As Ryan trudged along the dirt path toward the distant city walls, his mind churned with thoughts.
Babylon... Persia… 539 BC…
He recalled hearing something about this in high school history, but the details were fuzzy.
"Did Persia conquer Babylon around this time?" He wondered. "Or was it Egypt?"
Then he scoffed. "As if I'd remember anything specific."
He decided not to overthink it. Since he doesn't know the history, he might as well treat it as some role-playing game and just ride along.
Still walking through the dusty edge of the field, he gave a command:
"System, open Map."
A translucent screen flickered before his eyes, displaying the terrain. The city of Babylon loomed several kilometers ahead, with its outer roads connecting to nearby towns like Borsippa and Sippar. Ryan focused on the glowing route and resumed his journey.
After half an hour of walking, a passing cart caught his attention. Ryan hurriedly put himself blocking their path. "Wait… wait… wait… Can you please help me?" He asked, hoping for his high charm stat and luck to work.
The merchant with weathered skin and thick robes eyed him warily but eventually agreed to give him a lift—up to a point.
"I'm headed for Borsippa," the merchant muttered. "Our roads split after a while."
*Charm stat successful.*
The notification from the system brought a smile to his face.
"That's great. Thank you for your generosity." Ryan gave a bow of appreciation, climbed aboard, and rode in silence. Tall date palms dotted the landscape, and flocks of goats grazed lazily under the harsh sun.
As predicted, they parted ways roughly 3 kilometers from Babylon's gates.
With a nod of thanks, Ryan hopped off and continued the remaining stretch on foot.
It was grueling. Even with breaks to catch his breath and hydrate from a leather waterskin he'd picked up in the cart, the 90-minute trek sapped his strength.
Eventually, he arrived at the towering entrance of Babylon—its colossal mudbrick walls casting long shadows across the road. Towering above the desert plain, the walls looked like a colossal barrier that was protecting something precious behind them.
But before he could admire it any further, two armed guards stepped forward, their halberds crossed.
"Halt. Entry fee—one shekel."
Their language should've been foreign, but thanks to the system's automatic translation, it came through as perfectly understandable.
Ryan blinked. "Uh… what the hell is a shekel?"
He used the command quickly: "System, please answer my question: What is a shekel?"
The system responded immediately:
[SHEKEL: Currency of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.]
[1 Shekel = 8.3 grams of silver.]
[Required for all trade and formal transactions within Babylon.]
Ryan stared at the guards. "Great. Now, where the hell am I supposed to find silver?" He checked his inventory—completely empty. Not even a crumb.
Frustrated, he gave another command: "System, please answer my question: How do I earn currency here when I don't even have money to enter the city?"
The floating screen blinked into existence once again.
[You can find work in the countryside—primarily in rice fields or as a laborer. Payment will be in silver or food, depending on the task.]
Ryan stared at the screen, appalled. "Labor work? Are you kidding me?"
All his life, Ryan had never lifted a finger to earn money. Born with a gold spoon in his mouth—his father being a multi-millionaire—Ryan had grown up in luxury. Cars, cards, gadgets, games… he had never known struggle.
The idea of sweating in a rice field under the Babylonian sun? Out of the question.
After a moment of internal debate, he walked up to the guard and did something impulsive—he grabbed the man's arm with exaggerated sincerity, leaving it to his charm and luck once again. "I don't have any money right now, but listen. I'm a magician."
The guard blinked, confused.
Ryan continued, weaving confidence into every word.
"If you let me in without paying, I'll come back later and give you not one, but two shekels. One for the Empire. One for you. What do you say?"
The guard raised an eyebrow. "Magician?"
Ryan smirked. "Yes. I can make things disappear."
He glanced around, spotted a small pebble near the gate, and picked it up.
"System, open inventory."
The translucent screen appeared again, which only he could see. Ryan theatrically placed the pebble into the inventory, letting it vanish into thin air.
The guard's eyes widened slightly. "Where did it go?"
Ryan grinned, then pulled it back out of the inventory with a flourish. "Tada!"
The guard actually took a step back, impressed. But still skeptical, he narrowed his eyes and handed Ryan his spear. "Make this disappear."
Ryan hesitated, then quickly asked the system in a low voice: "System, please answer this question: Can I store this spear in the inventory?"
The system gave an instant reply.
[No. Weapons assigned to Empire soldiers are state property and cannot be claimed by the player.]
"Figures," Ryan muttered. Then he looked at the guard and shrugged with a theatrical sigh.
"I'm a magician, not a wizard. Do I look like someone who can make giant war spears vanish into thin air?" He laughed. "If I could pull that off, would I really be begging you for entry?"
The guard stared at him. Then cracked a smile.
*Charm stat successful*
Ryan's charm and shameless confidence worked. The guard lowered his weapon and stepped aside, allowing Ryan to pass, but leaned in close with a glare. "If you don't bring those two shekels by sunset… I'll personally hunt you down."
Ryan, unfazed, grinned and gave a mock salute. "You have my word, good sir."
Just then, a ding echoed in his ears. A floating translucent screen appeared in front of him, once again.
Quest Received: Pay the Gate Guard.
Objective: Deliver 2 shekels of silver to the gate guard before sunset.
Failure Consequence: Status will change to Fugitive. Access to the city is restricted. Bounties may be placed.
Ryan blinked at the notification. "Wow, this game really takes things seriously."
Stepping into the city, Ryan's eyes widened.
Babylon was alive with crowds bustling through narrow alleys. Market stalls overflowed with spices, linen, pottery, and glinting metal. Towering ziggurats loomed in the distance, golden bricks shimmering under the hot sun. It was like walking into a living museum.
Ryan straightened up. "Now, what should I do. I need to earn money and pay him off before thinking about the Main Quest. To earn money, I need to take advantage of my skills. The thing that separates me from people of this timeline is probably my math skills and eloquence in speech. But being an accountant means it's going to be a headache job. How about…"
He muttered to himself, "System, open skills."
A list hovered beside him, and he tapped on Inspect.
Skill: Inspect (Level 1)
It can be used to analyze basic information about items and materials.
"If I play this right… I can become an appraiser."
He quickly devised a plan. Working in a jewelry shop would be ideal. Classy place. Rich customers. And most importantly, no ditch digging.
"Okay, for now, let's find a store looking for an accountant, receptionist, or even a novice appraiser, and pay that guard by evening."
He adjusted his robe, took a deep breath, and started walking toward the merchant district, eyes peeled for anything glittering behind windows.
The lively hustle and bustle of Babylon's bazaar faded behind Ryan as he entered the sleek, sophisticated jewelry store.
The clink of metal and the soft hum of chatter filled the air. The shimmering lights bounced off gold, silver, and gemstones, casting a warm glow on the polished surfaces of delicate necklaces, rings, and bracelets.
Ryan couldn't help but admire the opulence that surrounded him.
The store was filled with customers, mostly women in fine robes, inspecting the intricate designs.
They exchanged words with the shopkeeper, a man in his late 30s, with a well-maintained beard and sharp eyes.
Ryan straightened up, flashing a quick smile as he stepped further into the store. His presence immediately caught the eye of a few women. His natural charisma was like a magnet, drawing their attention, especially the younger ones. They couldn't help but glance at him as he walked by, some even offering him a smile or a subtle nod.
Ryan's eyes wandered all over the place, mostly lingering on the customers.
Within a bunch of customers, he spotted a regal woman who was inspecting a beautifully crafted necklace, her fingers tracing the intricate goldwork with care.
"Inspect"
The floating system screen flashed briefly, displaying the details.
Silk Dress
A luxurious garment crafted from the finest quality silk, imported from distant lands. Estimated value: 900 shekels/15 minas
"Yup, found my golden goose. Now, let's hope my charm stat is enough to influence her." Ryan's lips curled into a confident smile as he approached her.
"Excuse me, milady," he said smoothly, his voice rich and charming.
The woman looked up, her eyes briefly narrowing, scanning him. She raised an eyebrow, but she didn't turn away. The shopkeeper also glanced over at Ryan, briefly distracted by his appearance.
"May I offer you my expertise?" Ryan continued, gesturing subtly to the necklace she was holding. "That piece of jewelry you're holding—while quite lovely—doesn't appear to be made from pure gold."
The woman blinked in surprise, and the shopkeeper's expression faltered. He had been watching Ryan now, his frown deepening as the young man continued.
"Eh?" the woman gasped, her gaze shifting from the necklace to Ryan, and then back to the piece in her hands.
Ryan gave a slight nod, watching as the floating system popped up again.
Necklace: 60% gold, 40% brass.
Estimated value: 3 minas.