Chapter 103
“Are you saying that if you’re the one who offers help first, then I don’t need to give you extra points?”
The moment Taechang met Donghee’s greed-glinting eyes, regret welled up inside him for having brought up such a thing. But what’s done was done—he couldn’t take his words back.
“Yeah.”
Taechang replied with a reluctant expression. Annoyance was smeared all over his face, but Donghee didn’t care in the slightest.
“You just said you’d help me first. Right?”
“Sigh, yeah. That’s right.”
Damn mouth.
Taechang wanted to rip his own lips off for sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong. But while he was grinding his teeth, Donghee was thrilled at the thought of using him for free, his shoulders bouncing with joy.
“Then, first give me twenty trays of fifteen fertilized eggs each, into the inventory. And then…”
As Donghee’s endless list of requests grew longer, Taechang wanted nothing more than to turn back time. In the end, only after filling a third of his inventory were they finally able to leave the mart.
“Now let’s head to the jewelry store.”
When he had walked this foggy street alone, it was desolate, lonely, and sometimes frightening. But walking with Taechang, it felt like going on a picnic—exciting, not scary at all.
While Donghee’s steps were light and cheerful, Taechang trudged along slowly like a stuffed cow.
“Hurry up. What if you turn transparent again? Then you won’t be able to help me.”
Cunning Donghee never directly said he was ordering Taechang to do things. After all, this was only because Taechang himself had said he’d help first.
Once inside the jewelry store after the mart, Donghee excitedly said,
“You can help me by loading those heavy jewels into the inventory. You don’t know how happy I am that you offered to help me first.”
The gratitude sounded as stiff as reading aloud from a language textbook, and Taechang frowned. Still, he began carefully stacking the inventory.
Even though Donghee could’ve easily filled up his 800-slot inventory alone, it felt different with Taechang there. It was like shopping with a friend—or maybe like being a two-man robbery crew.
As he happily stuffed necklaces, brooches, and rings into the inventory, Donghee’s eyes fell on a particular necklace: a silver fish-shaped pendant hanging on a chain. The chain wasn’t thick, and there weren’t gaudy jewels dangling from it, so it didn’t seem that expensive—but his eyes kept being drawn to it.
Eventually, Donghee picked up the necklace, laid it on his palm, and called Taechang.
“Taechang.”
Taechang, lips sticking out like a sulking carp as he worked, turned his grumpy face toward him.
“What.”
“Just a sec.”
Donghee thought about calling him over but worried that might sound like an order. So instead, he walked over himself. As Donghee suddenly approached, Taechang instinctively straightened his collar and stepped back.
“What are you trying to do.”
“Hey, relax. Just stay still for a moment. I won’t hurt you.”
Repeating the words he used when patting Taechang inside the blanket, Donghee stretched his arms toward his neck.
“I don’t hug just anyone.”
Thinking Donghee was about to embrace him, Taechang’s face flushed red as he spoke. Realizing just how angry Taechang must have been to blush that much, Donghee suddenly felt sorry.
Come to think of it, Taechang had given him much, while he himself hadn’t really given Taechang anything. Sure, being dragged here was Taechang’s and the status window’s fault, but Donghee—who was deeply satisfied with life in Grace—held no resentment toward them at all.
“I don’t hug just anyone either. And I’m not trying to hug you, so cut out the gross misunderstanding.”
Donghee rolled his eyes. At that, Taechang finally relaxed.
“Lower your head. I found a necklace that suits you.”
“You’re saying you want to give me a necklace?”
“Yeah.”
“What kind of necklace?”
Taechang didn’t like wearing anything flashy. He wanted to say no, but for some reason the words wouldn’t come out. Donghee’s face was just too happy at the thought of putting it on him.
At a glance, it didn’t look heavy or overly decorative like something women would wear, so with the patience of someone enduring, Taechang bent his head.
When he lowered himself, his soft silver hair cascaded down like flowing silk. Beautiful enough to make one sigh every time he saw it.
Donghee, briefly spellbound by the silvery strands, quickly snapped out of it and clasped the necklace around his neck. For a moment, Taechang stood so close it almost felt like he was being embraced.
“Don’t move. Stay still—it’s a small clasp, I need to see it to fasten.”
As Donghee fastened it, Taechang’s head ended up resting on his shoulder, and he unconsciously held his breath. The moment Donghee said “Done,” he immediately stepped back, breath short as if he’d been holding it for much longer.
“It looks great on you. How could there be a necklace that fits you this perfectly?”
“What kind of necklace is it?”
Not having seen it yet, Taechang tried to look in the mirror, but Donghee blocked him.
“Aren’t you happy you got a present from me?”
“I never asked for it, so why should I be.”
“Don’t say that. Earlier you laughed at something trivial, and I got points for it.”
“So you gave me this just to earn points?”
As he said it, an odd mix of irritation and disappointment welled up inside Taechang. He hated even feeling those emotions and wanted to rip the annoying thing off his neck. But—
“That’s not it. I just thought it would suit you perfectly. I don’t care if I don’t get points. It’s my first gift to you, so don’t ever take it off. Got it?”
“First?”
The word implied there’d be a second, third…
Taechang fiddled with the necklace at his throat, then shook his head.
He knew better than to lean on or give his heart to humans—that was what he’d learned after many failed attempts. Touching the necklace made him feel strangely soft inside, so he quickly let go.
It was nothing. Practically weightless. He could just ignore it.
Donghee smiled in satisfaction at Taechang wearing the silver fish necklace without complaint. But soon, Taechang’s figure began to blur with time.
Donghee worried—what if the necklace remained behind when Taechang vanished into the status window? But he disappeared neatly with it, which was a relief.
Thanks to Taechang’s help, the inventory was nearly full. Donghee quickly filled the remaining slots and left the jewelry store. Alone again, the space suddenly felt more desolate and cold than ever.
“Better hurry back to Delma.”
Muttering to himself in the empty space, Donghee briskly returned to his room.
Back in Grace, feeling as full as his inventory, Donghee immediately summoned the status window.
“Status window. I want to upgrade terrain information with hidden points.”
Would you like to use hidden points to upgrade terrain information?
The blue window floated up, displaying its neat sentence. Donghee nodded without hesitation.
Construction on the bridge and bread factory was slow because of water shortages. He needed to find out if there were any water sources near the Ttem River besides the one in Morta.
Would you like to view the list of information available for purchase with your hidden points?
“Yes. Show me. I’m going to spend all fifty thousand points.”
Here are the information options available for 50,890 points:
-
Terrain Information / Level 5: Grace Territory terrain features (–50,000p)
Special: All terrain information of currently unlocked towns (underground resources, water sources, etc.) -
Weather Information / Level 5: One-month forecast for Grace Territory (–50,000p)
… -
Monster Information / Level 3: Monsters inhabiting the Black Forest (–40,000p)
Among the many options, only Terrain Information caught Donghee’s eye. Weather Information was tempting because of the drought, but Terrain Information was the priority. Still, the thought of what kind of pain would come with spending fifty thousand points made him uneasy.
But there was no other choice. He could almost see the cracked, dry riverbed, and construction delays gnawed at his nerves.
“Option one. I’ll buy Terrain Information.”
His voice sounded grim. His mouth felt parched with tension.
Option one, Terrain Information, selected. 50,000 hidden points deducted. Remaining points: 890.
Would you like to undergo forced acquisition for efficient information use?
If not, please sit diligently at your desk and study seven hours a day for one month. That way, you’ll learn about a quarter of the purchased information.
Of course, considering your memory, there’s a high chance you’ll forget anyway.
Unbelievable.
Even in this moment, the status window couldn’t resist mocking him.
Would you like to undergo forced acquisition? With an additional cost of 200 points, mild headaches and stomachaches may occur.
“Yes. Proceed with forced acquisition.”
200 additional points deducted for forced acquisition. Remaining points: 690.
The blue window flashed before his eyes. Then—
“Ugh!”
Blood gushed from Donghee’s mouth.
