2-1. Sure, you have skills now, but nobody ever said you can use them as you please.
Translated by Yonnee
“Huh? What’s that…”
As I walked around the village, I realized that if I looked at the shelves of the stores from where I was on the street—just like in the bedding store—descriptions would appear over the items. While passing by, I unconsciously walked closer to the writing equipment store because I saw some weird description for a pencil.
「 Ordinary pencil – 1G, a common pencil made from graphite rammed into wood. It serves its purpose well enough, but if you use it for a long time, it’s too hard, so it’ll hurt your hand. 」
Until this part, the item description was just normal, but what’s unique about it was the explanation that was floating right underneath it.
「 Adrian likes this item. 」
I wonder why this kind of description didn’t show up for the cold brew latte that I made myself. This one was openly telling me that it’s a good gift item to raise someone’s favorability points.
What a shock though. Adrian likes pencils? A knife, maybe. Or a gun, perhaps a hammer… I kinda thought he’d like items that could be used as a weapon to kill someone.
I thought, Huh, so there’s a function like this, too, and I was just about to pass like that. But something suddenly popped up in my mind, making me stop in my tracks—the gift-giving counter floating on top of Adrian’s and the countess’ heads.
The reason why I was given the chance to visit this village was, after all, because I coincidentally managed to raise the countess’ favorability points with the coffee I made.
Adrian was the main character of this game, and compared to other people, more points were required to raise his favorability level. I think the system will unlock something bigger if that’s raised. Apart from that, the way the countess looked at me also changed when her favorability got higher.
If I worked hard to raise Adrian’s favorability level, wouldn’t that save me if I ever run into a desperate moment? I don’t think he’d even get 5,000 EXP from killing me, but if his favorability points are high, wouldn’t he at least reconsider killing me?
Two favorability points compared to one, three compared to two. Wouldn’t there be a greater chance that he’d spare me if it’s higher? That just might give me enough time to survive and find a way to get out of this game somehow…
I walked into that store. In front of the store owner who welcomed me so enthusiastically, I couldn’t really open my mouth.
In my head, I knew that I’d have to work hard to raise those favorability points, but I don’t exactly have much money now because I bought that high quality pillow.
There’s only one gold left in my wallet. I can’t believe I have to spend the last of my money on an ordinary pencil…
When I return to my room later, I’m pretty sure the daily wage I’ll be getting is high enough, but I have no idea when exactly that system is going to play a sick prank on me again. And I can’t exactly leave my money in a bank…
“Miss, which item would you like to buy?”
“O-O-O-One…”
“Are you feeling cold, Miss? You’re shivering quite a lot.”
“One…. o-or, or…dina…ry… pencil… please…”
As my jaw shook while my teeth chattered together, the store owner leaned forward and raised a hand to his ear.
“One or…dinary pencil.”
Just to say those three words, I had to muster up all the patience that should be beyond human standards. Only then did the store owner’s face brighten because he finally understood words that sounded like human language.
“Aha, so you mean one ordinary pencil. Please wait a moment. Would you like to have it gift wrapped?”
“Um… Yes please. Maybe it’ll get me more favorability points…”
“The gift-wrapping service will cost 10 gold.”
“No, no! Cancel the gift-wrapping please. I’ll do it myself!”
“Is that so? Then, here you go.”
After hastily waving my hands to dissuade him, the subsequent misery poured in. My pitiful 1 gold, the number floating at the upper part of my field of view, then turned into a more pitiful 0 gold. Our dear lordship mister count, sir, please, help not the orphans and those stricken by poverty— I beg of you, please help those who are a little closer to you.
I wasn’t even in my right mind to know if it was still in the display cabinet or if I already bought it, but I left that store with one pencil in my hand. It’s a pencil, but it’s both a familiar and an unfamiliar item. I rarely ever used one since elementary school…
I rolled the pencil a few times on my palm, then unnecessarily gripped it tight.
Staring at the 0 gold shining above my head, I felt wronged yet again. No, I mean, I don’t have much money in the first place, but why should I get something for Adrian? He’s a rich young nobleman while I’m just a tenant living in his property!
Besides, I worked like a dog just to earn that money, but didn’t buying him a gift mean that he’s just stealing my hard-earned salary back?
“Just what kind of payback…”
“Pay, what?”
“Payback, payback! What kind of question even is—”
While throwing back a question to that question, I was about to turn around in one quick motion, but then I stopped right there because of the familiar eyes that stared back at me.
It felt like my tongue had been chopped off.
I noticed too late that the siren indicating my perception skill, which was activated all this time, had gone bright red.
“What’s wrong, Hilda?”
“A…AHHH!”
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