In a daze, Siegfried saw countless illusory lights and shadows flickering before his eyes, twisting like a bonfire in the wind.
The old village chief, little Tova, the blond soldier, Katarina…
One after another, figures flashed past.
The tranquil village, the emerald wheat fields swaying in the spring breeze, the villagers' honest smiles, vicious curses, spears thrusting toward him, the vast blue sky, the female knight's silver helmet gleaming atop her white steed…
The mysterious Wanderer's Handbook, the plain yet razor-sharp sword, the sinister and cold features of a man—finally freezing on the image of him charging toward the female knight.
Siegfried slowly opened his eyes to a familiar ceiling.
Desk, computer, wardrobe, beanbag chair, single bed—a simple, unadorned room with no frills.
Yes, this was his bedroom.
Everything felt like a fleeting dream.
"I'm back… Was I dreaming?"
He muttered in disbelief, even beginning to wonder if his seven days in Wind Peach Village had just been an elaborate dream.
"Shannon?"
He tentatively called out, but the ethereal voice in his mind did not respond.
"...It really was a dream."
An inexplicable sense of loneliness suddenly enveloped him, dimming his eyes.
[I'm here.]
"Holy sh*t!"
Siegfried nearly fell off the bed.
"Where's the 'ding'? The 'ding'? Don't you usually 'ding' before speaking?"
The calm, ethereal voice of the Chronicler Shannon echoed in his mind:
[That was merely an imitation of 'systems' from web novels. Now that you've signed the contract, there's no need for such frivolities.]
"Uh…" Siegfried was speechless.
[Wanderer, your novice mission is complete. Please open the Wanderer's Handbook to claim your rewards.]
His brow twitched, and he immediately summoned the handbook, flipping through it excitedly.
"Let's open the jars first. I love gacha."
Eagerly, he retrieved two black earthen jars from the inventory page.
Historical Story Jar (Only obtainable by completing stage missions)Category: ConsumableQuality: Luck-dependent
To comprehend the great truths, one must first understand history. History is the condensation of all knowledge, the crystallization of all wisdom. This jar contains fragments of countless worlds—shatter it to obtain something born of fantasy.
Note 1: The jar is more likely to yield things you're familiar with.Note 2: Now you understand why we're called Chroniclers, yes?
"So… it can give me anything?"
Siegfried's cheek twitched. Despite his B-rank Luck, he had no confidence in this completely random gacha.
(Alright, if anything's possible… then give me Star Platinum!)
He picked up the first jar and gently crushed it .
The earthenware cracked , fragments scattering as a soft white light floated in the air, pulsating like a heartbeat .
"Whoa!! It's actually white!"
"..."
"White, huh…"
The light settled into his palm, revealing a cotton bundle wrapped in pink plastic, impossibly smooth to the touch.
Printed on it in bold blue letters :
Laurier .
"..."
Without a word, Siegfried tossed it aside and grabbed the second jar, crushing it without hesitation.
A dazzling purple light burst from the cracks, instantly transforming his bedroom into a nightclub.
Accompanied by rhythmic music !
"It's a hit! A hit! There's even sound effects !"
He couldn't contain his excitement, but his grin froze the next second .
https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=S6WClGmcy46nL7Iu . （Music website）
A hypnotic melody filled the room, making it feel even more like a rave .
Under Siegfried's stunned gaze , the purple light slowly descended onto his bed .
A black sweater paired with white suspender pants.
IKUN Battle AttireCategory: EquipmentQuality : Rare
"The sight of you approaching makes me feel things I've never felt before—Cuz I want it U oh U!"
Effect: Equipping grants 40% proficiency in Singing, Dancing, Rap, and Basketball .
Note: Trust me, an item that provides four proficiencies at once is a rarity among all equipment.
Siegfried silently stored the IKUN Battle Attire, turned, and threw it straight into the trash .
"What the hell kind of garbage is this? !"
[Wanderer, the Historical Story Jar is more likely to yield things you're familiar with .]
"So this is MY fault?"
Siegfried was so angry his nose almost twisted. After all that effort, these two jars gave him utter trash .
Well, at least the Laurier could be given to his sister. But what the hell was he supposed to do with the Battle Attire ?
[Do not worry. You still have one opportunity to awaken an Eidos .]
[You may convert any proficiency at Expert level or above into an Eidos via the Wanderer's Handbook .]
Slightly mollified, Siegfried opened the handbook and began selecting his Eidos .
This wasn't a quick task—he actually had over forty proficiencies, more than ten of which were at Expert or higher .
After nearly ten minutes of deliberation, his gaze settled on a line of indigo text .
He swiped his finger across the words, and they disintegrated into motes of light, coalescing into a sphere that flew into his forehead. A refreshing coolness spread through his mind .
[Deceptive Discourse]Category : EidosStatus: Awakened (Converted from 81% Deception proficiency. Exclusive to Wanderer Siegfried.)
Effec t: Bluffing, grandstanding. Increases the believability of lies by 30%. If you speak nine or more truths beforehand, the next lie's believability increases by 100%.
(After awakening this Eidos, the Deception proficiency disappears.)
Note : Only honest people can make others believe their lies.
Though Siegfried had many proficiencies to choose from, [Deceptive Discourse] would be the most useful for his upcoming missions.
His plan was already to impersonate the Hero and infiltrate the power centers of major factions. With this Eidos, he'd be unstoppable.
If he encountered Katarina again, he wouldn't even need to fight—just scare her off with words.
[Wanderer, you now have ten days of rest . After that, you must return to Kiran Continent for the next stage of your mission. Please prepare accordingly.]
"Ten days…"
He silently mapped out his plans.
Glancing at the wall clock—7:00 AM. His younger sister was still asleep, but as a corporate drone, he had to commute.
He tidied the room, prepared his sister's breakfast, wolfed down some bread, grabbed his briefcase, and drove to work—just like any other day.