Spring's gaze dropped briefly to their inventories, then back up again, his bushy brows lifting in genuine surprise. "And you didn't get caught."
He looked back at Liam, and the usual gruffness in his expression softened into something resembling respect. "And you didn't take all of them either."
Liam's screen flickered with a subtle golden glow. Max Affinity. It was a hidden stat, but as Spring leaned forward, it showed.
Spring exhaled a long breath through his nose, then turned his attention to Ellie. He studied her more carefully this time—not with the suspicion he'd shown earlier, but with a weighing curiosity. "Picked up someone new along the way, did you?"
Ellie straightened her posture, her armour clinking. "I…"
Spring didn't even wait for her to finish; he looked back at Liam's deadpan visor. That was answer enough. The NPC huffed a quiet, amused sound and waved a hand dismissively. "As promised. Keep the meat. I know your type—you'll probably find a use for it that would make a normal man's stomach turn."
He didn't even try to haggle for the toad carcasses. Instead, his hand hovered over the rest of the pile: the rabbit feet and the mountain of frog legs. "...But I'll be taking these," he added, his tone slipping back into business-casual.
Liam, unable to keep his inner college-student snark contained, tapped out a quick message on his holographic keyboard.
[Do you have a foot fetish?]
The shop went dead silent. Spring froze in mid-reach, his jaw locking in sheer disbelief. A moment passed before he exploded into a fit of awkward coughing, his weathered cheeks flushing a deep, guilty crimson.
"That's... that's not relevant!" he sputtered, his voice cracking as he swiped the items into a crate with frantic speed, refusing to meet Liam's eyes.
Ellie slowly turned her head toward the three-foot-tall wolf-girl beside her. "...What is actually wrong with you?"
Liam didn't respond. He just watched Spring's retreating back.
"Right. Payment," Spring muttered, regaining his composure with the practised ease of an NPC who had dealt with 'Chosen Ones' before. He tossed a heavy leather pouch onto the counter.
[+90 Silver]
"Good work," Spring added, his voice firming up as he reasserted his dignity. "Better than expected. Much better."
[Title Acquired: Friend of Spring]
[Effect: +10% Affinity with all NPCs]
Liam's total, quietly updated in the corner of his vision, was 125 Silver. Not bad for a day spent eating poison.
Ellie's eyes darted between the blushing NPC and the silent toddler-tank, her expression narrowing. She was a Rank 1 student; she was used to variables making sense.
Suddenly, a distant crackle split the air, followed by a low BOOM that vibrated through the floorboards. Soft flashes of gold and red bled through the doorway, washing the shop in a warm, ethereal light.
The World Event had begun.
Ellie's eyes lit up, the competitive grind momentarily forgotten. "Oh," she whispered, already taking a step toward the door. She stopped, looked down at Liam, and without a second thought, she reached out and grabbed his small, gauntleted hand.
"Come on," she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Let's go to the event."
Liam looked down at her hand. Then up at her. Then back at Spring. The NPC just raised an eyebrow, watching the exchange with the quiet interest of a man watching a drama unfold in his favourite tavern.
Liam gave a tiny, metallic shrug. [Ok, let's go.]
Spring huffed a laugh. "Don't get lost," he called out, though his tone suggested he knew exactly who was leading whom.
Ellie didn't wait. She pulled him out into a world that had been rewritten in seconds. The village was a sea of players, all surging toward the central plaza. The sun had dipped below the horizon at an impossible speed, replaced by a deep indigo sky filled with stars that pulsed with a life of their own.
Then the fireworks started.
Layered patterns of gold, red, and blue burst across the sky, reflecting off the polished armour of the crowd. Ellie slowed her pace, her grip on Liam's hand loosening just enough to be comfortable. "Okay," she murmured, looking up with genuine wonder. "That's... actually really nice."
They found a spot on a low stone ledge, away from the crushing weight of the main crowd. Ellie sat down and tugged Liam down beside her. For a long moment, the 'untouchable' student and the 'monster-eating' wolf sat in silence, watching the lights.
A massive golden notification formed in the sky, constructed of pure light.
[Event Reward Tier 1]
[50 Gold Awarded to All Participants]
The plaza erupted. Fifty gold coins were a fortune for Day 1. It was the kind of reward that broke economies.
[+50 Gold] "...Huh," Liam typed softly to himself.
Ellie looked down. "Did you say something?"
Another notification pinged. Only for Liam.
[Item Received: 3x Baked Bread, 1x Candle]
[Message Attached: xoxo – Hestia]
Liam stared at the message. Xoxo? Was the Goddess of the Hearth hitting on him, or did she just really appreciate his palate?
"What did you get?" Ellie asked, leaning over.
Liam tilted his screen. She frowned. "...Bread? And a candle. Is that... cooking stuff?"
Liam nodded slowly. He looked at the bread, then at the sky, then back at the girl swinging her legs beside him.
[This is nice. When are you getting off?]
Ellie blinked, the question catching her off guard. Her expression softened, a hint of something melancholy crossing her face. "Oh. When the event's over, I guess."
She didn't add that she usually spent her nights studying. She didn't add that she hadn't planned on having fun. She just watched the sky, her gaze lingering on Liam for a second longer than necessary.
[Event Reward Tier 2]
[Life Skill Enhancement Items Distributed]
Liam's inventory flared.
[Cooking Inventory Unlocked]
[Effect: Unlimited minor ingredients provided (salt, pepper, water, etc.)]
[Condition: Primary ingredient must be personally obtained.]
[...What Liam typed.
"Wait, let me see," Ellie commanded. She read the description and her eyes nearly popped. "Liam, that's insane! That's a 'God-Tier' economy bypass. You never have to buy seasoning again."
[...This game is really good,] Liam typed, his mind already calculating the spice-to-toad ratio for his next meal.
[Am I bugged?]
"Yes," Ellie laughed. "You're definitely bugged. But in the best way."
Her own panel pinged then. She leaned forward, and for the first time, a purely joyful, unburdened smile broke across her face.
[Horse Taming Kit Acquired]
[Includes: Sugar Cubes, Capture Ropes, Basic Handling Tools]
"No way," she breathed, her pink cat tail flicking with pure, unadulterated happiness. She looked like she wanted to scream with excitement.
Liam watched her for a beat. He thought of the girl on the podium, the one who looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
[You have a good smile.]
Ellie froze. Her legs stopped swinging. She looked down at him, caught in a rare moment of vulnerability. "Oh," she said, her voice small. "Uh... thank you. You know... You really remind me of someone. I didn't know 'Liam' was such a common name."
Liam didn't flinch. He just looked back at the sky.
The atmosphere changed. The music swelled, then faded into a low, humming vibration that shook the very air. The golden text in the sky grew larger, heavier, turning from yellow to a deep, crystalline white.
[Event Reward Tier 3]
[Permanent Appearance Sync Initiated]
The world went white.