resurrection costs’ will no longer be charged from the time the final amount is fully paid.*

“And, the more money you pay to the system for any method or reason, the higher your ‘grade’ within the system becomes?”

*It’s fine for any reason, including the ‘resurrection cost’, and you can also give us valuable items. I decided on the name of the ‘grade’ as something that would be most familiar to you.*

“…I guess so. I never thought I’d see ‘Bronze’, ‘Silver’, ‘Gold’… and stuff like that in this world.”

In addition, the higher the grade, the more things you can buy in the store, and you can also haggle prices when buying in the store.

And now that I have officially become a ‘user’ of the system, there was also a word that achievement rewards would be settled.

…There were several other terms and conditions, and it was a formal guide asking if I would like to enter into a contract with the company as I officially became a ‘user’ of the system.

Honestly, in this situation, it’s obvious that no one would say they don’t want to sign a contract and tell the system to fuck off now, so it was a guide that I wondered why they bothered to display.

“…Was I not even an official ‘user’ until now?”

*There are many cases where people can’t adapt to other worlds and commit suicide or are killed. …Not you, but, User.*

“It’s so awkward, just call me comfortably. Thinking about you, who used to say ‘you, you’, suddenly saying ‘User’ so politely makes my stomach churn.”

Half of it was a joke, and half of it was serious.

The system occasionally called me User, but it was extremely rare, so I felt a sense of rejection.

…And, I felt like we had become a little closer, but if I heard the word User now, I felt like we would be distant again.

*…Then I will settle the achievement rewards.*

There was no particular affirmation or denial, but I could vaguely tell that this was an affirmative response.

Maybe if it was a denial, it would have said, “Then I will settle the achievement rewards. User.”

In that way, the achievement rewards were not settled… and time passed.

…A little, a lot. At least more than my patience that can be used for settling rewards.

“By the way, do I have that many ‘achievements’ that I’ve accomplished? It’s taking so damn long to settle.”

*It hasn’t even been 10 minutes yet? You’re so impatient. And, yes. You have a damn lot.*

Saying that, the system displays the achievement window in front of my eyes again.

…It seemed like there were a lot of small things that were shining.

*Not only achievements related to potion making, but also achievements related to hunting monsters have been broken a lot.*

“…Why is that?”

*Because you hunt in such extraordinary and overwhelming ways. …Ah, is the sum all done now…?*

After that message, the message disappeared as if it had gone somewhere for a while.

…Again, I had to wait.

“No, if you’re going to give me a reward, give me some first and then think about it. There was no word that you would only give achievement rewards after becoming an official user…”

*I can hear everything, you know? And, it can’t be helped from our point of view. It’s a loss if we give rewards to someone who’s going to die in less than a week.*

“So, what’s the reward that you’re being like this?”

*…There are choices. One is to receive 3 skills stably, and the other is… to draw one randomly.*

Saying that, 3 cards with the back side showing and a box that looks like a random box to anyone are displayed in front of my eyes.

…If those 3 cards didn’t look so shitty, I would have chosen to receive 3 skills.

*…Before I could even say anything, you acted again…*

“No, honestly, those things look too shitty.”

*…It’s my fault that I requested the ‘most low-grade’ design from the display team. They’re all useful in their own way.*

Saying that, the system in charge kindly turns over and shows the 3 cards that I didn’t draw.

…Each of them had effects that seemed quite useful.

“Potion making speed increase, a skill to easily find the basic ingredients for potions, and… inventory expansion? Is this also a skill?”

*The system manages it, but your mana is used when storing and taking out the item, so.*

“Then there are no passives?”

*I said that ‘skills’ themselves are a kind of ‘sure-win formula’ in using mana, right? As such, most of them are related to magic. There are some that aren’t though.*

“…It’s a shame. Because those were all necessary.”

It felt like they had gathered only the skills that seemed most necessary right now, when it takes forever to make potions, the basic ingredients are running out, and inventory space expansion is also desperately needed.

…Maybe they really gathered them.

*…That’s why you shouldn’t have listened to my explanation. In the first place, I request the rewards from the reward department considering your situation, and then get approval.*

“There are no fixed rewards?”

*Some achievements are fixed, but the rewards that are given when you achieve several achievements like now and accumulate ‘experience’ accordingly are not.

So… it would be easier to think of the former as a kind of quest.*

“Quest?”

*Yes. I’m not recommending achievements to accomplish yet because your level is low and you’re unskilled, but I should start recommending achievements to accomplish and assist your growth.*

It seems that what I said earlier that the company also benefits as I grow and show new sides of myself was not a lie.

I don’t know in what way they benefit…

In the first place, it’s a company that revives dead people in the world of novels, so what’s strange.

*More than that, let’s quickly open it. A good skill might come out.*

“That’s true too. Then…”

In that way, I opened the lid of the reward I chose, and inside, there was…

“…I drew it in the first box, is this good?”

*…You’re not saying that seriously, are you?*

There was a card that looked good to anyone.

…I forgot because there was no reason to play games in this world, but I originally had very good gacha luck.