Day 3.1 Storage Room – A Simple Job Turns Complicated
The wooden door creaked as I pushed it open, revealing the storage room. It was dimly lit, with only a few small lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Stacks of fabric, wooden crates, and bags of supplies were piled up in an organized mess.
> Me: "Alright, time to get this over with."
My tiny companion perched on my head, its ears twitching as it scanned the room.
> Creature: (⊙﹏⊙)
I ignored its reaction and pulled up my system window, swiping through the different menus. Since I had time, I might as well check on something important.
---
[Two-World market]
There, under the current listings, was my mysterious gem—the one I had put up for auction before heading to Ssles Town.
The bid had skyrocketed.
Current Bid: 900 MC
I froze.
> Me: "…I'M RICH! SO RICH!"
My tiny companion flinched at my sudden outburst.
> Creature: (°▽°)!!
> Me: "900 MC! I could buy a full set of gear, potions, maybe even a mount!"
I clutched my head, trying to calm myself. The starting CM for most players who put something in auction is 10 MC, and here I was, about to get nearly a thousand.
Then a thought struck me.
> Me: "If the gem is worth that much… what about this?"
I swiped to my inventory, scrolling through my items until my eyes landed on a bow.
---
[Eve's Bow]
Quality: High
Requirement: Level 10, Archer Class
---
I stared at it.
> Me: "I'm Level 1. I don't even have a class yet."
Eve had given it to me as a reward, but honestly, I couldn't even use it. If I sold this, I could probably make even more money.
> Me: "How much would this go for?"
The auction system had a price estimate function. I tapped on it, and a new window popped up—
Estimated Value: 1,000 MC – 1,400 MC
> Me: "…"
> Me: "I'm actually going to be rich."
I was about to list it for sale when—
> Nina: "LEO!"
I flinched.
> Me: "What now? I'm cleaning!"
> Nina: "Hurry up!"
I sighed, closing my system window and grabbing a broom.
> Me: "Alright, alright. I'll deal with the stupid rats."
---
The Rat Problem – Or So I Thought
The storage room wasn't that dirty. There was some dust, a few cobwebs in the corners, and—of course—normal rats scurrying around.
I spotted one near a sack of flour, nibbling away at the edge.
> Me: "There you are."
I stepped forward, lifting my broom. The rat froze, its tiny black eyes staring at me in terror.
> Me: "Don't take this personally."
I swung the broom—
SQUEAK!
The rat darted to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.
> Me: "You little—"
I chased after it, knocking over a pile of fabric in the process.
More normal rats skittered out, startled by the movement.
> Me: "You know what? Fine. Come here!"
I swung again, managing to smack one out of the way. It tumbled across the floor before running off in defeat.
> Creature: (ò_óˇ)
My tiny companion jumped off my head and landed near another rat, smacking it with its tiny paws.
> Me: "Good job, little guy."
It looked proud.
I continued sweeping away the normal rats, clearing the room bit by bit. It was annoying, but at least it was easy.
> Me: "Alright, time to get this over with."
My little companion, still perched on my head, twitched its ears as if it already knew the routine.
> Creature: （＾ω＾）
I swiped my system window open, glancing through my menu. One thing had been bugging me. The rat problem wasn't just about cleaning up. No, this was something else. I had been after these rats for a reason.
---
[Quest: The Rat Hunt]
Objective: Investigate the strange rats causing issues near Nina's shop.
Reward: ?? CP
Status: Incomplete
---
I frowned, remembering when Nina had briefly mentioned the rats being a problem before she handed me the job of being her assistant. I hadn't really thought much of it, assuming it was just the usual nuisance. But the system's description had been a little too specific. The rats weren't just pests—they were connected to something bigger.
And I had followed them once before, not long ago, into the canals near town, where they disappeared into the shadows.
> Me: "I guess it's time to finish what I started."
I sighed and scanned the room, sweeping up the usual normal rats. They scurried away as expected, not even worth a second glance.
Then, my eyes caught a shadow in the corner, a small rat, much larger than the rest. Its black fur shimmered with an unnatural red aura, and I instantly recognized it.
> Me: "There you are…"
The Corrupted Rat from the canals. The one I had been tracking.
I gripped my broom tighter as a strange sense of familiarity washed over me. This wasn't just another rat—it was part of something bigger. I had seen them before, watching from the dark corners of the canal. They'd been disappearing into the water, leading me nowhere. And now, here it was again.
> Creature: (°Δ°)
The little creature on my head flinched, seemingly recognizing the danger too.
> Me: "Yeah, I get it, buddy. It's not just a rat. It's a part of that whole weird thing from before."
My mind raced back to the moments before I started my quest with Nina. The strange red aura I'd noticed in the canals, the rats vanishing when I followed them. I had been too focused on Nina's task to think about it then, but now that they were here again, I couldn't ignore it any longer.
The rat stared at me, its eyes glowing ominously red, the aura swirling around its body.
> Me: "So, you're part of this mess, huh?"
Before I could react, the rat scurried towards me, faster than I expected. The red aura seemed to pulse, as if it was alive, reaching out in a wave.
I dodged, barely missing the rat as it zipped by.
> Me: "Nope, not today."
I swung my broom at it, but the rat vanished before I could hit it, reappearing near the crates at the far side of the room. It was like it could teleport within the shadows, the aura making it move unnaturally fast.
> Me: "Alright, you want to play games, huh?"
I dropped the broom and pulled up my system window, immediately searching for any relevant information.
---
[Corrupted Rat]
Level: 3
Status: Strange Aura Detected
Known Behavior: Disappears into shadowy areas, can teleport short distances.
---
I clicked through, scanning the rest of the details. The rat wasn't just some random creature—it was part of something bigger, like I suspected. But what exactly, I still didn't know.
> Me: "Teleporting, huh? Not bad for a rat."
The rat darted again, this time heading for a stack of fabric. I followed its movement, keeping my eyes on it as it slipped out of sight.
I wasn't about to let it get away again.
> Me: "This ends now."
I stepped forward, gathering my focus as I prepared myself for the next move. I sprinted toward the stack, hoping to cut it off before it could escape again.
---
Creature: (≧∀≦)!!
---
The little companion on my head hopped off, seemingly eager to help. Together, we cornered the rat near the far wall. It was trapped, nowhere to run.
I swung my broom once more, this time with more precision. The rat tried to teleport, but its form wavered, almost as if the aura was struggling to keep up.
With one final swing, I landed a clean blow, knocking it out cold.
> Me: "Gotcha."
---
[You kill a corrupted rat]
+1 CP
A small notification popped up, followed by another line of text.
[Corrupted Rat Remains Collected]
Quest Update: Further Investigation Needed.
---
I stood there for a moment, catching my breath as I stared at the still rat. Something didn't feel right. This wasn't the end. There was still more to this mystery, but for now, it was time to head back and let Nina know I'd cleared out her storage room.
> Me: "Nina's probably going to give me more work now, huh?"
My tiny companion chirped happily.
> Creature: (≧∇≦)
> Me: "Yeah, of course. Because that's how this works, right?"