"Oh, System, is the money in the balance really usable?" Dion thought to himself, pulling on his clothes.
{Of course, Master. If you don't believe me, please feel free to try.}
"Hmm, alright, I will."
Dion's hands ran over the soft fabric of his favorite white t-shirt and the worn denim of his black jeans. They weren't new, nor were they branded, but they were the cleanest he had. He had no other choice. This was the finest clothing his limited budget could afford. With a newfound sense of purpose, he grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and strode out of his room. The cool evening air was a welcome contrast to the oppressive heat of his room, and for the first time in a long time, the scent of the city felt invigorating.
It was a Friday, just past 5 PM.
Out on the street, he pulled out his old, battered phone and ordered a taxi using the GoMo app. The wait was brief, only about five minutes. A sleek, black sedan pulled up, a stark contrast to the old, rusty cars that usually passed by. He gave the driver his destination: Citra Lestari Mall.
The mall was known to be one of the finest in Bandung. A place where the city's elite shopped and socialized. A place Dion had only ever seen from the outside.
As the car pulled into the massive parking lot, Dion's eyes widened. The building was a modern marvel of glass and steel, its towering structure reaching five stories into the sky. He could see the different tiers from the outside—each floor seemingly more grandiose than the last, with brands he'd only ever heard of on the internet.
He felt a pang of awe, a small, involuntary gasp escaping his lips. His simple, worn-out clothes suddenly felt like a heavy burden. People passing by in their luxury cars and designer clothes shot him odd, disdainful glances, as if his mere presence was a smudge on their perfect world.
They're judging me, he realized, a bitter taste in his mouth. But a new thought immediately pushed through the bitterness. So what? I have more money than all of them combined. He straightened his shoulders and walked toward the grand entrance, a newfound confidence in his step.
The mall's entrance was a fortress of glass doors and polite, yet subtly condescending, security guards. Their eyes lingered on his unbranded t-shirt and worn jeans, a look of professional disgust on their faces. Their expressions suggested they wanted to turn him away, but their training prevented them from doing so.
Inside, the mall was a dizzying spectacle of opulence. The marble floors gleamed, and high-end boutiques stretched as far as the eye could see. Dion looked around, his head swiveling like a primitive man stepping into a concrete jungle for the first time. The casual shoppers, with their expensive handbags and effortless style, shot him looks of open contempt, some even snickering as they passed by.
This is disgusting, Dion thought, his smile fading. Are they all this shallow? Judging a person by the clothes they wear?
He shook his head, pushing the negativity aside. "What should I buy first?" he muttered to himself. The System in his mind immediately responded, guiding him. 'Master, begin with the essentials. Your appearance is a reflection of your destiny.'
"Right. I need a smartphone first," Dion said, his resolve hardening. He walked toward the most prominent store he saw: the iPhone X store.
The inside of the store was just as pristine and modern as the mall. He was immediately approached by a female receptionist, her smile a little too tight and her eyes filled with a faint air of judgment. She was clearly reluctant to serve a customer who looked like he'd been dragged out of a dumpster, but her professional facade held firm.
"What kind of smartphone would you like to buy, sir?" she asked, her voice polite but distant.
"Uh, please show me the best smartphone you have here," Dion replied, his voice a little shaky from nerves.
The receptionist's smile faltered. "Sir, the best smartphone we have is the iPhone X 14 Plus. It costs $2,500. It might be better for you to look at our C-series. The quality is still very good, and they are much more affordable, only $500."
Her condescending tone was a subtle but sharp jab. Dion's fists clenched at his sides. He knew what she was trying to say without saying it. You can't afford this. Go look at the cheap stuff.
"No," Dion said, his voice firm and clear, cutting through her condescension. "I want the best one."
The receptionist's polite demeanor vanished. Her face hardened, and her voice turned cold. "Fine. Follow me." She led him to a glass display case where the sleek black iPhone X 14 Plus was on display. "This is the iPhone X 14 Plus."
A small crowd had gathered, their eyes fixed on the spectacle. They whispered and giggled, their words reaching Dion's ears like venomous arrows.
"Look at that bumpkin. He wants a high-end phone with that ratty outfit."
"He has no shame. Let's see how he'll embarrass himself."
Dion heard every word, every sneer, but he refused to react. He took a deep breath, letting the insults go in one ear and out the other. Their words were just noise now.
"The price is $2,500, right?" Dion asked the receptionist, his voice calm.
"Yes, young sir. The price is $2,500, but with a 5% discount, you only have to pay $2,375," she said, her tone dripping with suspicion.
"Great. I'll take this one, the black one," Dion said nonchalantly. "And I'll be paying $2,500."
The receptionist's brow furrowed. "How would you like to pay, young sir?" she asked, a clear disbelief in her eyes.
"With my fingerprint. And you can keep the rest," Dion replied, his voice calm and firm.
The receptionist was stunned. "Oh… alright. Please put your fingerprint here, young sir." Her tone had shifted to one of hesitant respect, tinged with shock.
Dion nodded and placed his thumb on the scanner.
{Payment System: Please enter the payment amount.}
Dion calmly typed in $2,500 and pressed the pay button, placing his thumb on the scanner again.
{Payment successful!}
The system's chiming message rang out, and the entire store went silent. The crowd's sneers were replaced with gasps of shock. They had come to watch a comedy, a farce of a poor boy trying to be rich, but they had just witnessed a small-scale miracle. Their disgusted expressions morphed into looks of disbelief, then awe.
{Congratulations, Master. You have gained 7 Magic Points.}
Dion heard the System's voice in his mind, but he didn't dwell on it. He simply smiled.
"Is it done, miss? Can I take the phone now?" Dion asked, his voice now confident and relaxed.
The receptionist was still gaping at the successful payment message. Her mouth was wide open in the shape of a perfect 'O,' as if she could swallow an entire egg.
"Hello?" Dion waved his hand in front of her face.
"Ah! Y-yes, young sir! The payment is successful. You can take the smartphone now!" she stammered, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"And is the rest of the money really for me?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course," Dion replied with a smile. "It's all for you." He then took the phone and walked out of the store, leaving a trail of wide-eyed and stunned people behind him.
"Wow, he really paid for it? But his clothes…"
"Rich people are weird. Maybe he has a hobby of dressing like a poor person."
"Yeah, maybe he just wanted to shock everyone," the crowd behind him murmured, their opinions changing from disgust to admiration in a matter of seconds.
---
"So it's true. The System didn't lie to me," Dion thought as he walked out of the store. He looked down at the new, sleek phone in his hands. "With this money, I can buy anything I want!" A genuine, happy smile spread across his face.
His next stop was a clothing store. He wanted to shed his old skin, to stop being judged for his past, and to finally wear clothes that matched his new identity. He headed for a store called Executive Fashion on the first floor. It was a well-known high-end brand in Indonesia.
He stepped inside, but the moment he did, a wave of familiar contempt washed over him. The people inside looked at him with the same disgust as the shoppers in the mall.
Why do they all look at me like that? Do I look that poor? Dion wondered, his previous joy ebbing away. He felt the familiar pang of humiliation.
"Hey, you! Get out of here, you poor bum! This is not a place for trash like you to enter. Don't you dare contaminate our store! My customers will be disgusted just by looking at you!" a male employee screamed, his voice laced with venom.
"Yeah, where's your shame? You think you can afford anything here?" another employee chimed in.
The customers in the store started laughing. "Look at that pathetic guy. He's here to embarrass himself," one said.
"Just another country idiot," another added with a sneer.
Dion's heart sank. He had thought that with the power of the System and his new money, he would be free from this kind of humiliation. But here he was again, being treated like dirt. He clenched his fists, his body trembling with barely suppressed anger.
Suddenly, a handsome young man with an air of refined arrogance walked through the store's entrance. He was dressed in luxurious clothing, the kind that screamed "wealth." His name was Ardy Kusuma, the young master of the Kusuma family, a powerful second-tier family in Bandung. His family owned this very brand, Executive Fashion.
Ardy was different from other young masters. While he was proud and arrogant, he wasn't a malicious bully. He was the kind of person who didn't care for the weak, but he also didn't go out of his way to torment them.
His eyes fell on Dion. He immediately recognized the young man from the iPhone store. He had been there, discreetly observing the scene.
It's him! The guy who just bought the expensive iPhone! And now these idiots are looking down on him again. What a bunch of fools, he thought, a smirk playing on his lips.
Hmm, maybe I should help him. He doesn't seem like an ordinary person. It might be good to have him as a friend, Ardy mused. Heh, after I help him, I'll ask him to treat me to a free meal. A small price to pay for my generosity!
Ardy's smirk widened. He knew that with his status, he could put an end to this farce with a single word. And he planned to do just that.