NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Settlement
In a hazy state, Siegfried saw countless illusory lights twisting and dancing before his eyes, like bonfires flickering in the wind.
The old village chief, little Towa, the blonde soldier, Catalina...
One figure after another flashed by.
The tranquil village, emerald wheat waves swaying in the spring breeze, villagers' simple smiles, fierce curses, thrusting spears, and under the vast clear sky, a female knight's gleaming silver helmet as she rode her white horse...
The mysterious Wanderer's Manual, a plain long sword flashing with cold light, a man's gloomy and cold features, finally freezing on the image of him charging towards the female knight with his sword.
Siegfried slowly opened his eyes, and the familiar ceiling came into view.
Desk, computer, wardrobe, bean bag chair, single bed - a room so simple and plain it lacked even a hint of extravagance.
Yes, it was his own bedroom.
Everything seemed like a fleeting dream.
"I'm back... Was I dreaming?" Siegfried muttered in disbelief, even doubting if the seven days he spent in Fengtao Village were just a long dream.
"Shannon?"
He called out tentatively, but the ethereal voice in his mind didn't respond.
"...It really was a dream."
A sense of loneliness from an unknown source suddenly enveloped Siegfried, and his eyes dimmed.
[I'm here.]
"Holy crap!" Siegfried nearly fell off the bed.
"Where's the 'ding'? Aren't you supposed to make a 'ding' sound before speaking?"
The historian Shannon's calm and ethereal voice echoed in his mind:
[That was just imitating the systems in web novels. Since you've already signed the contract, there's no need for me to continue doing such foolish things.]
"Ah, well..." Siegfried was left speechless.
[Wanderer, your novice task has been completed. Please open the Wanderer's Manual to claim your rewards.]
Siegfried's eyebrows twitched, and he immediately summoned the Wanderer's Manual, excitedly flipping through it.
"Let's open the jars first. I love lucky draws!"
He eagerly took out the two black earthenware jars that had appeared in his inventory.
Historical Story Jar (Only obtainable upon completing stage tasks)
Category: Consumable
Quality: Depends on your luck
To know the great way, one must first understand history. History is the condensation of all knowledge, the crystallization of all wisdom. This jar contains everything from the history of myriad worlds. Breaking it open will grant you an item that exists in fantasy.
Note 1: Items you are familiar with are more likely to appear in the jar.
Note 2: Now you know why we're called [Historians], don't you?
"Does this mean I can get anything from it?" Siegfried's cheeks twitched slightly. Although he had B-rank luck, he still felt uncertain about this completely random draw.
(Well, since anything can come out, how about Star Platinum!) [Translator's note: Star Platinum is a powerful Stand from the manga/anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]
He picked up the first earthenware jar and gently squeezed it. The jar cracked, and fragments scattered. A soft white light floated in the air, contracting and expanding.
"Oh!! It's really white!"
"..."
"It's white..."
The light ball fell into Siegfried's hand. It was a piece of cotton cloth wrapped in a pink plastic bag, feeling incredibly soft. Two striking blue words were written on it:
Sofy (a brand of feminine hygiene products).
"..."
Siegfried wordlessly tossed the item aside and picked up the second jar, crushing it.
A dazzling purple light shot out from the cracks, instantly turning the bedroom into a nightclub dance floor.
It was followed by a catchy music beat!
"I got something good! I got something good! There's even sound effects!"
Siegfried couldn't contain his excitement and shouted, but his smile froze on his face the next second.
"Ji ni tai mei! Oh oh oh~ Baby~ Oh..." [Translator's note: This is a famous Chinese internet meme song, roughly meaning "Chicken you're so beautiful"]
The magical melody echoed in the room, making it feel even more like a disco.
The purple light slowly descended onto the bed under Siegfried's dumbfounded gaze.
It was a black sweater paired with white overalls. [Translator's note: This outfit is associated with Cai Xukun, a Chinese internet celebrity idol famous for his quirky dance, often parodied with a rubber chicken toy]
IKUN Battle Suit (The outfit worn by Cai Xukun during performances)
Category: Equipment
The sight of you approaching makes me so excited! I've never felt this way before!
Effect: The wearer gains 40% proficiency in singing, dancing, rapping, and basketball.
Note: Trust me, an item that provides proficiency in four skills simultaneously is rare among all equipment.
Siegfried silently put away the IKUN Battle Suit, turned around, and threw it straight into the trash can.
"What the hell are these things?!"
[Wanderer, the Historical Story Jars are more likely to produce items you're familiar with.]
"So this is my fault?"
Siegfried was so furious his nose almost twisted. He had worked his ass off for these two jars, only to get such useless items.
No, wait. The Sofy pads could be used by his sister, but what the hell was this battle suit good for?
[Don't worry, you still have a chance to activate an ability.]
[You can convert any proficiency at Expert level or above into an ability in the Wanderer's Manual.]
Siegfried's mood improved slightly at this. He opened the Wanderer's Manual and started to choose an ability.
This wasn't a small task. He actually had over forty proficiencies, with about ten of them at Expert level or above.
He looked for nearly ten minutes before finally locking his gaze on a line of indigo text.
He swiped his finger across the indigo text. The words disintegrated and scattered, then gathered into a ball of light that flew into his brow, giving his head a cool sensation.
[Tall Tale]
Category: Ability
Status: Activated, converted from 81% Deception proficiency. Exclusive to Wanderer Siegfried.
Effect: Bluff and boast. Increases the credibility of lies by 30%. If nine or more truths are spoken before use, the credibility of the next lie increases by 100%.
After activating this ability, the Deception proficiency disappears.
Note: Lies are only believable when told by honest people.
Although Siegfried had many proficiencies he could convert, for now, this [Tall Tale] ability would be most helpful for his future tasks.
He had originally planned to use his appearance to impersonate a hero and directly enter the power centers of various factions. With this ability, he would be even more formidable.
If he encountered Catalina again, he wouldn't even need to fight. He could scare her off with just his words.
[Wanderer, you have a ten-day rest period. After ten days, you'll need to return to the Qilan Continent for the next stage of your task. Please use this time to prepare.]
"Ten days..."
Siegfried silently made plans in his mind.
At this moment, he looked at the clock on the wall, which pointed to 7:00. His sister was still asleep, but as a corporate slave, he had to commute to work.
He tidied up the room, prepared breakfast for his sister, hastily gobbled down a couple of bites of bread himself, and with his briefcase in hand, drove to the company as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.