I pushed the door open and found Emilia sitting at the table with some holographic screens splayed out around the table.

 

She immediately turned toward me and stood up.

 

"What happened? Why are you all dusty—"

 

The plastic bag crinkled as I pulled out two chocolate ice cream cones and pushed them forward.

 

"Here you go."

 

"Ice cream...?" Emilia tilted her head.

 

I nodded.

 

"Why did you waste money on an ice cream?"

 

"It's not just one," I said, showing her a couple more cups and cones of chocolate ice cream. "We have the money, just eat it."

 

Emilia looked at me and then at the ice cream. I could see her lips slightly loosen up before she heaved in a deep breath.

 

"Alright, go bath first, you stink of sweat."

 

Shit.

 

***

 

I quickly bathed and changed into a tracksuit before sitting with Emilia. She had turned off the desk computer and was on the ground, quiet.

 

"You're not gonna eat?" I asked, pushing the cone toward her.

 

"There was no need for it..."

 

I expected some crying and maybe a bit of bickering, but Emilia tore open the wrapping with a pout and nibbled on the ice cream.

 

With a shrug, I started eating it too.

 

It tasted quite different from the ones we used to have. I shouldn't have gone for a cheap one, thinking quantity would have been better.

 

Yeah.

 

There was no need for second guesses if I was going to splurge. Maybe she would have liked that more.

 

"Thanks..."

 

It was then that a tiny whisper left my sister.

 

I looked at her with widened eyes as she continued nibbling on the ice cream.

 

Well. Maybe this was fine too.

 

"Let's eat two today."

 

"You'll catch a cold."

 

***

 

I couldn't sleep well.

 

The following day came around rather quickly, and I decided to get up with the sun.

 

The fight from yesterday was itching my skin and my muscles. I had been used to taking on multiple people at once; of course, fighting against cars and bikes wasn't all that uncommon in the Mafia.

 

But the horse and the inhuman speed of those generals was quite something. I could see better than most and couldn't keep up with them.

 

The best fix for such problems was naturally using all the levels I gained in a balanced or specialized build. For long-term gaming, that was only natural.

 

If I hit a wall and could not defeat more formidable enemies, everything would be stuck in place.

 

This game was not suited for min-maxing, at least not in luck.

 

I didn't care about the game, though. The only reason I played was for money.

 

But if I gave up on increasing my luck, the drop rate that became lower with the higher levels would be almost impossible for me to reach. People were already selling their items best when they found stuff, and that had inflated prices. Getting control of it was the key to a secure future.

 

Well, all of that was still far away.

 

For now, I had to defeat those generals and get my revenge.

 

Not through level-ups; there was another way to up my stats.

 

I quickly washed my face, made some breakfast for Emilia, and left a note for her.

 

By the time I left the house, the indigo had disappeared from the sky, and faint morning sunlight had replaced it.

 

I stepped down the stairs, and a waft of smoke hit my nose.

 

There, the smoking lady, a neighbor, stood, with a cigarette in her hands.

 

"Oh? You're looking better than before. Did something good happen?"

 

Was I?

 

"Not really," I said and stepped past her. She didn't say anything else, and I didn't either.

 

Stretching a bit, I started to run.

 

Through the block first, then around the district, from down to a park and over a bridge.

 

Quite a lot of people seemed to enjoy runs in the morning. People walking their pets, old retirees, and young adolescents all took to the streets in the morning.

 

Many of them also gathered around the parks I was at before.

 

It was...

 

Fun.

 

The peacefulness of everything around me was very fun.

 

I liked it quite a bit.

 

Eventually, sweat started covering my hair, and my breath ran out. I leaned against a wall and sighed at the exhaustion.

 

This much was probably enough for the day.

 

I pulled out the Zagros from its case and put it on.

 

The time limit was not over just yet, so I opened the official website and navigated to the store again—

 

[Congratulations! 1x 'Heart Package' has been sold.]

 

[Congratulations! 2x 'Spade Package' has been sold.]

 

I bit my lips.

 

Clenching the Zagros, I wiped the sweat off my head and started running again.

 

"Haha... Just a little more is fine... Just a little."