3 Chapter 3 - First Customer

A month had passed, and not a single customer had visited.

Luke hadn't stepped out of the building during this time, focusing on familiarizing himself with the computers and experimenting his skills.

He had grown accustomed to the mysteriousness of the system and the fantasy-like lifestyle it provided.

The past few weeks hadn't bored him in the least.

During the first week, he spent his entire day using the computer. He discovered that it only had three software programs installed.

ManaWeb

MartialTube

Arena Fighter

They are basically the equivalents of G*ogle, Y*utube, and a certain martial arts game.

Although he knew that he would eventually get tired of them, he occasionally watched funny videos on MartialTube to pass the time.

Once his computer addiction phase ended, he sought out other activities and explored the system shop for new experiences.

He clicked on the entertainment section and purchased a console called the Nyantendo Switch.

Over the past three weeks, he had become engrossed in the games, spending most of his time playing.

Finally, he felt as if he was living a relaxed life.

Today was no different.

He took a break after his in-game character died and found himself seated at the counter, sighing as he glanced at the empty computer station. The neatly arranged cluster contained five rows of computers, with two columns each. There are a total of 11 computers including his pc on the counter.

His thoughts drifted back to the first time he used the computer in this place. He marveled at the fact that he could search anything in the ManaWeb and MartialTube without an internet connection.

That made him think that the system is truly mysterious.

Over the past month, Luke was not in the least bored despite not having customers.

The 200 credits, equivalent to 200 gold coins, he received on his first day turned out to be more than he could ask for.

He didn't need to leave the building since he could just buy food in the system shop where everything he bought magically appears in the system storage.

He could purchase anything from the system, ranging from essentials to entertainment, as long as he had credits.

In the past month, only a total of 40 credits had been deducted from his account—30 gold coins for food and necessities, and the remaining 10 was spent on a game console and a few games.

Living like this, Luke finally felt as if he was on vacation. His previous struggles of working day and night were nothing compared to his current peaceful life.

However, thoughts of the orphanage and the guardians who raised him occasionally plagued his mind, leaving him feeling helpless. If only there was something he could do for them.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening interrupted his train of thought.

A stunning girl in a green silky dress entered, her blond hair fluttering as the wind brushed against it. She scrutinized her surroundings with her sharp blue eyes before her gaze settled on Luke at the counter.

Luke warily observed her, employing the skills he had acquired.

[SCAN]

A series of information appeared on top of the girl's head.

[Name: Lunaria Alveron

Gender: Female

Age: 219 years old

Race: Elf

Profession: Rank 6 Magician

Status: curious, wary, disguised]

He was shocked for multiple reasons seeing the information displayed in front of him.

"A 219-year-old elf?" he wondered, then the system's voice echoed in his head, providing an explanation.

[Various races inhabit the realm of Eldoria. Elves are just one of them. Elves have a naturally long lifespan, and their bodies age ten times slower compared to humans. In human standards, she should be about twenty two years old.]

Luke was enlightened. He quickly grasped the system's words and thought,

'So that's why she looks young. She should be roughly the same age as me in human standards.'

Seeing the elf, he remembered that he was running an internet cafe.

Ku-hum

"Good day, guest. Do you want to use a computer?"

He asked her with a poker face, unintentionally keeping his distance to her. Remembering how he died on Earth, he subconsciously avoided getting involved with girls close to his age. He was referencing the elf's age in human standard, which technically meant that she was close to his age.

He made a conscious decision to avoid romance and preserve his peaceful life.

The girl appeared momentarily surprised but soon smiled and nodded, replying,

"Y-yes please, how do you use it?"

•••

— Lunaria's PoV —

I was known as the famous magician in the Southern Continent and had even earned the nickname "Spirit Goddess." I didn't think much of it and thought that it was only natural since I surpassed my peers in both intelligence and elegance. Though, comparing me to the noble spirits slightly bothered me but seeing that the spirits did not complain, I'm fine with the title given to me.

However, I had recently encountered the greatest bottleneck in my life.

I was on the verge of reaching Rank 7 but felt an inexplicable barrier preventing me from advancing further.

Thinking that I needed more experience, I decided to embark on a journey.

Just as I was about to set off to become stronger, I sensed a sudden ripple to the east—a fleeting occurrence that lasted less than a second.

If it wasn't for my affinity with spirits and nature I wouldn't have felt the ripple.

I'm likely the only one in the Southern Continent to have felt this strange occurrence.

I looked at the far east and realized that it originated from the Luminaire Kingdom

I guess my destination is set.

The ripple in the east was strong enough to be mistaken for the energy of a demigod, someone who transcended this realm.

I set out towards this mysterious phenomenon, hoping to find clues to enhance my strength.

The journey would take a month, so I made sure to bring everything I needed. I heard the noble spirits whispered that something good might happen once I reached my destination.

As I crossed the border into the Luminaire Kingdom, I disguised my ears to resemble those of a human. Revealing my true identity as the Spirit Goddess would cause chaos, and the other elves would certainly make a fuss if their greatest genius visited a human city.

The journey was arduous, but I was determined to grow stronger. I would even try climbing the world tree if necessary. Of course, that was a joke. The Elven Chief, my father, would kill me if I dare desecrate the world tree hehe.

After a month, I finally arrived at the capital city of Luminaire Kingdom. No one has found out my true identity. However, one thing remained unchanged—my beauty attracted admirers of all genders. I sighed as I think that it's a sin to be born elegant.

I, Lunaria, the Spirit Goddess from the Alveron Elvendom, will take my first step in the capital of humans to become stronger.

Entering the city was relatively easy; I simply paid a few silvers for admission. With my amassed wealth as a renowned magician, even a mountain of gold would seem cheap.

Consulting the noble spirits, I respectfully followed their guidance to the bustling streets where I sensed the ripples.

Eventually, they led me to a secluded corner that most people would avoid. In front of me stood a building with a unique structure—a sight I had never seen in all the years I've lived.

I nodded in approval. This structure is really beautiful. Every elf cherished beauty and I am no different.

Above the one-story building, a sign hung, displaying symbols I couldn't decipher even as a genius mage.

Nonetheless, the aesthetics intrigued me. As it looks like a shop, I pushed open the door and bravely stepped inside, eager to unravel the mystery behind the ripples.

Surveying the surroundings, I noticed several black rectangular flat boxes in the inner hall. Below each are more black boxes but much bigger. These peculiar boxes piqued my curiosity, but it was then that I realized someone was staring at me.

Our eyes met, and a shiver ran down my spine.

For the first time in a hundred years, I felt shaken. The man before me looked at me as if peering into my soul.

I can't believe that a strong magician such as myself didn't notice his presence. It was as if he was one with the space itself.

I felt a strange connection between him and this place. No, he seemed to blend seamlessly with the surroundings.

I found myself momentarily speechless until he coughed and spoke.

"Good day, guest. Do you want to use a computer?"

Uncertain of what to say, I wondered if he was the cause of the powerful ripple.

Could he be a demigod in disguise? As I examined him closely, I was astounded by his remarkable appearance. He was nearly as beautiful as me, yet he showed no interest in my own captivating beauty. His gaze made me doubt myself.

Those few seconds felt like an eternity, and in a rush to break the awkward silence, I hastily replied,

"Y-yes please, how do you use it?"

"Please follow me."

As I heard his voice again, I found it soothing, akin to the sound of nature itself. Yet, he sounded distant. Frustrated, I followed him, occasionally stealing glances in his direction.

If he truly possessed great power, I didn't want to incur his wrath. Perhaps he desired to hide away and live in seclusion.

For now, it seemed wise to follow him.

After a few steps, we arrived in front of one of the... black rectangular flat boxes.