Rian was taken aback by the directness of his father's question. He wasn't sure how to respond right away, so he took a moment to collect his thoughts. After a pause, his expression turned serious, and he looked at each member of his family. "Father, Mother, Lila... I need you all to promise me that what I'm about to say stays between us, no matter what. Even if God himself comes down and asks, this stays with us."
His parents and sister exchanged surprised glances, sensing the weight of his words. Johan, with a reassuring nod, spoke first. "Son, I promise. Not a word will leave this room about what you're about to tell us. You have my word—so don't be afraid. Just say it."
His mother, Elara, nodded in agreement, while Lila, his younger sister, chimed in, "Don't worry, big brother. I won't say a thing, not even to my friends."
Rian let out a deep breath, grateful for their understanding, then leaned forward and said, "The truth is... what made me emotional wasn't the money. It was something much bigger."
"It's about my class in the game," Rian began, his voice steady. "I got the hidden class known as [Merchant]. At first, I was confused since I didn't know much about it. There wasn't much information available on how to use it effectively. But as I played and unlocked the class-exclusive skill [Merchant Shop], everything changed."
His family leaned in, curious.
"When I opened the shop interface, I saw three categories: Potions, Items, and Search. I clicked on Potions, and that's when I got the shock of my life. The shop was selling all kinds of potions, but the prices were unbelievably cheap compared to the in-game NPC stores. For example, a regular healing potion, which was priced at 10 gold coins in the NPC shops, was being sold for just 1 gold coin in my merchant shop. And the quality was the same."
His father's eyebrows rose in surprise, and Lila looked impressed.
"I only had 10 gold coins as a starting player, but I bought 5 mana potions and 5 healing potions. Then, I walked to the centre of the village and started shouting that I had potions for sale since most shops were sold out. Almost immediately, a player came up to me and bought 100 healing potions."
Rian paused, a soft smile on his face as he recalled the moment.
"That single deal earned me over 900 dollars. I couldn't believe it I was so overwhelmed with happiness that I found a corner by some random building, sat down, and cried out of sheer joy before logging out."
His family sat there in stunned silence, processing everything he had just said.
Rian felt a swell of pride as he continued, "After that, I logged back into the game and started working on setting up my shop. But there was a catch I needed permission from the village chief. When I arrived at the chief's place, there was a ridiculously long line of players waiting. Curious, I asked someone why, and they told me the village chief was giving out rare-rank quests. It was a headache trying to figure out how to cut the line."
He chuckled slightly, recalling the moment. "Then, a girl player came up to me and offered to exchange spots in line if I gave her a discount at my shop. I didn't want to commit to that, so instead, I handed her two unique potions one Berserk Potion and one Night Vision Potion. She immediately agreed and swapped spots with me."
His family listened attentively as he spoke.
"When my turn came, I respectfully asked the village chief for permission to open a shop in the village centre. Not only did he permit me, but he also entrusted me with a rare-rank quest. After getting his blessing, I headed to the village centre, but I had to either rent or buy a plot of land before opening the shop."
Rian's tone shifted with excitement as he continued, "I went to the administration office, handled the paperwork, and rented a plot near the centre of the village. The man in charge suggested that I buy a 'shop cube' to instantly set up the building. That way, I could take the shop with me when I moved on to another city. So, I purchased a shop cube from my Merchant Shop for 500 gold coins and placed it on the land."
He paused, savouring the memory. "The moment the shop was finished expanding, the entire game world heard the system announcement: [Congratulations to BlackMerchant for opening the first shop in Everlasting]. And the reward? It was unreal I get an additional 10% on every sale I make. It's like the game was made for me."
With a grin, Rian finished, "Oh, and I forgot to mention my in-game name is [BlackMerchant]."
An hour had passed since Rian finished recounting his incredible first day in the game. His parents sat there, their expressions filled with awe as if they had just listened to the tale of a legendary figure. But his sister, Lila, wore a different look—her face unreadable, deep in thought. She had just learned that her brother was the mysterious [BlackMerchant], the same name trending in forums, with rumours swirling and guilds offering bounties to find him. It all clicked in her mind why Rian had made them promise to keep this a secret.
Rian, feeling a surge of confidence, looked at his parents and said, "Father, you don't have to worry anymore. I can fulfil my promise now. And soon, when I make more money, I'll make sure you retire. You can relax and enjoy life without any concerns."
His mother, who had been silent for a while, couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She began to shed tears, her voice trembling with pride as she said, "Dear, look at our son. He can now stand on his own, and he's even thinking about taking care of us in the future."
Rian's father, usually composed, gave his son a proud smile and said, "I am proud to have a son like you, Rian. Hearing this... it fills me with joy. Your future is bright, and I couldn't be happier."
The room was filled with warmth, a family moment united by Rian's unexpected success in the virtual world, and the future that was now starting to unfold before them.
As the night passed and a new day arrived, Rian woke up feeling refreshed. After getting ready, he approached his mother and said, "Mom, I'm heading out to buy a new phone. I need it to keep up with everything happening in Everlasting."
Before his mother could respond, his sister, Lila, chimed in, "Brother, I'll come with you! I don't have school today."
Their mother raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you have school today?"
Lila shrugged and explained, "Well, there's a school trip to the museum in *Brighton* City, but there was a fee for it, so I didn't sign up. I thought I'd save that money to buy something later."
Rian paused when he heard that his sister had skipped the trip just to save money for a future purchase. He was determined, at that moment, to ensure she never had to make decisions like that again. "Once I start earning more, she'll be able to buy anything she wants," he thought. But for now, his focus remained on building his foundation in *Everlasting* and securing their future.
With that, the two siblings prepared to head out, ready for a day of shopping and planning for their futures.
As they walked out of the house, Rian pocketed his bank card while his sister, Lila, chimed in, "Brother, I want to play Everlasting too. All my friends are playing it."
Rian raised an eyebrow. "How are your friends playing when you all still have school? And how can their parents afford to buy gaming pods just like that? You know I had to leave college and spend all the money we had to get mine, but what about them?"
Lila sighed, "Brother, I only have three friends, and one of them can afford the gaming pod because she's an only child with no siblings to split expenses with. As for time, well... she skipped school to play."
Rian frowned at the thought. "Skipping school just to play a game, huh?" He shook his head slightly. "That's not a smart move. But still, I'll make sure you get to play too, Lila. Just give me a bit more time to build my shop in Everlasting, and once I'm earning enough, you won't have to worry about missing out."
His sister's eyes lit up with hope, but she stayed quiet as they continued walking. Rian knew how important the game was becoming for people, but he also realized the responsibilities he had to bear before diving headfirst into making sure his family could experience the same luxuries.
With those thoughts running through his mind, they headed toward the store, ready for the day ahead.
Rian raised his hand, calling out for a taxi. His sister, Lila, tugged at his sleeve and said, "Brother, we don't need a taxi. We can just walk, you know?"
Rian waved her off, ignoring her suggestion as the taxi pulled up to the curb. "Get in," he instructed, gesturing for her to enter the cab.
Lila sighed but climbed inside. Rian slid in beside her and said to the driver, "Take us to Evergreen Road." The driver nodded, and they were off.
As the cab rolled through the busy streets, Lila crossed her arms, still slightly annoyed. "You know, walking wouldn't have killed us," she muttered.
Rian chuckled. "I know, but I'm in a hurry. Plus, I want to spoil you a bit today."
After arriving at Evergreen Road, Rian stepped out of the cab and asked the driver, "How much for the ride?"
"Forty dollars," the driver replied.
Rian, now more accustomed to handling expenses, pulled out his bank card and tapped it against the driver's terminal. With a beep, the payment was processed, and the driver nodded in thanks before pulling away.
Rian turned to face Evergreen Road, a lively street lined with shops and cafes, filled with people going about their day. He took a deep breath, feeling a sense of newfound independence. Lila joined him at his side, and together they headed toward the nearest phone store.
As Rian and Lila stepped into the store, they were greeted by an array of mobile phones neatly arranged on the shelves. Rian walked up to the store owner and said, "I'm looking for two mobile phones, one for me and one for my sister, both within the $500 range."
Lila, who hadn't expected anything for herself, looked at her brother in surprise. "Wait, you're getting one for me too?" she asked, wide-eyed.
Rian smiled, "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
The shop owner, noticing Lila's surprise, chuckled and brought out two models: one sleek black and one soft pink. "These are the latest models in the market," he said, displaying them proudly. "They come with all the essentials long battery life, excellent performance, and well within your budget."
He added with a friendly grin, "And if you're buying both, we'll include some perks: free cases and a one-year warranty exclusive to our store."
Lila was still processing her brother's gesture, staring at the pink phone in awe. "I... I didn't expect this," she admitted, her voice soft but filled with excitement. "It's perfect!"
Rian smiled warmly. "You deserve it," he said simply, before turning to the shop owner. "We'll take them both."
The shop owner nodded happily and began preparing the boxes, carefully packing the phones and adding the free cases and warranty details.
As Rian watched him work, he turned to Lila with a thoughtful expression. "What do you think we should take home as a gift for Mom and Dad?" he asked.
Lila, still holding her new phone with a look of surprise and excitement, blinked and then smiled, now caught up in the moment. "Oh! Maybe we could get something nice, like a dessert or their favourite snacks? Something small but thoughtful."
Rian nodded, considering her suggestion. "Yeah, something they'd enjoy. Let's pick something up on the way back."