Investment (1)
With the pocket money Kara had given me, I bought some tasty food and ended up chatting with Ellie along the way.
Ellie usually went into the forest every weekend to gather herbs, but now that access was banned, she couldn't get any. That's why she hadn't been able to make potions lately and was bored out of her mind, so she'd come outside. Running into me was pure coincidence.
"Need herbs?"
"I always need herbs. The problem's the money. The ones from Chaos Forest are fine, but for the ones I can't get there, I have to sell herbs to buy them."
"Want money?"
"Ah, no. It's not that bad yet."
When I offered, Ellie firmly refused. She must have felt bad about taking my money outright. I wanted to force it on her, but that would just make her uncomfortable. I'd have to find a good excuse later. Start small, not big sums.
For now, I need to gather herbs from the forest. I'd give them all to Ellie. She couldn't enter Chaos Forest alone anyway. Or I could go in with Lize during training tomorrow. I had work to do in the forest too.
"Thanks. That was delicious. Next time, I'll treat you."
"Got money?"
"······No, but I can buy you candy!"
Ellie was a commoner—and a non-combat class at that—so money was always tight. Luckily, she'd caught a professor's eye and got some support, but non-combat classes were money pits. The returns were great if you invested, but the upfront costs were insane. And it wasn't just Ellie; to plan for the future, I'd need to invest in other characters too.
Kara could be a great patron, but she's too stingy······
Kara was sensitive about money and rarely invested unless it was a sure thing. She'd mentioned it was because she'd been scammed before and lost a ton. That scammer shows up later—bold enough to con a princess, living in some quirky place.
"And Sivar. Kara unnie might've said it too, but don't just hand out money if someone says they're broke. Especially strangers—ignore them completely. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Pinkie promise. You're a good boy, so you'll listen to me, right?"
Ellie stuck out her pinkie. I glanced at it, then hers, and quietly hooked mine with it. She smiled in satisfaction, like the promise put her at ease.
But I might break that promise soon. Real soon.
"Alright, gotta go. Wanted to have dinner too, but stuff to do. Bye!"
"Bye."
After parting with Ellie, I headed straight back to the dorm. Time for dinner and Lize's training. Plenty of pocket money left, but better to save it. I bought just one candy on the way.
By the time I wandered back to the dorm without a care, I witnessed quite the rare sight.
"Up again. One."
Lize, arms crossed leisurely in her muscular Kwonseong mode, and Luna, letting out a bizarre yell with Lize riding on her back.
"Grrraaaah!"
Luna was doing push-ups. Last time, nothing on her back, but today it was Lize. Sweat soaked the floor under her head, her beautiful blonde hair plastered to her face—a sign that a good chunk of time had passed.
"Now the last one. One."
"Hngggggh!"
Luna summoned every ounce of strength, arms shaking like a newborn calf's. Even watching was pitiful; she must've been dying. But she'd get stronger fast this way.
"Good. One-minute rest."
"Haaah!"
As Luna finally extended her arms, Lize called a break. Luna collapsed instantly. I approached her carefully. Looked like training started during the auction. I knelt to check if she was alive, poking her cheek with a finger.
Poke. Poke.
"······ ······"
No response. A corpse, huh. I kept poking until she reacted.
"······Why."
"Not dead?"
"Who'd die."
Face smashed into the floor, I really thought she was gone. Training so brutal even bystanders felt it. Worried her pee might turn cola-colored soon. But she seemed okay for now.
"Really······ wanna go home······ why'd I even come to the academy······"
"······ ······"
Did she have homesickness in the original setting? I tilted my head at her mumbling. In Soul World, the protagonist picked options. No random mutters like this. Made the world feel truly alive. Maybe because a month had passed since the game.
"Perfect timing, Brother Sivar. Please get on top of Student Luna now."
"Okay."
"Hey, wait. How much do you weigh?"
Luna panicked at the thought of me on her back and asked my weight first. I looked not at her, but at Lize—the muscle-packed Kwonseong saint. I was tall and bulky, but not like her. She'd basically gone easy on Luna.
"Up."
"Guhhhk······!"
Luna groaned like she was dying the second I mounted. But she had to endure to grow. Lize's training resumed immediately. But those trembling arms wouldn't last.
I sat on her narrow back a bit, then leaned down carefully and whispered in her ear.
"Blade-tusk sword."
"······!!"
"Do good, maybe give it?"
"Grrraaaah!"
Tempted, she yelled and pushed up. Greedy one, huh. Oh, right.
Drip. Drip.
"Huh? Wha—nose, nosebleed?"
"······ ······"
Too hard, side effect. Heat rushed to her head mid-push-up, causing a nosebleed.
Real protagonist material.
Whatever else, her grit was undeniable.
The very next day after Luna's training ended. Weekends here were two days, like on Earth. Meaning another day off, and I'd decided what to do with it: create my territory in Chaos Forest, as Lord had asked me and Ratatosk.
Crack!
"Guhhh······"
The axe sank perfectly into the burly orc's skull. It died without a proper scream. I roughly recalled Ragnarok and shook off the blood. After hunting so many orcs, it was drenched.
Orcs have a territory here, huh.
I scanned the surroundings. Orcs lay scattered, killed in various gruesome ways: heads split in half was tame; limbs severed, guts spilling from mouths. All my handiwork.
Notably, their skin was red—not the usual green.
Red orcs this deep in. Used internal power?
Every orc I'd wiped out had red skin. Famous for greater strength than normals. Like hobgoblins among goblins, but red orcs formed packs. Smart too; headaches if they settled in.
Good I cleared them before setting up base.
If they'd built a base, it'd mean stable territory—trouble. Easier to smash like this, letting me mark the forest border as Lord wanted.
Wanna skin 'em for hides······
Red orc leather was tough, perfect for armor. But this was a secret op(?), so best avoid. Money pitied, but Usk profits would cover. Build slow.
Hope no scarier monsters complain.
Finished cleanup and territory marking, I turned away. Proper marks meant monsters would steer clear for a while. I allowed intruders who didn't harm humans or attack first. But bears or bear-related? Instant execution. Nothing scarier in the wild.
One paw swipe shredded half my arm.
Lucky my body's tough; earlier, it'd be gone. They sniffed like pros, sneaking to my hideout. Cubs nearby? Extra nasty—attack anything in sight.
Work done. Ice cream time.
Ice cream after hard labor(?)—sweeter, cooler. Weather heating up toward summer, hot and humid. Demand rising.
I passed the forest entrance into the academy. Guards just eyed me coming out bloody—no fuss.
Wonder how Porori's doing.
Poor guy, mate died stupidly after I found her. Probably expanding territory now. Hope he finds a new one over the pain. As a fellow male, tragic.
"Hey, that's him, right?"
"Yeah. What'd he do to get that bloody?"
"Back from the forest?"
Oh. Right. Whispers hit my ears; I checked myself. Covered in blood from cleanup. Intimidating. Just shirt and pants, axe blood-soaked. Rough look.
Grab ice cream quick and go.
Sticky; wanna wash ASAP. But no skipping ice cream. Walking axe-in-hand, the shop appeared right ahead.
"Ex, excuse me!!"
"?"
Loud yet dainty voice behind me. I turned. Blue-haired woman entered view; eyes widened. Didn't expect her this soon.
"I-I'm Jane Brennon! Um, are you Sivar, by chance?"
Sky-blue hair and eyes. Short bob cut, sharp gaze softened by round glasses into an intellectual vibe. Engineering major material—popular type. Beauty hidden under sloppy shirt and specs.
"Yeah. Sivar."
"Th-then······!"
I knew her. Key non-combat figure like Ellie. Famous among players by a nickname.
"W-want to invest?!"
"······ ······"
Money-less Iron Man. Spider-Man had personal skills; Iron Man? Assets and suit.
