I Level Up With In-app Purchases

EP.89 A Suspiciously Well-Stocked General Store (4)

The magic wand that Vine hadn’t let go of even while eating tteokbokki.

Her gaze follows my finger down to the magic wand.

“Right, I need to return it.”

“……”

Vine couldn’t pay for the magic wand.

So it’s only natural that she should return it.

“I know that feeling. When I was buying a weapon from mister, I couldn’t sleep because it kept flashing before my eyes.”

Shine empathized with Vine’s reluctance to give up the magic wand.

“I think I understand the feeling too. It flashes before your eyes, and your heart races. It must feel like tearing off a part of yourself.”

Fran also quietly added her empathy to the situation.

“I’m the only one who doesn’t get it… boo-hoo.”

Ariane alone couldn’t empathize and pouted her lips glumly.

In this situation where everyone was watching Vine, she made up her mind and spoke.

“I’ll rent it. Please, I’m begging you.”

It was a choice that revealed her stubbornness to never let go of what she was holding.

“Alright, do as you wish.”

I answered calmly, knowing how attached SSRs can be to their unique equipment.

Vine smiled brightly at my positive response.

===

**

===

I didn’t expect to end up buying equipment when I went to the general store.

It was an impulse purchase, but I don’t regret it.

Hug—!

As I held the magic wand preciously close to my chest, I started to feel calm.

‘How can such an item exist? Where has it been all this time before coming to me?’

As soon as I returned to the dormitory after going out with my friends, I contacted home first.

I was worried about how to pay for this item.

‘It seems incredibly expensive, but I don’t want to give it up.’

I’ve never felt this way before, as I usually don’t have strong material desires.

I remembered how the shop owner told me to go ahead when I impulsively said I’d rent it, as if he had expected it.

‘How embarrassing…’

I just couldn’t give it up, couldn’t let go of my desire until the very end.

When I talked to my friends, it seems they all chose to rent because it was too expensive to buy.

The problem is, I don’t like the idea of renting.

I wanted to make the magic wand mine as soon as possible.

‘Fran was smiling awkwardly… I wonder if she paid in some other way?’

I thought it would be better if I could pay in a different way like Fran, rather than making an unreasonable request to my family.

‘Should I ask Fran separately? I hope she’d tell me.’

If it could be resolved in a way other than money, I wanted to do that.

“It’s beautiful. Ah…! There it goes again.”

Zhing, zhing.

A soft vibration emanating from the magic wand.

Strangely enough, the magic wand had a warm heat as if it were alive, and I could feel a pulse like a beating heart.

The shop owner didn’t seem to know about this.

At first, I almost misunderstood him as a strange person for handing me such an intense thing.

‘Are you so happy to have met me that you’re only doing this for me? You shouldn’t do this to others.’

The magic wand vibrates once more as if in agreement.

Somehow, that vibration made my lower abdomen tingle.

In fact, I started feeling this way from the moment I held the magic wand.

Vine’s gaze fell on the tip of the magic wand.

The source of the vibrating power must be the round jewel attached to the tip of the magic wand.

Gulp!

The thick, blunt thing was sparkling unusually, tempting her.

“Not yet, we can’t.”

She gently admonished it, as if soothing a mischievous child.

It was because she hadn’t paid for it yet.

She couldn’t carelessly use the magic wand when it wasn’t even hers yet.

But perhaps it didn’t like this decision of hers?

“Ugh! Mmm…”

Bwoong—!

The magic wand vibrates strongly once more.

A deep, thick sound.

The magic wand, thoroughly upset.

I hugged the magic wand tightly to my chest to soothe it.

“I’m sorry.”

The magic wand fit perfectly between my breasts.

Did it like being hugged?

The thick sound and vibration gradually subsided, and soon only a warm heat and soft, rhythmic vibrations pulsed intermittently.

Hoping that my sincere comfort had worked, I opened my mouth.

“Let’s be patient for a bit. I can’t use you carelessly yet. Even though I want to—”

Zhiiing—

“I see, ugh! You’re really upset, aren’t you?”

The magic wand, throwing a tantrum like a child.

Yet it’s impossibly lovable.

“I said we can’t. I’ve already caused enough trouble.”

This magic wand not only greatly enhances abilities but also significantly reduces the strain and physical fatigue that occur when using power.

So with the magic wand, I could unleash my power as much as I want, over and over again, to my heart’s content.

‘Even if I do that, the after-effects won’t last long.’

I hadn’t used it yet, but I was certain.

That’s why there was no way I could return this to the shop owner.

What if I left it behind and someone snatched it away?

The problem was that I didn’t have anything suitable to pay with right away.

“I’m so grateful that the shop owner was understanding.”

Just when I was feeling disappointed, a miracle happened.

I was able to bring the magic wand home without paying anything.

It was thanks to the shop owner’s consideration.

On top of that, my friends readily stepped up to vouch for my credit.

I felt so indebted to everyone.

Unable to let go of my greed, I stubbornly insisted and ended up receiving a lot of help.

“I feel like you can take me to a whole new world.”

I recall the days when I kept failing to grow.

Breaking through the wall of growth was too overwhelming.

Or so I thought.

If only the wall that seemed so insurmountable hadn’t crumbled the moment I grasped the magic wand.

‘This thing broke through it cleanly.’

The sense of liberation and thrill I felt then still sent shivers through my entire body.

I don’t know where he got something like this, but I was amazed at the shop owner’s generosity in readily agreeing to sell it to me.

“If you had put it up for auction, it would have sold for an enormous price.”

Of course, if that had happened, we wouldn’t have met, which would have been tragic for both of us.

Having met through countless possibilities, could this be called fate?

“It’s really fortunate, isn’t it? You seem like you were made just for me. Though that’s probably just my own thought.”

A magic wand custom-made for me?

That was nonsense.

Who would do such a thing for a mere academy student?

Shine and Fran also said they received weapons perfectly suited to them from the shop owner in the same way.

“He’s definitely not an ordinary shop owner, is he?”

Whatever his identity might be, the important thing was to make this item mine.

Since he preferred items over money, I wanted to find the best possible item to please him.

“I’ll have to ask mother for help.”

My mother, working as an officer on the front lines, was busy using her power on the battlefield to solve the monster wave.

That’s why I should have avoided causing any troublesome problems, but today I couldn’t resist the impulse and ended up doing just that.

It was embarrassing, but this time I was planning to act a bit spoiled.

After all, it was an item I really wanted to have.

Brrr-!

“Ah!”

Could it read the desire in my heart?

The magic wand I had tucked between my breasts vibrated.

It was as if it was agreeing, saying it liked the idea too.

“How embarrassing.”

I felt shy thinking I had shown too much enthusiasm, but I gently stroked the thick, smooth magic wand and smiled bashfully.

===

**

===

When I lent Vine the unique equipment and she left saying she would pay for it, I expected it to take a few days.

I had a feeling she was thinking more about buying than renting, so I thought a large sum of money would be coming in.

‘Meanwhile, why isn’t Ariane’s equipment coming out?’

Only random SSR character’s unique equipment keeps coming out, and Ariane’s equipment keeps frustrating me.

By the time Vine would pay, I had become completely broke, unable to spend any more.

That’s when the girl came to our shop.

She was holding the magic wand in one hand and a large bundle in the other.

“Hello.”

“Hi.”

The elaborate white dress with lace complemented her milky skin perfectly.

Her plump red lips were busily fidgeting, seemingly shy about facing me.

She had somewhat sharp eyes that looked haughty when not smiling, but I knew she was a girl who could smile kindly to her friends.

She might look a bit naive, but she was gentle and cute, making me smile every time I saw her.

And the magic wand in the girl’s hand…

“Did you oil it?”

Just from the outside, I could tell how much she had cherished the magic wand all this time.

The magic wand she was hugging to her chest was sparkling and shining.

To the point where it was dazzling.

Vine nodded with a shy smile.

“Yes. When I applied oil and wiped it with high-quality silk cloth, it seemed to like it.”

“…I see?”

Given that some people call their unique equipment ‘baby’ or make strange sounds while wearing it (feeling it?), Vine preciously hugging the magic wand didn’t seem strange at all.

‘This level is normal.’

Nodding, I let her in.

Vine, seated in a chair, put down the large bundle she had been holding in one hand.

Thud!

It made a rather heavy sound when placed on the floor.

As expected of an awakened one, I shouldn’t misjudge her strength based on appearances.

“Is that what you prepared as payment for the magic wand?”

“Yes. I don’t think you’ll find it insufficient. I’m confident.”

It seems she chose to buy rather than rent, as expected.

I don’t think Vine would have underestimated the value of the unique equipment and brought an inadequate payment.

“May I open it?”

“Yes.”

I opened the tightly wrapped bundle.

Inside was an enormous roll of scaly leather.

“Scales?”

The scales, looking like snake skin, shimmered with a transparent color.

You’d think they’d be hard and cold to the touch, but the scales I actually felt were very soft.

“It’s the belly scales of a basilisk.”

“A basilisk…!”

Now I understand why she said it would be enough.

The basilisk was one of the most notorious monsters.

There weren’t many of them, but even one could turn the entire surrounding area into a swamp, making them difficult to catch due to this undesirable ability.

For reference, the swamps created around them were highly toxic, and if you stepped in unprepared, your flesh could immediately start melting.

The basilisk’s venom possessed a strong acidity that could instantly dissolve a person.

Moreover, they were so large and their hide so thick that attacks were barely effective.

If it was the belly scales of such a basilisk, noble ladies would go crazy for it.