Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented

Uhm.

My shower process isn’t really that difficult, surprisingly.

Thanks to technological advancements, the latest electric wheelchairs come equipped with various functions.

They can even slowly crisscross over bumpy paths and ascend stairs at a snail’s pace. With a button press, it deploys a track that morphs to the ground and rises gradually.

Anyway, unlike the outdated appliances and furniture around me, this state-of-the-art wheelchair truly helps improve my daily life.

One of its functions is a waterproof feature that lets you fold down the backrest and seat all the way down so you can shower with it. There’s even a drying function for the water on the wheelchair after taking a shower.

Of course, I had to struggle to get undressed by myself.

Even if my body is weak, showering is a must.

I entered the cramped bathroom and stared intently at the showerhead mounted on the wall.

It’s set just high enough that my seated hand barely reaches it.

I gripped the armrest of the wheelchair tightly and leaned slightly to grab the shower handle.

Shssss.

Warm water flowed down and touched my shoulders, chasing away my sleepiness and loosening up my stiff body a bit.

It’s just a tiny room in the Moon Village, but I have to give props to the boiler for its effectiveness.

While receiving the warm water, I slipped into a moment of thought.

After 24 hours of relentless farming, I collapsed into sleep as if I had fainted.

I returned to consciousness exactly 24 hours later, having had a solid day’s sleep.

The final named boss of this dungeon, “Demon Commander Aspero,” has a 0% desperation pattern and a 6-hit area-wide attack, making it impossible to resist all this solo without the party’s protective skills.

Of course, if I manage to keep my HP full before the desperation pattern kicks in, I could tank one hit.

However, the process of tanking that hit becomes quite the issue for me, who feels pain physically.

On the first day when weapon prices are at their peak, I managed to endure, but I have no confidence in continuing that way.

Day one may bring exorbitant weapon prices that I’m willing to bear, but starting from today, the third day since the dungeon opened, I think it’d be better to lean on Chris’ party and take a bus for farming.

Creeeeak.

Having finished my shower during that brief contemplation, I dried myself off and returned my wheelchair to its original state.

Whirrrr.

I used a hairdryer to dry my damp hair, which took quite some time due to its length.

In the past, when I lived in modernity, it would have dried naturally if left alone. I keep experiencing reminders of my gender change even in these trivial areas.

Since coming to this world, I hadn’t set foot in a salon even once.

If it got too long, I would awkwardly take a crack at it myself. I similarly did that even when I was alone in the Continent of Astria.

Naturally, I’ve lived as a woman for over ten years now, so it doesn’t feel awkward in the least. Although I’ve only spent just over a year as a female in modernity.

The headache I had just after waking up had somewhat faded during the shower.

Lately, I’ve been getting frequent headaches and feeling sluggish. Occasionally, I even get nosebleeds, suggesting my condition isn’t great.

I already have a weak body, so it must be due to my long gaming sessions. But I need to make money.

Plus, since I slept soundly for a good amount of time, I should feel fine starting today.

I checked Chris’ message that popped up on my smartphone.

[Onmyoji ‘Chris’ (Online)]

– Hit me up when you log in! Where? At the fountain in Central Plaza of Alparion Empire!

Today, I have plans with Chris.

I installed a messenger app linked with “Astria Online” on my smartphone. Since I haven’t added anyone else as friends, I solely wanted to get notifications from Chris while offline.

Through the first-day farming of this “Elite Dungeon Aspero’s Fortress,” I gathered a decent amount of money.

I’ll hang out with Chris today and then start farming bus runs from the next day to earn even more.

I glanced around my tiny haven once.

While it’s not an immediate inconvenience, due to the Moon Village’s nature, the location isn’t particularly ideal. It can be quite troublesome during the rare occasions I go out—the roads are steep and bumpy.

It seems that the day I can bid farewell to this place isn’t too far off.

Even if the space is small, I want to move into a cozier, cleaner place.

If I can make money like this in the next dungeon too, I’ll probably have enough for a decent jeonse deposit.

Although monthly rent is also nice, it’s uncertain how long I can keep making money like this.

At the very least, I want something like jeonse, even if I can’t afford to buy.

[Welcome to Astria Online]

Wooom.

With a peculiar sensation of levitation, my body landed back in the Continent of Astria.

Hop hop, stretch stretch.

After finishing the warm-up exercise to acclimate my body, I looked around.

“Hmm.”

Since I logged off in the city at the end of the 24-hour nonstop farming session on the first day, I found myself in an inn in the capital of Alparion Empire. A system restores your fatigue levels if you take a break for a duration at the inn or log off.

Managing fatigue is vital as well. If it fills up completely, it imposes penalties on your stats. Given that my character, a money rains dungeon runner, had accumulated substantial fatigue levels before logging off for 24 hours solid.

The capitals of each empire have numerous decent houses and mansions available. These can be purchased through a “housing” system.

Users focused primarily on dungeon hunting prefer to use inns, while those engaged in crafting and lifestyle content often buy housing to run their workshops.

“Housing system, huh.”

Shouldn’t I consider purchasing a house in “Astria Online”?

It might seem pricey, but I’m spending more time living here.

The satisfaction could even surpass that of a spacious house in the real world.

The central plaza of the capital isn’t far from the inn. Since Chris suggested we meet in front of the fountain there, I should start to head over.

Pad pad.

Having exited the inn, I made my way to the plaza while appreciating the scenery of the capital.

Today would be my first time properly exploring the capital of the empire, as I had only roamed dungeons and been around the flat area’s villages and mountainous terrains up till now.

Behold, the grand city of an expansive empire! It was oh-so clean and beautiful.

The pavement of the street was well-laid, echoing the footsteps of everyone as they walked over it. The stone buildings lining the streets boasted unique charms through their varied shapes and colors.

Bustling shops thrived in every corner of the street, their names and symbols engraved in golden letters on their signs.

The delightful aroma of bread wafted in front of a bakery, and it appeared that NPCs mingled there with other users, favoring bread as portable food easy for filling their satiation meters.

At last, I arrived at the spacious plaza in the center of the street, where a fountain shaped like a dragon stood.

A clear stream of water spouted from the dragon’s mouth, filling up the basin at the fountain. Around it were benches and flowerbeds, offering a space for people to rest.

I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe as I marveled at that magnificent fountain.

“Wow, this is incredible.”

During the era I previously operated in, these were mere empires known for people trying to escape the clutches of the Demon Race.

Seeing one of these empires develop like this is truly nostalgic.

Not just Alparion Empire, but I bet the capital of Betarion Empire has a similarly vibrant scene.

Thump thump.

While I was admiring the splendid fountain, I soon heard the approaching steps of two individuals coming toward me.

“Rain! You got here first!”

“Did you wait long? I hope we aren’t late, sis!”

I turned my head to look at the two women approaching me.

A short, pink-haired female wizard, Bae Merong, and a tall, red-haired female Onmyoji, Chris.

“Hello, sisters.”

I bowed my head modestly.

I’m not quite sure why they decided to meet me in a place like this today, but since we made plans a few days ago, I have to hang out with Chris.

“Hehe, isn’t the view of Alparion Empire’s capital impressive? I was surprised the first time I saw it too!”

“Yeah, it really is a developed city.”

In this medieval fantasy world, this imperial capital shows a significant development gap compared to the rural locales.

Well, modern cities like Seoul still have their own Moon Villages scattered around, so it might not be so different after all.

“Today I’ve got some places to take you, Rain. Bae Merong found an awesome shop during her solo trip the other day; you’ll definitely love it!”

“Oh.”

A place I might like? I’m feeling a bit excited.

I took hold of Chris and Bae Merong’s hands and followed them as they led the way.

Gasp….

I sat at a neat outdoor table of a shop, glancing around curiously.

Though I’d never been to a real one, this feels like…

“A café?”

“Yeah! Cool, right? The owner of this place is a user who specializes in life skills. Apparently, they’re famous enough to be called a master around here.”

“They say they particularly excel at making beverages and desserts. Rumor has it that they go out to fetch ingredients themselves and perfectly recreate modern dessert flavors.”

Though it’s pricier than the drinks in real cafes, it seems to provide long-lasting buffs, countering fatigue increase as well.

Savoring the atmosphere of the café while admiring the imperial capital’s scenery. Is this what multiverse economic activities look like?

After a brief wait, the drink that Chris ordered arrived.

A transparent beverage tinged with yellow, even has ice bobbing in it.

Could this be some sort of lemonade? It looks incredibly enticing.

I opened my mouth in awe at its beautiful color.

“Cough cough, what are you waiting for? Try it!”

I closed my eyes, inhaling the refreshing fragrance of the lemonade. The fresh lemon aroma tickled my nose, refreshing my mind.

As I took the first sip, the ice clinked together, creating a clear sound. The tartness of the lemon enveloped my entire mouth.

“Wow!”

I gasped in excitement.

The lemonade combined sweetness and sourness in perfect harmony. The gentle sweetness of the sugar and the zesty lemoniness stimulated my tongue while washing away the fatigue I’d accumulated until now in an instant.

Was this intentional? The sisters have good taste; it feels like energy is flowing into my weary body that endured nonstop farming in dungeons.

As the chilled beverage slid down my throat, it felt almost as if I’d found an oasis in the midst of heat.

Taking another sip, I savored the drink slowly, letting the taste linger. The zesty freshness of the lemon and the sweet aftertaste made me feel even more revitalized.

“Uhhhhh…!”

That bright, tangy aftertaste made me close my eyes and shiver with pleasure.

It tastes outstanding! So refreshing!

I kept sipping on the lemonade.

Chris and Bae Merong paused with their drinks, merely looking at me and grinning.

If it’s this delicious, why aren’t they drinking?

Before I realized it, I had polished off the entire lemonade, extending my empty cup out.

Then, I shyly said,

“… Did you finish your drinks, sisters?”

Though my implied “If you’re not drinking, can I have yours?” went unspoken, they seemed to catch my drift.

Chris clutched her stomach, laughing, and promptly ordered another round of lemonade for me.

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