[Converting wealth from your previous life into local currency…]
Wait… this is… real?
[Personal Bank Savings: 15M USD → 1,500 Platinum]
[Investments: 250M USD → 25,000 Platinum]
[Primary Residence: 45M USD → 4,500 Platinum]
[…]
[Total Wealth: 110,700 Platinum]
The system-like messages appearing before Cael showed no signs of stopping. The more they piled up, the more he froze in place, stiff with nervous anticipation, his eyes glued to every line flashing in front of him.
He tried to piece it all together in his head, but… was this the end of it?
[Adjustment: Unjust Betrayal and Tragic Death Detected]
[Fate Compensation Applied: x3 Conversion Multiplier]
WHAT!!!
[Final Wealth Balance: 332,100 Platinum]
[Unique Trait Unlocked: Trash Heap Royalty]
[Effect: Gain triple reputation when rising from humiliation or defeat.]
Cael stood there, blank and dazed, staring at the now silent screen. Was it finally over?
This… this was the awakening he had been waiting for ever since he was reborn into this world. The moment he stepped into the role of the protagonist.
Was it done? Yes… it really seemed to be done.
And hell yes! All the fortune he had worked himself to the bone for, all the wealth people used to sneer at and claim came from endless "cardio". Nonsense accusations, every last one of them, was here. It had followed him back, all of it.
And even better… no, even crazier… it was tripled!
"Fuck!" he hissed under his breath.
Was this real? And if it was… how the hell did he access the money?
[Accumulating the skills from the host's previous life…]
Wait… there's still more?
[Performance Skill: Singing unlocked - Level 29 (Expert)]
[Performance Skill: Acting unlocked - Level 25 (Expert)]
[Creative Skill: Choreography unlocked – Level 19 (Advanced)]
[Physical and Athletic Skill: Common Martial Arts unlocked - Level 19 (Advanced)]
[Physical and Athletic Skill: Endurance Training unlocked – Level 15 (Advanced)]
[Lifestyle and Social Skill: Public Speaking unlocked – Level 24 unlocked (Expert)]
[Skill Compilation Complete.]
Cael drew in a slow breath. He had barely finished grappling with one question when another pressed itself onto his mind. Like… in a fantasy world where people fought with Mana, hurled magic, and grew strong enough to slay monsters, why was he being handed these kinds of skills?
Besides, weren't these just fragments of what he used to do in his past life? And yet… his voice in this world had always been somewhat damaged, unable to properly reach either the low notes or the high ones.
He tried to ease his throat.
"Laaa." A low note rolled out—and then he froze. Wait… why did it sound so clear?
"LAAA." He pushed for a higher pitch, and this time, his voice soared smoothly, without strain, without crack.
Still… Why? Why was he receiving the skills of his old world, instead of something suited for this one?
No complaints though… at the very least, he had gained a major change, hadn't he? Cael needed to confirm everything, but this wasn't the place to do it.
He quickly got to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes. His shirt was torn, his trousers ragged, and worst of all, he reeked like garbage. A bath and a fresh set of clothes were absolutely necessary.
Now… just like every protagonist in a story faced with this kind of system, there was only one thing to try.
"Profile!" he called out, hoping a full overview of his stats would appear before him.
"…Uhm… Main Window."
"Main Menu."
"Game Profile."
Nothing happened. Not even a flicker of change.
"Open."
"Status."
At that last word, something finally shimmered into existence before Cael's eyes.
[Host: Caelthas Gardner]
[Credit: 332,100 Platinum]
[Body: 40 (Good)]
[Mind: 31 (Good)]
[VIP Points: 0]
[VIP Shop: (Locked)]
[Performance Skills - 2
Singing - 29 (Expert) Acting - 25 (Expert)]
[Creative Skills - 1
Choreography - 19 (Advanced)]
[Physical and Athletic Skill - 2
Common Martial Arts - 19 (Advanced) Endurance Training - 15 (Advanced)]
[Lifestyle and Social Skills - 1
Public Speaking - 24 (Advanced)]
[System Comment: While your physique appears to be in decent condition, your overall look raises concern. Signs of undernourishment make you appear older than your true age. Prioritize eating wholesome, delicious meals. Doing so will not only restore your health but may also greatly enhance your appeal to women, with potentially remarkable results.]
Alright… he needed to break everything down step by step. From what he understood, he had now unlocked a new feature called the VIP System.
This system required Cael to perform deeds that would shape how the world perceived him. Fame, fear, respect…?
He paused in silence for a moment. Fine. At least he was starting to grasp the general idea.
Through this kind of reputation, he would earn VIP Points, which he could then spend to unlock extraordinary abilities. Maybe he could unlock more skills, like paddle tennis, or fishing, something fitting for someone who planned to retire rich in a fantasy world.
Hell, maybe one day he could even unlock something as ridiculous as a Summon Meteor spell.
From the look of his system panel, his balance was crystal clear: more than 300,000 Platinum.
The currency of this world was fairly straightforward, divided into Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, each one worth a hundred times less than the tier above it. One Platinum equaled one hundred Gold, and so on.
For easy comparison, he estimated that one Gold coin was worth around a hundred dollars, a value that matched perfectly with the conversion of his past life's wealth into this world's currency.
For example:
A loaf of bread = 5 Bronze (~$0.05)
A night at a common inn = 2 Silver (~$2)
A warhorse = 30 Gold (~$3,000)
A noble's manor = 400 Platinum (~$4 million)
An entire city-state treasury = 20,000 Platinum (~$200 million)
He started walking again, keeping to the side of the street where the roads were already growing busy. The world around him had the flavor of a medieval setting mixed with touches of semi-modern design. Mostly because humanity here had advanced by developing technology powered directly by Mana as their primary source.
That was why the buildings carried a strange mix of styles. There were glass windows, automatic doors, even elevators. And for transportation, they had vehicles shaped differently but serving much the same purpose as cars.
People here awakened with the ability to draw Mana into their bodies, steadily strengthening themselves by hunting monsters. It was the typical survival structure of a world constantly under siege by beasts.
On top of that, those who awakened usually chose one of two paths: becoming adventurers who accepted missions, or knights serving under a city lord, tasked with defending the city walls.
Cael lifted his hand, then hesitated for a heartbeat before muttering softly, "Give me… one Platinum coin."
His eyes widened as a glimmer of light flashed across his palm. A coin materialized there, its surface gleaming with a pale silver-blue sheen that shimmered faintly like frozen moonlight.
Yes. It was a Platinum Coin, the currency of this world.
He swallowed hard. It wasn't as though this was his first time holding a coin of such value. He had been born into wealth, after all. But to see it appear from nothing, conjured into existence with just a whispered command, left him shaken with disbelief.
Well… at the very least, this proved the system was very real.
Now, with the wealth he held in his hands, what should he do? Especially since his fortune had been tripled. Not even the combined riches of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé from his previous life could compare to what he possessed here.
Cael could literally build his own kingdom. Or, if he wanted to take the simpler route, he could just buy one already standing. He could purchase a home in the safest corner of the world and hire elite guards strong enough to protect him until the day he died.
But he exhaled heavily.
Betrayal had scarred him too many times to trust easily again. He knew better than anyone that money couldn't simply buy loyalty.
Yes, you could pay anyone to work for you. But that didn't mean you could trust them with your back, or fall asleep knowing your life wasn't in danger at their hands.
He had learned that lesson in the hardest way possible. His very own assistant—someone he had treated like a brother, had slept with his lover. Worse still, that same man had gone further, plotting Cael's death.
Even his fiancée in this world had stabbed him in the back, abandoning him the moment he lost his fortune.
So if trust couldn't be bought with money, then he needed another path to use this wealth.
Perhaps… With this fortune, he could build the reputation system had mentioned. Who knew, if he earned more VIP Points, maybe he could strengthen his body, sharpen his mind, or unlock even greater skills.
If he could become strong. Strong enough to rival the awakened of this world, or even surpass them…
A faint smile tugged at his lips. Wealth and power, those were the two things he truly needed.
He would live his life here fully, savoring the retirement denied to him in his past existence. But to secure the peace he dreamed of, he had to place himself in a position where he could surround himself only with those worthy of holding his trust.
That… was his new goal.
Retiring rich in a new world. Now, with all the wealth he possessed, what was the first thing he needed?
Cael paused for a moment at the edge of the street, only to be shoved from the side.
"Trash! Don't just stop in the middle of the road, get back to your slum, idiot!" a man barked at him.
Where did people here even learn to curse like that? Their mouths were sharp, honed with filth. But then again, Cael wasn't one to shrink from insults either. He had been raised in this world too, and if it came to a battle of words, he could spit venom as well as anyone.
Still, what he really needed now was a place to stay. The kind of place people could only dream of. A private home? Too troublesome to secure on short notice.
Then his gaze lifted, drawn toward a towering building at the far end of the street.
It was the grandest inn in the entire city, a structure that rose thirty stories into the air. Thirty floors, an unbelievable feat for this kind of world. Its polished stone façade gleamed in the sunlight.
At the entrance, gilded banners hung proudly, bearing the crest of the inn's founder. Every detail screamed wealth, from the enchanted lanterns that lit the walls to the glass balconies overlooking the city below.
The people who stayed there were either visiting nobles or foreign dignitaries. Never commoners.
Cael's lips curved as he strode casually forward. He needed a suite there. A VIP room, the kind that came with the best service and the finest food the city could offer.
A short while later, he found himself standing before its grand gate, where two armored guards stood watch. He tilted his head up at the magnificent building, its thirty floors stretching proudly toward the sky, a monument of wealth and luxury.
Now… let's enjoy my new rich life.