Earth

"Hey. That senior of yours, an angel, right? Wouldn't it be faster if I talked to her directly? Call her over."

"Ah! Absolutely not! Anyone else is fine, but I will never let you meet Chanyoung-nim! It'd be a disaster!"

Suddenly, the angel stared at me with extreme wariness in her eyes.

Why the sudden guard? And... if she meets me, it's a big problem?

"What, bad chemistry between me and your senior? Like opposite poles that clash hard the moment we meet?"

"Ugh... it's the opposite... Anyway, no! Absolutely not!"

Well, with her opposing it that strongly, pushing further felt awkward.

"Fine, then. What about the compensation you prepared? You do have something, right?"

Just try saying you don't. I'm fully prepared to throw a fit that'd make heaven itself recoil.

Luckily—or unluckily—my worries turned out unfounded.

"Huff huff... Yes. Compensation. For singing that song like that, here it is!"

Her anger hadn't fully subsided; she spat the words at me with gritted teeth. I held back from pinching her cheek, knowing it'd set her off for sure.

Oh... so she's mad, but business is business? Classic kind-but-useless angel, just like I knew.

"Cool off a bit. It was a desperate move to survive. No malice behind it, right? How about a drink or something?"

"Huff... Yes. Could you give me one? I'm clearly an angel, but why does my stomach burn like this..."

Clunk!

I yanked open the fridge to grab something cold. But it was empty.

"Oh, right—this isn't my place. Sorry. No drinks here. Cold tap water okay?"

"You human—!"

Mistaking it for teasing, she flared up again, and I soothed her once more. Of course, she cooled down fast.

Angels are great like this. Deep down, they're so kind that steady apologies melt their anger quick.

I absolutely don't think of angels as pushovers. Anyway.

The cleaning crew doesn't stock drinks, huh. Fair enough—expecting that much is pushing it. They've already earned their keep with disposables like razors. No clue what their labor costs, though.

"Enough chit-chat. Back to business. What's this compensation you prepared?"

"'Chit-chat,' huh..."

Zing!

"Huff... Anyway. This is what we prepared."

The angel opened a tiny wormhole in the air and rummaged inside. It looked like a miniature version of the wormhole connecting Earth to the Terraforming novel world.

She pulled her hand out holding a small item. A round flask-shaped glass bottle, filled with red liquid.

Anyone with fantasy novel or game experience could guess what it was.

"Potion?"

"Yes. A potion."

She handed me one.

A potion... I knew it was a powerhouse called the "backup life" in any fantasy setting, but...

"Sure, it'll be useful... but not that appealing to me? Can't take it into the novels yet. A single potion with no use on Earth doesn't balance out."

It'd shine in the injury-prone novels. But I hadn't unlocked transferring Earth items there yet. This potion was Earth-bound for now.

Sure, Earth has obvious uses—like selling it for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a fortune to some chaebol heir on death's door. With 7 billion people, someone's gotta fit the bill.

But that's stupid. If I wanted cash, I'd have sold the height-growth potion ages ago.

Money's nice, sure. Who turns down free cash? I love it tons.

But no need to rush now. Even if I cashed in big on potions and height drugs today, in five years, that'd be pocket change to me.

Not arrogance—pure logic. Future money-making options are endless. No need for sketchy fantasy stuff; sell endless white tees for 3 karma each, zero cost means pure profit.

Once item transfer unlocks... just haul gold from novels.

Cash isn't my priority. Soon, karma will eclipse all resources. Money matters, but it's not the goal.

I won't shortsightedly hawk this potion on Earth.

"Hmm... Guess I have no choice but to explain. A little spoiler for you."

"Spoiler?"

She seemed reluctant. What required such buildup?

"Didn't the shop window feel a bit off to you?"

Shop window off? No clue, so I waited silently.

"More precisely... aren't there too few items?"

"Ah!"

I got it. Yeah, it was weird.

I'd expected a system shop full of fantasy goodies—magic tomes, elixirs, monster hides, enchanted swords—not daily Earth junk.

Skill shop had no magic, just physical combat and weapon handling.

I thought it was low karma, but apparently not.

"Like other system features, the shop has locked items. That's why mostly Earth stuff."

"Aha... So unlocking shop needs karma too?"

"No. Shop unlocks differently. Two ways. First: complete a novel."

"Complete a novel?"

"Yes. Novels have worlds—fantasy, martial arts, SF, fusion... Unlocking all items from the start would overbalance. No 'trials' for (former) Park Chanyoung's growth."

"...Fair point."

SF alone: one advanced gadget beats a hundred skills.

"So, finish one novel, unlock its items. Fantasy: dragon hearts. Martial arts: thousands of elixirs."

"Doesn't that take forever? Useless early game..."

"I said two ways, remember?"

The other way... I guessed easily. Clues everywhere.

First: this potion as reward. Too stingy otherwise.

Second: needing explanation for the reward.

Her reluctance was a clue too.

"Items I acquire get unlocked? Like this potion."

"As expected..."

So unlocking this potion is the reward. The sample's a bonus?

Good. Satisfying enough. Low-Grade Potion, apparently. 100 karma—not cheap.

Unknown performance. But affordable for emergencies—high marks there.

"Y-You're so quick on the uptake?! Ahem!"

"Yeah. Thanks."

System explanation saved questions. Very user-friendly.

"It ended up a spoiler... This info unlocks after finishing first novel, Terraforming..."

Meaning: complete novels to buy their items??

"No biggie. Early info changes nothing."

"...It does. You wouldn't get it yet."

"Huh?"

"You're smart, Chanyoung-nim. Once you have clues, you'll figure why it matters..."

Another grand teaser. Exciting in novels/manga, annoying in reality—want answers now.

"Can't just tell me since I'll figure it out?"

"No! Senior strictly forbade me from saying!"

No budging despite persuasion. Senior must've drilled it in.

I gave up prying. Regrettable, but another question arose, so I let it slide. I'd learn eventually.

"By the way, shop had one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fantasy item: 'Height-Growth Potion.' That's real on Earth?"

"No way. We added/removed it from your inventory as service... Ah!"

"Inventory? Like in games?"

"...Another spoiler. Not unlocked yet, so unusable."

Ah, why it's the sole fantasy buyable. Hmm? Wait...

'Added/removed from my inventory'? ...Contradicts what she said before?...

I pondered seriously.

Inventory... ownership... height potion... ownership... system... system?

"Hold up. Last time, you said only read access to the system, no write... Mmph?!"

"!!"

Thud!

Shake shake shake shake shake!!!

Baby Angel clamped both hands over my mouth, face pale as death, shaking her head frantically.

Desperately silencing me.

Couldn't say why, but her eyes screamed: Don't say it. Danger.

Damn... touched something I shouldn't...

My doubt was simple. Heaven kept stressing "no system interference."

But arbitrarily adding/removing inventory items? That's interference.

I was about to ask; she stopped me.

Nod... I nodded slightly: Won't say it.

Shake shake... She shook more, then sloooowly... sloooowly released my mouth. Ready to clamp again at one word.

Strange tension brought cold sweat.

"Pha..."

Glance glance...

She blatantly checked surroundings. For people... or something else.

Just us two, though.

My jab hit heaven's weak spot, beyond her.

But no exploiting it. Not even mentioning.

I value logic over gut, but instinct screamed follow it now.

Someone watching? Her calm suggested no... but if so, this awkward air would tip them off.

To hide the talk, act normal.

I'm decent at acting; faked cheer successfully.

"...Wings or halo count as items?"

Swoosh...

"Pardon? Why... Ah! You were gonna touch! Hehe, no use! Needs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sustained ownership for shop registration?"

-Nyah nyah!

She caught on, playing along normally. Her awkwardness? Our secret. She tried hard.

...Pity. Those wings ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and halo looked special.

Not really joking—feint to grab gain amid chaos. Top players profit in turmoil.

"A-A-Anyway... I-I'll... head out now... See you later! Haha!"

- And I↗ will...

Awkward to the end... Her bad acting looked suspicious.

So I wanted her gone quick. Expected her to suck at acting—she can't hide expressions.

Song played as she faded; I was waving her off when—

- ...always love youuuu...↘↘

Song slowed suddenly. Her doing; face panicked as she relayed shocking news.

"Just got word... They want you in heaven—with me?..."

"What?"