101 - Carrots and Churu

"So? Which one first, the materials warehouse or the admissions office, nyang?"

The cat ears of my long-lost companion perked up eagerly.

"Here, take this."

I pinched the air around my forehead, revealing an invisible laurel crown.

"Whoa... the laurel wreath? You were supposed to hold onto this! I don't even know how to use it!"

Adella caught the tossed item reflexively, then leaped back upon realizing what it was.

"It's more suitable for you than me."

A barrage of warnings and notifications flooded my vision, overwhelming even the settings menu.

It felt like shackles suppressing my power had shattered, only for new restrictions to engrave themselves into my dantian. As expected, neither mana nor aura showed any sign of manifesting.

"Adella, hit me as hard as you can."

"Wha...? Didn't you go nuts after that headshot earlier, nyang?"

Adella recoiled in horror, furrowing her brow, but my head was still firmly attached to my neck.

"Fine, then just slap my cheek. I'm sleepy."

"...You're not joking?"

"Always serious."

"No revenge later? You really want me to hit you, nyang?"

I turned my cheek obligingly to make it easy.

"Scared or something?"

I smirked on purpose, and finally, a worthwhile expression crossed her face. She cracked her knuckles and swung her arm in circles. The excessive wind-up wasn't ideal, but moments later, her palm slammed into my cheek.

Bam!—!

A bomb-like explosion rocked me, my body floating with a buoyant lift.

"NoName! You okay?"

Adella rushed over, pulling my frail body up after it tumbled across the ground and crashed into bushes.

This was a game world, so it didn't hurt much. Just deeply unpleasant. Instead, I gauged the internal damage from the massive HP chunk that vanished.

"I... I hit hard, sure, but... not that hard to send you flying...!"

"Don't worry. Just testing the laurel wreath's effect."

Ever since Repi handed it over, all my accumulated experience-based growth stats had been stored in the Wheel of Reincarnation laurel wreath. Source: TreeWiki, naturally. It stayed invisible for protection, so no big worries usually, but against bosses that might steal items, it was the top priority to guard.

Losing all growth bonuses—HP, attack, defense, mana—left me reliant on raw level and gear alone. Adella, now bearing the wreath's full power, hitting me all-out? This result was inevitable.

But it's not enough.

To face Jin Chronicle, possessed by a demon? Still far short. Even dumping every EXP stack into Adella alone, victory wasn't guaranteed.

"Can't know without trying."

"Huh?"

"Lend me your hand for a sec?"

"We don't have time! Enemies are closing in!"

"Quickly."

"Ugh, fine...!"

Surprisingly rough and callused, blistered from work. Nothing like the jelly-soft paws of that cat furry girl I'd hired as manager before.

"Any foods you like or hate?"

"Likes...? Not really? Hate carrots, though."

"Got it."

Preparations complete.

"Now, let's go face Valrum Venaons."

Adella's stomach churned. Not figuratively—her gut twisted like food poisoning, quivering painfully.

"Did I drink too much... why now of all times...!"

Unable to bail on the mission for such a lame ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reason, Adella stuck with NoName toward the materials warehouse.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah! Totally fine! What do you take this Adella for? Piece of cake—I'll wrap it up quick and head home to rest."

They hugged the shadowy stone walls as they ran. How much time passed? Adella fiddled with the invisible laurel wreath, asking NoName.

"Still feels off. You sure I should use this? No actual plan, nyang?"

"Plan? Since when do you follow plans?"

"Fair, but..."

"Just relax. Do as I say."

"You didn't tell me anything!"

"Then I'll teach you from one."

Before entering the warehouse, NoName faced her.

"The wreath's linked to you now. Close your eyes and focus."

"L-like this? Nothing... see or feel?"

"What if—"

In a flash, NoName swung a fist at Adella's cheek. Split-second timing—no time to even blink or brace—but Adella's body dodged sideways instinctively, barely evading the forest keeper's strike.

"Eek...! D-dangerous! What was that, nyang!"

Adella sprang up from the ground, protesting the unprovoked attack.

"Close... no, what does it taste like?"

"Taste? What're you... ugh? Tuna?"

Adella's eyes bulged. Salty tuna zinged on her tongue. She smacked her lips, lost in waves of pleasure.

"If you'd blocked instead of dodging, it'd taste like carrots."

"What kinda nonsense is that, nyang!"

The laurel wreath's action assist was simple: it offered players options. Attack 1, Attack 2, Attack 3, Defense 1, Defense 2, Dodge. It executed whatever the user chose with flawless form. But perfection didn't guarantee the best choice. Fighting game ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chars move perfectly—some dominate, others just get pummeled. The selection was all on the player.

"Fifth time explaining this, Adella. Last one: don't overthink. Trust your senses."

"Senses..."

Adella swung her dagger at empty air.

Whoosh—

With the wreath's assist, the blade sliced air expertly, swiftly. The perfect arc she'd dreamed of lifelong—if academy examiners saw, it'd cleave them in two.

"This easily..."

What had all that grueling practice been for? She finally got why everyone coveted the wreath.

But doubt crept in toward the unarmed forest keeper. Hitting her body confirmed it.

Insanely weak...

Her observatory fight had been skillful, impossible without the wreath for that build. Yet before meeting the keeper, she'd handed it over without hesitation. With the weird senses, Adella dispatched her effortlessly.

Great item, sure, but wasn't it better for a healer-class forest keeper than magic-illiterate her? Just then, NoName stroked her messy hair.

"You can do it."

Her warm voice pierced her ears, and Adella couldn't shake the stinging in her chest.

Again with this. Lingering buzz? Wreath side effect?

Beating the keeper with it, slapping NoName's cheek—deep emotions surged each time.

Clutching her unsettled heart, she pressed on, soon reaching the warehouse.

"Less guards than expected... but feels like tons inside."

"Yeah. Alarms mean no stealth. Gotta smash straight in."

"But what's the deal with churu and carrot tastes in my mouth, nyang?"

No matter how omnipotent the wreath, without eyes, how could it judge choices perfectly every time?

NoName pulled a bagged stick from her pocket and chomped it. In-game item shop buy—zero impact on gameplay. 0.00003 bitcoin per stick.

"My whim."