Fishing

It was the following day. Amber had quickly set up my arrangements under the guise of a victim of misfortune, handed me a decent sum of money - about 30,000 yen - and left to handle her usual duties. That gave me the night to think about what I wanted to do next.

And now that it's morning, I've got a quick outline of today's plan.

Which is…

To relax.

Yeah, yeah, I could go out, sign up as an adventurer, and start grinding to get stronger - but I don't feel like it right now. Can you blame me? I haven't had a fucking break since before I got fucking kidnapped and tortured. So, I'm taking this day for me, and me alone. To find a hobby that isn't curb stomping people.

And what have I chosen? Fishing.

I mean, a lot of people say fishing is relaxing, so I might as well give it a shot. Plus, it could be a way to get stronger. I mean, if the reason I gain exp is from "defeating" an opponent… wouldn't a fish technically count? Two birds with one bullet - wait, that's not the phrase…

Eh, whatever. You get the point.

But this is just a hypothesis — another reason to go fishing. To test it out.

Now, if I could, I'd just go straight to a lake and start fishing. But sticking my hand into the water and catching fish bare-handed isn't exactly the best strategy. Way too slow — and way too wet. So, using the money Amber gave me, I should (hopefully) be able to pick up some fishing gear. Maybe a net and a rod. Hopefully both, but funds are tight.

Well… maybe selling the fish could earn me enough to cover both of them. Hah — three birds with one rock. Yeah, this is the perfect plan. It solves all my problems. 

Fishing time

[yaaaaaay...]

Fishing. Time.

[...sigh.mp4]

i gasp, "how dare you. so rude"

---

After wandering around the city for a while — getting sidetracked more times than I'd like to admit and grabbing some surprisingly tasty skewers. I finally found a shop selling fishing gear.

A man with a short beard and weathered hands sat behind the counter, half-focused on tying a fishing line. His eyes flicked up as I approached.

"Morning," he said welcomingly. Then his gaze narrowed slightly before shifting to one of mild surprise. "Oh! How surprising. It's quite rare to see someone from Inazuma. Mondstadt welcomes you, friend from afar. What were you looking for?"

"Yeah," I replied, eyeing the selection. "I'm looking for a rod and a net. Something basic and preferably on the cheap side but decent quality."

He hummed, setting down the line and standing up as his eyes swept over me, probably guessing I was new to Mondstadt and facing some financial difficulty. After thinking it through, he replied slowly.

"Hmm, well, my shop sells some pretty high-quality gear, all from the famous Mondstadt fishing equipment factory, so getting a bargain is quite hard… hmm." He scratched his short beard thoughtfully before pulling something out.

"How about I cut you a deal." He held up a net and a fishing rod. "This net and rod would cost 13,000 and 15,000 separately, but I'll sell both to you for 20,000 total. They're made by Thorn Gear's Fishing Factory. As you know, they're best known for their durability."

…No, I do not know that. I just fucking arrived in this city. But he doesn't know that, so he gets a free pass.

I put a finger to my chin, pretending to think deeply before realizing that I know absolutely nothing about fishing. And even if I did, the prices here and on Earth are probably wildly different. So there's literally no point in hesitating, except maybe to avoid looking like a gullible idiot like Aqua. 

[Aqua doesn't deserve this slander. But she is a dumbass. still mean.]

ignoring the system, I spoke "Alright, I'll take them." Having decided, I didn't waste any words or pleasantries and handed over the mora.

"Ha, great! Well, here you go." He passed them over with a grin. "I have a feeling this is your first time fishing here, so here's some advice. Head over to Springvale Lake tonight. That's the best place to cast your net. With a bit of luck, you'll haul in plenty of fat catches by morning. Take what you need or want, then sell the excess early in the morning. Best before noon. That's when the prices drop."

Casting nets don't have much of a difficulty curve; it's mostly about luck, where you throw the thing, and that's it. I was pretty thankful for the advice since I had no fucking clue where to fish except water. So, Any help is good help. 

Before leaving, I debated whether to buy some bait or just create it with my mana. After quickly conjuring a small worm with no insides, I realized that while creating a single one was negligible, I'd probably need a lot of them. Whiiiich would drain my mana pretty goddamn fast. So, with a sad, moneyless, and heavy heart, I decided to buy some bait as well.

Leaving me with just 7440 mora left.

Excited, I left Mondstadt and made my way toward Springvale. As I walked along the path leading to the lake, I kept my eyes open for a good spot to cast the net. Of course, I didn't have a small boat, so the middle of the lake was off-limits. I'd have to make do with what I had.

After a while, I found a promising area by the shore. The water was calm, with the sun beginning to climb higher, casting a peaceful glow over everything. With a deep breath, I threw the net into the water and sprinkled some bait on top, watching as it floated on the surface.

Manual fishing time.

I walked along the shore, looking for a good spot to settle in for some patience. When I found a spot, I realized something important. I was staring at the water, thinking.

"I don't know how to fish…" I muttered to myself, slapping a hand into my forehead because, what a dumb ass.

[How smart. Trying to fish without the knowledge of doing so. How will this go? I wonder.]

I'd like to see you try, you're fucking text on a screen.

[Hmmm... still better than you.]

Oh, fuck off.

I looked up at the sky. It was still early, plenty of time left until sunset. now with the motivation of proving my system wrong. "Well, I guess I've got all the time in the world to learn through trial and error, and I'm NOT fucking stopping till I catch one."

.

.

.

[Ah, free entertainment. :) ]

a notification popped up behind my head, not to be read by me, as i was busy trying to figure out how the damned rod even worked. The system, enjoying my suffering.

*Bonk* "OW!" I said, as I hit myself with the rod.

[Is this what watching kids fall feels like? Cause it feels greaaaaaaat.]

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A/N so yeah, i've decided to go into the full on sentient system. which will 90% be sassy and a judgemental ass hole. And 10% helpful, what a great asset.