A Little Retribution

The sun hung high in the sky as Tyla reapplied the Transfiguration spell to her clothes for the third time that day. The spell never lasted more than two hours, leaving her with little choice but to renew it. she made her way down the familiar streets toward Wang Supermarket. The moment she stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the store, she hesitated, old memories creeping up like an unpleasant stench.

Mr. Wang.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. That disgusting old man had made her life miserable for months.

She'd met him while working part-time at Happy Restaurant, a small place near her neighborhood. Back then, she had always kept her long bangs covering most of her face—she lacked confidence and didn't wanted to attract attention. But one unfortunate day, she had tucked her hair behind her ear while washing dishes, and Mr. Wang, who had come in for a meal, had seen her face clearly.

He started appearing at her workplace frequently, watching her with a sleazy smile, offering her money in exchange for "companionship." The more she rejected him, the more persistent he became, even following her after work, cornering her when she was alone.

The worst had been when his wife stormed into the restaurant one evening, screaming accusations at her in front of customers and staff.

"Shameless little tramp! Seducing married men for money?! Disgusting!"

Tyla had been too stunned to react. The whole restaurant had stared at her as Wang's wife grabbed her by the arm, shaking her violently.

The manager had stepped in before it escalated further, but the damage was done. She had been humiliated, and though she never accepted a cent from that disgusting man, rumors spread.

At least, after that incident, Wang had finally backed off.

Tyla exhaled sharply, shaking off the memory. It didn't matter now.

As she approached the entrance, passersby turned to look at her—again. It was getting ridiculous.

A group of college boys nearly walked into a streetlamp as they stared. An old woman muttered something about "a celestial fairy descending to the mortal realm." A young mother nudged her husband sharply when she caught him sneaking a glance.

Tyla tugged her dress lower, feeling a bit self-conscious.

Maybe… maybe the pink dress was a bit too much.

She had only wanted to indulge herself for once—to feel confident in her own skin at an age when, in her past life, she had been too burdened, too afraid to even try.

Back then, she had hid behind long bangs, oversized clothes, and an aura of invisibility. But now, with her new life and her growing strength, she had wanted to experience something different.

A little confidence. A little vanity.

But under all these hungry and awestruck stares, she was starting to regret it.

"…Next time, I'm wearing a jacket," she muttered under her breath.

System 111 hummed. "Awww, but Host, you look dazzling! Like a heroine in a romance novel! Should I play some background music for your dramatic entrance ."

Tyla kept walking, mentally noting that she'd definitely opt for more modest clothes next time.

System 111, on the other hand, was absolutely thriving on the attention.

"Host, you're so popular! Do you think they want to worship you? Should I prepare a divine proclamation?"

Tyla deadpanned. "Yeah, sure. 'All hail the broke goddess of instant noodles.'"

System 111 gasped. "That title is not grand enough! How about—"

"Don't."

Stepping into Wang Supermarket, she quickly moved to the food section.

Though Wang himself wasn't in sight, she felt no guilt as she loaded up her basket—rice, dried noodles, canned food, dried meat, even bottles of clean water. Her expanded Inventory made it easy to store everything without the staff or cameras noticing. Using her growing control over magic, Tyla extended her spirit, gently reaching out to the items on the shelves. With a subtle pulse of her will, she drew them into her Inventory, never once touching them directly. Her spirit, like an invisible thread, weaved through the air, making the process so seamless that even the vigilant cameras failed to catch a glimpse of the transfer.

System 111 whispered excitedly, "Host, are you stealing?"

Tyla scoffed. "Stealing? No. It's compensation."

If the apocalypse was going to wipe everything out soon, why should she leave supplies for a scumbag like Wang?

By the time she left the store, her hands were empty, but her Inventory was a quarter full.

As she walked down the street, another thought hit her.

"…Wait a minute."

She had completely forgotten about her job at Happy Restaurant. She hadn't shown up for almost two weeks since her rebirth!!

"Why hasn't anyone called me?!"

Then, realization dawned.

"…Oh."

Her phone. She hadn't charged it since she returned to this life. It was probably dead.

Well, not like it mattered. Phones wouldn't work in the apocalypse anyway.

With that thought, she turned on her heel and headed home, her smirk fading into a thoughtful expression.

Work…. Her boss at the restaurant had always been kind to her, even letting her eat from the kitchen. Would she be worried?

A pang of guilt pricked at her, but she shook it off. It doesn't matter now. The world was on the verge of collapse, and no job—no matter how kind the boss—could change that.

Still, maybe she'd drop by one last time. Not to work, but to at least see how things stood and warn the boss.

For now, she had preparations to make.