"The items from this shop don't have a fixed restocking schedule. If you want to purchase something, you can send the shopkeeper a private message, but don't expect a prompt reply," he was informed.
Yannis was somewhat skeptical about this explanation. Running a business, it seemed unlikely that the shop owner wouldn't keep a constant eye on their shop. They usually linked their communication devices to receive notifications. However, to his surprise, it had been an hour with no response.
Yannis frowned and, displeased, closed the Red Espiritual Net.
...
Amalia logged into the Red Espiritual Net, but before she could check her messages, she received a message from Carlos. They had also exchanged real-world contact numbers.
Carlos sent a series of crying emojis in a single message.
"What's wrong?" Amalia inquired.
"Big Sister, my... my Artifact is broken again," Carlos replied from the other end of the communication device, near tears.
He had spent 1.5 million on that Artifact, and it had barely lasted half a month. He hadn't even paid off the debts he had accrued.
"How could your Artifact break? Did you get into a fight?" Amalia knew how robust her own Artifact was; it was impervious to most physical attacks.
Carlos hesitated as he explained what had happened.
Carlos had borrowed one million from his parents to buy this Artifact, and it had barely been in his possession for a few days before his cousin took an interest in it.
He wanted to trade his own Artifact for Carlos's, but he naturally refused.
After being rejected, his cousin, out of jealousy, started scheming against him in secret, aiming to destroy Carlos's Artifact.
Carlos, in a moment of carelessness, noticed a crack on the surface of his Artifact, severely reducing its power.
His cousin, having achieved his goal, immediately taunted Carlos, even saying that things he couldn't obtain, no one else should hope to get it either.
Carlos complained to the elder at home, but not only did his uncle and aunt not reprimand his cousin, they also sided with him, criticizing Carlos for not understanding how to care for and accommodate his younger sibling.
Carlos was filled with anger but realized his parents couldn't help him either. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, leading to the scene where he sought Amalia's help.
"You can send me the Artifact, and I'll see if I can repair it," Amalia said after a moment of contemplation.
Carlos's eyes lit up. "Big Sister, you can repair Artifacts?"
"Yeah, I've helped other people with repairs before," Amalia said, referring to her previous life's experiences.
Carlos was eager to send his Artifact to Amalia.