Grateful for my sister's kindness, I purchased chips for my games.
"Let's start with roulette!"
On Lily's suggestion, the three of us decided to play roulette. The massive wheel spun, and the betting was done through a system screen in front of us.
"I'm betting on the line between 31 and 36!"
"I'm placing bets on black, high numbers, and even numbers—double!"
"Um… I bet on 9, please, Lena!"
Lily took a moderate risk for moderate returns, I played safe with low risks and low returns, and Phoebe decided to make a single bet. Of course, as an NPC, Phoebe couldn't use the system screen, so I placed the bet for her.
The ball rolled around the wheel...
"The result is red 30."
Both missed their bets, while I scored a small win. Lily looked disappointed, and Phoebe wore a perplexed expression. Watching them, I leisurely placed my next bet.
Five minutes later...
It was no surprise that neither of them won, and their chips dwindled while mine slowly increased at a tortoise's pace.
"Okay, let's try the slots next! If you two get tired of roulette, join me there!"
Lily, who had taken a beating from roulette, dashed off to the slots. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was witnessing a future where all of Lily's chips would be consumed. This game has a luck factor, but surely that doesn't matter in a casino…?
"What about Phoebe? Are you still in?"
"Can I just go one more time...?"
"Sure, you can go as many times as you want. It's just a game, after all."
I felt uneasy as I looked at Phoebe's serious expression, worried she might get hooked on gambling. The timer for placing bets reset once more.
"…All in on zero!"
"Whether you win or lose, promise me you'll step back from gambling, okay? Thinking like that is a sure sign you shouldn't be doing this."
"I-I understand."
I considered her reckless decision to go all in a lesson for her, so I joined in and placed a bet on zero with all my chips, too.
"Oh no…"
I had bet everything—not just Phoebe's chips but my own as well, since I'd been placing bets on her behalf.
"This is a learning experience…"
"I'm fine!"
I prepared myself for total loss, while Phoebe sounded oddly confident… The roulette ball rolled and finally settled into a slot.
"The result is zero."
"No way..."
"Hah, I saw it coming."
Though Phoebe had fewer chips, my stack was substantial enough to be stunned when it multiplied by 36. We quickly pulled away from the roulette area.
With this amount, we could exchange for one of the top three prizes… It was the right moment to walk away.
First, I needed to regroup with Lily.
"There's no more chips left..."
"This is what happens to Phoebe when she missteps at the roulette. Anyone who gets hooked on gambling usually ends up like this, so be careful."
"Y-yeah, I understand..."
Lily, with a lifeless gaze, looked as if she had been cleaned out by the slots.
Later, the chips she earned were exchanged for what Phoebe desired—an ore of orichalcum.
"Please make something amazing with this!"
"O-okay..."
Phoebe handed over the ore with a bright smile, and Lily accepted it while forcing a smile of her own. Deep down, she knew this was clearly a top-tier material often found in fictional tales. Yet, she felt uncertain about processing it... Maybe it would be best to save it for later. With that thought, her day came to an end.
In the world of Fantasy Freedom, players refer to the next city after Two City as Three City, wondering if it shouldn't just be called Three City instead.
"Everyone! Let's get started with today's auction! I'm your host, the idol Rhea☆"
As the tall, busty woman signaled the start of the auction, excitement erupted in the venue. Some men cheered enthusiastically for the hostess.
"First up, we have a highly difficult-to-excavate lightning-element greatsword! Not only does it boast high firepower, but it also possesses a special effect that greatly boosts agility! The starting price is 300,000 G!"
Rhea's voice rang out, summoning a flurry of bids from the crowd. The numbers climbed higher and higher, until the voices calling out diminished, converging into one final bid.
"Going once! Sold for 1.5 million G! Now, let's keep the momentum going!"
Numerous items followed, each fetching higher prices as they were auctioned off.
"Next up is a personal recommendation from Rhea! A must-see for wizards who love rocket launchers or are in need of a single trump card! It's a disposable fire-element staff that can only be used once before it breaks—but it packs a magical power of 200! Unmatched by any other item in this auction, this is the Omega Core Staff, forged by the blacksmith Lena! Bidding starts at 200,000 G!"
The audience momentarily froze as the shocking news settled—the chance to wield a powerful weapon crafted by an unknown blacksmith, albeit a one-time use. But just as quickly, the bidding war ignited, driving the price skyward.
"The Omega Core Staff is sold for 1.85 million G!
Now, on to another of blacksmith Lena's creations!
Introducing the Omega Core Greatsword! It requires 250 strength and 200 dexterity to equip and comes with a minor damage effect upon drawing. However, with ongoing HP regeneration, it offsets any drawbacks, providing a solid attack power of 50! And unlike the staff, this one is NOT disposable! Bidding starts at 500,000 G!"
Once again, a fierce bidding war broke out…
"Three million."
That was the closing bid, a staggering amount that delivered a clear message of supremacy, effectively eliminating any competition with sheer financial might. The price never exceeded three million.
"Omega Core's heavy weapon! Sold for three million! Wow, was that a top-tier player slamming down those bills? Incredible! Now, let's move on to the next item!"
In this manner, Lena walked away with a whopping 4.85 million G.
By the way, the staff and sword were named by Lily.
"Summer vacation is here!"
The last day of school before summer ended, and Taylor burst into joyous celebration.
Well, anyone would feel a thrill at this moment—students everywhere share the excitement, and I can't help but feel happy, too.
"Yesterday's live stream of the virtual idol Rhea was so much fun! This summer is going to be great!"
"You say that every year, only to end up drowning in a mountain of last-minute homework on the final day, begging for summer to be over!"
"Ah, stop bringing reality into this! I've got enough programming skills to make a living without studying anymore!"
"But haven't you learned not to procrastinate?"
"I won't procrastinate! Besides, I'm heading into the gaming world for a while; I'm about to conquer some tough challenges."
As Taylor and I walked home, we stopped in front of a large advertising display that was emitting a familiar phrase, drawing our attention.
"Come join us! Dive into a fantasy world! Live freely! Fantasy Freedom! Now available! Let's have fun with Rhea!"
The ad featured Rhea, a tall, blue-haired beauty with striking blue eyes and a curvaceous figure, smiling brightly as she promoted the game. So that's the idol Taylor is obsessed with. Her voice sounded familiar—probably because she advertises so many products. I think I recall her promoting an energy drink not too long ago…
"Wow, Rhea is so cute! She's a gaming idol! I met her at the last auction event, and she was just the best!"
"Your compliment game is weak… By the way, have you actually bought any of the games you rave about?"
"Of course!"
Wait, so Taylor plays Fantasy Freedom too? I really don't want him to see my in-game character (a kid in a gym outfit) because I just know he'll tease me mercilessly. If I keep talking about Fantasy Freedom, I might accidentally reveal my secrets, so I should change the subject.
"Hey, wanna team up in Fantasy Freedom? It's summer break—let's have some fun!"
"First, I need to focus on studying. I plan to finish my homework quickly so I can play without a care."
"You're such a stiff..." As I thought this, Taylor grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face him directly. "I want to ask you something. Can you tell me?"
"What is it? I haven't done anything you can accuse me of," I responded, feeling uneasy. This posture was the same one Taylor used when he interrogated someone—locking eyes to catch even the slightest change in expression or movement that might reveal a lie. He claimed he learned this skill from his detective parents. Honestly, I wished he would stop staring at me; it was creeping me out.
A terrible feeling was creeping in. Could it be that he found out I was playing Fantasy Freedom?
"Do you know Rhea by any chance?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What do you mean? Did the summer heat fry your brain?"
"Well, that's not a lie... Maybe my thinking was off. Rhea was recommending the blacksmith Lena's works at the auction, and it got me wondering," he said.
...My name mentioned at an auction? I had no idea about the idol's recommendations, but I definitely knew about the items at the auction. If he pressed that point, I wouldn't be able to hide anything. In fact, wasn't it already about 90% obvious? I couldn't imagine there being another blacksmith named Lena.
"That makes no sense. I've never even spoken to Rhea. You know I'm not well-versed in online info, right?"
"That's right, in today's society, you're a rare young person, yet you're so clueless about the internet that you have no interactions with virtual idols..."
...I won't deny I'm a bit of a novice online, but that's a harsh way to put it. Plus, is Taylor not going to mention Lena at all?
"Well, I've arrived home, so see you later, Rena! Have a great summer vacation! If you start playing Fantasy Freedom, let me know—I'd love to join you!"
"Uh, yeah…?"
And with that, Taylor walked away…
Hey! What about poking fun at the blacksmith, Lena?! Is he avoiding the topic on purpose to tease me? When he heard about my connection to idols, he must have guessed I was playing Fantasy Freedom, yet he didn't ask... more than that, his last words implied he thought I hadn't played at all… What's with this lingering confusion?
"...…Time to head home."
Since I couldn't figure out what Taylor was thinking, I gave up on my thoughts and made my way back. I should just power through my homework…
By the next day of summer vacation, I had finished most of my homework without touching Fantasy Freedom at all...
"There's no doubt about it—getting homework done quickly is the way to go..."
Now I can relax and have fun! This refreshing sense of relief and the nearly month-long freedom is something only students get to experience. By the way, my sister, Yuna, is also the type to blast through her summer homework swiftly.
"Hey, have you finished your homework?"
"Yeah, it seems you're done too."
Yuna walks into my room. I wonder if she needs something.
"Hey, big brother, the auction results are in. The staff sold for 1.85 million, and the sword for 3 million G, totaling a profit of 4.85 million. After deducting the auction fee of 10% and my share of 500,000, you're looking at around 3.86 million in profit. Congratulations! I'll transfer the money to you when I log in later."
"Wow, that's really high! Wasn't the fee for my house a million?"
I'm shocked by the inflated numbers. Do those items really have that much value? I didn't use any super rare materials...
"The top-ranked players have inflated money, so when they buy, prices naturally go up. Honestly, I was surprised to see the sword go for 3 million right off the bat."