Leonard turned the paper and pens over in his hand. His expression was a mixture of annoyance and disbelief.
"What am I going to do with this? Paper? Pens? Really? Out of all things, the system really gave me office supplies?" He muttered, rubbing his temple in frustration.
It seemed like he got some useless things in this Mystery Box. It couldn't be helped since it was the lowest, and his luck was still 0.
"Hays…" However, when his eyes landed back on the stack of paper, he paused. An idea suddenly crossed his mind.
Slowly, he flipped through them, one sheet at a time. They weren't flimsy or thin sheets of paper. Instead, they were thick, sturdy, and neatly cut.
His brows furrowed. The more he looked at it, the more it struck him.
"Wait a damn minute…"
He held one sheet up against his palm and squinted his eyes. The papers were the size of his palms. They were a little rectangular, with the corners rounded just slightly.
The size was familiar… almost too familiar.
"These are the size of a playing card!"
His gaze quickly darted toward the pens. One black. One red.
It clicked for him.
Leonard's lips slowly pulled into a wide grin.
"Damn! This is good!" His voice picked up with excitement as he slapped the stack of paper against his palm. "I can actually make playing cards out of this!"
He leaned back onto his bed and laughed out loud as if he were crazy. Of all things the system could give him, this was far from flashy. However, this one was practical! Very very practical!
Playing cards weren't known here. Heck, they were even amazed by the simple dice he made.
That only means one thing. If he introduced cards, he'd be the only one who knew all the games! From the easiest games to the hardest ones. This will amaze the people in the town!
His grin widened at the thought.
"This isn't trash at all… this is gold. Real gold!"
Leonard couldn't stop himself. Laughter came out of his lips. It echoed loudly in his room. His chest rose and fell, his body shaking as he laughed in pure joy.
"Ha… hahaha! Hah! This is damn good!" He wiped the corner of his eye. He was still grinning like a lunatic. He could already picture it.
How the crowds would sit around a table, their eyes glued to the crowd.
They will bet coins, drink, and feel the excitement of gambling! And him? He will be the only one who knows every rule and trick.
Leonard's excitement didn't die down. He carefully set the papers and pens aside on the desk. He let out a long exhale, and his grin was still all over his face.
"I'll go through this later," he murmured. His mood was lighter now, clearly brighter than before.
- - -
Two hours later.
Downstairs in the inn's lobby, Leonard's eyes immediately found Anika when he went down. The woman was standing in the middle. She was silent and was shyly looking around, unfamiliar with the things she was seeing.
When she turned around, their eyes met.
Leonard's breathing hitched as he saw her.
The dirt on her face and body before was now gone. There was not a single trace of dirt left on her skin. Her face was clean, smooth, and radiant. It was almost glowing. Her skin, too, was milky white. It was soft and flawless under the light.
Anika was wearing a simple dress that hugged the frame of her body in all the right places. Her big bosoms were clearly highlighted, as well as her curvy hips.
'Damn…' Leonard let out a low whistle under his breath before catching himself.
He walked up with a playful smirk, tugging at his lips.
"So… are you ready?"
Anika tilted her head, blinking in confusion.
"Ready for what?" she asked softly.
"You'll see." Leonard's grin widened, a little mischievous this time.
Anika made a face. But still, she followed Leonard. The two of them stepped outside, walking through the streets together.
Leonard carried a table and chair under one arm, moving as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Anika glanced at the odd sight, her brows furrowing slightly. She wanted to ask why in the world he was carrying old furniture around. However, when she looked at the seriousness in Leonard's expression, she kept her mouth shut.
When they finally reached the market, the atmosphere changed immediately.
The moment Leonard stepped forward at the entrance of the market, the crowd reacted warmly to him.
One man spotted him first, then another.
Suddenly, voices erupted around them.
"Leonard!"
"Hey! It's him!"
"There he is!"
"Our man!"
"We're ready!"
"Hahaha! We're ready to play again! Let's go!"
Within seconds, people rushed in his direction. The entrance of the market suddenly got filled with people of different ages. There were adults, young ones, teenagers, girls, and boys.
Some were cheering his name, others raising their coins high in the air, as if hungry and desperate for something only he could give.
Anika's eyes widened at the scene. She had expected a normal walk through the market. She was thinking that maybe they would beg around for spare change or what.
However, she didn't expect any of this.
Her steps faltered as she watched the people practically run after Leonard, their faces lit with eagerness and expectation.
Leonard's grin stretched wider at the sight of the crowd. He raised one hand high in the air, waving as if he were greeting old friends.
"Oi! Long time no see everyone!" he called out with a laugh. His loud voice fought over the noises.
The people cheered even louder, clapping, shouting, and some even whistling as they heard him. It was as if the entire market woke up just because of his presence.
"Hahaha! Calm down, calm down!" Leonard chuckled, raising both hands now to steady them. "We'll get started soon! Let me get ready first!"
Still, the energy only grew. The crowd practically buzzed with excitement. As they continued walking to his usual spot in the market, the people followed him as if there was a parade.
Once there, Leonard set down the table with a loud thud. He placed the chair behind it and pulled out the dice in his pocket.
Almost instantly, the people lined up in front of him. A long queue stretched out, filled with men and women of all ages. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Anika stood a few steps back, her lips slightly parted. Her eyes darted from the eager crowd to the coins in their hands, then to Leonard, who was calmly standing in front as if he were the leader of the pack.
'What… is this?' she thought, utterly speechless.
Leonard, noticing her stunned face, couldn't help but smirk. He turned to her and gave her a quick wink.
"Are you ready to work?" he asked, his tone playful yet serious at the same time.
===
A/N:
Novel is already contracted! You can support the novel by dropping powerstones, collections, or golden tickets!
Will update 1 chapter on normal days and 2 chapters if I'm not that busy.