Rita spent the better part of the day in the library, occasionally taking a sip of [Time Is Always Squeezable] to reduce the cooldown of her [Disguise!] skill. Though it couldn't compare to [Melting Time] in convenience, the situation wasn't urgent. By relying on quantity over potency, she could conserve her [Melting Time] reserves.
It wasn't until Nivalis's voice popped into her mind, asking if she would be back for dinner, that Rita realized it was already 11 p.m. on Blue Star.
Packing up her books, she left the library but felt increasingly hollow as she walked.
Had she really spent the entire day playing it safe? Disguised as she was and armed with [I Really Don't Have Time to Shower], doing absolutely nothing mischievous felt strangely unsettling.
After telling Nivalis that she wouldn't be coming back, Rita changed direction and approached the library's lost-and-found counter. She took out one of her custom mahjong tiles from Blue Star and handed it to the elderly Oak Owl at the desk.
"Good evening," she said politely. "I found this while reading and thought I should turn it in."
The old Oak Owl smiled and placed the mahjong tile into a transparent box filled with miscellaneous items—fallen Oak Owl feathers, discarded Bear Cookies, and other lost objects.
Rita left the library, looking for all the world like a responsible little Oak Owl simply returning a found item. But instead of leaving entirely, she joined the crowd on the street, waited for an opportunity, then transformed into a small bird. She quickly took flight and perched on the library's rooftop, peering through a window to observe the lost-and-found counter.
Inside, Oak Owls and other races passed by the counter without taking any notice. Rita remained patient, aware that transforming into an animal temporarily interrupted her disguise skill. She'd have to wait three hours for its cooldown to reset, and since she'd already consumed a fair amount of potions earlier, she decided to wait out the timer here.
As the hours passed, Rita kept her eyes on the counter while mentally reviewing and organizing the information she'd gathered that day.
By the time her [Disguise!] cooldown ended, there was still no sign of anyone reacting strangely to the mahjong tile. Unconcerned, she spread her wings and glided into an alley, reemerging as the small Oak Owl named Cookie, her worn Bear Cookies dangling from her waist.
She used the Eternal Night Fortress teleportation array to travel to the southeastern gate of Polar Day City. Exiting through the gates, she used Blink Step to reach the floating island where she had previously encountered Mistblade. There, she located the small general store owned by the Oak Owl named Vanilla—the same storekeeper who had once tried to buy a mahjong tile for five gold coins.
Vanilla's [Divine Gift] Best Supporting Role (Grade B)
When Rita first encountered Vanilla, she had noticed his unique talent:
[Divine Gift] Best Supporting Role (Grade B)
- Skill 1: Loyal Follower: Select a strong individual to serve as your target. Once chosen, you can never betray them while they live. For every item you collect that matches their heart's deepest desires, you randomly copy one of their skills. The more valuable the item, the more advanced and complete the skill you obtain.
- Skill 2: Toy of Fate (Passive): When you lose or miss out on an extremely precious item, you gain extraordinary luck for the next 30 natural days. The God of Fate will favor you, ensuring you acquire an even more valuable treasure. (Caution: Excessive reliance on this luck may lead to greater misfortune.)
With a talent , Vanilla would undoubtedly dedicate himself to collecting mahjong tiles for influential figures. In turn, those powerful individuals would trust him to handle such tasks—though his eventual fate after fulfilling his purpose would be another story.
If Rita's memory was correct, it was on September 20 that she intercepted the Four Ten-Thousand mahjong tile that Vanilla had nearly acquired.
Now it was October 18, 28 days later. While in the library earlier, she had repeatedly found herself thinking about Vanilla.
She suspected he had overused his Toy of Fate skill, drawing her back into his life as part of destiny's retribution. Otherwise, why else would she keep thinking of a stranger like him?
A Calculated Encounter
Before entering the store, Rita took out her Tortoise Gemstone and tapped it with a coin. She had learned her lesson when digging up mahjong tiles underwater—wealth wasn't limited to gold coins; any valuable item could count.
The moment she stepped inside, Rita used [Feeling Blessed] to adjust Vanilla's luck to 1. Approaching the counter, she timidly held out one of her custom mahjong tiles.
"How much can I sell this for?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The Oak Owl's expression didn't change, but his eyes sharpened with sudden intensity. He reached eagerly for the tile, but Rita pulled it back just in time. The motion seemed to snap Vanilla out of his trance.
He hesitated, then withdrew his hand. "...Never mind," he muttered. After a pause, he added, "Come back in three days. I'll pay a high price then."
Vanilla's reaction didn't disappoint Rita. On the contrary, it delighted her.
His hesitation and restraint suggested he had recently obtained a treasure and was now wary of triggering another backlash from fate.
Moreover, his pained expression and carefully chosen words confirmed that he, like Rita, understood the value of mahjong tiles. However, without handling the tile directly, he couldn't determine its authenticity.
True mahjong tiles had subtle but definitive differences from her custom Blue Star replicas. For example:
- Genuine mahjong tiles appeared unassuming, with no information or labels. This lack of features was precisely what made them unique.
- By contrast, her custom replicas displayed the gray-text label "[Miscellaneous] Mahjong" and could be stacked in inventory, unlike the real ones.
- Most importantly, genuine tiles were indestructible, even against Grade A skills.
To verify any of this, one would need to physically handle the tile. Unlike Mistblade, who had instantly recognized the Four Ten-Thousand without touching it, Vanilla couldn't discern authenticity without firsthand contact.
Rita's demeanor shifted. Gone was the timid, clueless Oak Owl. She now held the mahjong tile firmly, her expression calm and composed.
In a low voice, she asked, "I'm not here to sell. I want to trade. Is your master looking for Circle Tiles or Wan Tiles?"
Vanilla's head snapped up. He stared at the small Oak Owl for a long moment, his face unreadable. Finally, he asked, "Where did you get the Bear Cookies you're wearing?"