Chapter 8: The shop
Chapter 8: The shop
{Shop}
{Item Shop}
{Ability Shop}
{Affection point balance: 16500}
Immediately Arthur's field of view was filled with the light blue hue of the system's panels. 'I should be allowed to see what goods you have to offer me now, right?' Arthur curiously asked, remembering how the system had previously barred his entry to the shop feature.
{Yes, the host can now access the shop function,}
The system replied in its monotone robotic voice giving rise to a sense of expectancy in the beaming Arthur. 'That's great! Then can you please open the item shop!' Arthur joyfully requested as the panel in front of him was wiped of its contents before being filled with new entries.
{Item Shop}
{Low-rank Healing potion grade: Low}
{Price: 100 Affection points}
{Description: A low-grade healing potion capable of healing minor injuries. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
{Low-rank Healing potion grade: Medium}
{Price: 500 Affection points}
{Description: A medium-grade healing potion capable of healing broken bones and repairing torn flesh in a matter of seconds. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
{Low-rank Healing potion grade: High}
{Price: 1500 Affection points}
{Description: A high-grade healing potion capable of bringing the drinker back from the verge of death. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
{Low-rank Mana potion grade: Low}
{Price: 100 Affection points}
{Description: A low-grade mana potion capable of refilling a minuscule amount of the user's lost mana. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
{Low-rank Mana potion grade: Medium}
{Price: 500 Affection points}
{Description: A medium-grade mana potion capable of refilling half the user's max amount of mana. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
{Low-rank Mana potion grade: High}
{Price: 1500 Affection points}
{Description: A High-grade mana potion capable of refilling all the user's depleted mana. Only works on people below the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
'Eh, is that all? Like I know it's not my place to complain about anything, but this is pathetic' Arthur inwardly exclaimed upon seeing the less than stellar presentation of goods the system had to offer. 'They're all just potions! There's nothing to help me progress in strength at all! Wouldn't you usually have something like an impurity cleanser or a bloodline awakener thingy that I could buy!'
{Yes, this is all the host can currently buy, though more items will become available for purchase when the host breaks through the beginner Knight/Mage stage}
The system replied pacifying the raging Arthur who could only release a sigh of defeat. 'I suppose that's fine then… Though I still have no clue how I'm meant to reach the beginner Mage stage, from what I've observed, my intake of mana seems to be less than stellar compared to someone like Charlotte, who practically guzzles the stuff down.' Arthur defeatedly groaned. Usually, in a situation like this, he would rely on his knowledge of the game to search for some items or abilities that could bring him out of this predicament. Still, because Arthur had tied himself to the Zepar family, such options were now removed from the table.
'I suppose theirs no rush to increase my stage at the moment, though.' Arthur moaned. 'Yeah, I should focus on getting to know my current strength more and seducing the rest of the family before I leave this place to search for more heroines. My goal isn't to get stronger. It's to seduce the girls and live…Though I still need strength to impress some of the more powerful heroines,' Arthur exclaimed, bringing down his previously upbeat mood.
'System, can you open the Ability shop,' Arthur drearily commanded any of his previous excitement that he had built up for the shop now gone.
{Ability Shop}
{Scan, rank: F}
{Price: 15000 Affection points}
{Description: Grants the user the ability to scan objects and people alike, allowing you to see the name rank and requirements for wielding items while mimicking the effect of the truth/ love meter when used on sentient beings. This skill can be levelled up and evolved via consistent use}
Yet even with such lowered expectations, Arthur could still feel his heart drop. 'Hey system…Fuck you,' Arthur fumed in a sickly sweet tone. After all, how could he not be frustrated by this? There was only one ability he could buy, and it was pretty much useless to him thanks to his knowledge of the weapons and people he had already built up from his time avidly playing the gate to Avalon. 'This skill is one you have by default in the game, and you're charging me 15000 Affection points for it! Arghhh! This is robbery' Arthur groaned though his protests were more out of frustration than actual anger.
'System buy the Scan skill. Who knows, it might evolve into something useful,' Arthur demanded, trying to see the silver lining in the otherwise grey cloud.
{Purchase successful, displaying the host's current status}
Name: Arthur
Age: 7
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Rank: Elemental harnessing stage 2
Titles: Husband of the goddesses,
Bloodline: ?????? (Unawakened)
Charm: 7 / 10 = Slightly good looking
Harem: -
Abilities: Water magic Rank F, Scan Rank F
Affection points: 1500
Along with the announcement came a torrent of information that seemed to pour into Arthur's brain like a funnel containing the basis of how to use his newly acquired ability. 'I might as well test it out on myself then,' Arthur mused as an invisible pulse-like wave burst forth from his outstretched hand, latching onto his body like a pair of skin-tight jeans.
{The host has effectively scanned his body, Updating status}
Name: Arthur
Age: 7
Sex: Male
Race: Human
Rank: Elemental harnessing stage 2
Titles: Husband of the goddesses, (Fake) Prodigy,
Bloodline: ?????? (Unawakened)
Charm: 7 / 10 (Slightly good looking)
Talent: 2/10 (Terrible, without the help of the system, you would have never reached your current level)
Harem: -
Abilities: Water magic Rank F, Scan Rank F
Affection points: 1500
{(Fake) Prodigy}
{The effects of this title mirror that of the prodigy title earning the user a +25% increase in the rate they learn and advance through the stages. Though because this title is fake, it will immediately dissipate after people catch onto the fact that the bearer has earned it through alternate means and not through pure effort/talent,}
And as if on cue, Arthur's jaw dropped. He had a hunch that he was useless but wasn't this just too much? The system was basically telling him that without a miracle or his knowledge, he'd never be able to progress in his path to becoming a mage. 'Ok, calm down, Arthur. This isn't as bad as it seems. There were hundreds of talent increasing items that you could find throughout the game…. Yeah, that's right, this is only a temporary setback that I'll easily be able to overcome once I leave the Zepar family. Even if it means wasting three years that I could have been using to get stronger, my choice to stay here is definitely the right one.' Arthur chided, still unaware of the more pressing issue that concerned his mana cores stability. Yet, his mind reverted back to the initial question he had pondered over when he had first seen his initial status before using the scan.
'System, why is my harem still empty?' Arthur curiously questioned,
{The harem is still empty because the host has not entered into a two-way romantic relationship with any of the heroines.}
The system announced, giving a response that Arthur could only nod his head in agreement too. 'Nice and simple, at least it's not something ridiculous like having to sleep with the girls… Though that would probably make more sense considering the game was an eroge…. But I'm not complaining,' Arthur beamed, thinking of the ease in which he could possibly build a harem utterly naive to the despair that the girls of his harem would bring to both him and the world in the future as they fought over the right to monopolise they're dear Arthur.
'I'm going to assume I receive some benefit for adding the girls to the harem, right?'
{That is correct, though the benefit varies with each girl}
'Hmmm, that's cool.' Arthur mused the image of Charlotte momentarily flashing into his mind before he quickly dismissed any possible thoughts about adding the girl to the list ' I probably shouldn't be too rash about this. After all, if I was to accept Charlotte now, it would basically make getting Iris and Vienna to fall for me almost impossible,' Arthur sighed in deliberation before he peaked his head back out from the duvet that he had unconsciously wrapped himself in. 'Well, there's no point thinking about any of this now when I have a whole three years to figure out how I'm going to go about adding the Zepar family to my harem,' He grumbled, already setting a deadline for when he would be leaving the company of the Zepar household.
Getting out of the heavenly bed, Arthur soon waddled his way over to the heavy dark oak wood door that his guests had embarked from not even an hour earlier and gave it a shove, only to find that the door remained steadfast in its position. 'Did they lock me in here,' Arthur remarked, giving the door another push, this time with a bit more strength, yet it still remained closed. 'Am I just going to have to spend my day locked up in this room then,' Arthur groaned, moving away from the door and returning back to his bed, where he proceeded to sit bolt upright with an outstretched hand. 'Well, it's not like this is a bad thing. The room's nice and comfy, and there seems to be an on-suite bathroom, so it's not like I'm going to end up pissing myself,' He mumbled, all the while a small droplet of water began to form on the palm of his hand which gradually began to expand into a larger and larger ball of water. 'And it gives me plenty~ of time to practice,'