Chapter 63: Shop, Opening Soon! – 3

Chapter 63: Shop, Opening Soon! – 3

*What are you thinking about?*

“……Someday, if I can make many more potions, what should I make first?”

*…That sounds ominous, but it’s just my imagination, right?*

“So you know your karma, too?”

*Eh, ehehe, it was all just a little provocation for efficiency, I guess?*

After running the simulation for a while, Ria literally provoked me.

…Honestly, I had nothing to say, as I’d failed every which way, probably because the ingredients were so finicky to handle.

……Plus, there were ‘minor’ accidents in the process, like various ingredients exploding or quality plummeting.

Well, thanks to that, Ria was horrified that I’d died three times in the simulation alone.

No, I clearly did what I always do, so how was I supposed to know why the potion suddenly exploded?!

Anyway, Ria, who initially sent messages of encouragement, a bit of teasing, and unsolicited advice, eventually fell silent.

To be precise, it was after I’d blown up in the simulation about twice.

And from then on, she started subtly provoking me, from “You can’t even make that?” to “Do you have time to argue with me and waste it?”

Normally, I would have retorted or dismissed the message window, but I was in the middle of making potions, so that was impossible.

…Thanks to that, I had to endure all sorts of annoying remarks.

…The funny thing is, whether the provocation worked or I just got used to it from trying so much, the quality of the potions gradually improved.

Of course, the quality of my mental state deteriorated.

Anyway, after becoming proficient in potion crafting and coming out of the simulation, which was identical to reality, and then making potions in reality, which was identical to the simulation, the quality definitely turned out good.

…It was so unexciting and identical that for a moment I was confused whether this was the simulation or reality.

If it weren’t for the difference that the notification window after potion crafting was not the system’s notification charging for simulation use,

but a notification celebrating the success of the quest, I might have been seriously confused.

Anyway, thanks to that, I cleared the quest quite blandly.

……Though as a side effect, the money I put into the system also became quite bland.

Since the tasks were finished…

It was time to punish Ria, who had been excitedly sending messages during the simulation.

“First, let me ask, why are you doing things you don’t normally do?”

*…I was pressured from above to leave. So I did some whipping, and…… a little bit of taking out my frustration.*

“Pressure? Why?”

*……Well, it seems this function was originally not disclosed because they planned to give it as a reward for a certain quest later. So there was no separate instruction to tell you about this function.*

“…What kind of crazy person’s head came up with the idea of giving a function that’s already usable as a quest reward?”

…For a moment, I was about to ask Ria how she could work there and not know that, but I decided to hold back.

Just by looking at her messages, it was clear she was struggling within the company, so did I really need to point that out?

……Plus, it made me think how friendless she must be at the company to not even hear such news.

Of course, punishing Ria for her annoying remarks and for daring to use me as an outlet for her frustration was a separate matter.

“Hmm, yes, I understand that ve~ry well. Just you wait.”

*…?*

“Someday, as I live, I’ll probably be able to make useful things like a potion to materialize you again, or a truth serum, right?”

*Uh… um… I’m sorry?*

“It’s not just today, there were many similar incidents in the past too, weren’t there? Hmm, indeed, considering that as well…”

*I’M SORRY!!!*

Shoving aside Ria’s message window, which was sending head-bowing emoticons, I picked up the letter that had arrived for me.

…I don’t know how it ended up on my desk, but it was a letter from the Duke’s mansion.

***

“…In summary, the Duke’s family is holding a ball to announce their official sponsorship of me, and I have to be there?”

*Oh, big trouble. You, who’ve eaten up etiquette and refined speech with your meals…*

“Want to get hit by the fist of a person who’s eaten up etiquette and refinement? You’re really having a blast today, aren’t you?

Just earlier in the simulation, weren’t you just taking out your frustration on me because you got chewed out from above?”

*I’ll shut up.*

Of course, Ria wasn’t entirely wrong.

Honestly, how would I know the noble etiquette of this world, this era?

Even the novel didn’t describe such minor details of etiquette, so I truly had no way of knowing.

……The problem was that the nobles here were the kind who, commonly seen in fantasy novels, looked down on people for not knowing etiquette.

Because of that, when I first saw this letter, I thought about making an excuse about my health and not attending, but ultimately, I was the main character of this ball.

No matter what, I, the main character, couldn’t not attend…

…Originally, this was the first time the Duke’s family was officially sponsoring someone, so all eyes would be on me. Not attending? That’s ridiculous.

“…Should I get some intensive tutoring from Christie?”

*……Didn’t you receive a useful skill as a quest reward?*

“Oh, that? …But is that even useful in a situation like this?”

The skill I received after clearing the quest was called ‘Transaction’.

It was a skill with a very vague description, stating that if you give something, you will always receive something equivalent or even more valuable in return.

And on top of that, it was the first skill that not only used mana but also had a one-week cooldown.

*It’s still within the scope of financial ‘transactions’, but… well? Wouldn’t it be possible if you find the right transaction partner?*

“…Are you telling me to offer a bribe?”

*That’s one way, but… actually, the ‘real transaction partner’ for that skill is separate.*

At those words, a certain entity suddenly flashed through my mind.

…An entity that loves to suck money out of its users.

“Does this mean I can buy skills with money?”

*It’s similar. If you make something you possess the subject of a ‘transaction’ with the system, the system ‘must’ give you an item that matches or exceeds that something.*

“…Does this apply to people too?”

*Yes. To express that skill more simply, it would be ‘Once a week, conduct a transaction where you absolutely do not incur a loss.’

Additionally, it also has the function of allowing you to transact with the system through this skill.*

…I wondered why the skill suddenly had a cooldown, and it was because it had quite an overpowered performance.

In other words, using that skill could make anyone ‘pay a fair price’.

If the price was trivial, fine, but what if, as time passed, the items for ‘transaction’ grew larger?

What if Elena or other beings later set up a stage and tried to manipulate me carelessly?

If I use this skill, at the very least, as much as they make me do something, they will also do something for me!

‘…It feels like a trap card.’

It felt like a trap card that, when an opponent was setting up an incredibly elaborate plan to attack, you’d just flip it and overturn their whole scheme.

……I felt like I was hearing some familiar background music.

“…But, so, are you telling me to use this skill to pay the system for etiquette or grace-related skills?”

*Well… that’s right, isn’t it? The ball is the day after tomorrow, can you really master etiquette by then?

The etiquette in this world is so damn complicated that ordinary nobles take months to learn it?*

“……I think I can if I try?”

*Instead, you’d have to drink the All-Nighter Potion like crazy again, wouldn’t you?*

“Hmm, I’ll just offer money to the system. That really doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

What? All-Nighter Potion?

I can confidently say it’s the worst potion I’ve ever made.

It’s the most insidious potion because it’s subtly delicious, a potion that can be called a hotbed for depleting one’s mental state!

Oh, of course, it has excellent effects if not used for all-nighters.

However, seeing the amount of money the system demanded for various etiquette traits and skills, I couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment.

…I seriously thought that the money I put into the system might all be gone before I even opened the shop.

Huh, I clearly put half of the support money from the Duke’s family into the system, so why does it already feel like it’s not enough?

“…It’s really damn expensive……”

*Well, what can you do? These are skills you would normally never have any connection with.*

“It’s damn wasteful. Should I just endure being treated like an idiot who doesn’t know etiquette?”

*Well? You’ll need it soon, won’t you?*

…When Ria sent that message, I definitely felt a sense of unease.

Need it soon? Why?

Those system bastards, even though they’re highway robbers, give ridiculously little information, are petty, damn stingy, and voyeuristic perverts who make money by recording other people’s lives……

There’s nothing wrong with what they say, at least.

…Especially Ria, my assigned system.

In the end, I bought two new traits.

And……

*Trait Fusion!

-> Congratulations! The harmony of your traits creates a balance of charm and grace!

=> Your grace and charm traits, including the ‘Clear Fox’ trait, will fuse!

+> The trait, ‘Clear Fox’, is enhanced to ‘Bewitching Clear Fox’!

*

……I ended up being treated like a bewitching fox that seduces people.

…Why? What did I do?!