Chapter 7

7.

[1:1 chat room opened!]

주딱☆: Hey

몰락귀족영애: (pink canopy front photo)

몰락귀족영애: (photo of the pink canopy taken from above)

몰락귀족영애: (canopy photo taken from the ground up)

주딱☆: ?

몰락귀족영애: Please don’t leave. I’m still taking canopy photos.

Curiosity about the nickname drew me into the chat.

As soon as I entered, it was like I stepped into a photo bomb of canopies before even saying hello.

The effort put into the photos was evident; she clearly aimed for the brightest shots.

Whether it was snapping a picture with the window open, blowing in the wind, or jumping up to dynamically capture the fluffiness of the bed.

주딱☆: No; I’m not going out so chill out.

몰락귀족영애: … sniff Really? You won’t go out for real, right?

주딱☆: Yup.

Each of her messages felt oddly pitiful.

Yet, the state of the bed was not just good, but incredibly exquisite.

Was she really a fallen noble lady as her name suggests?

주딱☆: Did you buy it well? That bed quality is no joke.

몰락귀족영애: Hmph, of course! I’m Ophelia from the Dukedom.

But I hope you know that I don’t look down on you or refuse to cooperate in trades, right?

주딱☆: Sure.

몰락귀족영애: Wait a moment. I’ll take more photos to send you.

주딱☆: Oh, aight, I think I’ve seen enough.

몰락귀족영애: Hmm?

I actually made up my mind earlier.

“Barter is God, and points are invincible.”

The canopy she posted was precisely the standard for beds in a fantasy world.

A huge bed where you’d still have room to spare even if you stretched out completely.

The softness of the bed that was proven by throwing myself on it.

Just how perfect would that floaty pink curtain be?

“I guess I can trade with her.”

But did this so-called young lady think I would refuse?

몰락귀족영애: Wait, hold on!

There really is nothing like this bed, right?

Once you lie down, you’d seriously think, “Ah, I made a great purchase!”

Frantically, her messages flooded in.

Before she could type more, I pressed the trade button, and the system notification appeared.

[Trade successful!]

[1,000 Tuna Cans have been safely delivered!]

몰락귀족영애: O ◇ O Thank you!

Boom!

[Delivery completed.]

“Oooh…”

And there it was, a colossal canopy had arrived in the corner of the warehouse.

Just as I was about to leave the marketplace after finishing the trade, a sudden doubt hit me.

“By the way, wasn’t it originally three types of canopies?”

Yet, all the photos posted now seemed to be of the same canopy taken in the same room.

주딱☆: But where are the other two beds? Why only show one?

Of course, three beds were unnecessary.

Just out of curiosity, as I asked, the fallen noble lady began to panic as if she had been trapped.

몰락귀족영애: Uh, well…

주딱☆: ?

몰락귀족영애: The other two are my father’s and my sister’s, and to take pictures of them, I’d have to go upstairs…?

주딱☆: Uh-huh.

몰락귀족영애: But there are monsters sometimes wandering around that mansion, so…

몰락귀족영애: Do you want to see the rest of the bedding photos? I could take them now…? crying emoji

“What’s this? Are they trapped?”

Maybe it was a situation similar to mine.

I could just picture her trembling from the chat.

If I told her to go, I was sure she wouldn’t return, so I hastily typed.

주딱☆: Nah, it’s fine. I’m satisfied with just this bed.

몰락귀족영애: ^^

For some reason, I had a feeling we would frequently cross paths in the future.

*

“Wow, this is the best!”

GOAT.

The cumbersome curtains ripped away, and the canopy was the very essence of a goat.

Just lying in the fluffy cloud felt like magic.

Plus, with the floating gallery window, it truly felt like paradise.

After a satisfying trade, as I wandered through the gallery, reactions of disappointment filled the space over the trade’s closure.

– My tuna cans!!!

– I don’t know about the trade, but just burning stuff is fun! Gallum is dope! Haha!

– Why did you reject my straw bed?

– I’ll place a curse on you, you know! Stumble on the road and eat crap!

Then, I found a post that particularly caught attention, the name being very familiar.

Concept post) Now I’m rich in Tuna Cans.

몰락귀족영애

(a meme of tuna cans stacked in one corner of a room)

I sold the canopy that took up space in my room and got a thousand tuna cans. Hehe.

Now I don’t have to worry about eating anymore?

Of course, if you all come visit, I can share some with you.

Oh, and thanks a lot, 주딱. If I need something else next time, I’ll look for you.

You saved me ovo

(meme showing just her hand making a V)

“Aah, I’m going to get a ton of hate for this.”

It was great that the trade went well, but sharing such brag posts in the gallery was a no-go.

This was a place where cyber investigation teams and such could find you in no time.

But contrary to my expectations, the comment section was unexpectedly clean.

No, it was even filled with congratulatory remarks.

– I worried every time, but congratulations!

– I felt bad every time I saw your posts, but you seem genuinely happy now, so that’s nice.

– Wow; that’s a next-level food specification.

– Why are the comments here so joyful?

– Wait, why is it joyfully annoying? Haha!

– Seriously, I can’t seem to curse here;

– It’s really annoying, someone push those elves away!

– Ah, the level of elf stupidity.

Of course, there were some remarks from the gallery that were critical, but that was truly a tiny fraction.

And perhaps thanks to the fallen noble lady’s conceptual post, interest in barter trading surged.

– What does 주딱 not have?

– Seems like there’s always something new!

– Is there more?

주딱☆: Most things? I can probably get whatever you guys mention.

– Ah, I was wondering where you were, and here you are.

– Owner, hurry and post new items!!!

“Is it time to add new items soon?”

I opened the marketplace every morning and evening.

Previously, I had been selling only baguettes, bottled water, and energy drinks, but had decided to add tuna cans.

[Level up! 3→4]

“Plus, mana pills are becoming really useful now.”

Thus, the point-earning pace also shifted with this level up to an entirely new realm.

I could now look forward to reaching 10,000 points just by doing gallery stuff throughout the day.

[You’ve registered tuna cans in the marketplace.]

[Remaining registration slot: 1]

Title: Yep, it’s me.

Adding to the tuna can marketplace!

Please buy loads!

[99+ comments]

– MARK!!!ET!!! ADD!!!

– Damn! I knew I could count on you!!

– Is 주딱 a god? Is 주딱 a god? Is 주딱 a god?

– Haha! I’m going to fill up on tuna cans for breakfast and dinner from now on!

Watching the explosive reactions in the gallery while laughing, I suddenly felt my eyes drooping.

“Now that I think about it, it’s too dark here.”

The inside of the warehouse was larger than expected.

But it was quite dark without light coming in, and relying solely on the system’s glow began to strain my eyes.

To maintain long hours of gallery play, health was obviously essential.

With a bed obtained through barter, thoughts naturally turned to the next item.

“Should I try to find some lighting?”

In a world where mana exists, daily life had obviously developed tremendously.

Of course, it had all gone downhill, but surely there should be someone out there willing to trade?

[Buying. Selling.]

[Needed: lights, illumination]

I swiftly posted the note.

[23 trade requests came in.]

The system notification reacted as if it had been waiting for this moment.

*

It had only been my first day using the barter system.

I hadn’t met many of the other gallery members yet, but I could tell one thing for sure.

주딱☆: The state of the lights looks good. Tuna cans would work as trade items, right?

빈센트: Tuna cans will do. But I’d prefer something else.

주딱☆: Huh? What else do you want then?

빈센트: I have no idea either.

주딱☆: ?

This trading partner, the artist Vincent, was quite unique compared to other traders.

빈센트: My life is painfully hard to the point of death.

빈센트: I seek something that will ignite that pain intensely.

주딱☆: Um.

A once-renowned artist before the downfall, this gallery member had dropped a difficult request.

Though I could find another trader, for some reason, his demand felt less like chaos.

“Something that will intensely ignite…?”

I pondered for a moment.

Naturally, thoughts of such things from my life started to come to mind, and before long, I could remember.

Something like a drug, but not a drug.

Something that delivers an incredible burst of refreshment with just a sip.

주딱☆: Got it, I know what you mean!

빈센트: Oh, yes! I trusted you’d resolve my concerns. So what is it?

주딱☆: This.

A strikingly vivid red liquid in a distinctly black bottle.

주딱☆: Try some cola.

I had just introduced cola into this world.

*

Concept Post) New Artwork Exhibit

Artwork Title: People Drinking Cola

(a painting of people drinking cola, relying on the light in a dark room)

주딱. You, cola, awakened me.

99+ likes, 0 dislikes

[99 comments]

– Wow! I can always count on Vincent’s new work!

– I’ve been waiting for you, teacher! Haha.

– Wow, the ambiance is incredible!

– But what are they all drinking?

– They look like they’re grimacing yet drinking as if they’re desperate.

– Cola? What’s cola?

– Is that the new thing 주딱 introduced?

– Isn’t it said that 주딱 traded some with Sam?

Concept Post) The Anguish and Cola

(Vincent enjoying the scenery while drinking cola on a hill)

99 likes, 2 dislikes

[99 comments]

– Woah, the atmosphere is fantastic!

– Where is that background from?

– Teacher, but what are they drinking?

– Cola? Cola is present in this work too!

– Now that I think about it, I want to try some.

– Is it true the black liquid is bubbling?

– Can that even be drunk?

– 주딱, please tell us our right to know!

– 주딱 man, are you trying to play coy?

– I’m dying to know what that black liquid is!

“Aah, what’s this now?”

It all happened when I finally slept five hours, splitting my time between wakefulness.

What in the world made everyone know about the cola I hadn’t even registered in the marketplace?

But that question was soon resolved.

Concept Post) Cola is like the Devil’s Embrace.

It was filled with an irresistible allure.

However, if cola could consume my sorrow and hatred, then I would leap wholeheartedly into that embrace.

71 likes, 2 dislikes

[83 comments]

– Wow, what does it taste like?

– At this rate, I’m dying to try some!

– Aaaah, dammit, 주딱!

“Aah.”

Vincent had turned cola into a centerpiece for his artwork, making a massive ad for it.