Laying the Groundwork (3)

We returned through the rift of space and time.

I flicked the blood off my sword. "Somehow, it's over."

"Ugh, ugh...!"

Aaron collapsed and vomited bile. His whole body was drenched in cold sweat. The hand holding the spear trembled violently.

"Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine..."

Jenna patted Aaron's back. Once Aaron calmed down, we walked out to the plaza. As the interstice of space closed, Aaron looked at the closed doors of the synthesis chamber with trembling eyes.

"What's going to happen to me?"

"I don't know."

In truth, Aaron didn't perform remarkably in the recent battle. While serving as a link between me and Jenna, he mostly just stabbed or swung his spear occasionally between us.

Still, it was better than nothing.

['Aaron(★)' added to favorites.]

"He's alive."

"R-Really?"

"Can't you see? The door won't open." "I'm alive! I-I'm alive!"

Aaron knelt down and raised both hands.

['Well-forged Iron Sword (-) added to 'Han(★)' exclusive equipment.]

['Sturdy Iron Shield (C)' added to 'Han(★)' exclusive equipment.]

['Balanced Short Bow (C)' added to 'Jenna(★)' exclusive equipment.]

['Sharp Spear (C-)' added to 'Aaron(★)' exclusive equipment.]

"But why won't the armory open? Don't we have to return the weapons?"

Jenna asked.

I checked the message stating that exclusive equipment had been registered. Exclusive equipment refers to a system that assigns specific items to a particular hero. Only the designated hero can use exclusive equipment. Therefore, there was no need to keep them in the armory.

"It seems like they want us to keep them."

"We don't have to return them? I wanted to practice with this bow instead of the short bow!"

Jena's eyes sparkled. When I nodded, she cheered and hugged the bow.

The wooden series of trees displayed in the training grounds were different in weight and size from the actual weapons we used. It would be much better to get used to the weapons we would use in real battles by carrying them around.

"Can we go back now? It seems like today's over."

"Not yet. Wait a little longer. It's not over yet."

Even though the interstice of space, the synthesis chamber, and the armory were closed, the light of the sky did not fade. I walked to a corner of the plaza and sat down.

"Noona, I'm leaving! Wait for me!"

"...Bring him back."

Jenna dragged Aaron, who was kneeling, making strange exclamations, towards me.

[Popup! Would you like to purchase the new package for 65,000 won?] [Yes (selected) / No]

A hologram screen displayed a package adorned with blue gems and gold paint.

[New package for the new master, only available once! 5,000 gems and 300,000 gold for only 65,000 won!] [The amount will be added to next month's phone bill. Are you sure you want to proceed?] [Yes (selected) / No] [Please enter your payment password.] [******] [Now Loading..] [Payment completed!] [The items will be delivered by mail. Please check!]

"What is the master trying to do? It seems like he's not sending us to fight, and nothing is happening."

"He needs money, whatever he's trying to do."

"Money?"

"Didn't I say yesterday? I'm tired of baked potatoes."

In short, Pick Me Up is a gambling game.

Unlike other mobile games that reward gems for completing missions or hold events where they give out gems freely, Pick Me Up hardly does any of that. Even though there are events that give out 1,000 gems over ten days for the new master, that's about it. Even with 1,000 gems, you can easily spend them on two paid gachas or two basic facility constructions. The ways to obtain premium currency, gems, for free in Pick Me Up are limited.

"I knew he'd want money."

It was starting to get interesting. The various reactions and realistic battles of the heroes. Surely, Amkena would feel as if she had brought real humans to the waiting room, not data made up of 0s and 1s. It's inevitable since they're real humans.

Amkena's face gradually became visible.

First of all, the login time is fixed. The probability of having a job with fixed commuting hours is high. Unlike when he first started and didn't know anything and just randomly assigned 1-star heroes, he steadily expanded the facilities for a while. And today, he even used a function, exclusive equipment, that he couldn't learn from in-game tips. The probability of him looking up strategies on Pick Me Up-related sites was high.

"If you're a user who looks up strategies, you can probably guess where to spend the 5,000 gems."

[Please select the facility to build. Touch the desired type of facility.] ['Dormitory Lv.1' selected. Would you like to expand this building?] [Yes (selected) / No] [The dormitory has reached level 2. The limit on the number of heroes has increased.] ['Dormitory' annex 'Restaurant' selected. Would you like to construct it?] [Yes (selected) / No]

The plaza shook. Aaron and Jenna started to panic at the unexpected vibration. I focused on the completion windows popping up one after another.

['Woodworking Shop' selected as the annex of 'Armory.' Would you like to construct it?] ['Processing Shop' as the annex of 'Armory'...]

['Training Ground Lv.1'...]

[The restaurant is complete! High-quality meals will be provided to the heroes.] [The woodworking shop is complete! Bonuses will be given for equipment crafting.] [The processing shop is complete! Bonuses will be given for equipment crafting.] [The three annex buildings of the armory, Blacksmith, Woodworking Shop, and Processing Shop, have been combined to create a new facility, the 'Equipment Workshop.'] [The training ground has reached level 2! The efficiency of hero training has increased.] [Great!] [As facilities proliferate, the plaza evolves to Lv.2!]

Various items appeared in the plaza, which was just empty before.

Benches made of wood and small flower beds in bloom. And a fountain. There was a slight freshness added to the previously barren atmosphere.

Of course, Jenna and Aaron were too shocked to notice anything, so they were dumbfounded. It seemed as if items were being created out of thin air.

I summarized the current situation and explained it simply.

The fact that this place is governed by a being called the master is known to both of them.

"Is it true that the waiting room gets better as you go up the floors?"

"Is the master a grand wizard? I mean, in a way, isn't it possible? A grand wizard who can make something like this happen in the world."

In a sense, that's correct. "Can we finally get away from baked potatoes?"

"If a restaurant is available, it might be a little better."

It won't change much, but it will be better than it is now.

"Woo-hoo!"

Jenna jumped with joy. Aaron didn't seem too unhappy either.

The recent events could be considered a reward for them. Their morale would surely soar with the tips they received.

"If we fight harder, we can even eat expensive dishes, right?"

"As long as it doesn't seem useless to the master."

"A prime rib steak is definitely on my mind!"

"Sir, I'll be satisfied with a turkey!"

The two of them had relieved expressions plastered on their faces.

Meanwhile, I sat there coldly. As they noticed me remaining expressionless, they began to subtly glance my way. Aaron spoke up.

"Is something wrong?"

"If it's useless, it gets discarded, remember?"

They both nodded.

"Don't forget. That's all."

"We won't forget, sir!"

"I'll work harder too!"

"It's about time 3-stars started coming."

Maybe even 4-stars, or maybe even 5-stars.

Currently, we're in charge of the main strategy party in this waiting room, but that's just because it's filled with vacancies and could change at any moment depending on the company's needs.

I looked at the door to the summoning chamber.

That door was always ready to open.

Even now.

And lo and behold.

[Master, initiating a 10-summon. Excited to see what heroes we'll get!]

Jenna exclaimed upon discovering the open summoning chamber door.

"Brother, the summoning chamber is open?"

"If the party leader is finished, we should welcome guests."

It's not paid summoning yet.

Just regular summoning with gold.

[Ding-dong, druuuuuuum.]

[Common!]

"Master 'Amkena' has..."

[Common!]

"Master 'Amkena' has..."

A while later, ten men and women walked out into the square.

Now I've seen them twice, so they're not unfamiliar.

They noticed us as they wandered around the corner of the square. A man with his head shaved approached us.

"Who are you people? Did you summon us here?"

An uneasy expression. His voice was trembling.

Their reactions are all the same.

Jenna said in a bitter voice, "It's not us. It's someone called the master who summoned you."

"The master? Who is that? A wizard?"

"Something like that."

"Who are you people again? Why did we come here? Send us back immediately..."

"Quiet down a bit."

I rubbed my head.

I'm getting a headache from hearing the same thing over and over.

"I have no intention of explaining to you right now. You won't believe it anyway. Just survive on your own, and if there are people who come to their senses after that, then tell them."

"W-What are you talking about! You..."

"I said be quiet."

I slightly unsheathed the blade from its scabbard. The man's face stiffened upon seeing it.

They were unarmed, and we were armed with swords, shields, bows, and spears each. The man couldn't say anything and turned away.

I'm not a compassionate person like Jesus or Buddha, and I don't plan to spend my energy explaining everything.

"Brother..."

"Why don't you go and try to persuade them? Fight monsters and survive to make them believe? Do you think they'll believe you?"

They have to experience it firsthand.

By rolling around with their bodies, they'll realize even if they don't want to.

[Welcome to the top, chicken people!]

Isel appeared and stretched out her chest. It seemed like she was trying to exert pressure.

It was amusing to me, but not to them.

"Who are you?"

[Shut up and listen. If you keep interrupting and babbling, you'll be in trouble.]

The left side quieted down.

Isel nodded satisfactorily and then spoke.

"Any of you were carpenters?"

A young man with an ordinary face raised his hand.

"You go over there."

The young man silently moved to the left.

"Next, anyone who was a blacksmith or a martial artist?"

This time, no one raised their hand.

Isel licked his lips lightly and then said finally.

"Anyone who was a cook?"

"I-I can cook!"

The middle-aged man who had spoken to us raised his hand.

"Then you go too."

The man's eyes rolled around, and he walked towards where the carpenter went.

"What are you trying to do?"

"We're dividing roles. If a restaurant opens, you need a cook, and if a blacksmith opens, you need a blacksmith."

I recalled Lyle, who was summoned in the initial 10-summon. He was mentioned as the head of the carpentry shop. If he had been summoned this time, he could have ended up in charge of the carpentry shop.

To illustrate the current situation, it's like deciding on a military occupation before enlistment.

If you have talent in cooking, you become a cook; if you have talent in driving, you become a driver. Similarly, as facilities are set up for operation, Isel, who has received the master's order, is classifying occupations.

"Son, you're lucky."

I said while looking at the young man who was looking around.

With no special talent, you have no choice but to roll around with your body.