Chapter 20: Incense and Identity

‘I also recall having an alchemy materials course, don’t I?’

Every bit saved was a bit gained.

Moreover, if I were to resell discounted transcendent materials or incense at their normal prices to classmates, I could still earn a small profit and a runner’s fee. Under the current circumstances, the profit margins might be even greater, and I could also establish some valuable connections.

Given that I currently lack a single friend, it was evident just how poor my social skills truly were.

Occasionally, I too yearned for a “friend.” While I had no need to confide in them, it would still be pleasant to have someone willing to simply converse with me.

“Really? That’s absolutely wonderful! Give your senior sister a kiss~”

“A kiss? Let’s just forget about that!” I quickly pushed her away. I found such excessively enthusiastic individuals rather difficult to manage, almost as if they were my natural adversaries.

Without delay, I pulled out my phone, deciding to add her as a friend first. Tomorrow, I would inquire about any avenues for reselling incense. If too many others were already doing so, there would be no need for me to get involved.

‘It might even displease someone,’ I mused.

In the transcendent world, it was far too simple to eliminate someone. Who knew if the academy would even bother to investigate if the deed was done cleanly?

Moreover, even without resorting to murder, there were countless ways to make life worse than death. There was no need to be so reckless; a modest profit would suffice. If I earned too much and others discovered it, I wasn’t sure I could even keep it.

I recalled an incident earlier in the dorm corridor where someone attempted to steal another’s academic credits, indicating that such actions were common practice.

‘Considering this, carrying all my possessions isn’t entirely safe, is it?’ I thought. ‘But I can’t exactly leave my phone in the dorm either.’

After the senior sister added me as a friend, I saw her name: Mu Shibai. Another peculiar name, I noted.

‘Indeed, I should really adapt to the naming conventions of different races,’ I mused. ‘After all, they are just names; what they’re called truly doesn’t matter.’

“Eh? Is your name Ren? Just a single character, huh? Your appearance truly matches your name, so endearing!” Mu Shibai extended her hand, her expression suggesting she wanted to pinch my cheek.

I promptly pressed her hand down. I absolutely detested being touched and prodded by others!

It infuriated me when someone became physically familiar without a word.

“Oh, right. Now that we’re friends, as your senior sister, I can’t be stingy.” She immediately bustled off to the storage room at the back, returning after a while with an exquisite box.

“Here~ Consider this my welcome gift to you as your senior sister! Make sure to keep it safe! This is a comprehensive-effect incense, the very type new students use for their first meditation. While it may not be as potent as those with specific effects, its broad utility is its greatest advantage, making it ideal for newcomers who are still developing in many areas.”

“This… isn’t it far too valuable?” I quickly moved to refuse. I had a feeling that even at its original price, this single box might cost more than all my current possessions combined!

“No, really, let’s not,” I began, intending to decline. “It’s too precious. Besides, I’ve already condensed my spiritual energy, and things like meditation aren’t as difficult as they once were, now that I possess spiritual energy.”

“Who told you that meditation becomes easy once you possess spiritual energy? How could that be? Don’t let anyone deceive you!” Mu Shibai exclaimed, her expression serious.

“Even with experience, attempting meditation under varying conditions always demands a significant amount of preparation time. Incense, however, can drastically reduce this preparation, and it also elevates the quality of your meditation. You surely don’t believe incense is solely for aiding absolute beginners, do you? Why would that be?”

“Otherwise, incense wouldn’t command such high prices. Even seasoned witches require the aid of incense, though the varieties they use are far beyond our reach,” she explained, patiently lecturing me as if concerned I might fall into some critical misunderstanding. “What’s more, the truly vital benefit of incense lies in enhancing meditation quality, which directly contributes to the advancement of spiritual energy!”

“Is… is that truly the case?” I murmured, surprised. I had genuinely believed incense was no longer of any use to me. ‘Though, personally, I think my meditation quality is quite good, isn’t it?’ I mused. ‘The effects of incense really aren’t that significant for me, seeing as I’m a cheat.’

“So, just take it~” The senior sister gently but firmly pressed the incense box into my hand. “If you use this alone, it should last for about three hours. Remember to get a decent incense burner as well~”

“Well… thank you, senior sister,” I conceded, finding it difficult to directly refuse her now. “Um, senior sister, may I be so bold as to ask the approximate original academic credit cost of this incense?”

“At its original price, a standard portion fluctuates around 200 academic credits,” she explained. “A standard portion, by the way, is meant for half an hour of single-person use. If my junior sister wishes to purchase any, I can offer you a ten percent discount! That’s the absolute lowest price.”

“Thank you, senior sister. For the time being, I likely won’t be purchasing any. But if I do have a need, I will certainly contact you first!” I thought of the exorbitant 599 academic credits a single portion of incense fetched outside, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. New students truly had no rights; it was as if they were simply meant to be exploited for every last bit of value before being weeded out.

“Then I’ll be waiting for you~”

“Mm.” After a nod, something else came to mind. I decided to inquire about places selling affordable clothes. As a senior sister, she would surely have some experience in this area, wouldn’t she?

“Oh, right, senior sister,” I began. “Could I trouble you for a recommendation? Are there any shops around here that sell inexpensive clothes? I don’t have many changes of clothes.”

“Clothes? Oh~ I certainly know a few places. I’ll mark them on your map for you; those shops offer excellent quality at reasonable prices!”

“Thank you so much, senior sister!” With her recommendations, I finally felt a sense of assurance. Clothes were merely temporary; for now, I would simply purchase some inexpensive garments. I wasn’t particular about clothing anyway. Once I accumulated enough academic credits, I would then commission some proper attire!

For the present, being poor necessitated acting poor. It was entirely unadvisable to swell one’s face to appear fat.

****

Only after stepping outside did I finally let out a long sigh.

Interacting with others was utterly exhausting, especially when I had accepted favors from them.

She persistently addressed me as “junior sister,” and I dared not correct her. ‘What if she’s the type who despises boys?’ I worried.

‘I won’t reveal it for now. After all, I’ll eventually become a girl anyway, so what would it matter if she found out later?’

I examined the clothing stores the senior sister had marked for me. They were small establishments, not visible on the main map, only appearing as marked points after a specific search.

Thankfully, each had a corresponding name.

I should be able to locate them by simply exploring the vicinity.

Given their small size, I presumed the clothes inside wouldn’t be excessively priced, would they?

My objective was to acquire two wearable outfits, with one set for changing, which would be perfectly sufficient. As for the clothes I was currently wearing, they were quite old, and I had no intention of wearing them again; after all, they belonged to the original owner.

Yet, everything now was under my dominion! I was no longer the person I once was, and naturally, I intended to adopt a new appearance to embark on a new life!