The Butterfly Effect and Earth's Fiery Spice (1)
Well, it finally came. The day the Academy opened for the new term.
The three months since I possessed this body had flown by, putting me right at the starting line of the original story.
"Man, it felt like forever. If this were a novel, we'd probably be around chapter 20 by now."
I hadn't really used much of the original story's knowledge up to now, but things were different. I'd become an upgraded Grid, complete with buffs.
And today was also the day Silbi enrolled at the Academy.
Suddenly, my mind filled with memories that didn't exist—false ones, but vivid.
"It feels like just yesterday she was toddling after me calling 'Oppa, Oppa,' and now she's old enough for school..."
"Nonsense."
Silbi, standing beside me, shot me a look like I was an idiot.
What? What'd I say?
"You don't have to come on weekends if you don't want. Just let me know when you do."
"Yeah."
"Tell me right away if you need anything."
"Yeah."
"If any seniors or classmates bully you, say the word."
"Yeah."
"Alright, take care. See you later."
Silbi dragged her single suitcase and headed off to the Academy just like that.
I'd offered to walk her to the front gates since I wouldn't see her for a while, but she flat-out refused.
Couldn't be helped. I hadn't expected three weeks to forge some deep family bond.
We had three years left. Plenty of time to get closer.
-Creak.
Damn, only three weeks and the hinges already needed oiling?
I opened the shop for the first time in ages, all to welcome my one expected customer.
"Classes won't be over till later, so I've got the afternoon free."
About a week ago, the day I was reborn as Grid Mk. II.
I'd sworn to myself, 'Just help the main and side characters of the original story as much as needed for three years, then retire.'
Why? Grabbing all the easy wins is the most efficient, right?
Plus, this romance fantasy had no world-ending crises or anything.
Logically, it all checked out. But...
"It lacks romance."
I'd followed this world to the end, leaving comments every chapter because I loved it so much.
I'd met characters I'd only watched from afar before. How could I just cut them all out to live cushy on my own?
"So yeah, it's inefficient and stubborn, but I'll aim for as many happy endings as possible."
I sorted through my half-baked resolve, grabbed a duster, and got to work.
First customer coming—gotta polish up.
***
At the same time, a girl who'd skipped class on her very first day was wandering the shopping district for the umpteenth time.
"They say the Academy shopping district has everything!"
She'd checked every open shop, even the back alleys, but came up empty-handed.
"Even if it's not forever, 30 years is way too long!"
Her friend had said it was fine—she just had to wait 30 years to meet again.
That her naps before they met had lasted even longer.
But the girl couldn't relate.
She hated not being able to do anything together for 30 years.
She hated her friend waking up to see her all grown old and alone.
But did a desperate heart really move the heavens?
The girl's resolve began to waver toward giving up.
"Sigh. Guess it's hopeless. Huh?"
As she turned to head back to the Academy, her eyes caught a shop door slightly ajar—a place she'd passed over before because it had no sign.
As if drawn by magic, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Your! Head! Is! Takoyaki! Takoyaki! Takoyaki!"
"......"
"Wear it to work! Katsuobushi!"
Among the furniture arranged like a general store, a black-haired young man in his twenties—looking like the owner—was singing some song she'd never heard while cleaning.
What do I do? Feels like I walked into the wrong place. Gotta get out!
-Creak.
"Bushi! Bushi! Katsuobu... Hm?"
The un-oiled hinge squeaked.
The shop owner stopped singing and turned toward her.
"......"
"......"
"I think I came to the wrong shop! I-I'm just gonna go..."
"You can come in however you like, but leaving? Not so fast."
"Pardon!?"
*
Why? Why of all times did she show up now?
I'd blurted out an original-story line on reflex, but seriously, no idea.
Classes were still going at the Academy, weren't they?
The girl stood frozen in panic, brown bob haircut, oversized round glasses covering half her face, dragging a baggy robe.
That was the original protagonist. Amelie Sprite.
The last witch of the Sprite Viscount family.
The world didn't persecute witches per se, but since it overlapped a lot with alchemy, it was an ultra-rare class.
Yep, same robe design as in the story.
Time to put those lines I'd practiced in my inn room to use, along with some Grid-appropriate speech.
"Welcome to the Eastern Emporium, esteemed customer. We're not officially open yet, but sending away a guest who's already entered would be poor merchant etiquette."
"Eastern?"
"It's what we call the continent beyond this one. I deal in goods from there."
"Th-then, do you have anything super stimulating? Something that packs a huge punch but doesn't harm the body!"
Amelie fired off her request like a rapid-fire rapper the moment she heard about the East.
"There's someone I need to wake up, but nothing works no matter what I try! She's naturally a heavy sleeper and never forgets anything she's experienced, so she's basically immune to stuff she's felt before... No poison, obviously, and no side effects! I don't have a ton of money, but I'm an Academy student, so my identity's guaranteed! If it's too pricey, I can pay in installments using my family name! So please, just check if you have what I'm looking for!"
Whoa, not even breathing. Brick of text if this were a novel.
The requirements were picky as hell, but that wasn't the issue.
The reason Amelie came to me had already changed.
Why was it twisted like this when they hadn't even met yet? Why wasn't this already resolved?
The one Amelie wanted to wake wasn't human. It was Orellia, the dragon I'd bumped into in the forest two weeks ago.
An ancient dragon bordering on Dragon Lord status, mentioned in the protagonist's inner monologues since the story started at Academy enrollment.
A side character who hid near the Academy and occasionally appeared in human form when help was needed.
In the story, Amelie should've woken her today with witch potion and come here for other business.
Maybe gather more info.
"If your friend sleeps that deeply, maybe it's a sleep disorder or illness. Don't you need special medicine or a doctor?"
"Exactly! Special medicine! I'm a witch, so I tried making some, but the merchant who handles the ingredients prioritized other orders and wouldn't take my request!"
I had no clue about that. I'd memorized the novel, but couldn't know off-screen stuff.
"The bulgogi or whatever at Owl's Nest Inn! She won't leave her spot to get it!"
Ah, now I get it.
The butterfly effect—even touching unmentioned details can cause ripples.
Sorry. Blame K-food for being too damn good.
First trial for New Grid Version 2.
Orellia was an irreplaceable friend to Amelie. Had to help wake her somehow.
"If I can't wake her today, she'll fall even deeper! Please, give me something with fresh stimulation!"
"Even 'fresh stimulation'—I don't know what your friend has experienced."
You were supposed to wake her with your own brew.
"So you'll have to help narrow it down. You mentioned making medicine to wake her. What kind?"
"S-something that stimulates the tongue! Our family secret book mentioned a taste like your tongue's on fire and your body writhing!"
Okay, getting the idea. Tongue stimulation—taste or pain.
"What about the ingredients?"
"Can't tell an outsider everything, but it has pepper and devil's horn. Couldn't get the devil's horn..."
Devil's horn? Chili peppers. They debuted in the Academy Year 2 arc, but she'd already used them.
Hold up. So the 'witch potion' was just insanely spicy stuff?
Cracked my image of witches from the story a bit.
I kept my disappointment hidden behind a perfect merchant smile.
"I have just the thing. One moment, please."
Into the storage room, opened the skill menu.
"Should've held onto that money pouch from that sly fox Hercules."
I'd squeezed 250 gold out of him, but 100 more from my pocket? Tears welling up.
Why were peppers so damn expensive?
Cheongyang, Carolina Reaper, Bhut Jolokia, Pepper X—all same price. Picked the spiciest.
2.48 million Scoville. Second hottest after capsaicin extract (300 gold).
Went for second 'cause the name hooked me.
A mouse-shit-sized pepper dropped into plastic wrap from subspace.
Should've asked for a wooden box packaging.
Pulled it out, examined it.
True to form, bright red, wrinkled, bumpy.
"If I weren't a spice wimp, might've tasted it."
As I went to box it...
"Huh?"
I'd been careful, grabbing only the stem. But flesh grazed my fingertip.
"Gahhhhhh!"
My hand! It hurts so much! Burning! On fire!
"Gahhhhhh!"
Water! Need water! Before my right hand melts!
"What happened? That scream... Kyaaaaah!"
"Kiyaaaaah!"
I burst through the door like a madman, straight to the sink.
-Splashhhh!
"Hah... hah... hah... Saved..."
Cold water on, hand submerged—the hellish pain eased a tad.
Still burned like crazy, but pain threshold up, so bearable-ish.
"A-are you okay?"
Amelie peeked from the door, half-hidden, terrified.
"Y-yes, all good now. No one's come looking in ages... Sniff. Handled Dragon's Breath too carelessly. Sniff."
Tears and snot nonstop.
"Sorry for the unsightly show. Sniff. I'll package it safely—wait just a sec."
Summoned every ounce of strength for poker face, back to storage. Iced my right hand, gloved up, packaged Dragon's Breath.
"That's 1 gold. Handle with care, and I hope your friend wakes up."
"Thank you so much! H-here! I'll come back after handling this urgent matter!"
"The Eastern Emporium always awaits its customers."
-Thud.
And off Amelie went to torture her friend.
"Agh, ice water! Ice water!"
Grabbed a bucket, soaked right hand in ice water. Knew about capsaicin burns, but not this bad.
"Still, all good. Handled first customer smooth—no issues. Good job, Grid."
I passed time with ice compress.
Thirty minutes later, outside got noisy.
"What? No other events today."
Pain subsided. Opened the door to check...
"Kyaaaaah!"
"Run! Get away!"
"Knight! Mage! Someone take it down! Don't wanna die yet!"
Outside was chaos. People fleeing desperately from something.
Asked a panting guy nearby.
"What's going on out there?"
"What're you asking? Just look behind you!"
"Pardon?"
He bolted for the city outskirts.
Couldn't hold back curiosity—looked opposite the fleeing crowd.
"Oh my god."
Sapphire-encrusted scales. Massive wings.
One of the world's strongest—a blue dragon rolling eyes back, blasting breath into the sky.
"Orellia..."
The dragon closest to Dragon Lord. Protagonist's gentle friend. She'd lost it because of me.