As I stared into his black eyes, there was only one thought crossing my mind.
His eyelashes are quite long…
I never thought Kurosawa Touma would approach me first, much less invite me for a formal lunch.
But then again, I never thought a world like this could exist, so who was to say what was impossible? And somehow, both Bennet Hale and the blood stains were gone. As if there had never been a murder in the food court, at all.
“I see you recovered well.” I crossed my arms, neither of us touching the food in front of us.
“There was no reason why I wouldn’t. I know how skilled I am, as well as what to expect from my skills.”
My left eye twitched as I clenched my fists. How could this guy be so infuriating with his tone alone?
“Do you have a skill related to drinking potions, then?”
“This information does not concern you.”
“Yet you still called me here because you want something from me, isn’t that so?”
Kurosawa narrowed his gaze, his fingers tapping on the table.
“Still, we are not close enough for me to share personal information.”
“But we are close enough for you to speak this informally with me? And for you to be demanding things from me?”
His eyes got colder, darker. “I haven’t asked anything yet.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Yet you will. Otherwise, I have no idea what we are doing here or why you called me.”
The man finally averted his gaze, his expression annoyed.
“I take you received your rewards without any issue.”
So that was how he was going to play?
“You mean the potions you gifted me?” I rested my back on the chair, putting my hands in my pockets. “I can’t promise I will find a use to them, but thanks for the thought. I take they weren’t exactly cheap.”
I wouldn't say I had already used one of the potions with Hal. Not even if it killed me.
For the first time since we got to that table, Kurosawa smiled. “You may have flaunted your wealth in the last trial, yet this doesn’t mean you are the only one with a lot of points.”
“Having money and knowing how to spend it are entirely different matters, wouldn’t you agree?”
His smile was gone, his obsidian gaze meeting mine once again.
“You asked me why I called you here.”
Changing topics, I see.
“And you are still stalling for an answer.”
“I want you to work for me.”
I blinked a few times, trying to find my voice.
I had probably heard him wrong.
“What did you say?”
Kurosawa scoffed, crossing his arms while averting his gaze. “Don’t pretend to be deaf. You heard me. I want you to work for me.”
“Work for you?” I repeated his words, not managing to hide the shock in my voice.
“You are still inexperienced in many ways, however, you have some talent. A talent we will need. I want you to work for me, and if you do, I will reward your efforts.”
I was trying my best not to laugh.
Kurosawa Touma wanted me to work for him.
He didn’t want us to become companions, or be part of the same team. No, no.
I was to be his laborer.
A formal business transaction.
“And how will I be rewarded for my efforts, if I dare ask?” I needed to entertain that idea a bit more, otherwise I could regret it in the future.
We all needed more laughs in our lives, after all.
The man narrowed his eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? I will—”
“You better not say you will give me potions.”
He closed his mouth, clenching his fists.
“Even after everything you saw, are you still belittling the power…”
I shook my head, a chuckle escaping through my lips. “Please, spare me with the speech. Potions may be your style, yet I have little use for them. You saw yourself, I defeated the chimeras without any of those. If you want to make a proper business proposal, you need to give me something else. Something I will actually use.”
I was certain he would start to complain, perhaps even curse me, however he fell silent. Thinking.
“What do you want, then?”
Wait, was he serious?
Did he really want me to work for him?
And was I actually considering the idea?
“Cards. Forget potions, weapons, even armor—I want cards.”
Kurosawa furrowed, his eyes cold yet curious.
“Do you have a skill related to cards?” The man was quick-witted, I had to admit.
“Something like that.”
“How many?”
Wait…
“I want five in advance since I spent a lot of points for you in the last trial.”
Was I actually…
“Five is ridiculous. Consumables are the only item in the store where you can receive more than one unit per attempt. Three is a reasonable request. What about in the future? How will I calculate your earnings?”
“Performance and difficulty. The better I do, the more I gain. Seems fair, doesn’t it?”
...accepting his proposal?
He nodded once. “It’s prudent. I accept the terms.”
“Then as soon as you get me these three cards, we have a deal.”
…was I crazy?
Finally, after all this time, Kurosawa Touma grabbed his knife and fork and began cutting the meat.
“Then as soon as we are done eating, I will stop by the store. Feel free to accompany me.”
I started cutting my own meat, surprised to see it was still warm.
“Sure.”
I had been right when I assumed the barbecue would taste way better than the pork crepe, even if the price was a bit expensive.
And as we finished our meals in silence, I kept asking myself again and again what the heck was I thinking.
----------------------------------------
[Total Points: 15,347]
…
Was I…
Filthy rich?
“Hey, how many points do you have?”
Kurosawa did not even glance to the side as he answered. “I see no reason why I should tell you.”
Fair enough, I didn’t think he would actually tell me.
“How much have you invested in your status? Or were you too busy with the potion-spree?”
“I would be stupid if I left my status alone now, wouldn’t I? Do not mistake me for yourself.”
I felt blood rushing to my cheeks. “I will let you know that I did improve my status.”
He scoffed. “All of them?”
“Well, now that would be stupid, wouldn’t it? Especially when we are still figuring out how these status affects us.”
His gaze fell on mine for a brief second, as if he was silently acknowledging my words. “Which status is your highest?”
I clenched my jaw before replying, unsure how much I should share with him. “Why should I tell you?”
“Because you are now working for me, and this is something of value for me to know. Especially if I need to evaluate your performance in the future.”
Couldn’t argue with him on that one…
“Coins.” He raised his eyebrow. I glanced at him, my voice a bit higher. “What? Don’t tell me you have a problem with this, now?”
Yet the man did not even blink, he simply continued to walk without even looking behind his shoulder.
“I just thought it fitted you.”
I stopped in my tracks for a couple of seconds, trying to understand what his words meant.
Trying to find reasons to refute them.
When we finally got to the store, I let Kurosawa go first. I wanted to get paid, after all, and I also wanted to invest a bit more in my status before trying for the gacha myself.
The first one I was going to improve would be Coins, of course, yet I was sourly surprised when I saw how much an improvement cost after hitting the 15 mark.
[Do you wish to convert 800 points to one Coin?]
… That system didn’t shy away from extortion, at all.
I bought 3 more increments for Coins.
While trench coat-guy did his thing, I kept thinking about how I should arrange my other status. I felt how important Wands was in the last Trial, when I fought the monsters. Wands did not improve only strength, but also speed and stamina.
Especially when I didn’t know the type of trials we would be facing, being faster and stronger than others was a great advantage.
I still had no idea what ‘Vis’ was, yet ‘Wisdom’ usually played an important role in games. Something told me 'Vis' could be related to it, somehow. In that way, it could also improve my perception and insight, which could be extremely useful. I scratched my head, staring at the status window as if it was going to give me tips or a cheat sheet.
Wands: 10
Cups: 3
Swords: 8
Coins: 18
In the end, I spent 3,650 points to increase all my status.
This doesn’t look so bad, right?
Suddenly, there was a chime as I received a message.
[You have received a gift.]
I looked up.
“I take you are satisfied with this for now, yes?”
Kurosawa was wearing new gloves now, the black leather matching his coat. And if I had to guess, I would say he got more potions, as well.
I opened the gift, three cards popping up in front of me.
[You have received the card ‘Five of Wands’]
[You have received the card ‘Four of Coins’]
[You have received the card ‘Eight of Swords’]
I didn’t recognize any of those cards.
I wish I could speak with Hyeon. And that thought suddenly made me miss her. Miss Jiho. Every drawing he would make on napkins and lose pages, while Hyeon and I stared above his shoulder. Every time Hyeon got rejected when we went to the nightclubs, and me and Jiho had to pay for the drinks while Hyeon cursed and complained about her rotten luck with romance.
I missed my friends.
“Even if the cards are not to your liking, I won’t accept any complaints.”
Kurosawa’s voice brought me back, making me close the window without a second thought.
“No, these cards are fine. Thanks.”
Although his gaze lingered, the man said nothing else. I thought he was going to leave, yet apparently, he was curious about what I was going to get with the gacha.
I was just about to step closer to the store when a new message popped up in front of me.
[A new Trial will commence!]
Yet as I read the messages, the system once again left me speechless.
[Second Trial - Gather & Conquer]
[You have not met the requirements to participate in this Trial]
Because, while sometimes it felt like I could predict everything the system was thinking, at others I could barely find a single thread of logic.
[Only Selves who conclude ‘Gather & Conquer’ can participate in the Third Trial]
[All Selves who do not qualify for ‘Gather & Conquer’ before the Third Trial begins will lose]
[Time Remaining: 1D:23H:59M]
As if the system was mocking me for ever thinking Luck would do me any good in this world.