Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Start of Gacha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As I stepped into the building, a beautiful waitress greeted me with a warm smile.
"Welcome! Thank you for visiting the Traveler's Rest Inn."
"My Valkyrie and I want to stay here for a night. How much is it?"
"You're entering with a Valkyrie, correct?"
The waitress gave me a strange look after hearing my words.
"Yes, that's right. Can't Valkyries come in?"
"Oh! No, that's not it at all. It's just that each Valkyrie incurs an additional fee of 20,000 gold."
"Pilot, I don't need to come in."
"Huh? What are you talking about? We're partners—we should stay together. Where would you rest otherwise?"
"Pardon? In that case, just unsummon me."
Sua said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Come on, no way. You must be tired too—you need to rest."
Sua gave me an odd look at my response, as if thinking, 'I've never seen a Pilot like this before.'
"So, how many Valkyries will you be bringing in?"
She asked because only one Valkyrie was currently summoned with me.
Her question caught me off guard. Six Valkyries would cost a whopping 120,000 gold just in extra fees—that was a fifth of my gold.
"How much is the room itself?"
"Including you, that's seven people with six Valkyries, so a two-person room won't work. You could take a basic four-person room and pay extra for three Valkyries, or a basic six-person room and pay extra for one."
Now it made sense. It was structured like a pension, with add-on fees.
"Huh? If that's the case, wouldn't we avoid the extra fee by using a two-person room?"
"Ah! It's easy to misunderstand, but our policy requires an additional fee whenever you bring Valkyries, regardless."
In other words, even a two-person room would tack on Valkyrie fees.
"Hmm... Tell me the prices for the four-person and six-person rooms, then."
"The four-person room has a living room, one bedroom, and one bathroom for 200,000 gold. The six-person room has a living room, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms for 300,000 gold. With Valkyrie fees, that's 260,000 for the four-person and 320,000 for the six-person."
A 60,000 gold difference. It wasn't much in absolute terms, but it weighed heavily on my mind.
Considering my 570,000 gold, the four-person room made sense. More rationally, a two-person room at 100,000 would be smarter. Brutally honest? Going solo for 20,000 back at the earlier inn would've been best.
But I was about to become rich. No need to skimp here.
Screw it—go big.
"We'll take the six-person room."
"Understood. Payment upfront, please. Checkout by 11 a.m. tomorrow."
I was planning to summon all six Valkyries anyway, so I paid in advance.
"Any deals for long-term stays?"
"A week gets 10% off, a month 30%, and a year 50%."
Decent discounts, but I couldn't even afford a week upfront.
"Just one night for now."
I held out my Status device.
The waitress processed the payment, then beamed at me.
"Payment complete. You'll be in Room 2 on the second floor."
She handed me two card keys.
Surprisingly modern—not keys, but card keys like back home.
Sua and I opened the door to a spacious, upscale room that was impeccably tidy.
The living room had a massive sofa, and each bedroom featured two large beds.
I flopped onto a bed. Today had felt endlessly long—from the dome in the morning, suddenly whisked to this world, meeting orcs, and not properly resting since.
"Sua, you go wash up first."
"Y-Yes?! I-I'm not ready for th-that yet!"
Sua panicked wildly at the suggestion, her usual quiet demeanor shattered.
I narrowed my eyes and said,
"What are you imagining? You sweated today—just go clean up."
"A-Ah! R-Right... Understood."
"Do you have any comfy clothes?"
"No, nothing like that."
Of course not—she had no luggage at all.
"Tomorrow, we'll make some money and buy clothes."
"O-Okay."
Sua's eyes widened at my words, then she gave a shy smile.
Her reaction made me think her affection had gone up.
While Sua was in the bathroom, I activated my Status. I sat up straight.
Proper pulls demand a clean body and mind.
I planned to use my 300,000 diamonds for pulls.
"Hoo... Here we go!!!"
My Status glowed brightly, white light pouring out.
"Argh!! Damn it!!!"
Two duds in a row? What the hell?!
I cursed without thinking.
I still had 297,000 diamonds—enough for 99 more pulls.
Dud! Dud! Dud! Dud! Dud!!!!!
"You fucking piece of shit!! Argh!! What a crap game!! Fuck this shit!!!!!"
After five straight duds, I nearly hurled the Status across the room.
My outburst startled Sua, who burst out of the shower mid-wash, spear in hand.
"Pilot! What happened?!"
Sua gripped her spear tightly, scanning the room in alarm, her face full of panic.
"H-Huh... Su... Sua... Could you... put on some... clothes...?"
In her rush, she'd come out naked, clutching only her spear.
"Eek... Kyaa!!!"
She yelped, darting back to the bathroom and peeking out with just her head.
"Everything's... okay, right?"
"Y-Yeah... Sure."
The only "incident" was Sua's stunning figure.
Firm muscles, perky breasts, and those cute nipples—I'd gotten a full view.
"Ahem... 18,000 diamonds for a nude Sua? Total steal."
It almost made me forget the six duds.
"Heh heh heh..."
"Pervert..."
Was I grinning weirdly again? Sua muttered that and retreated.
I could practically hear her affection dropping.
"Come to think of it, what's Sua's affection level? I haven't checked her status window yet. Is it exactly like the game?"
I opened my Status to view Sua's info.
Sua was listed as Spear Knight, just like in the game. Her affection toward me was already pretty high.
In the game, affection 40 unlocked events, 60 the first illustration, 80 the second, and 100 the spicy mode.
For now, I headed to the bathroom. I'd forgotten my "clean body and mind" rule and pulled without washing—probably why.
The six-person room had two bathrooms, so I could wash too.
It featured a modern toilet, shower, shampoo, and body wash.
"Is this reality...?"
Way better than some filthy medieval dump.
After scrubbing thoroughly, I emerged to find Sua armored up and sitting on the sofa.
She gave a slight head shake at the sight of me, still miffed from earlier.
"Sua, you mad?"
"I'm not Sua..."
"I was pulling and got all duds—that's why. Sorry."
"You did another pull...?"
Sua looked shocked when I mentioned it.
"Yeah, six times, and all white lights."
"S-Six... times?? Do you have that many diamonds?"
"Yep. 282,000 left now."
"Gasp... Where did you get so many?!"
"Heh heh heh... Doesn't matter. Just know I've got infinite diamonds."
"I... see..."
Sua deflated instantly upon hearing about my diamonds.
"What's with the gloom?"
"It's nothing."
Sua wouldn't answer my question.
"Come on, tell me if something's bothering you. I'm your Pilot—I need to know. We're partners."
"W-Well... I was thinking... if you pull a better Valkyrie, you might not need me anymore..."
Sua seemed aware of her position. No one mained a D-rank Valkyrie.
D-ranks were only good for EXP potions and such. You needed B-rank for named Valkyries.
Even mines didn't bother with C or D for efficiency.
I understood her feelings. Sitting beside her, I gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I have no plans to ditch you. You'll always be my main."
"Huh?? Really? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
Her blank expression cracked as her eyes widened.
"Of course. Proof? Let's awaken you first."
"Me?! Awaken me???"
Sua was utterly stunned.
In seven pulls including the initial one, Sua fragments numbered 32—plenty for strengthening.
Just 10 got you started.