Pocket Dimension Upgrade

"Two million?"

In the Ford Taurus, Fujino studied the 2.2 million yen balance on the system interface and could not help muttering, "Looks like that newspaper really went all out."

"No... if it were the newspaper, it probably wouldn't hand over two million so easily just to buy information."

After thinking for a moment, a meaningful smile suddenly curled across Fujino's lips. "Looks like the company behind that newspaper made its move?"

The transaction had gone smoothly: money in one hand, goods in the other, a win-win situation for both sides.

The newspaper got its dirt, while Fujino got his money.

As for whether the company behind that newspaper could truly pull Ikeda Chikako down from her position—

Fujino was not worried about that.

As the eldest son of the Fujino family, who had once benefited from capital, he knew all too well just how cruel wars between capital could be.

Never mind someone showing even the slightest opening; even fabricated accusations would not be easily overlooked by other capitalists.

If there was no evidence, then they would manufacture evidence.

As long as the label was slapped on, even if it was not true, it would become true once enough people said it was.

The masses were terrified; words could kill.

In this era, most people obtained their information through the media.

And the media belonged to capital.

As for Beika Batman... that name did not actually carry any other meaning.

It was simply a name Fujino had casually made up after being inspired by a Kyoto local newspaper article: Numabuchi Kiichiro Arrested, Who Exactly Is Batman?

Of course, Fujino was not Batman, the guy in a Batman cowl who bit lighters. He was a knight of the night, walking through the darkness in a Batman Mask.

Early in the morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Dawn lifted the night's gauzy veil, painting the heavens a pale fish-belly white. Outside the window, the world was blanketed in silver, vast and hazy, while snowflakes drifted freely like cotton bursting from flower buds.

Standing before the window, Fujino gazed calmly outside. His blurred vision was obscured by a thin layer of mist on the glass, and through that mist, white snow seemed to flutter down like flower petals.

As the sky grew brighter, mottled light and shadow fell across the snow-covered ground. Fujino raised his head, just enough to hide the sorrow in his eyes.

"The timeline in Conan World really is strange."

Fujino pulled out his phone, looked at the date—Monday, October 7—and muttered to himself.

Yesterday had still felt like the end of autumn, yet today it was already snowing.

It was unscientific, but very Conan-like, and therefore perfectly reasonable.

At that thought, he shook his head, as though he had long since grown used to it all.

October 7 was the second Monday of October. In Japan, it was the statutory holiday of Sports Day, so as a student, he did not need to go to school.

After washing up, Fujino headed into the kitchen and began preparing breakfast for himself.

Of course, this so-called breakfast was nothing more than a self-heating rice meal.

This time, however, no golden flash appeared. It was simply an ordinary self-heating rice meal.

Yet the system's proficiency for the chef profession had increased.

Fujino opened the system and turned his attention to the chef proficiency on the profession interface:

Chef: Beginner (95 proficiency points needed for the next upgrade)

Special Grade Chef (Beginner: Any food made by the host has a 5% chance of receiving a random enhancement)

Just as other professions gained proficiency and reputation by performing tasks within their fields, the chef profession gained proficiency through cooking.

As for the number of chef proficiency points, based on Fujino's observations over the past few days—

He roughly concluded that making foods of different grades awarded corresponding amounts of points.

A self-heating rice meal could only increase it by one point at a time, while instant noodles could increase proficiency by two points.

Fujino had not tried any other foods yet.

The reason was simple: as a single man, Fujino simply did not know how to cook.

"Looks like I'll have to learn some cooking from Ran someday."

Fujino murmured to himself.

Among the people he knew, Ran's cooking was quite good in his opinion. It had not quite reached restaurant quality, but it still counted as delicious home cooking.

Making home-cooked dishes would definitely grant more proficiency than instant noodles or self-heating rice meals.

Of course, he could also get a job at a restaurant...

But Fujino had once been the young master of a wealthy family. Working was impossible—he would never work in this lifetime!

Putting those thoughts aside, Fujino shifted his gaze to the Pocket Dimension within the system:

Small Portable Space: Items can be placed inside at any time. Current space size: (0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 m). Note: Can be upgraded. Current upgrade requirement: One million five hundred thousand yen.

The Pocket Dimension was gold quality, making it the highest-grade item he currently possessed.

Unlike other purple-grade items or equipment, the Pocket Dimension could be upgraded.

At present, the Pocket Dimension was a fifty-centimeter cube, about the size of a cardboard box.

But Fujino still felt that it was somewhat too small.

Especially now that he needed to carry more and more things, the already limited space had become even more stretched.

"Looks like I need to upgrade it?"

Fujino let out a faint sigh. Staring at the amount required to upgrade the Pocket Dimension, he frowned. "But one million five hundred thousand is a little too steep, isn't it..."

One million five hundred thousand was nearly enough for two lottery draws.

But for such a convenient item that surpassed reality itself, one million five hundred thousand for an expansion was not actually that expensive. It was even much cheaper than housing prices.

After spending 1.35 million, the Pocket Dimension was successfully upgraded.

1.35 million has been spent to upgrade (Pocket Dimension)

Small Portable Space: Items can be placed inside at any time. Current space size: (1 x 1 x 1 m). Note: Can be upgraded. Current upgrade requirement: 2.5 million yen.

Current remaining balance: 850,000 yen

"A one-meter cube?"

Fujino examined the expanded system space and said in surprise, "Eight times the original space?"

Suddenly, the feeling of his heart bleeding vanished completely.

It seemed this system had some conscience after all. At least the expansion was not merely doubled, but multiplied geometrically.

If it had given him a sixty-centimeter cube, that would have been ridiculous.

"Ring, ring, ring!"

Just as he finished upgrading the system space, his phone began ringing in his pocket.

Fujino pulled out his phone and answered it. A middle-aged man's voice came from the other end. "Excuse me, is this Mr. Fujino?"

"This is he. Who is this?"

Normally, clients addressed him as Detective Fujino.

This time, he was being called "Mr. Fujino." So it was not a commission?

"I'm an installer from Beika Furniture City. The furniture you ordered has been loaded onto the truck. When would be a convenient time for us to come install it?"

"Now is fine. It's a holiday today, so I'm free."

"Understood."

Although it was a statutory holiday, the furniture store's employees were still working.

For workers living in Japanese society, days off were the best opportunities to make money.

Working overtime on rest days was more tiring, but they could receive generous overtime pay.