Nyxara's voice rang out in my head, brimming with mock excitement.
[ Ohoho~ as the host has somehow survived the terrifying Panda Hunt, it's reward time! Aren't you excited? No? Too bad, I am~! ]
A glittering screen popped up, golden letters shimmering across it.
[ Quest Complete: Survive the Panda Hunt ]
Reward ①: Accelerated growth(Passive)
Growth speed increased by 15%.
[ Nyxara: Think of it like baby fertilizer, host. You'll grow faster, stronger, and maybe even stop looking like a wriggly potato sooner than usual~! ]
Reward ②: 10,000 System Points
Points can be exchanged in the [Starweaver Shop].
[ Nyxara: Basically, your cosmic pocket money. Don't spend it all on candy—though I'd enjoy watching you try. ]
Reward ③: Baby's Instincts (Passive)
Innate danger sense and comfort detection, just like a newborn animal.
[ Nyxara: Congratulations, host! You now have the amazing ability to sniff out "bad vibes." Even as a baby, you'll know which maid is about to drop you. Useful, isn't it? ]
Bonus Reward: 1x Gacha Roll -1
A single ticket for the [Starweaver Gacha].
[ Nyxara: Ta-daa~ your first lottery ticket! Who knows what you'll get? A legendary relic? A squeaky rattle? Maybe even both! Try your luck, potato child~ ]
The screen faded, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of dread and anticipation. With Nyxara giggling in my head, I wasn't sure if these rewards were truly a blessing… or the setup for another cosmic prank.
Perfect—this will set the early-game tone for the Starweaver Shop: tempting but limited, with the MC realizing that he's still at the bottom of the cosmic food chain. Here's how it could look with Nyxara chiming in and a proper list of options:
⸻
I willed the [Starweaver Shop] open. A starry window spread out before me, its shelves glittering with faint constellations.
My excitement lasted all of three seconds.
Everything inside… was barely worth mentioning. The highest tier available was only B-Rank, and even those looked like scraps from the system's bargain bin.
Nyxara hummed in my head with mock sympathy.
[ Aww, did you expect legendary Excalibur-level treasures? Sorry, host. Right now you're just a baby—this is the baby aisle of destiny. ]
⸻
[ Starweaver Shop – Beginner's Selection ]
Items:
Silver-threaded Rattle (C-Rank, 1500 pts)
Soothing sound restores stamina and calms minor injuries.
[ Nyxara: Basically a cosmic pacifier. Shake it and poof, you're less cranky. ]
Moonlight Blanket (B-Rank, 6000 pts)
Boosts recovery rate by 20% while asleep.
[ Nyxara: Imagine power-napping your way to greatness. Not glamorous, but effective. ]
Feather of Luck (B-Rank, 8000 pts)
One-time consumable. Guarantees a small miracle in a dire situation.
[ Nyxara: Careful, host—once used, it's gone. But hey, maybe it saves your baby butt from being eaten. ]
Skills:
[Minor Mana Sense] (C-Rank, 3000 pts)
Allows perception of faint mana flows nearby.
[ Nyxara: Congratulations, you'll now see sparkly dust floating around. Impressive, huh? ]
[Whispering Steps] (B-Rank, 7000 pts)
User's movements become naturally quieter and harder to notice.
[ Nyxara: Perfect for sneaking cookies… or avoiding assassins, if you live that long. ]
Traits:
[Resilient Will] (C-Rank, 4000 pts)
Slightly strengthens mental resistance against fear, charm, and despair effects.
[ Nyxara: Maybe you'll stop crying every time a maid looks at you funny. ]
[Innate Charmer] (B-Rank, 8000 pts)
Natural charisma blooms earlier than usual, making others more inclined to like and trust you.
[ Nyxara: Basically, host—you'll be the baby everyone fights over to cuddle. Lucky you. ]
I squinted at the glowing list. Useful, yes, but nowhere near as grand as I'd hoped.
[ Don't pout, host, ] Nyxara snickered. [ Everyone starts with baby steps. Even destiny likes to crawl before it runs~ ]
I scanned the list again, lips twitching. "So this is it? No freebies? No 'Welcome to the System' gift basket? What happened to the beginner's discount?"
Nyxara gasped dramatically in my head.
[ Oho~ listen to you! The host already wants a discount? What's next, free shipping on cosmic miracles? ]
I crossed my tiny arms—or at least tried to. "Hey, even mobile games give first-time buyer bonuses. Don't tell me you're stingier than a phone app."
There was a long pause. Then, an audible tsk.
[ …You cheeky little potato. Fine! I'll humor you just this once. A 20% discount on your first purchase. But if you ever dare say 'loyalty rewards program,' I'm cutting you off. ]
"Deal."
⸻
[ Starweaver Shop – Transaction Confirmed ]
[Minor Mana Sense] (C-Rank, 3000 → 2400 pts)
[Feather of Luck] (B-Rank, 8000 → 6400 pts)
Total: 8800 pts deducted.
Remaining Balance: 1200 pts
The screen shimmered as the items materialized. A faint tingling spread behind my eyes, and suddenly the air seemed… alive. I could sense faint currents, like invisible threads weaving through the room.
[ Oho~ so you went for the sparkly dust-vision, ] Nyxara chuckled. [ Try not to stare too hard at glowing furniture, alright? ]
Meanwhile, a delicate feather of pure starlight drifted down into my lap. I reached out with pudgy fingers, only for it to vanish into my chest like a wisp of smoke.
[ And that, host, is your emergency miracle card. Don't waste it on trivial stuff like saving spilled milk. ]
I sighed. "Somehow, I feel like you're already planning to make me waste it on spilled milk."
Nyxara giggled.
Ignoring her, I moved to the next section, which was naturally the Gacha system. I knew my luck was very bad but doesn't hurts to try, right? Maybe the beginner's luck will shine and grant me a high ranking item.
I clasped my pudgy hands together, shutting my eyes tight.
"Dear gods, goddesses, mysterious cosmic beings, lottery spirits, and maybe even passing pigeons—please bless this poor child with something shiny…"
Nyxara's snicker echoed in my mind.
[ Pfft—look at you, host. Begging like a little monk at snack time. Should I bring you some incense sticks too? ]
"Shh! Don't jinx it!" I hissed inside my head, then resumed my dramatic prayer pose.
Suddenly, the air shimmered, and with a thunderous thoom, a massive wheel materialized in front of me. It was taller than any house, covered in glowing sections of varying colors.
Most of it was stark, empty white, which meant: No Prize.
Thin slivers of blue and green glimmered faintly — minor skills and junk-tier items.
A rare golden streak winked at me like a treasure chest.
A single blood-tinged red wedge pulsed ominously at the top — dangerous, powerful, unpredictable.
And tucked just beside it, gleaming with a regal aura, was a rare purple wedge that radiated a quiet majesty, as though it belonged to royalty itself.
Nyxara's voice dripped with mischief.
[ Behold, the Starweaver Gacha—where dreams are crushed, hopes are toyed with, and you scream like a baby denied candy. ]
"…I am a baby."
[ Exactly. Perfect fit! ]
Nyxara's smug voice rang in my head.
[ Ohoho~ host, you look so confused it's adorable. Fine, I'll explain the basics of the Starweaver Gacha to you. Try not to cry when you hear the odds, okay? ]
[ First up, white. Ah yes, the glorious 'Nothing' section. If you land here, you get exactly what you deserve—zilch. Like trying to shake coins out of an empty piggy bank. ]
I winced. "…That's cruel."
[ Life is cruel, host. Anyway~ next is green. That's the 'junk tier'. Minor trinkets, low-level items… the kind of stuff even goblins use as paperweights. ]
"Great…"
[ Then comes blue. Decent, sometimes useful, but nothing to brag about. Think of it as a snack-sized prize. You won't starve, but you won't feast either. ]
I frowned. "…You keep mentioning snacks a lot."
[ Because watching you pout like a hungry toddler is delicious. ]
"…I hate you."
[ Love you too ♥ ]
[ Now, gold. The shiny stuff. Treasures, solid skills, maybe a neat relic or two. People would actually kill for these, so don't underestimate them. ]
Then my eyes locked on the menacing red wedge.
[ Ahh, red… the risky business tier. Extremely powerful rewards, but almost always cursed, dangerous, or double-edged. Perfect for reckless little babies who don't read warning labels. ]
"…Are you looking at me right now?"
[ Of course. ]
Finally, my gaze returned to the regal glow of purple.
[ And lastly—purple. The Royal Tier. Rarest of the rare. Items of lineage, legacy, prestige. The kind of things that kings kneel for and legends are built around. Even I get shivers thinking about what might pop out of that one. ]
I swallowed nervously. "…So basically, everything except white is a trap disguised as hope."
Nyxara cackled.
[ Congratulations, host! You've understood the essence of gacha. Now spin, suffer, and entertain me~ ]
With a gulp, I reached out and spun the wheel. It turned faster and faster, flashing colors like a kaleidoscope, until finally…
Click.
Click.
Clack—stop.
The wheel froze. On a glaring, empty-white wedge.
Nothing.
I stared blankly, my tiny jaw trembling.
"…you've got to be kidding me."
Nyxara exploded with laughter.
[ Bwahaha! That scream inside your head—I swear you sounded exactly like a toddler who just got told 'No snacks before dinner.' ]
My hands shook. My soul cracked. And then—
The Feather of Luck in my chest shimmered. Slowly, almost mockingly, it began to dissolve into light, as if burning itself away.
I blinked. Then I blinked again. My gaze went deadpan, staring at the space where the feather had once been.
"…"
[ Host? Uh, host? Why are you staring like that— ]
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" I howled internally, the force of my mental scream nearly shaking my skull.
[ C-Calm down! Calm down! You're going to give me a headache at this rate! ]
As Nyxara scrambled to soothe me, the wheel, which had already stopped, gave a faint shudder. Then, impossibly, it moved again.
Click.
Click.
CLACK.
It landed squarely on the blood-red wedge. The second-highest tier.
My breath caught in my throat as the wheel pulsed with ominous crimson light. The silhouette of an object began to form within it—vague, indistinct, impossible to make out.
Nyxara's laughter stopped cold.
[ …Oh. Oh my, host. You're really in for it now. ]
The light swelled—then vanished, leaving nothing but silence and the lingering tension of the unknown.