Universal Affinity was a remarkable skill, granting its user the power to manipulate various energies. It went beyond just that, as those who possessed this skill could easily adapt to any form of energy, whether it be chakra, mana, Chi, nen, or any other type. This skill offered unparalleled versatility, allowing its user to harness and wield different energies with ease and proficiency.
For me, this skill also translated into my "EP" bar, a unique element in place of the traditional MP or other game-like energy bars.
Through Universal Affinity, I gained a new subskill that joined my repertoire:
*Ding*
[You have learned, 『Magic Perception』]
With this new ability, I could sense light, smell, and sound through energy, which was fascinating. The system granted skills either by learning from others or mastering them via repetition.
"How convenient,"
Now equipped with a 360° point of view and the ability to see everything within a 30-meter radius, I observed as Ruby dozed off in front of the TV. Aqua, with a nostalgic expression, kindly covered Ruby with a blanket.
"The way she talks about Ai is really similar to you, Sarina-chan..." Aqua unconsciously remarked.
Ruby, startled by his words, rubbed her eyes and asked in a sleepy voice, "Fwah... What? Did you call me?"
"Oh, my bad, did I wake you up?" Aqua responded.
"No, I didn't call for you either. If you're going to sleep, go to your bed," He continued.
"Nhh..." Ruby hummed, still a bit drowsy.
Ruby got up and walked out of the room. As she reached the hallway, she murmured something to herself.
"Hmm... Well, of course, he didn't call for me. There's no way that's possible. Since Sarina was my previous name."
Meanwhile, using her Magic Perception, Ame sensed the surroundings and witnessed something intriguing.
Do Aqua and Ruby know each other from their previous life? What are the chances?
Well, I am sure they'll figure it out.
Go back to sleep, I shall!
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We... Are in trouble.
Ai's salary for the month had turned out to be a meager 200,000¥, leaving her in a state of distress.
Strawberry production, the company she worked for, lacked the scale to handle production and entertainment on its own. So they had to take a huge cut from the profits.
With a flat and lifeless face, Mom expressed, "I realized that the world is all about money," a sentiment that Miyako greeted with a deadpan response.
Ai, as the mother of the triplets, had aspirations for her children to attend good schools and lead happy lives, knowing that it would require financial resources to achieve those goals. This financial strain had been weighing on her lately.
With a resigned tone, she said to us, her children, "Haa... Off I go to my lessons, be good kids,"
In her absence, Ruby was the first to react, asking, "Wait, isn't an idol's salary like one million yen per month?" Her question came across as somewhat naive.
Aqua responded, "Of course not."
"It's not!?"
"There's only a handful of idols who make one million yen a month," Aqua clarified.
Despite being a reincarnator, Ruby displayed innocence in her surprise, exclaiming, "What!?? That's so unfair, the world must be ROTTEN for money not to go to those working the hardest!"
After that Ruby's suggestion to have fans offer their livers and sell them was met with mixed reactions, leading to a moment of regret from the me and Aqua.
"Your thoughts are also pretty darn rotten," Aqua agreed, recalling an earlier exchange.
Musing over the situation, Ame spoke up while playing with Miyako-san's phone.
Finally, it's my turn to speak, "You guys are exaggerating things..."
"...Then do you have any ideas?" Aqua asked.
Turning to my siblings and attentive Miyako-san, I shared my suggestion, "Digital currencies."
"Huh?"
Digital currencies, difficult to acquire yet easy to spend, could be obtained by either purchasing them with real money or solving puzzles provided by the crypto community using a computer.
"You mean that Bitcoin thing?" Aqua quickly grasped the concept.
"Ah... I've heard about that, but honestly speaking... That sounds like buying and selling stocks... The value can go up or down depending on the community," Miyako-san offered her thoughts on the matter.
However, her understanding was not entirely accurate.
The process I was referring to is known as crypto mining. Essentially, specialized software mines cryptocurrencies by solving complex mathematical equations in exchange for coins.
These coins contain data akin to a puzzle piece, fitting into the vast network of puzzles known as the Blockchain.
Each puzzle piece is unique, and attempts to duplicate or copy a coin are futile, as the duplicated coins won't integrate into the puzzle chains.
This unique aspect of cryptocurrencies results in a highly organized currency system, setting it apart from traditional fiat money.
Unlike real money, which often falls victim to manipulations like corruption and inflation, cryptocurrencies offer greater resistance to inflation, adding to their distinctive characteristics beyond their intangible nature.
And so, I proceeded to explain it to them.
"You see, with crypto mining, you can essentially generate money out of thin air. It's one of the most effective ways for us to make a profit."
My statement might have sounded preposterous at first glance.
If I were truly aiming to maximize my earnings, I would need to set up a crypto mining farm, utilizing numerous computers working in unison to mine cryptocurrencies. But computers took a very long time in order to solve even one math questions from the block chain community.
However...
[Thought Acceleration (C) is active]
[Wisdom has been increased by 5000 for 10 minutes]
[Wisdom: 32 (+5000)]
"Why bother using a PC to solve those complex math questions when you possess over a thousand wisdom?"
With my extraordinary wisdom stat, I had a clear advantage over computers when it came to solving intricate mathematical equations. My thought acceleration ability granted me unparalleled mental prowess, making manual calculations seem like child's play in comparison.
My enhanced cognitive abilities allowed me to tackle problems that would leave ordinary individuals scratching their heads in awe.
*Clickity* *Clackaty* *This is a sound of Typing*
*Crunch*
I could be seen with my tiny baby hand dancing rapidly across the screen keyboard while my other hand skillfully stuffed my face with a chocolate bar.
"Wha-- Ame-chan... Where do you get that chocolate?" Deary, you're much more surprised by the chocolate bar despite my perfect explanation, Miyako-san.
"The Brain needs immediate glucose to work. You can't use stored fats as it is dangerous, after all... I am expending a lot of mental energy," I replied matter-of-factly, my focus still on Miyako-san's phone.
A few minutes later, Ame handed the phone to Miyako-san with a mischievous smile. "Here, Miyako-san..."
"Hm? What is it?" Miyako-san picked up the phone and was immediately taken aback by what she saw on her smartphone.
It was her PayPal account, and to her astonishment, it displayed a balance of a hundred thousand dollars. She could hardly believe her eyes, especially considering that she had only created the account yesterday.
"Wait!! This is in dollars!? It's not yen!!" Miyako-san exclaimed, still trying to process the unexpected windfall.
With a grin, Ame clarified, "Fufu, we now have 14 million yen in our hands."
The blonde siblings, Aqua and Ruby, also peeked at the screen with widened eyes and gaping mouths. They were in awe of my impressive skills, further enhanced by Thought Acceleration.
I continued to munch on my chocolate bar, savoring the sweet taste and ensuring a direct supply of sugar to her brain.
The immediate glucose intake was essential for my Thought Acceleration skill to function optimally. It'd may gave me drawbacks if I just do it as it is after all.
Though....
"This is a one time only. If I keep mining, eventually an inflation might actually happen in the already stable Bitcoin if we did this too much so for now let's buy some stocks" I stated thus.
"I-I see! Then we will go with that, Ame-chan!!!" (Miyako)
But, of course, Aqua and Ruby couldn't resist asking me:
"Hey, were you some kind of famous hacker in your past life?! Can you hack a bank and send us more money?" Ruby inquired with a mischievous grin.
"No" did you even listened to my explanation from before?"
Aqua, looking intrigued, asked, "So, were you a millionaire in your past life then?"
With a shake of my head, I firmly denies, "No, I'm not a millionaire."
These two always had wild imaginations, but I couldn't blame them, given the incredible capabilities of Thought Acceleration that I now possessed.
"Well," I continued, "money issues are no longer a problem thanks to this."
But in the end, they still needed to have Ai perform on stage because B-Komachi was still their primary source of income in the first place.
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.
.
Excitement filled the air as we arrived at the venue for Ai's concert - a sales promo event with a mini-concert, the kind where you'd need to win a lottery ticket for.
Ruby was bursting with enthusiasm, insisting on bringing me along to watch Ai perform. Though I was willing to go, Ruby's boundless energy ended up shaking me way too much for my small frame to handle.
Concerned, Miyako crouched down and spoke firmly to Ruby, "Now listen here, I agreed to come because you wouldn't take no for an answer. But remember, if the president finds out about this, I'll be the one facing the consequences."
Her tone was stern to the triplets. "No cheering, running, or speaking during the performance! And that includes you too, Ame!!"
"Eh??? Me!??" I wanted to make a retort on that accusation, but Miyako's knowing remark instantly silenced me:
"I know you stay up watching her recordings till late at night! If I glanced away from you just a little, you'll be the loudest one!"
Uwa-- that was embarrassing...
Thus, Miyako brought us to mother's concert.
And uh... we did this:
"BABU, BABU, BABU, BABU, BABU"
During their mom's performance, a certain triplets danced in perfect sync. It was my first time holding a glow stick, yet somehow I managed to grasp the choreography and timings surprisingly well, just like my siblings.
"Holy crap, these babies are insane! That's one extreme idol-fan dance! Who are they?!"
Miyako had the face of demise the moment this happens.
The triplets' innate fan dance in response to the idols caught everyone's attention, and soon videos of their adorable performance went viral.
"210K Retweets, the video has over 2 million views... I knew baby content goes viral pretty easily but this is..."
That was the wildest experience I ever had as a baby... Let's not talk about this again.
On the bright side, mom's salary was increasing for some reason. So everything is fine.
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.
.
One year had gone by, and significant changes had taken place. Us, triplets had grown considerably, reaching a stage where we could confidently stand up and talk without being suspicious.
During this time, Ai had taken on more job opportunities, steadily paving her way towards a flourishing acting career.
One day, as they were preparing for Ai's latest project, Miyako, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement, addressed us.
"Now listen here you three, I brought you along since you kept insisting. So, make sure you don't call Ai-san "mama" on the set, okay? Don't forget the story is that you're my kids."
Miyako had been on edge all day, especially after what happened last year.
We reached the set, and Miyako dropped us off quickly while Ai went to meet the staff. But as soon as she parked the car, she rushed after us, eager to catch up.
"I'm Ai from Strawberry Productions. I look forward to working with you today," Ai introduced herself to the staff members, and they responded with their own greetings.
As we resumed moving, a particular intimidating-looking man stood out among the crowd. He seemed to be observing the room, but his focus was drawn to Ai.
"Hmm."
"Is something wrong, Director?" Ai inquired.
"No, nothing in particular," he replied cryptically.
The triplets formed a huddle, and Ruby whispered, "He looks kinda scary, doesn't he?"
Aqua nodded, agreeing with Ruby, "Yeah, that face of his."
I chimed in, "I guess he does..."
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.
.
"Hmm? Whose kids are these?" The Director's sudden question sent a shiver down the spines of all three of them.
But then, with a sudden realization, he said, "Oh! Is this one of those work-style reform thing?"
We were taken aback, unsure of what he meant by that statement.
The Director commented, "What an age we live in... Well, some people even bring in their dogs nowadays." Then he left them alone and went elsewhere.
After that... It was pure Hell, or it was bliss for Ruby.
Models and actors and the like were pampering them as no one could resist their charm.
Ruby was enjoying the experience, but for Ame, an ex-war veteran, it felt like her pride was somehow crushed apart.
Aqua and Ame couldn't handle it. They wondered if this was what they called "Cuteness aggression."
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I was about to escape from the hellish pampering, but the moment Ame almost escaped and opening the entrance slightly to peek---
"OHNOSIRWEMAYBEBABIES,BUTIASSUREYOUWEWON'TPERPETRATEANYBLUNDERSLIKETHATWEUNDERSTANDTHATNOTOBSTRUCTINGTHESHOOTISRULENUMBERONE.WEDEARLYHOPEYOU'LLFAVOROURAGENCY'SAIINTHE-"
"Holy crap! This baby sure is talkative! Where'd you learn all those words!?"
"Here and there on youtube..."
"Youtube is amazing!"
Now, with all the years of wisdom I have gained, I know one thing for sure. There are currently two kinds of hell present before my eyes: one where my pride will be endlessly crushed under the weight of pampering, and the other where I have to deal with whatever Aqua is going through right now.
With a firm decision, I chose to make my escape.
"A-Ame!???" With a loud thud of the door getting shut, I dashed past the director and Aqua. Finally, I was free.
"AME IS FREEEE!!!!"
While running towards my freedom, even though I was caught by Miyako later on, I decided to reference a certain house-elf.
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To be continued.
(A/N: 2379 word count)