"So that's why I said, 'If only I were born into a rich family.'"
As he walked out of a pharmacy in Placidium, the heart of Ionia, Li Ke couldn't help patting his empty purse and letting out a helpless sigh.
Placidium was probably Ionia's capital, while the place where Elder Souma lived was probably somewhere like an H.B.—a poor backwater at Placidium's feet, without even a decent inn.
Likewise, back when people in that village still bartered for goods, everything in Placidium already cost money.
"Food is expensive, medicine is expensive, and inns are expensive..."
Li Ke grumbled as he entered the inn, found his room, and went inside.
The first thing he'd done after taking an overpriced carriage here was find a pharmacy to have his wounds bandaged and buy medicinal ingredients.
But prices in Placidium were terribly high. He'd had to pay twice what he'd originally planned just to buy enough ingredients. Then, in his room, he'd set about making the pills Meimu had given him the recipe for.
Looking at the pills in his hand, all different sizes and rather unsightly, Li Ke added the last ingredient he'd bought.
It was a kind of butterfly powder, fairly common in Ionia. It was usually used as a magical reagent, but could also treat dizziness.
He sprinkled the powder evenly over the pills, then rolled them again according to the instructions in the recipe. Only once the powder had blended into the pills did they meet the recipe's standards.
Nervously, Li Ke swallowed one. At once, he felt a ball of fire flare up inside him. His life energy and mental energy surged, leaving him refreshed and seemingly brimming with strength.
He opened his status screen. His mental energy was completely replenished, and his life energy was slowly rising. That told him he hadn't accidentally turned the pills into poison.
But without Meimu's magic, each pill could only restore around 70 points of life energy and 50 points of mental energy.
There was nothing he could do about that. It wasn't as if Li Ke knew the magic of this world.
"Good enough... They're expensive, and without magic they're only so-so. But at least I can run simulations more often now."
He took a deep breath and looked at his simulator screen. He'd already paid the price for deviating from the simulator's path once. Not only had he run into trouble in that town, he'd also gotten Kusho involved.
So this time, he planned to follow the simulator's standard route and see whether it really could predict the future.
"Simulate! Begin!"
As before, he didn't choose to blur his memories. Lines of text began appearing before his eyes.
Day one: You set out from Placidium by carriage. But because you're short on money, your carriage is rather shabby, and it hurts your butt.
Day two: Your butt hurts even more.
Day three: You finally reach the next town, but your butt can't take any more travel. The driver refunds your fare and leaves you at the local clinic.
Day four: With nothing to do, you get up and take a walk by the river. You see a girl dancing beautifully. Looking at her slender yet powerful legs and her lovely face, with its classic Eastern beauty, you start thinking of names for your future children.
Day five: The girl catches you watching her. As she cries out in surprise, you tackle her and cover her mouth.
During the struggle, you realize that the girl is strong. Fortunately, you eventually clear up the misunderstanding, and you learn her name.
Irelia.
Day six: Watch Irelia dance.
Day seven: Watch Irelia dance.
Day eight: Watch Irelia dance.
Day nine: Watch Irelia bathe.
Day ten: Watch Irelia dance.
Day eleven: You begin to reflect. "Li Ke, Li Ke, how can you let yourself sink this low? Starting tomorrow, say goodbye to Irelia and go carry out your sect's mission."
Day twelve: Watch Irelia dance and bathe.
Day thirteen: You're caught while Irelia is bathing. In a fit of embarrassment and anger, she hits you with a wooden washbasin. But after you run away, you realize that Irelia hasn't told anyone about it.
Day fourteen: Irelia keeps practicing her dance in the same place. You bring her some flowers as an apology. Irelia ignores you, but she doesn't leave either.
Day fifteen: Watch Irelia bathe.
By this point, Li Ke couldn't help covering his face. He really didn't think he was so shameless. Watching someone dance was one thing, but peeping at her while she bathed? And then doing it again after getting caught? That was going too far!
Could he really do something like that?
Would he really behave that way?
Even though he couldn't bear to look, Li Ke kept reading.
Day seventeen: You give Irelia a hairpin and meet her grandmother.
Day eighteen: Irelia's brother blocks your way. You knock him into the river.
Day nineteen: Irelia's uncle blocks your way. You knock him into a well.
Day twenty: One of Irelia's suitors blocks your way. You knock him into a pigsty.
Day twenty-one: Yone's sword (wife) breaks because you used it too roughly. An angry Irelia blocks your way and knocks you into the river.
Day twenty-two: Irelia gives you a family heirloom sword. Shen, passing by, calls it a first-rate sword.
Day thirty: While Irelia is bathing by the river, you take her clothes and appear in front of her.
Day thirty-one: A group of men tie you up and marry you to Irelia.
Month three: Irelia becomes pregnant.
Month four: Noxus invades. Irelia's uncle and brother are killed in battle. To protect Irelia, you lead the villagers in a rebellion.
Month eight: Your army is defeated, and you die. The last thing you see is Irelia, weeping as she dances on the battlefield, performing the dance you know best.
Simulation ended.
Based on this simulation, you have received the following rewards. Choose one to claim:
1. Slowly increase maximum life energy by 20; gain 80 points of life energy.
2. Irelia's family heirloom sword (not an item from this world).
3. Cause Irelia in the real world to form an impression of you and randomly dream about experiences from the simulated life.
"..."
Li Ke fell silent. He had only one thought.
"I'm really that much of a womanizer?"
And another.
"Is Irelia an adult?"
Before you continue