...a few minutes passed before my mom left to go to work early in the morning. She tells me it's to make up for her leaving work early yesterday because of that 'Shun's involvement'.
I reminisce about the farewell I gave to her earlier...and finally, log in to the game.
...I expected my arrival at the game to be met with the same scenery as it did every other day, but today was different. Today, some fireworks sparked in the sky, always launching up into the air every few seconds.
It stumped me for a while when I saw it.
It seemed like an interesting mechanic. It's always done constantly and didn't even seem to end when I thought it would...but I did feel like that something was off.
Like obviously...why were you using fireworks in the morning?! That's inhumane! How would you appreciate their beauty if-
You know what, I'm not going to yap anymore.
Let me just get straight to business.
I take out the spectral cloak in my bag and touch it. I've never really noticed the quality of the fabric that this cloak has because I was disoriented when I picked this up...but wow, it was silky smooth. It felt great to touch and didn't seem awkward in the slightest.
But I don't think I'd use it.
I'm already wearing the merchant-type clothes that my wife made for me in mere seconds, so what use would a cloak like this be to me? Perhaps for times when I need to stay lowkey...but this was already flashy, to begin with. It's not a good choice for me.
"Inspect," I speak out, and immediately...I can see a hologram coming out of the cloak. Woah...what a rare in-game element that this game really lacks.
~~~
Name: Wraith's Concealment
Type & Rarity: Equipment, Rare
Durability: Weak (Needs Repairs!)
Description: A simple cloak used by a child whose only wish was to hide-- to be hidden from the dangers of the world. It serves not solely as a veil to conceal one's presence...but also as a blanket to keep one's sanity.
Effect 1: Automatically applies attribute conceal to the wearer when staying put in one place. This effect is negated when the wearer moves, or when disrupted by higher-tier skills.
Effect 2: Always thermoregulates the wearer, ensuring that the wearer never feels too hot or too cold. This effect is never negated.
~~~
What the heck?! Damn! It's a rare type of equipment! That's a lucky drop, considering that this was from some mid-ranked dungeon! Not to mention that the effects that this cloak has are high-tier.
It's a great item for people who play as an assassin...
It looks like I'll be selling this equipment for much more than I expected...maybe ten thousand dollars? It's a huge dream alright, but I'm sure that it's possible. People are always willing to overpay when they're desperate for equipment that matches their playstyle.
So then, after drooling about the money I could get from this equipment...I decide to use the ruby tablet to teleport to Rosalina's pagoda. I'm going to get Druvis first, and then sell the equipment.
As soon as I went inside the pagoda, I rushed to the courtyard to be greeted by Druvis who was jumping at me. I then greet her back and pet her as she comes into my arms.
"She was waiting for you," Rosalina remarks, staring at the both of us as Druvis latches onto my shoulder. I cheekily smile at Rosalina and nod. "I hope she wasn't a bother,"
Rosalina shakes her head and only smiles stiffly. "Not in the slightest," She answers, before passing by me and stopping when she's a foot away from me. "I shall tend to my duties. You may leave Druvithea with any of my subordinates if I am absent,"
I nod and walk beside her, causing her brows to crease.
I try to remedy the situation and explain. "I'm planning to walk down the mountain too...I have some business in the market,"
She then clicks her tongue in amusement and stops in her tracks. "I see...you are taking the path of a merchant."
"Not quite," I answer back, and she only tilts her head. "I'm trying to sell an item so that I can earn money...but I wouldn't quit fighting," I answer with a cheeky look on my face.
Druvis jumps on my shoulder in a giggling type of manner...which somewhat makes me feel even more embarrassed.
As for Rosalina's reaction? She only smirks, letting her hand out and inviting me to come close to her. "You have made up your mind," She says softly, a light twinkle in her eyes that I couldn't quite understand. "Let's walk down the mountain together...after all, we share a path that coincides together,"
My eyes widen in surprise, not expecting this sort of response...but when Druvis makes an action that tells me that she wants me to join her mother in walking down...
Then why not?
"Wait, let me gather some flowers that I can sell first..." I say, as they both sigh simultaneously.
...and so, in the end, I walk down the mountain path with Rosalina and Druvis...enjoying the chirping sounds of the birds descending the mountain with grace. All three of us were walking side by side. Rosalina, beside me...and Druvis and I, beside her.
It was a serene moment that involved little to no sounds.
No conversations, or talks.
Just the peaceful ambiance of the short yet insightful walk...
Until finally, we reach the surface.
"I bid you a bountiful harvest, husband," She comments, as she looks at me...then to the direction where I'm not going. "Thank you for the positive wishes," I answer, bowing slightly, forcing Druvis to also bend her back to match my movement.
This action was only met with two things:
Druvis complaining with gibberish sounds, and Rosalina chuckling softly.
It seemed like a perfect moment. Exactly akin to the ones I've had in the past with my father and mother. I didn't want to let this nostalgic moment go...I didn't want to do anything except wish for time to stop and encapsulate this moment for eternity.
But life didn't work out that way.
We soon bid our farewells and went in opposite directions.
And now...I'm in Cateline's Market. It seems like a coincidental name when compared to the dungeon 'Cateline's Trial', but no one knows the correlation.
Nonetheless, I went to the market and then ask approach one of the NPCs who were managing the stalls. She looked at me nonchalantly and smiled. "What can I do for you, sir?" She asks with a gleeful tone.
Uh oh...I have a bad feeling about this.
"I want to rent one of the stalls...as well as put one of my items for the 24-hour auction," I say confidently, imitating a business-like charm. She curtly nods and brings out a box to put coins in.
"Sure! That will be 50 copper coins!" She says with a cheerful expression.
...I knew it! It's always these types of cheery tones that contribute to you being broke! They let your guard down with a happy tone so that they can milk a lot of money out of you!
But it's not like it's a scam...this place is a legitimate place to sell stuff in. The beginner guides in the forums tell so.
I then take out the 50 copper coins from my pockets...leaving only 30 in my pockets. I definitely feel the sting.
After I gave out my money, the woman guided me to the stall where I would be situated...we traversed through the busy crowd in the pathways and finally get to my stall.
I must say, it's not a bad area.
It was spacious enough for me to place all my merchandise.
"Thank you for the stall," I smile and bow softly...which to my surprise, is also done by Druvis! It didn't even look like Druvis was complaining about me bowing! Maybe she learned it from earlier?
Well, I'm not complaining! I'm definitely proud of her for doing that!
I then pet Druvis and then returned my attention to the woman.
The woman looked shocked, definitely not expecting this type of treatment...but she easily switched her expression back into a formal one. "Always a pleasure sir!" She answers, before proceeding with business.
"Which merchandise would you have auctioned, sir?" She asks.
I take out the 'Wraith's Concealment' from my bag and offer it to her. Now, I'll just wait for her to scan the item so that it will be displayed on the board where all the other auction items will be placed.
...just so that I can advertise the item, not only on the board but also in my stall.
After a few seconds, she was done scanning the item and informed me that the registration was complete. She also told me about the guidelines...which I already knew because of the forums, but oh well, this was a custom procedure when setting up items for auctions.
She then leaves the stall, and I'm left with only Druvis and me.
...I then place Druvis on the counter near the stall and grab the flowers and the cloak that I'm going to sell. I arranged them in such a way that separates both of them from each other.
So now? All I have to do is wait and advertise.
Finally! I'm definitely going to have that merchant experience in this game~!