One afternoon's sleep was enough.
Mochi yawned, her steps clattering on the night street.
It was best to leave sooner before Haelmira came looking for her after quelling the bandit chaos.
"Hm..."
She stared at the UI.
<
First perk is a literal washboard, huh?
The gamer glanced down at her cleaned thief's robes.
"Never washed clothes in my life... I have my aunt to thank for that."
"I'm not delegating you as my aunt, no worries."
<...>
"Ah... that." Mochi frowned. "I forgot."
Specifically... Mochi recalled when she had first glanced at it.
"Select a permanent buff that's weighted down by an equally severe debuff... sounds just like Fall*** 3 or NV."
The issue? Mochi had no idea which to choose, since imprints couldn't be erased.
But with the bandits' extermination... the answer was now clearer.
"Of course..."
Mochi groaned. "Imprint Selection."
Then, in the dead of night, the air cracked.
From it protruded a purple hand holding a feather pen.
Mochi eyed the ink-colored UI. "Some are locked behind levels, huh?"
And that purple hand... ugh. That woman's shadow always seemed to follow her.
Mochi shook her head before reviewing her options.
The third one was extremely tempting. Mochi gulped.
Currently, all
The second option? A definite trap.
"System. Praying means following a deity, right?"
Impossible. The Church had been purged by the Royal Family, and the Saintess... hadn't fared well.
While the Royals tolerated religion, the Eastern Faction—and a certain witch—hunted followers on sight.
Codialla's wrath... better avoided.
That left the first and third.
"I rely too much on combined and rapid casting..." Mochi cupped her chin. "I need something to offset the mana penalty."
Otherwise, the 15% increase would stack into a problem.
"System. Hook's Valor Ring."
A ring pixelated into her palm, its sigil a sabertooth.
Modified by the System's truly. The original had been <+10% after enemies were alerted>.
"Can't escape my fate, I guess." She slid it onto her middle finger, the Novice Mage Ring beside it.
Mana reduction was optimal—movement skills like
And with Haelmira likely pursuing her... plus that psycho princess incoming...
She needed every advantage.
"System. Is the
<...loading...>
"I'll take that riddle as a yes." She grinned. "Imprint Selection: Painters, We Sorrow."
The pen tapped her right arm.
A scorching, tickling sensation spread under her skin.
"A tattoo..." She gripped her sleeve. "I'll check it later. For now..."
She squinted at the UI's locked options:
"And those achievements are—right. Never mind."
<...>
"Please?"
"..."
The UI vanished as Mochi smiled sweetly.
"Oh, now you're ghosting me?" She clicked her tongue.
"Hm? Hey there, Delivery Girl!"
Ugh. Mochi stiffened before turning. "Miss Rosemary."
"Didn't expect to see you after that... customer complaint." Rosemary giggled.
Mochi's eye twitched.
"No worries. Here." Rosemary held out bottled milk and bread.
"For me?"
"Who else forgets their lunch?"
Mochi hugged the items, eyeing the UI. "Thank you."
"Take care!" Rosemary waved, leaving Mochi alone.
The moonlight hunched over the lone Executioner, her Emerald eyes trembling over the mere sight of food.
"System."
"I forgot to ask the Guildmaster for money or food, didn't I?"
<...>
"Ah..." She bit into the bread. "How clumsy."
It was warm—freshly baked.
Her uncle had been a baker too.
Not that she had ever tried his bread.
The taste was worse than this morning's. Her chest tightened.
————————
Gulp. Gulp. Bread finished. Milk in hand, Mochi reached the town's entrance.
Hans tended to a horse-drawn carriage nearby.
"Little Lady! Finally cleaned up?"
"Very." She pulled up her hood. "You're the rider?"
"Aye. And..." He chuckled. "We've got a guest. You mind?"
"I don't talk."
"Aye, aye." Hans climbed up. "Hop in—"
Swish. Mochi entered before he finished.
Inside, a green-haired girl with blue eyes shrank into her seat.
"...Sheryl Amberstone."
"H-hi..."
Mochi sat as far away as possible.
Argh.
She wanted to kill someone. No reason.
Gulp. Gulp. Empty. Fantastic...
"Um..." Sheryl whispered. "W-want my milk? I-I have extra..."
Mochi raised a brow.
"N-nevermind..." Tears welled in Sheryl's eyes.
Mochi sighed. "I don't have money."
"I-it's free! I just... want friends, now that I'm healthy..."
"Then I'll take it." Like free gacha rolls.
She snatched the milk shamelessly.
...Wait.
She eyed her inventory. Hans's wallet—stolen during the trial.
Best never mention that.
"System. Bring me the Broken Temple Key."
Another modded item—nonexistent in vanilla.
Worse... like the undead, Mochi couldn't recall any temple in the Kingdom's vicinity.
<...loading...>
"Then description?"
<...loading...>
10% is it? Mochi stretched her arm at ease.
...10%...hm.
"That Cinderella Knockoff..." Mochi furrowed. "She will awaken?"
<...>
"Ah..." She waved off the UI. "I know I know. Of course it's another-"
"...ha?"
Mochi stared awely at the System.
This time, it is as if she could hear the resolution behind the texts.