"Hey, Rufus," I called out, my voice cutting through his intense self-admiration. "Don't get too attached to that trash. Tomorrow, we start the real work. And bring a bucket. No, scratch that—bring a wheelbarrow. You're gonna need it for the gold."
Rufus froze, the crinkly plastic still clutched in his thick, soot-stained fingers. He looked at me, his eyes wide and burning with a new kind of forge-fire. He didn't even argue about me calling his "relic" trash; the promise of more business with a "Genius" like me was enough to make him forget his own name.
Standing just behind him was Elsa. The rainbow-haired elf had finally stopped fainting long enough to watch the scene unfold. She looked at me with a dizzying mix of pure admiration and bone-deep fear. It was like she was looking at a miracle and a natural disaster at the same time. Every time I spoke, she seemed to hold her breath, as if my words might accidentally summon a thunderbolt or another bag of snacks.
"A... a wheelbarrow of gold?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. Her green eyes flitted from my sleek new tactical jacket to the "Divine Needle" on my hip.
I studied her for a moment. I didn't know her story yet—why a high-class elf with her level of mana-sensitivity was working as Helga's assistant, or what she really wanted out of this. But if we were going to be a team, I needed to know what made her tick. Was she here for the gold? The magic? Or was she just as lost in this world as I was, despite being born in it?
"Get some rest, Elsa," I said, making my tone a little softer, though I kept the smirk firmly in place. "The 'Divine' business is a lot more exhausting than pushing papers for Helga. I need you sharp tomorrow."
She nodded frantically, her rainbow hair shimmering with a nervous, electric energy.
I turned back to my screen, hiding the glow of the phone from their prying eyes. Then remembered that to them i was tapping the air. So i smiled instead, like a real acne-covered-baddass villain. I had a kingdom to disrupt, a spy to outsmart, and a very large appetite for the high life. If they thought a bag of Cheetos was a miracle, they weren't ready for what was coming next.
****
The next morning, the sun didn't just rise; it glared through the window of my new apartment like it was judging my wardrobe. And honestly? It had every right to.
I stood in front of the full-length silver mirror Rufus had sent up as a "tribute" earlier that morning. I looked like a disaster. My tunic was frayed, my trousers had a permanent stain from the stables that no amount of scrubbing could remove, and I looked less like a "Divine Architect" and more like a kid who had been kicked out of a medieval boy band for being too malnourished.
"I can't meet a Royal Spy looking like I'm waiting for a bowl of gruel," I muttered, my voice echoing in the posh room. "If I'm going to be a mysterious dealer of 'Divine Relics,' I need to stop looking like the 'before' picture in a famine relief ad."
I pulled out my phone. The blue light felt like a warm hug for my ego. I checked my balance.
[Current Balance: 200 VP]
(The extra 20 points from Elsa's hair massage were still sitting there, a silent reminder that my social anxiety was actually a profitable business model.)
I navigated past the "Grocery" section—I had enough Cheetos-fueled chaos for one week—and tapped on [Apparel & Tactical Gear]. I scrolled past the "Iron Man Suits" (10,000,000 VP—a guy can dream) and the "Enchanted Silk Robes."
"Too wizard-y," I whispered. "I need something that says 'I have a taser and I know how to use it,' but also 'I'm too cool to care about your mana levels.'"
Then, I saw it.
[Item: 'Phantom' Lightweight Tactical Leather Jacket ]
Description: Reinforced polymer-infused leather. Water-resistant, slash-proof, and features twelve hidden interior pockets. Sleek matte black finish.Earth Price: $29.00 China-made.Venus Price: 150 VP
"One hundred and fifty points," I winced. "That's a steep price for looking cool. But hey, if it's slash-proof, it might actually keep me from getting gutted by a jealous mercenary."
Click.
[Purchase Confirmed. 150 VP Deducted.]
[Current Balance: 50 VP]
The air in the room hummed, and for a second, the smell of ozone replaced the scent of Helga's roses. A swirl of digital particles coalesced on my bed, knitting together into a piece of clothing that looked like it belonged on a futuristic biker.
I picked it up. The leather was buttery soft but felt as tough as dragon scales. I slid it on.
It fit like a second skin. The high collar framed my face, hiding a bit of my skinny neck and making my jawline actually look... well, presentable. I looked at the mirror and let out a low whistle. The matte black finish made me look shadowed and dangerous. I tucked the "Divine Needle" and the "Viper-X" into the specialized interior pockets. No more bulges. I looked streamlined. I looked professional. I looked like a man who definitely didn't faint when women hugged him.
I popped the collar and practiced my "mysterious genius" smirk. "Now," I said, checking the hidden pockets one last time. "I look like the kind of guy who summons lightning and eats divine orange shards for breakfast."
I felt a surge of "Manly Sass" bubbling up. I wasn't the beggar boy from the stables anymore. I was the Shadow of the Merchant District.
I head downstairs, the heavy soles of my new boots (a "gift" I'd negotiated from Rufus's stock earlier) clacking against the stone stairs with an authoritative thud-thud-thud.
As I entered the kitchen, the air went dead silent. Barnaby dropped a spoon. Herbert actually forgot to breathe. Even Elsa, who was busy braiding her rainbow hair, stopped mid-motion, her green eyes widening until they were the size of dinner plates. "Arthur?" she breathed, her face turning a soft shade of pink. "What... what manner of beast gave its skin for that garment? It looks... it looks like the night sky itself."
"It's called 'Style,' Elsa," I said, leaning against the doorframe and crossing my arms, the leather creaking perfectly. "You wouldn't find it in this realm. Now, where's that spy? I have a schedule to keep."
I was down to 50 VP, but as I watched the way they all looked at me, I knew it was the best investment I'd ever made.