The morning sunlight filtered through the bathroom window, casting soft shadows on the tiled walls as August stood under the warm spray of the shower.
He let the water wash away the fatigue from his night in Enders Light. Using a low-grade pod was usually more tasking on the body and mind when one lingered for longer than six hours in the ga.
August savored the rare mont of peace. He had pushed himself hard in the ga, from battles with shadowy creatures to tense encounters in Tavirah. As the steam filled the small bathroom, he closed his eyes and ntally sorted through the plans he'd need to tackle for the day.
A sudden voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Auggie, I'm heading out!" Sophia's cheerful tone drifted through the door, cutting through the sound of running water.
August smirked, calling back with a warm edge of teasing, "Don't cause any trouble, you little genius!"
Sophia laughed with youthful confidence. "No promises! And maybe get a haircut while you're at it. You're starting to look like a cave troll!"
August rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself, "A king, you an." He could practically hear her roll her eyes through the door.
"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night, Your Majesty," she called back. He could imagine her playful smirk and raised eyebrow.
"Don't get yourself kicked out for speaking to royalty like that," he added while chuckling. Her laugh faded as she made her way toward the front door. "See you later!"
As the door closed behind her, August stood there for a mont, smiling to himself.
Having a sibling was pretty heartwarming. Especially little monts like these.
With one last rinse, he turned off the shower, dried off, and headed to the kitchen.
The small kitchen bore signs of use but was cozy, a place they often found themselves gathering in the mornings, sharing quick breakfasts, laughs, and the occasional sibling bickering.
He grabbed a piece of toast, spread so peanut butter on it, and took a few bites, already feeling his mind clear and sharpen as he prepared for the day.
Today was important; he'd arranged to et with the second buyer interested in the Bronze Shortsword he'd extracted from the ga. While the eting wasn't until later in the afternoon, he wanted to get an early start and make sure everything was in order.
After grabbing his jacket and a quick look around the apartnt, he stepped outside, feeling the chill of the morning air against his face as he made his way to Digital Haven, the neighborhood internet cafe he'd grown fond of.
It was only a short walk from his apartnt, and as he walked, he noticed familiar faces—neighbors, shopkeepers, and the early-morning crowd bustling about their routines.
"Hello August."
"Hi, Mrs Bennett."
"Hey August."
"Sharon, what's up?"
Greetings were exchanged at certain intervals on his way to his destination.
The bell above the door chid as he entered Digital Haven, and imdiately the familiar clicking of computers, the soft rustle of papers, and the warm aroma of coffee greeted him.
The cafe was a simple setup, with rows of computers and a few cozy seating areas. Its atmosphere was friendly and welcoming.
August's entrance didn't go unnoticed; a few heads turned his way. His appearance, with striking features and a presence that sohow stood out, seed to attract attention effortlessly.
He was used to it by now, but today he noticed the curiosity in people's eyes was a little more pronounced.
From behind the counter, Remi spotted him and lit up with a bright, almost mischievous smile. She sauntered over, wiping her hands on a towel with her eyes twinkling as she took in his arrival.
"Well, well, look who's back so soon," her voice carried a playful note as she leaned over the counter. "Couldn't get enough of my company, huh?"
August chuckled, matching her teasing tone. "What can I say? Good coffee and even better company. How could I stay away?"
Remi raised an eyebrow. Her smirk widened as she leaned a bit closer. "Careful, with words like that, I might start charging you extra just for the pleasure of being here. You keep driving my regulars away with those looks."
He laughed, brushing off the complint with a mock expression of modesty. "You an it's not just my sparkling personality?"
She laughed, giving him a gentle push toward the computers. "Go on, your fan club awaits. Just don't break too many hearts while you're at it."
With a smirk, August settled down at one of the computers and logged in. He appreciated the banter; it added a touch of normalcy to his life in this strange world.
He had always been smooth with his words since he was a businessman in his previous life but he subconsciously toned it down since he arrived here.
After a few clicks, August navigated to his inbox to check on the arrangents he'd made with the potential buyer.
The buyer had already confird their eting ti for later in the afternoon, and August's satisfaction grew.
He was looking forward to the sale, knowing it would help chip away at his debts. But as he turned to his inbox, he was imdiately greeted by a massive notification count—over ten thousand ssages.
He clicked it open, scrolling through the endless stream of ssages that flooded his screen.
Many were from people eager to buy the Bronze Shortsword, each with their own offers.
So ssages asked how he had managed to extract such a mid-level item which wasn't eligible for extraction and others were blatantly intrusive, demanding to know if he had more items up for sale.
He found himself smirking at so of the more ridiculous offers.
Among them, he noticed a familiar na—the buyer from the last ti, the one whose boss had shown intense interest in the sword.
This buyer had sent him multiple ssages, each one more insistent than the last, explaining that his boss was willing to pay even more than the listed price.
August felt a mont's hesitation but ultimately decided to ignore it. He didn't want a repeat of the chaos he had encountered during his first attempt to sell the item.
Better safe than sorry.
After sorting through a few more ssages, responding to so genuine inquiries, and ignoring others, he closed his inbox, feeling a mixture of amusent and relief.
The attention his item was receiving showed just how much value extracted items held in this world—but it also highlighted the risk and dangers that ca with it.
Satisfied that he had made the necessary arrangents, he logged off and left the cafe.
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