I made my way through the mansion toward the Treasury. My little sister had gone off to do her own thing, and now I just needed an excuse to look for some age-changing artifacts without looking too suspicious. This plan wouldn't work if Novem wasn't naive enough; all I needed was her to testify that I found it in the treasury, and even if some people were suspicious, there would be no problem.
'This is a one-time thing.' I thought, chastising myself for wasting so many points, but all I knew was an uneasy feeling in my stomach at the prospect of her fate if I didn't intervene.
Was I too naive to believe we'd lose something if I didn't step in? Was it a moral dilemma? Would I turn down the chance to save a girl from a cruel fate if I knew I could help? If it was too complicated or the disadvantages outweighed the advantages, my answer would be yes, or so I thought before I came here. But now I was wasting points and acting rashly, not considering all the disadvantages and difficulties of rescuing this heroine. But for some reason, I felt compelled to save her.
'Have I fallen in love without knowing her? So I don't want anyone to molest her?' I couldn't help but speculate, but I shook my head again. I'd definitely not fallen in love. I just knew I couldn't shake the desire to save her. 'What is going on with me?'
We had already discussed the heroines we knew, we had some plans, and although we planned to look for the black market the first few weeks we arrived in this world, the cons outweighed the pros, as the heroine we would also meet at the academy. However, I purchased the age at which Lena would be kidnapped using the system's discount, and now I've inquired about her whereabouts, wasting many points in the process.
What prompted me to act in this manner? I still didn't know the answer; it wasn't about love or morals, so all I could do was shake my head and sigh. As I moved through the mansion's corridors, I quickened my pace. I was in a race against time to find her and save her. It was both amusing and hypocritical on my part; I would save her from a fate worse than death, but she would be mine for life, and even if she didn't realize it, she would be manipulated into falling in love with me, no matter what measures I had to take.
'I am a horrible person'
I pushed open the treasury's double doors after acknowledging the guards stationed outside the vault. A warehouse of sorts greeted me right away, with large shelves and racks. Swords, armor, and various artifacts were proudly displayed, including something resembling goblets that I had no idea what their function was. These artifacts, however, were unimportant to me, so I went to the back of the treasury. My steps echoed through the silent treasury. I looked around with interest, noting which one I should choose when I had enough strength to carry them. Passing through a slightly smaller door, I discovered a jumble of cluttered objects, not as shiny or ostentatious as those on display in the front, but this would suffice.
"Novem" I called Novem with an excuse to make sure she didn't see an object appear out of nowhere from the shadow dimensión.
She bowed her head. "Yes, young master."
"Assist me in looking for an artifact in the shape of a necklace." I tried to be as vague as possible because I had no idea what the artifact in question looked like; all I knew was that it was a necklace.
"Understood." She said and began rummaging through the pile of artifacts she had pointed out, without asking any questions.
I too approached the pile, placed my hand on the pile of artifacts, and began browsing without a specific goal in mind because I was just acting. I carelessly rummaged through the cold shields, gloves, swords, and so on, not caring if any were damaged. On Novem's side, however, each one was carefully checked and placed delicately, as if I was afraid of damaging them. Even though they appeared to be neglected to the naked eye, each artifact was quite expensive because the artifacts are rewards generated by the dungeon to attract 'food' or, as they prefer to call them here, adventurers. That reminded me that when the plot begins, we'll have to be adventurers, which is quite annoying, but that's for another time.
'All right, show me those artifacts.' I was tired of the clinking sound of the objects colliding.
[Artifact for disguise:
Description: Allows the host to change their appearance, be it skin color, hair color, and eye color. Also allows the host's age to be increased by up to 10 years.
Rarity: B+
Price: 10,000 affection points 9,000 fate points].
'Buy two'
The artifacts materialized in my hand, which was hidden among the growing pile of artifacts, as I felt a cold sensation in my palm. The tinkling noise remained in the room as Novem searched for the necklace that I had not specified. I took a dimensional ring from the pile of artifacts before giving thanks for the help. It was a small golden ring with some runes on it that served as a storage device. I still didn't have one because I didn't come out for almost nothing. I was confident that my mother would give me a better one, but this was a temporary solution.
"Novem, get yourself a disguise artifact; we're going out tonight." She nodded.
I turned around, waving the necklaces in front of Novem, assuring her that the mission had been completed. "Let's go."
"(Charlotte? How's it going on your side?)" I inquired, watching the objects vanish from my grasp as I commanded the dimensional ring to hold them with a thought.}
"(I convinced her)" She proudly declared.
"(How did you persuade her?)"
"(I made puppy dog eyes)" She sighed, her voice slightly irritated.
"(I knew I could trust you.)" I complimented, trying hard not to smile.
(***)
3rd person POV:
The starry sky adorned the bustling streets of Luria, which, despite the fact that it was nighttime, were illuminated and as busy as during the day. The lanterns with luminous stones looked like modern city lanterns, but instead of electricity, they were powered by a magical stone that glowed like a lamp. Three people walked through the crowd with curious eyes in this beautiful and magical city. One of them was a man around 20 years old with brown hair and an average face; his black eyes were amused by the woman next to him. The woman had black hair and brown eyes, her proportions were normal, and she did not stand out in any way, unless we ignore the fact that she was observing everything like a small-town girl visiting the city for the first time, causing some people to look at her with mocking smiles. The last person had brown hair and was wary of everything.
"(These artifacts are incredible.)" Charlotte commented, her adult body wriggling with curiosity and familiarity.
"(I missed having an adult body.)" Nathaniel acknowledged with a nod.
"(Me too, being a 20-year-old woman in a 10-year-old body is pretty weird.)"
"(Twenty years?)" Nathaniel questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"(We've been in this world for two years; if we add them to our previous life experience, I'm 20 and you're 22.)" Charlotte reasoned, and her older brother nodded.
"(Well, you're right about that)."
Charlotte observed her brother in an adult body; although he lacked his usual beauty, with his confident demeanor, he appeared to be a responsible man and drew the attention of more than one woman on the street. She frowned at the sight of these women; they were all average looking, which made her snort with contempt; if she couldn't break down her brother's defenses with her former beauty, what chance did they have? Despite this, she approached him and grabbed his arm, burying his forearm between her modest breasts. Ignoring his older brother's puzzled expression, she smiled mischievously at the women, who frowned and turned their gaze away.
"(Are you okay?)" Nathaniel asked.
"(Yes, I only mark territory)"
"(What am I going to do with you?)" Nathaniel shook his head and sighed.
Novem smiled as she watched their exchange; it reminded her of the time she lived with her sister in the Umbra clan, when she was always attached to her. A distant look of nostalgia could be seen in her eyes. She hadn't seen her older sister in years; she had gone on a mission on behalf of the housemaster before he died. She had left Novem as chief deputy but had not returned even when the master died, so she was worried.
'Edith, I hope you're doing well.' Novem prayed silently in her heart. She hadn't gone looking for her because Edith had impliedly ordered her to wait and trust the Edevane's.
Novem didn't know why her sister had left, but she knew it was something very private, because only Edith and the head of the house knew. Shaking her head, she focused on her mission, to protect her young master. However, when she looked in the direction in which they were both walking, she frowned. The population density began to decrease, and the majority of people were men heading drunk or smiling to the southern part of Luria city, known as the red light district.
I made my way through the mansion toward the Treasury. My little sister had gone off to do her own thing, and now I just needed an excuse to look for some age-changing artifacts without looking too suspicious. This plan wouldn't work if Novem wasn't naive enough; all I needed was her to testify that I found it in the treasury, and even if some people were suspicious, there would be no problem.
'This is a one-time thing.' I thought, chastising myself for wasting so many points, but all I knew was an uneasy feeling in my stomach at the prospect of her fate if I didn't intervene.
Was I too naive to believe we'd lose something if I didn't step in? Was it a moral dilemma? Would I turn down the chance to save a girl from a cruel fate if I knew I could help? If it was too complicated or the disadvantages outweighed the advantages, my answer would be yes, or so I thought before I came here. But now I was wasting points and acting rashly, not considering all the disadvantages and difficulties of rescuing this heroine. But for some reason, I felt compelled to save her.
'Have I fallen in love without knowing her? So I don't want anyone to molest her?' I couldn't help but speculate, but I shook my head again. I'd definitely not fallen in love. I just knew I couldn't shake the desire to save her. 'What is going on with me?'
We had already discussed the heroines we knew, we had some plans, and although we planned to look for the black market the first few weeks we arrived in this world, the cons outweighed the pros, as the heroine we would also meet at the academy. However, I purchased the age at which Lena would be kidnapped using the system's discount, and now I've inquired about her whereabouts, wasting many points in the process.
What prompted me to act in this manner? I still didn't know the answer; it wasn't about love or morals, so all I could do was shake my head and sigh. As I moved through the mansion's corridors, I quickened my pace. I was in a race against time to find her and save her. It was both amusing and hypocritical on my part; I would save her from a fate worse than death, but she would be mine for life, and even if she didn't realize it, she would be manipulated into falling in love with me, no matter what measures I had to take.
'I am a horrible person'
I pushed open the treasury's double doors after acknowledging the guards stationed outside the vault. A warehouse of sorts greeted me right away, with large shelves and racks. Swords, armor, and various artifacts were proudly displayed, including something resembling goblets that I had no idea what their function was. These artifacts, however, were unimportant to me, so I went to the back of the treasury. My steps echoed through the silent treasury. I looked around with interest, noting which one I should choose when I had enough strength to carry them. Passing through a slightly smaller door, I discovered a jumble of cluttered objects, not as shiny or ostentatious as those on display in the front, but this would suffice.
"Novem" I called Novem with an excuse to make sure she didn't see an object appear out of nowhere from the shadow dimensión.
She bowed her head. "Yes, young master."
"Assist me in looking for an artifact in the shape of a necklace." I tried to be as vague as possible because I had no idea what the artifact in question looked like; all I knew was that it was a necklace.
"Understood." She said and began rummaging through the pile of artifacts she had pointed out, without asking any questions.
I too approached the pile, placed my hand on the pile of artifacts, and began browsing without a specific goal in mind because I was just acting. I carelessly rummaged through the cold shields, gloves, swords, and so on, not caring if any were damaged. On Novem's side, however, each one was carefully checked and placed delicately, as if I was afraid of damaging them. Even though they appeared to be neglected to the naked eye, each artifact was quite expensive because the artifacts are rewards generated by the dungeon to attract 'food' or, as they prefer to call them here, adventurers. That reminded me that when the plot begins, we'll have to be adventurers, which is quite annoying, but that's for another time.
'All right, show me those artifacts.' I was tired of the clinking sound of the objects colliding.
[Artifact for disguise:
Description: Allows the host to change their appearance, be it skin color, hair color, and eye color. Also allows the host's age to be increased by up to 10 years.
Rarity: B+
Price: 10,000 affection points 9,000 fate points].
'Buy two'
The artifacts materialized in my hand, which was hidden among the growing pile of artifacts, as I felt a cold sensation in my palm. The tinkling noise remained in the room as Novem searched for the necklace that I had not specified. I took a dimensional ring from the pile of artifacts before giving thanks for the help. It was a small golden ring with some runes on it that served as a storage device. I still didn't have one because I didn't come out for almost nothing. I was confident that my mother would give me a better one, but this was a temporary solution.
"Novem, get yourself a disguise artifact; we're going out tonight." She nodded.
I turned around, waving the necklaces in front of Novem, assuring her that the mission had been completed. "Let's go."
"(Charlotte? How's it going on your side?)" I inquired, watching the objects vanish from my grasp as I commanded the dimensional ring to hold them with a thought.}
"(I convinced her)" She proudly declared.
"(How did you persuade her?)"
"(I made puppy dog eyes)" She sighed, her voice slightly irritated.
"(I knew I could trust you.)" I complimented, trying hard not to smile.
(***)
3rd person POV:
The starry sky adorned the bustling streets of Luria, which, despite the fact that it was nighttime, were illuminated and as busy as during the day. The lanterns with luminous stones looked like modern city lanterns, but instead of electricity, they were powered by a magical stone that glowed like a lamp. Three people walked through the crowd with curious eyes in this beautiful and magical city. One of them was a man around 20 years old with brown hair and an average face; his black eyes were amused by the woman next to him. The woman had black hair and brown eyes, her proportions were normal, and she did not stand out in any way, unless we ignore the fact that she was observing everything like a small-town girl visiting the city for the first time, causing some people to look at her with mocking smiles. The last person had brown hair and was wary of everything.
"(These artifacts are incredible.)" Charlotte commented, her adult body wriggling with curiosity and familiarity.
"(I missed having an adult body.)" Nathaniel acknowledged with a nod.
"(Me too, being a 20-year-old woman in a 10-year-old body is pretty weird.)"
"(Twenty years?)" Nathaniel questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"(We've been in this world for two years; if we add them to our previous life experience, I'm 20 and you're 22.)" Charlotte reasoned, and her older brother nodded.
"(Well, you're right about that)."
Charlotte observed her brother in an adult body; although he lacked his usual beauty, with his confident demeanor, he appeared to be a responsible man and drew the attention of more than one woman on the street. She frowned at the sight of these women; they were all average looking, which made her snort with contempt; if she couldn't break down her brother's defenses with her former beauty, what chance did they have? Despite this, she approached him and grabbed his arm, burying his forearm between her modest breasts. Ignoring his older brother's puzzled expression, she smiled mischievously at the women, who frowned and turned their gaze away.
"(Are you okay?)" Nathaniel asked.
"(Yes, I only mark territory)"
"(What am I going to do with you?)" Nathaniel shook his head and sighed.
Novem smiled as she watched their exchange; it reminded her of the time she lived with her sister in the Umbra clan, when she was always attached to her. A distant look of nostalgia could be seen in her eyes. She hadn't seen her older sister in years; she had gone on a mission on behalf of the housemaster before he died. She had left Novem as chief deputy but had not returned even when the master died, so she was worried.
'Edith, I hope you're doing well.' Novem prayed silently in her heart. She hadn't gone looking for her because Edith had impliedly ordered her to wait and trust the Edevane's.
Novem didn't know why her sister had left, but she knew it was something very private, because only Edith and the head of the house knew. Shaking her head, she focused on her mission, to protect her young master. However, when she looked in the direction in which they were both walking, she frowned. The population density began to decrease, and the majority of people were men heading drunk or smiling to the southern part of Luria city, known as the red light district.
