Congratulations, Host, you have received the following rewards: 3 packs of instant noodles (enough for one full meal), 2 cups of delicious pudding, a raccoon-brand instant noodle, a portable mobile phone, a toy teddy bear, a limited-time stat enhancement card (Strength and Perception boost; lasts 1 minute), and a Purple Profession Card (Student).]
What the hell?!
Fujino's mouth twitched as he looked at the pile of junk he'd just drawn.
One million yen… and I get a Student profession?
Letting out a long sigh, he resisted the urge to bring on a fifty-year case of hypertension and opened the system's profession panel:
[New Sub-Profession Unlocked:
Student (Novice) – Progress to next level: requires 100 proficiency points
New Skill Unlocked:
Student Discount (Novice): Enjoy a 5% discount on all system purchases!
Remaining Funds: ¥53,100]
Well, damn. This Student profession… kind of brutal.
Looking at the newly unlocked Student Discount, Fujino couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
A 5% discount meant that from now on when he used the gacha to draw professional spheres, a ten-roll would only cost 950,000 yen!
It might not seem like much now…
…but accumulated over time, it was a significant amount.
Besides, professions could level up. He could only imagine how terrifying this Student profession might become later.
All in all, it seemed like he'd pulled a pile of useless crap, but the growth potential from the Student skill alone meant he'd come out way ahead this time.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the classroom, a pair of eager eyes were fixed on him.
Sonoko had her hands under her chin, staring at Fujino with an expression like a love-struck fool, drool practically threatening to drip from the corners of her mouth.
"Hey, hey, Ran, that handsome guy sitting by the window—is he a new transfer student?"
She nudged the back of Ran's seat, whispering eagerly.
"Sonoko, we're in the middle of class…"
Ran turned around, sighing quietly in complaint before replying softly, "Are you talking about Fujino-senpai? Did you forget? He's the upperclassman who got held back this year and joined our class."
"Huh? Then how come I've never seen him before?"
Sonoko was momentarily stunned, confusion all over her face.
"Fujino-senpai has been working as a full-time detective, so he rarely comes to school," Ran explained. "And the few times he did come… you were out sick."
"Another high school detective?!"
Sonoko scratched her shoulder-length hair, sighing in frustration, "Don't tell me Fujino is another mystery freak like that Shinichi Kudo…"
"No, not at all."
Ran waved her hand dismissively, clarifying, "A year ago, Fujino-senpai lost his parents in an accident. Since then, he's been working as a full-time detective just to make ends meet."
"I see! So it's because of life's hardships that he turned out this way!"
Sonoko flailed her arms dramatically, visibly regretful. "If I'd known sooner, I wouldn't have skipped school to goof off all the time… Ugh! Only now do I discover a guy this good-looking…"
"Haah…"
Ran rolled her eyes, completely speechless at her lovestruck best friend.
"But hold on, Ran—how do you know all this so clearly?"
It was like a lightbulb suddenly went off in Sonoko's head, and she instantly switched gears to nosy gossip mode, bombarding Ran with questions:
"You're usually not interested in this kind of stuff, and judging by what you just said—you even went to his house?! Masaka… don't tell me… you've fallen for him?!"
Ran's face turned bright red on the spot, quickly flustered as she tried to defend herself:
"Sonoko! What nonsense are you spouting?! Fallen for him?! I only went because Fujino-senpai lives across the street, and the teacher sent me over to check on him! …And besides! Shinichi and I are just childhood friends!"
"Ooooh~ Someone's blushing~"
Sonoko gave a wicked grin, laughing like the neighborhood busybody, "Besides, I never said anything about Kudo, you're the one who brought him up~"
"T-That's not what I meant at all!"
Ran was practically on the verge of a breakdown. Honestly, the only person who could push Ran to this degree… was Sonoko.
"Ahem! Quiet in class!"