"What kind of garbage quest is this?! Are you trying to get me slapped?" Ron rolled his eyes hard. "And the so-called reward? Where's the effort, huh?!"
System: "Daily quests are auto-triggered based on the host's subconscious desires. As such, they exist solely to satisfy your needs and do not offer additional rewards."
Ron squinted suspiciously. "What do you mean by 'subconscious desires'? Are you saying I wanted to flip that elf girl's skirt?!"
"I'm not a pervert!!!"
System: "There is no need to feel ashamed or inferior. These subconscious expectations are common in all normal humans. In reality, they are simply suppressed by societal morals and laws. This system merely translates them into tangible goals. Completion is optional."
"...What kind of trashy feature are you?!" Ron groaned, covering his face.
System: "If the host is unable to complete the task due to shame or other emotional factors..."
Ron immediately tensed up. "Wait—there's a penalty?!"
System: "No. If the host is unwilling to carry it out, the system can assist."
A new tab popped open:
[Shop]
"A Gentle Breeze to Flip an Elf's Skirt" – 10 Wealth Points
(Temporary Item. Expires in 1 minute.)
Ron stared blankly at the panel, feeling a herd of wild donkeys galloping through his mind.
What is this intense pay-to-win MMO energy!?
He had to admit... it was kind of tempting.
But poverty held his hand back.
He glanced at his status panel, and sure enough:
Wealth: 0
"System, what exactly is this wealth stat? Is it the same as money?" Ron asked.
System: "Any legal currency the host obtains will be converted at a fixed rate. 1 Wealth Point = 1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins."
Ron asked again, "So if it converts, do I lose the gold?"
System: "No. The conversion doesn't consume the host's currency. Wealth Points are a virtual stat that increases as your actual currency increases. But they are spent separately."
"Got it." Ron nodded in understanding—
Only to realize something painful a second later:
He was broke.
A penniless seventh prince of the human empire. Seriously?
Ron rubbed his temples in frustration.
Then again, it made sense. The original Ron had grown up in the palace, never needing to buy anything. Everything was provided for him.
But now? He'd been exiled!
And his cheapskate of a father didn't even leave him pocket change?!
Suddenly, even that elf girl outside wasn't all that attractive anymore.
Knock knock knock!
Just as Ron was sinking into despair, someone knocked at the door.
He opened it to find a tall, burly man with a serious expression standing there. The man gave a slight nod and said:
"Your Highness Ron, may I come in and speak with you?"
At the sight of him, Ron immediately remembered:
This was Webster, commander of the Radiant Mercenary Corps, a legendary Tier-7 warrior.
He quickly stepped aside. "Commander Webster, please come in."
The Radiant Mercenary Corps was a top-tier force, officially sanctioned by the human empire and one of the most powerful mercenary groups on the continent.
Webster answered directly to Emperor André III and held real authority—his words could reach the throne itself.
As a Tier-7 Legendary Warrior, Webster was already among the continent's elite.
In comparison, Ron had little to his name besides his "Seventh Prince" title. He wasn't even in the same league.
The two of them sat by the window, face-to-face.
"Prince Ron," Webster began without small talk, "we expect to arrive at the City of Chaos by tomorrow afternoon. There are a few things I need to explain in advance."
To him, this escort mission was trivial.
He wouldn't even have taken it if not for a direct order from Emperor André III.
And flattery? Pointless.
Ron didn't feel offended. He nodded, signaling him to continue.
"His Majesty has prepared a villa for you in the city. Once we arrive, our local office will help arrange servants for you as well," Webster explained plainly.
"Additionally, you'll receive a monthly allowance of 100 gold coins. That should be more than enough to cover your living expenses."
"Do you have any other questions?"
Ron sat there stunned, staring at the golden-haired warrior.
This was happening way too fast.
A free house and 100 gold coins a month?
That's 100 Wealth Points every month—ten elf skirt flips for free!
Ahem.
Ron cleared his mind and scolded himself for going off track.
Then he remembered his main quest:
Establish a flower shop in the City of Chaos.
But asking for a store right off the bat might be too blunt...
So he started carefully:
"All of this... was arranged by my father?"
In truth, the emperor had only said, "Make sure he's fed and clothed. If he makes small requests, try to fulfill them."
The details had been handled by others.
Webster, of course, gave the standard answer:
"Yes, these are all His Majesty's arrangements."
If his father had already given him a villa... surely a shop wouldn't be asking too much?
Ron decided to go for it.
"I'd like to open a shop in the City of Chaos. I'll need a storefront... would the commander be able to assist with that?"
Webster's brow furrowed. He fell silent for a moment before replying:
"Your Highness, the emperor only instructed me to arrange your lodging and living expenses. As for a shop..."
"The City of Chaos lies at the intersection of the human, dwarf, elf, and gnome territories. It's the most prosperous trade city on the continent. Any property in a decent location comes at a sky-high price."
"Even I can't simply grant a storefront there without serious consideration."
Ron was momentarily speechless.
"How expensive is a typical shop in the City of Chaos?" he asked.
Webster thought for a moment.
"Excluding remote areas, most shops cost at least several hundred gold coins to purchase. Of course, if you're just looking to rent, a decent location would be around 10–20 gold coins per month."
Ron did the math in his head.
So... he'd need to save for months just to buy one.
Renting wasn't an option.
His system quest clearly stated he had to own the shop.
And without completing this main quest, he couldn't unlock the reward:
The seed and cultivation guide for the Nether Orchid, his first real product.
Without it, he didn't even know what he could sell in the shop.
After a moment of silence, he put on a pained expression and said through gritted teeth:
"What if I give up the villa... and trade it for a shop of equal value? Would that be possible?"
Webster was genuinely surprised.
He thought for a moment, then made a compromise:
"In that case, how about this—
We'll place the villa under collateral with the Radiant Mercenary Corps. In exchange, we'll sell you a storefront of similar value.
Once your shop starts making a profit, you can redeem the villa later."
Ron pretended to consider it seriously, then nodded.
"Alright. That works."