Fifty points looked different when I could spend them. At thirty, the Elixir had been a thing I wanted. At fifty, leaving it alone required a decision.
I sat at the desk with the repaired glove beside my hand. The leather fitted better. The skin underneath hadn't received the news. The first movement of the morning had pulled at the old mark. I had stopped before making it bleed and spent the next few minutes resenting how little effort was required to disturb it.
Then I opened the Ledger.
[ SUCCESSION MANIFEST ]
════════════════════════════════════
VP BALANCE 50
VILLAIN'S ELIXIR 50 PER DOSE
STOCK 3 TOTAL
TYRANT'S AURA 100
SHADOW CLOAK 150
SCHEMER'S INSIGHT 200
════════════════════════════════════
The prices hadn't changed because I was tired of looking at them. Neither had the stock. I opened the Elixir's terms again.
Ordinary tissue repair. A one-band circulation boost for one hour, capped at B-rank. No change to the bloodline stage. My eyes stayed on the first line.
