บท 42: System's Greed [Bonus]
Half an hour later:
In the shadowed stairwell, two girls ascended in silence. The old steps groaned beneath them, with Tia cautiously trailing the young blonde leading the way.
'I wonder, if she truly has a talent for magic... at worst she will end up mediocre.'
Reaching the second-floor hallway with multiple doors, the dilapidated state of the place became evident to Tia; the ceiling bore signs of leaks, and the walls were marred by age and neglect.
"Here, this is the vacant room." Angela, the blonde, paused and indicated toward an aged door. Even its handle bore visible signs of rust.
"Good, as I said. I will stay inside. I don't know how long—maybe days, maybe weeks, or maybe even months."
"Should I bring you water and meals once in a while?"
"No, I will be meditating. There is no need to consume anything." She has already gained a gist of basic information on how her skill works from the connection with the system.
'Apparently, my body will just remain here. Unoccupied and uncontrolled in deep hibernation—suspended in stasis and not requiring any nourishment.'
"I've left a basic magic theory book for you. Start with that if you want to be prepared."
In a musing tone, Angela remarked, "You act a bit more normal for someone who escaped from an asylum."
Tia's eyes widened, checking her attire to ensure she wasn't clad in hospital garb. 'Did I give something away? Am I acting crazy?'
Even though she hated to admit that, the more time she spent out of the hospital and off of her medication, the more she suspected that it wasn't just her aunt's conspiracy but that there was likely a legitimate reason for her long stay.
'Am I really insane? Should I be taking some medication? What if my past life isn't even real? What if it is just my delusion? What about my two systems? Are they real or just products of my insanity and powers?'
Angela's voice interrupted her spiraling thoughts, "I was only teasing. Sorry."
Before Tia could reply, Angela pulled her into a comforting embrace. "It doesn't matter where you're from. You have helped me before and even offered me the chance to learn magic. I can only pay you back..."
The unforeseen intimacy sent a surge of fury through her, like molten lava coursing down a mountainside. She quivered, repressing the impulse to incinerate the audacious girl.
'What is she thinking? How is she getting so courageous so suddenly? Why?! She calls me crazy and even dares to hug me without any warning.' She couldn't even begin to comprehend what was going on inside the blonde's head—her plan to train her into an obedient agent in this world quickly derailed.
Without a word, she extricated herself from the hug, quickly opened the door, and moved inside as if in a trance, leaving the bewildered shop owner behind her. She dropped onto the dusty bed, not even pausing to survey the room.
'System, my quest is finished, so bring me back.'
Her vision blurred into obscurity, and as though yanked by an unseen hand, her consciousness soared into an infinite abyss of darkness.
Then, a piercing light infiltrated her sight, gradually settling into the pristine white ceiling of her new apartment. Exhaustion weighed her down, a consequence of over a day without sleep. She shut her eyes once more, her heart throbbing forcefully, a tumult of emotions surging within.
Later the same day:
The young girl lying on the couch stirred and opened her eyes, blinking a few times. All the mental tiredness was gone, and even her mind had finally calmed down.
All negative emotions vanished as she glanced at the ring gleaming on her finger, 'It was a worthwhile journey. With all this, I should have enough supplies to brew healing and mana potions and more.' She had books and tools to finally increase her power through magic.
'In the end, both of my powers are a surprisingly good fit.'
There was only one problem. Despite her best efforts to recall the potion recipes from her previous life, her memories were but a vague haze, insufficient to concoct anything of value.
With reluctance, she was forced to spend her hard-earned points.
'Well, this might save my life. It is a worthwhile investment.'
Ding!
//
You have spent 1 WP to obtain the potion recipe: Subpar Potion of Mana
You have spent 1 WP to improve the potion recipe: Subpar Potion of Mana -> Inferior Potion of Mana
Description: A simple potion that can restore a small amount of mana—the restorative effects are not instantaneous but gradual. Its effects persist for around five minutes.
Needed elemental ingredients:
3 x Water Element
1 x Fire Element
1 x Electricity Element
Needed Physical Ingredients:
1 X Minor Mana Stone of any element
//
'You greedy thing, forcing me to pay for something I have already bought before.' She felt like cursing at the greedy system that refused to show even a bit of solidarity with her situation.
Ding!
//
Inferior Healing Potion
Description: A potion that can slowly mend muscle injuries and even small cracks in the bones over time. It can stop both internal and external bleeding immediately after application. Its effects persist for around five minutes.
Needed elemental ingredients:
3 x Water Element
1 x Blood Element
1 x Bone Element
1 x Plant Element
Needed Physical Ingredients:
A small amount of leaves from medicinal herbs (Note: The used herb and the amount might slightly alter the potion effects or add an additional one.)
//
Seeing the list of ingredients, she nodded with a wide smile, already knowing how game-changing those potions were: 'The strain on my bones and muscles stacks over longer fights. However, with those two potions, I should be able to eliminate this problem.'
Even if they weren't strong enough to heal fatal injuries, mend broken bones, or restore missing limbs, they were still enough to prolong her life and allow her to keep fighting for longer.
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