Jace settled cross-legged on his bedroll after viewing the rewards. His fingers moved through the interface with practiced ease.
The numbers that appeared made him stop short.
[CHARM SYSTEM - STATUS UPDATE]
[Host: Jace Vyn (Vessel: Wart Hobb)]
[Level: 3]
[Charm Points: 14,365]
[Physical Attractiveness: 7/100 (Abysmal)]
[Charisma: 27/100]
[Strength: 18 (+4)]
[Agility: 16 (+3)]
He let out a low whistle. That's more growth than I thought. Not just scraping by anymore. Actually getting stronger.
Then he focused on his CP balance.
[CURRENT CHARM POINTS: 14,365]
A number like that carried possibility. Enough to make actual enhancements instead of scraping for scraps. He opened the appearance enhancement tab, the one he'd peeked at before but had dismissed due to the outrageous prices.
[APPEARANCE ENHANCEMENTS]
[Eye Alignment & Symmetry: 8000 CP]
[Facial Proportion Adjustment: 12,000 CP]
[Skin Tone & Texture: 6000 CP]
His thumb hovered. Eye alignment. He'd lived with one eye sitting just slightly higher, a quirk that had always made him look confused. In his old world, it would've cost thousands, painful recovery, maybe never quite right. Here, it was just points.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he confirmed the purchase.
[Enhancement Purchased: Eye Alignment & Symmetry - 8000 CP]
[Remaining Balance: 6,315 CP]
Heat bloomed around his eyes, a pressure that felt both alien and intimate. He sat very still, breathing slow as the sensation faded. When it was gone, the silence of the room pressed close again.
He didn't linger. He located the Combat menu and selected Swordsmanship Level 3.
[Purchase Confirmed: Swordsmanship Level 3]
[Remaining Charm Points: 4,315]
He scrolled to the magic menu and selected Mana control Level 2.
[Purchased confirmed: Mana control Level 2]
[Remaining charm points: 2815]
Then he selected spell casting Level 2 from the magic menu.
[Purchased confirmed: Spell casting Level 2]
[Remaining charm points: 115]
The numbers drained, leaving behind a strange satisfaction.
He stood, stretching the stiffness from his legs, and crossed to the small mirror fixed to his traveling chest. The polished metal was warped, but the change struck him all the same.
Both eyes sat level now. Balanced. Right. The difference wasn't dramatic, but the awkward tilt that had followed him all his life was simply gone. The face staring back at him was still Wart Hobb—still scarred, still rough—but something beneath had shifted into harmony.
He leaned closer, tracing the line of his nose, the cut of his cheekbones. If this much came from one fix… what happens when I keep going? Jawline, nose, skin… The thought stirred a sharp, hungry spark in him. Maybe "hopeless" wasn't the permanent state he'd once believed.
The door creaked.
He snapped upright, the mirror catching only the faint smile still tugging at his mouth.
Nia stepped inside, words already spilling out. "The townspeople have organized a campfire celebration to thank us for—" She cut off. Her eyes locked on his face.
The silence stretched. Jace's skin prickled.
"You look different," she said slowly, studying him as if trying to place a half-remembered song. "Something about your face has changed, but I can't… catch it."
He forced an easy shrug. "You're probably just tired. Long day of fighting and rescuing people. Makes everyone look different in lamplight."
Nia didn't move. Her head tilted, the crease between her brows deepening. "No. It's more than that. It's like your face… fits together better."
A joke slid out before the tension could choke him. "They say heroic living agrees with some people. Though in my case, it might just be that I'm not constantly terrified anymore."
The corners of her mouth tugged upward despite herself. The air eased, though curiosity lingered in her gaze like smoke.
"Well, whatever it is, it suits you," she said at last, warmth in her tone. "Anyway—the campfire. Everyone's waiting. You should come."
"Yeah. Just a moment to wash up."
"Okay." Nia turned toward the door, then stopped abruptly and looked back at him. This time she was actively squinting, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pin down exactly what had changed about his appearance.
Jace offered his most innocent smile, sharpened slightly by his new symmetry. "See you at the fire?"
"Right. Yes. The fire." She shook her head as though trying to dislodge the thought, then left, the door closing with a soft thud.
Alone again, Jace glanced back at the mirror. His reflection met him squarely this time, no tilt, no flaw dragging the whole face sideways.
*I'll need to be more careful about timing future upgrades,* he thought, studying his improved features one last time before preparing to join the celebration. *But this was definitely worth the investment.*