[Protagonist Quest: Go to the mall. Time to get a Jade Tablet. Time remaining: 12:00:00]
"...I just woke up. Seriously, can't you let me enjoy my morning in peace? I didn't even get a chance to savor that sweet moment when the bed still holds my warmth."
I complained the moment I heard the system's summoning chime. That artificial, dry tone that cut through any attempt at peace.
After all… the sun was barely rising.
A curious fact: my room faced the main courtyard, which meant I got the very first rays of sunlight the moment dawn crept through the windows. Funny thing was, while others would envy it, to me it was nothing but a cruel reminder—I could never sleep peacefully.
The warmth of the sun slipped in like a shameless intruder, filtering through the curtains and painting my face in golden tones. I felt its heat on my cheeks, but it wasn't pleasant. More like being pushed into a forced awakening, as if someone were shaking me by the shoulders in a rush.
Anyway, back to what this stupid thing was telling me…
Nope, I read the mission again, and it felt way too weird… or rather, the fact that it was normal made it weird.
It had been almost five weeks since I reincarnated into this stupid game—Love in the Midst of Battle, as it was called. Five long weeks where that dumb trash pretending to be my "guide" had been forcing me into all sorts of absurd situations: tripping "accidentally" to fall into the arms of one of the heroes (though honestly, I'd rather fall into the arms of one of their crazy fiancées), having "happy encounters" that only embarrassed me, or talking to NPCs that felt like they'd been pulled straight out of a bad skit.
And now, suddenly, I got a mission so… normal.
"Also… why a mall?"
Although… if this thing was giving me the chance to do something normal for once, wouldn't it be a waste not to take it?
I mean, I'd been wanting to explore the city a little anyway. Maybe hit the mall to look for some cute clothes… or maybe buy some pepper spray, in case Kaelvarion decided to get too close again.
Mmm… didn't sound too bad.
I buried myself in my sheets once more, soft and warm, still carrying that sweet scent of freshly cut strawberries that always made me feel a little at home. I pressed my face into them, stealing a few more seconds of calm. But in the end, I sighed.
"That actually sounds… surprisingly nice." My voice was quiet, still heavy with sleep. "Honestly, it's the first reasonable thing you've made me do."
The first one since I got stuck in this damned world.
I stared at the mission window floating in front of me, that glowing rectangle that felt like it was silently watching, judging every hesitation. A strange tickle ran across my skin, like someone was breathing close by, waiting.
"So… I just go and that's it?" I asked the air, a mix of skepticism and curiosity in my voice. "You're not gonna slap me with some dumb condition… like making me go with a hero?"
[Protagonist Quest: Go to the mall. Time to get a Jade Tablet. Time remaining: 12:00:00]
The dialogue box floated in front of me, unchanging, as if its digital coldness was meant to contrast with the faint tremor running through me as I read it again.
"...Guess that's a yes."
With that, I threw off the blankets and stood up.
"By the way, stupid trash, when this 'mission' thing ends, I wanna check how many protagonist points I've got left."
I told the black dialogue box while peeling off my heart-print pajamas to hop in the shower.
Something I'd noticed—something that honestly unsettled me a little—was that… for some reason, every time a Protagonist Mission began, I couldn't access my stats. Like the stupid trash was ignoring me.
I couldn't shake the feeling something was off whenever that happened.
B-But fine, let's just say it's locked whenever a mission starts. Y'know, maybe it's one of those mechanics devs add so players can't farm endlessly, then go one-shotting a boss.
Yeah, sure, that had to be it.
"Like… I gave up trying to find any logic in this. Lol."
"Hey, Maxi, wanna hit the mall?" I asked once classes ended, since on weekends they wrapped up by noon.
"The mall?" she muttered, indifferent, like the idea wasn't good or bad. "Mmm…"
Exactly the reaction I expected. After all, that's been our whole dynamic ever since I managed to push our relationship from strangers to… well, not-so-strangers.
Might sound bad, but I'd kinda figured out how to handle Maxi and her attitude.
"C'mon, it's Saturday. We've got nothing else to do, and the Academy lets us out on weekends for a few hours. Don't you wanna get a break from them?"
I said it while casually pointing at a little group of blondes whispering among themselves, throwing us quick, venom-filled glances.
Maxi shot them a glance, sighed, then nodded ever so slightly. That tiny gesture made some of her messy strands shift almost gracefully, like they were dancing with the morning breeze.
She was still as cold as ever, with that invisible wall that never seemed to fully fall. But… I didn't feel rejected anymore. Sometimes she accepted my invites, sometimes she came along without making too many excuses. And honestly, that already felt like a big win for me.
"Yay! Let's go then!"
"Only if you buy me strawberries with cream."
"Tch—Ugh…" I stopped mid-sentence when a shiver ran from my tail all the way up to my brain.
"What's wrong?"
I turned around to see what caused that reaction, but there was nothing there… so that was my answer.
"Nothing. Let's just go right away. If we're hungry, we'll grab something there."
I grabbed her hand—cold to the touch—and we set off.
"Whoa…!"
It was the only thought that crossed my mind when we reached Dalfh District, where the biggest mall in the whole region stood.
The trip wasn't long. Libelling Academy was just next door, basically. But what impressed me wasn't the distance, nor even the sheer size of the building.
It was the feeling of being here.
Being in this place was insane.
It looked a thousand times better in person than it ever had through a screen. Like everything I once admired from afar was now alive before my eyes, so vivid it stole my breath.
The street we walked down looked like a dream painted with copper strokes and old stone. Tall buildings rose on either side, stacked like huge apartment houses, each with wrought-iron balconies and pipes coiling over their façades like metallic veins. Thin chimneys spat out white steam that mixed with low-hanging clouds, creating a damp veil that smelled of coal and oil.
The stained-glass windows caught sunlight in golden and blue tones, while ornamental gears decorated the entrances, spinning slowly like pieces of some invisible mechanical heart keeping the district alive. Amid all that industrial grandeur, medieval details still lingered: dark stone walls, gargoyles carved on corners, fabric banners fluttering with family crests, reminders of the city that had existed before the machine age.
Cobblestone streets echoed under steam carriages, their engines huffing like tired beasts. Around us, refined folk in corsets, embroidered vests, and tall leather boots mingled with soot-stained workers hauling crates of metal and wood. The clash between noble and laborer was so stark that every exchanged glance seemed like a silent reminder of the hierarchies ruling this world.
I stopped for a second, taking it all in, trying to memorize every detail.
Yoshikage's art… was insane.
I'd known that already, after seeing how gorgeous my own face looked in this world—or Carlotta's, she'd be another perfect example—but looking at these backgrounds… damn, it was clear he hadn't slacked off one bit. It was like walking inside a painting that breathed, pulsed, made me feel tiny.
"So, what do you wanna buy?" Maxi asked, tapping my shoulder and snapping me out of it.
"Huh?"
"Well, I figured you had something in mind. Guess I gave you too much credit… the normal thing would be for you to act without thinking."
"Ouch! For your info, I do have something in mind. I need a Jade Tablet… whatever that even is."
"Ah, I see." Maxi tilted her head, like she only just realized it. "Didn't notice you didn't have one. Don't you talk to your family?"
Oh… so those things are like cellphones here.
"Well… let's just say I've been busy. But that's exactly why I need one of those…"
As I said it, a thought hit me. This situation… it felt familiar.
This was just like one of the plot events in the original game.
Let's see… how did it go? Kathryn went to the city to buy a Tablet, so she could talk to her parents. And she was accompanied by Maxi. Exactly like now.
That explained why the system hadn't given me detailed instructions.
"Hello, earth to kitty? You awake?"
"Uh?"
I blinked and saw Maxine's hand waving in front of me. Apparently, we'd already reached the mall entrance without me noticing.
"When did we get here?"
"You were walking with your mouth hanging open, totally spaced out. You looked dumber than usual. Look."
She pulled out her Tablet and showed me a picture… and yeah, unfortunately, she was right. I looked like a fish gasping out of water.
"So? What happened?" she asked as we stepped through the glass doors, chilled air wrapping around us.
"Y'know… I was just dazzled by your beauty~?" I teased, trying to mess with Maxi.
"Nah. You weren't even looking at me. Nice try, five points."
"Whoa! That many?"
"Five out of a hundred."
"Ah… ouch. Whatever, I was just lost in thought. Don't worry about it."
"I see. Then I won't ask."
I went quiet, but inside my head was racing. This event in the game… if I remembered right, the protagonist went on a sort of impromptu date with the route's hero, slowly getting closer.
My gaze darted around instinctively. Would Kaelvarion show up? Or Elion? Maybe Auren?
But what exactly happened? I didn't know. I'd been half-asleep during this part, so honestly, I had no clue which hero popped up.
"Seriously, what's wrong with you?" Maxi asked, noticing my nervousness. "Is someone following you? If so, tell me."
"Aww, ya wanna protect me~? That's so sweet, I knew ya had a soft side. Total tsundere vibe."
"Nah. Tell me so I can stay as far away from you as possible."
Ah… yeah, that sounded more like her.
"Ouch! So cruel. But fine. I just thought I recognized someone from my childhood, but… nope. Let's just grab my Tablet and bounce."
"Sure. But not the 'bounce' part."
"Huh?"
"Since I came all the way here, I'm definitely buying some clothes. You can go if you want—"
Before she could finish, I pressed the tip of my tail against her lips, cutting her off.
Just think about it: what weighs more? The risk of bumping into one of those idiots… or the chance to see Maxi trying on different outfits. Maybe even getting her to wear something I picked for her.
The answer was obvious, right?
"I'M STAYIN'!"
With my war cry, I started pushing Maxine into the mall.
And right at that moment, the system popped up again in front of my eyes.
[[Mission Complete! +20 Protagonist Points.]