JP woke the next morning with the giddy excitement of a kid who'd just found cheat codes in his favorite game like "the gathering" or "modify the phase variance". He sat cross-legged on the floor of their modest inn room, his satchel in front of him like a treasure chest.
"Alright, Inventory," he whispered dramatically. "Let's see what you can do."
Lyra, sharpening her dagger on the bed, muttered, "You sound like a lunatic."
"Correction: I sound like a visionary," JP said, already stuffing a coil of rope into the satchel. The rope blinked out of sight, appearing neatly slotted in a glowing panel only he could see.
Item Stored: Rope (x1).Capacity Remaining: 19 slots.
JP grinned and grabbed a loaf of bread. It vanished.
Item Stored: Bread (x1).
Then, out of curiosity, he shoved the entire half-eaten loaf into the bag.
Item Stored: Bread (Partial).
He cackled. "It even keeps leftovers! This is revolutionary. Meal prep on steroids!"
Lyra didn't look up. "You're insufferable."
"Oh, just wait." He snatched up his new collapsible pot and willed it inside. Not only did it fit, but when he pulled it back out, the pot looked freshly polished, as if it had been cleaned in storage.
"…Oh my god, it's a dishwasher too."
Lyra's sharpening paused. "A what?"
"Never mind. Point is—it's amazing."
After breakfast, JP dragged Lyra outside the city walls to test Appraisal further. The outskirts buzzed with farmers and wandering traders. JP crouched at a rock and focused.
Item: Riverstone. Composition: 70% silica, 20% iron trace, 10% quartz.Potential Use: Foundation material, polishing agent.
He picked up a twig.
Item: Dry Branch. Composition: Cellulose, trace mana.Potential Use: Fuel source. Alchemical potential: Minor binding agent if ground.
JP whistled low. "So it doesn't just tell me what it is—it tells me how to use it. Alchemy, crafting, the whole package."
He spun toward Lyra, eyes wide. "Do you realize what this means? With enough trial and error, I could mass-produce tools, potions, even—" He broke off, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "—enchanted underwear."
Lyra stared at him blankly. "…That's your priority?"
"Hey, comfort is key to survival!"
Despite herself, Lyra snorted. Just once, but JP caught it and pointed smugly. "Ha! You laughed. Progress!"
By the time the sun dipped low, JP's Inventory was loaded with odds and ends: strange glowing moss, clay samples, even a rabbit horn he'd found snagged on a bush. The satchel felt no heavier, his shoulders unstrained.
He flexed his hands, still marveling. "I can carry a whole workshop on my back. Portable lab, portable storage, portable everything."
Lyra, though amused, watched him carefully. "You should be more cautious. Every new ability you flaunt will draw attention."
"Yeah, yeah. But think about it—" JP pulled the pot from his satchel with a flourish. "Dinner, anytime, anywhere. And now, nothing to carry but ideas."
He leaned back against the grass, satisfied.
For the first time since his reincarn—no, since waking in this strange world—he didn't just feel like he was surviving. He felt like he was winning.
But just as he was about to pack up for the night, a shadow fell over them.
Two armored guild men stood nearby, their crests unmistakable.
"Adventurer JP?" one asked sternly. "The Guildmaster requires your presence. Immediately."
JP froze mid-bite of bread. "…That's never a good sign."
Lyra's hand drifted subtly toward her dagger. Her voice was calm, but her eyes sharp. "Looks like your 'progress' got noticed."
JP swallowed hard. "Uh oh."