Villainous

A dark, dark place.

"This is also a great opportunity," Li Mei muttered, pinching her chin. "I need to see for myself what condition people are living in. This estate really isn"t a good starting comparison, it has too many resources available thanks to Faust having a high rank in a big research organization. Otto and Hana won"t be much help in terms of information either, considering their backgrounds.

"Capital"s important no matter what universe you"re in, I can think of some easy modern conveniences that could earn a lot of money depending on how new their concepts are... Condiments for example, mayonnaise and vinegar and even ketchup! And how common are magitech tools outside of a big organization like Oriole? Were they common here because of Faust"s connections rather than them actually being used everywhere? But to see it for myself..."

She rubbed the black band around her neck and grimaced. It wasn"t obtrusive, but Li Mei was never able to forget its presence. The slavery band ensured she had to follow Faust"s orders, including the one forcing her to stay within the forest until he returned.

He was being kind for the moment with his orders, relatively speaking, but what if he changed his mind? If he decided she wasn"t interesting anymore, he could order her to starve to death.

Or walk into the jaws of a vicious beast.

Or worse.

He changed the enslavement binding"s terms and conditions once before, Li Mei had to a.s.sume he could do it again. With such a shaky and imbalanced foundation for their relationship, she really couldn"t trust Faust at all. "I need to get rid of this thing first..."

Lina"s body flickered, and the world around the two girls dissolved until only a bland metal room was left. "Ah. Our time"s up. With what you"ve learned here you"ve managed to increase your Rank a bit, but you"re still being held back by your own inexperience... Oh well. With time, you"ll figure it all out."

"We"re done already? It"s only been a little while." Li Mei muttered, a hint of disappointment darkening her eyes.

The copy smiled and jumped to her feet, extending a hand to pull up Li Mei. "It"s been longer than you think. I won"t be able to do this for you again so do your best in the future to keep getting stronger, okay? Especially magic. Learn all you can about magic, and eventually I"ll be able to help you break that annoying shackle."

Li Mei squeezed Lina"s hand and smiled. In the next moment, she was alone once more in the familiar mountaintop garden, stars sparkling in the clear night sky.

She exhaled a deep breath, watching the vapor mist vanish into the chilly air.

Hana knew three spells, all derived using her Core"s Pyrokinesis ability as a base. It wasn"t something Li Mei could replicate with her limited knowledge of magic. Otto didn"t know any spells at all, so he couldn"t teach her anything either.

"Will I really have to rely on Faust yet again?" Li Mei sighed before turning her attention to a few new Interface windows demanding her attention.

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[Rank Up]

★★★★★

Completed!

Rank increased from 0 (100%) to 2 (9%)

Unlocked Lottery!

Obtained 1 (Lucky★) Spin!

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[Lottery]

A roulette wheel that can bring great fortune or sorrow with its Prizes. Spins can be purchased using EXP and mana - more expensive spins have lower odds of unlucky results.

The Lottery can be used once per day.

As your Quest System is lower than Level 3, the Lottery cannot produce tangible products. Prizes are currently limited to temporary effects. Upgrade your Quest System as soon as possible for best results!

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[Lottery Spin Types and Cost]

Free spins obtained via Quests or other methods are marked ★, and have a further increased chance of lucky results compared to other spins of the same type.

(Trivial) Spin: 111 EXP and 111 Mana. Prizes as cheap as its cost. Both lucky and unlucky Prizes are less than half as effective as other spin types.

(Risky) Spin: 444 EXP and 444 Mana. A spin that risks it all! 60% chance of unlucky Prizes, but lucky Prizes are twice as effective.

(Lucky) Spin: 7777 EXP and 7777 Mana. Only a 30% chance of unlucky Prizes! But unlucky Prizes are twice as terrible...

(Rigged) Spin: 999999 EXP and 999999 Mana. 100% lucky spin! No unlucky results! Will always produce a convenient and useful Prize appropriate to your situation and needs, guaranteed!

Other types of spins will be unlocked as you upgrade your Quest System.

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Another window listed examples of current lottery Prizes. Increased strength, magic power, mana absorption, mana capacity, EXP gain rate... And on the flip side, decreased vitality, lowered immune system, and even damage to a Core were possible unlucky Prizes.

Li Mei let out a long, low whistle. "I"ll hold onto the free spin until I can upgrade the Quest System. No use squandering it now!"

She"d barely closed the windows when she was barreled over by a furious Bao, charging across the garden at top speed to headb.u.t.t an off-guard Li Mei. She flew back several meters before slamming into a cl.u.s.ter of crystals, countless fine cracks forming intricate spiderweb patterns at the point of impact.

"What the h.e.l.l?!" Li Mei gasped, clutching her aching ribs. Such a powerful blow was just enough to knock the wind out of her lungs, which Bao was aware of. The Fera stomped his clawed feet and snorted, all four eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"Big Sis!"

"Boss!"

Hana and Otto gasped as they ran up the path from the mountainside abode, just a few seconds behind Bao"s arrival. Li Mei frowned as she clambered to her feet, glancing at their worried faces then at Bao"s furious one.

She quickly thought of an excuse and forced her expression into one both bland and nonchalant. "I uh. Went and had an... Epiphany? And lost track of time. How long was I gone?"

"Two weeks," Hana said softly. "Otto cried."

"Did not!" Otto scoffed, the tips of his ears turning crimson. He clenched his hands at his sides and stubbornly refused to look Li Mei in the eye. "Bao was still here so I knew she"d be back!"

"Cried a lot."

"Hana, you little-"

"Crybaby."

"It won"t happen again," Li Mei promised, ruffling Bao"s fur. Bao snorted again, but a single swish of his tail showed forgiveness. Li Mei kept petting his fluffy face until the Fera"s whole body relaxed. "Next time I have to go somewhere I"ll let you know first. I doubt another breakthrough like that will happen any time soon, don"t worry."

She didn"t consider the Rank Up quest could take a whole two weeks when she accepted it! The pa.s.sage of time was hard to track in the training s.p.a.ce since there were no clocks, no sunrise or sunset, and unlike the Training Room there was no sense of hunger or fatigue thanks to Lina"s magical refreshment ability.

Two weeks gone just like that, but the information and experience she got fighting Lina was well worth the effort.

Li Mei grinned. "I feel like I got a bit stronger, let"s celebrate! Who"s hungry?"

"It"s the middle of the night, Boss..."

"Ah... Shouldn"t you be sleeping?"

"Bao suddenly kicked up a fuss and charged off, we thought something might have happened..."

"Oh. Since you"re all up, let"s make food anyway. I feel like I haven"t eaten in weeks!"