Chapter 12
On Mid-Isle, the only real facilities were the Hagion Hero Corps and the Grand Temple, but since the scenery was beautiful, it seemed tourists would stop by from time to time.
Of course, I wasn’t just someone passing through. Being from the so-called “land of courtesy,” I politely introduced myself.
“Hello. I’m a new recruit of the Hagion Hero Corps. I think I’ll be seeing you often from now on. Please take care of me.”
And it wasn’t just a formality when I said I’d be back often. With all the useless odds and ends that would pile up, I’d definitely have to come sell them here.
“Ohhh, so the young lady is the goddess’s champion! I heard you already pulled off something impressive even before becoming an official member—caught terrorists, rescued people!”
“Haha, has word already spread? That’s embarrassing.”
The sudden praise made my cheeks warm, and I scratched my face awkwardly.
It was true I had saved people, so I was a little proud, but I was also flustered by how quickly news traveled.
Then again, an explosion had gone off near the island, rescue ships had rushed out, and everything had been a mess—no way the villagers wouldn’t hear about it.
At least it left me with a good first impression without much effort. That was nice.
“So then, what brings a hero like you to my shop? Looking for something? If so, have a look around—there aren’t many places on this island with as wide a variety as mine.”
Lucan grinned and gestured proudly at his shop.
It was worth the pride. On such a remote island, it couldn’t have been easy to gather such a diverse selection.
Back when I played the game, this sort of thing never really hit me. After all, “game logic” dictated that useful items were never sold in shops.
If good gear were too easy to get, game balance would collapse.
But living inside this game world was different.
Behold—this was the convenience store of another world.
Toothbrushes and towels, small notepads and thick notebooks, even fountain pens you could refill with ink.
“It really does look great.”
Of course, I hadn’t come to buy but to sell. Still, once you see things, you start wanting them.
So first I’d sell, then buy.
“I actually came because I have some things I want to get rid of.”
“Oho, well that’s also Lucan’s specialty. Makes sense for a new recruit. Everyone comes here after doing their gear draws with a bunch of useless, ahem, odds and ends to sell off.”
He coughed into his fist.
So I wasn’t the first. Thinking that Darren, Lena, and Leo probably went through the same process made me chuckle.
“Ah, I see. Hahaha…”
Since he guessed right, I only laughed and opened my inventory, pulling out what I had to sell—
A shabby linen robe, linen mage’s pants… all items with pitiful names.
“Hmm, I’ll give you 50 Byn for the lot. Is that all right?”
Ugh. As expected, dirt cheap.
In the game, such items weren’t even worth 10 Byn total at shops, so I hadn’t expected much.
Still—50 Byn? That was stingy.
I tried haggling with a sweet tone, batting my eyelashes and making a pitiful face. Surely he’d toss me a few extra coins at least.
“Couldn’t you give me just a little more?”
“Now, now. Even if I rework these, there’s hardly any profit. Fifty is already generous for things like this.”
No luck.
Lucan’s face flushed and he coughed, flustered by my “attack,” but he didn’t budge on the price.
I had no choice but to give up, inwardly weeping.
Honestly, my modern sensibilities were already screaming gratitude that anyone would pay money for this trash at all.
But that was a modern view, where resources were abundant.
This world was the epitome of “reuse and recycle.”
Save, share, swap, use again—everything.
Fine. It’s not like a few more coins would buy me a Rainbow Stone to change my name anyway.
So I dropped it and put the item I’d been eyeing onto the counter—a set with a small notebook and pencil.
Paper was expensive here, so even that tiny set cost 300 Byn.
But I had the 10,000 Byn the flight attendant had given me yesterday.
“If I’m going to make plans, I’ll need writing tools.”
I wasn’t some genius who could keep all calculations perfectly in my head. Writing things down would help organize my thoughts.
“Here’s 250 Byn, right?”
“Mm, that’s right.”
I handed over the money.
After finishing my less-than-ideal transaction, I was about to leave when I hesitated.
“Um… actually…”
I pulled out one more item from my inventory and placed it on the counter.
A level 60 legendary weapon: Phrine’s Grimoire.
The gamer in me screamed that selling such a weapon to a shop was madness. But realistically, it was useless to me.
In the game, high-grade items sold between players for fortunes—thirty million worth going for only thirty thousand if sold to an NPC.
But here, there were no other “players” to trade with. The empty market board was proof of that.
“Would you be able to buy this too?”
I didn’t know its exact value anymore, but if I could get anything at all for it, that would be better than nothing.
“…!”
Lucan accepted it reverently, then frowned as if troubled.
“Hmm, just looking at it, this is clearly a rare treasure…”
He laid it gently on a soft cloth and began inspecting it with a jeweler’s loupe, as if afraid to damage it.
Gulp. I swallowed dryly and waited.
“This leather… wyvern hide, it seems. The gilding isn’t ordinary gold—it’s enchanted. And these jewels… extraordinary.”
He muttered to himself, lost in awe.
So? How much?
I clasped my hands together, waiting for the appraisal. If the background music of that Sunday antiques appraisal show were playing now, it would fit perfectly.
Time dragged on until finally he spoke.
“Hmm. This item is too valuable for my shop to handle.”
“…Excuse me?”
Wait—you’re not buying it?
That never happened in the game. NPC shops always bought items, no matter how worthless or priceless. That was their role.
But here he was refusing.
I reminded myself: Right, this world isn’t bound perfectly by game systems. I’d already noticed differences, like Belinda not being in her office.
Still, this was a shock.
“Perhaps if you tried the magic workshop nearby… though even Faber there probably wouldn’t handle something like this. You’d need a workshop in a major city.”
“I… I see.”
Stunned, I nodded, and he carefully returned the grimoire to me.
“This came from one of those gear draws too? You must be lucky indeed, hero. The goddess’s blessing, perhaps.”
“Haha, maybe so.”
I forced a hollow laugh.
If this was the goddess’s blessing, then she could have given me a shooter’s weapon instead of an unusable magic tome!
Hiding my tears, I left Lucan’s shop.
I even tried the magic workshop, just in case. But the blonde young craftsman, Faber, only shook his head apologetically.
“Our workshop doesn’t have the funds to buy something this valuable. Just seeing it has been an education for me. Thank you so much.”
His eyes screamed I want it…! but if he had no money, what could I do?
In the game, legendary and mythic gear was common since players spent cash like water. But here, this grimoire was treated with far more reverence than I expected.
Shrugging, I left the market street.
My destination: the library.
“Now that I’ve got a notebook and pencil, it’s time to start planning.”
A plan for financing a name change!
Obviously, such shady plotting couldn’t be done out in public, and doing it in the dorm meant risking running into my roommate.
It wasn’t that I hated Lena, but I’d rather avoid awkwardness.
And besides, a library was perfect for focus. Quiet, with that unique atmosphere that sharpened concentration—the silence heavy in the air, the smell of paper and ink.
I’d loved libraries in my past life too.
Air-conditioning in the summer, heating in the winter. Cheap, tasty meals in the cafeteria.
And above all, that air—the library’s own scent. I loved it.
So that’s why I was going. That’s all.
Absolutely not because I wanted to see Adrian.
