The next day, Alex, Alicia, and Firia were 'enjoying' themselves in the city.
Alex who was always training ultimately chose to enjoy his holiday after the grade ranking competition.
Alex recalled that he made a bet with Alicia and Firia, even when his points in the Night Forest were far higher than them, he made up an excuse. There was also the 'kiss' incident from Alicia and the 'event' with Firia, so he felt a bit guilty about both of them. That was why he decided to relax for a while with them. Hoping it'll make the awkward situation become normal again.
***
"Alicia, Firia."
Alicia and Firia were dumbfounded because 'Alex' who never took a rest from his training, visited them in his training time.'
Looking at both of the girls' reactions, he made a weird expression, "What's wrong with you two?"
Alicia and Firia backed to their senses and stood up, then went to him. Alicia looked at him from top to bottom in his front, while Firia looked at him at his back.
"You two? What are you doing?"
"Nothing. We just want to check if it is really 'you'," Firia said nonchalantly.
Alex's expression darkened and said, "What's with that!"
"The 'Alex' I know won't leave his practice and meet us at his practice time. That's why we need to make sure if you are okay or if something happens? We don't know whether you are the real Alex or not."
Alex snapped, "What is it with you two, girls? Well, fine then. I will go back to practicing. I thought of inviting you two to walk around the city. Hmph, since it seems like I am not real enough for you two, I will 'practice' again, then," he said and turned back.
Alicia and Firia grabbed Alex's arms hurriedly. Alicia anxiously apologized, "Wait, Alex, we are wrong. I'm sorry."
"We have all the time you want," Firia desperately said.
Alex halted his step and sighed. After all, this was his plan all along for the day. Enjoying their time together.
They visited many places, from shops to restaurants to shops again. At first, they followed Alex wherever he went, but after some time, they were the ones who dragged him to stop by various shops throughout the trip. The restaurant became his helping hand to rest for a while.
In the restaurant, after they were done eating, Alicia and Firia finally asked him,
"Alex, why do you suddenly invite us to walk around the city? It is unusual for you," Alicia asked.
"Yes, especially when there is no special occasion. I don't remember if we are celebrating something," Firia added.
Alex's expression darkened.
"It is fine if you don't want to answer it though."
"Yes, it is fine." Alicia added.
Alex looked at them and sighed, "Sigh... there is one special occasion."
"Occasion?" Both of them were surprised. They didn't remember any special occasion that happened that day.
"Remember about our bet for grade ranking competition?"
Both of them nodded, "Yes, we are betting who will get the higher points"
"Yes, but our points were far lower than you."
"Remember the first time the teacher announced my score. How much was my score?"
"Well, yeah but he was only joking," Alicia said.
"Yes, he was just joking," Firia said in agreement. However, her eyes suddenly brightened as if she remembered something, "Are you saying that…"
Alicia was confused with Firia's expression. There seemed to be another meaning in Alex's words. She thought about it for a bit, then her eyes widened, "Alex, you..."
"Yes. Although the teacher said it was a joke, I still lost to you guys. I won later on, but still, I was lost when the teacher first announced my score was zero. So I was thinking if I should stop training for a while and enjoy my time a bit with you two, at least for today," Alex said embarrassedly.
"Hehe, I never thought you have this kind of cute side," Alicia giggled.
"Yes, yes! Maybe we should make another bet again, Alicia. That way, we can have a day like this again or even more!" Firia giggled.
"Yes, you are right, Firia."
"But first, we need to make sure we enjoy this hard-to-come-by day to the fullest!" Firia said excitedly with an evil smile while looking at Alex.
"Of course, I'm planning to do that all along," Alicia, of course, said the same.
Alex started regretting what he had said to them.
***
Alicia, Firia, and Alex finally came back to the academy.
In the room, Alicia lay down tiredly on the bed, she was satisfied with all the things that happened today. Firia surely enjoyed all of that too.
Contrary to them, that day was very mentally exhausting for Alex. He sat on his beloved sofa. For what kind of experience he got today... he didn't want to recall that.
"I haven't checked the gacha tickets I got from the Night Forest. Let me see," he opened the system panel and he saw new notifications.
[Gacha Ticket 241x
Premium Ticket 0x]
"System, why do I feel the normal tickets are so useless compared to the Premium tickets?"
[One is normal, the other is Premium. Host, you ask a stupid question]
Alex was speechless, his expression darkened.
"Then, as I get stronger, the normal tickets will be more useless than right now, aren't they?"
[Don't worry, Host. When Host becomes stronger later, there might be an update for the normal gacha. The item level will be much higher than the current item level]
"Seriously?"
[Yes, Host]
"Hoho... I'm looking forward to it."
[And there is another news for you, Host]
Alex frowned, "News? System, all of the news from you have been traps for me. I don't want to hear it."
[Are you sure, Host?]
"Yes, I'm very sure," Alex crossed his arms and nodded firmly.
[Even if the news is about the exchange of Normal Gacha Ticket to Premium Gacha Ticket?]
"Let me hear it, please."
Alex's attitude changed 180 degrees.
[...]
[Host, you are shameless]
"The shameless one wins everything," he smugly said.
[I have learned, Host]
"Hmm hmm, you are very good, System," Alex nodded repeatedly.
[I should also be a Shameless System]
"Shameless System?" Alex felt something bad, he gulped hard.
[I can alter the gacha system and give Host common items every time Host use Gacha]
"System, I was just joking," Alex felt like he wanted to kneel immediately to the system but there was Alicia in the room, so he refrained from doing that.
[I was joking too, Host]
"It was a joke?" Alex's eyes widened. He was already sweatdropped when the system said that. All the tone he heard from the system wasn't a joke, at least that was what he thought. He gulped hard.
[Of course, I can't alter the gacha from the Syste- I mean, I am the System itself. How can I alter myself? For an easier example, how can a human alter his organ by operating his body by himself? Of course, he can't]
"What! Y-you, **** you," all the previous worry he had before suddenly vanished into thin air.
[Eh, but I don't have a physical body for now. How can you **** me] The system casually said.
Alex was speechless, he snapped, "I was cursing at you!"
[Of course, I know that, Host. As I said before, I have learned, am I? (The Shameless Way) that is]
"*&%$*%^" Alex cursed again.
[Love you too, Host <3]
Oh wow, there was a symbol there. The system was upgrading its content.
Alex took a long while before calming himself down. Fortunately, Alicia seemed like she didn't notice him fuming this whole time.
"Sigh, back to the topic. What is the news?"
[The first one, in the next update. There will be one or two more types of Premium Gacha]
"Hoh... what are those types?"
[The First one is you need to find it yourself later. The second one, you don't need to know it for now. The second one is still a probability and might be canceled later]
"What the heck! You even know that it might get canceled later. Where is the one who updates you? I will demand the second one from himself/herself."
[You can't meet her, Host. Just know, she does it for you]
"Ugh... who is she?"
[Host, remember when the System talked about my physical body?]
"Yes."
[Actually, the System doesn't have a physical body. But the one who controls the system has]
"Who is she? Why does she do all of these things? Why me?"
When Alex asked why it should be 'him', the question felt so heavy.
[I don't know, Host. There is only one way for you to know all of those answers. That is to get stronger and stronger and stronger. At that time, you might know the answer]
"Sigh..." Alex took a while to calm down from all of that information, "Is that all for the next update?
[In the next update there are also two new things. First, the item from normal gacha will level up. As for how high the level up, Host needs to find it later when the System finishes its upgrade. This level-up also applies to the Premium Gacha. And the second, Host can exchange the normal ticket for the premium ones. The exchange rate is 200 to 1]
"I see. The current normal gacha drops aren't that great. But if there will be a level up later, then it will be very nice."
[Oh, and one other thing. Because of the level up, the maximum rank for normal gacha drops to Rare (R)]
"Here it comes. I know you won't give me good news without the bad news. You're a 'Useless' System."
[Host, My name is Good Luck Gacha System. If I give you an omnipotent skill or reward, I can not say 'Good Luck' to you]
The system seemed to be pouting. Alex was speechless with this reasoning. This system was very...
"Then why don't you change your name to 'Bad Luck'?"
[System drops will be very bad and System will say 'Serves you right']
"Forget my last question!"