I Like It, I Like It, I Like Presents (2)

There's a saying that even Geumgangsan is best enjoyed after a meal.

No matter how magnificent the natural beauty before you may be, you can only truly appreciate it once you're full.

Zion swallowed. Soft white bread, golden-brown grilled meat, and even melted cheese piled on top.

“Wow.”

“It's not much, but... I can guarantee the taste and the portions.”

“A-am I really allowed to accept such a feast?”

“Of course.”

Her ragged breathing and sweat-slicked appearance might have seemed rather alluring given what she was wearing, but...

Unfortunately, she'd picked the wrong target. Right now, Zion's most important mission was filling her empty stomach.

Yet Zion suppressed the urge to grab the meat and devour it on the spot with superhuman patience.

“God, thank you for providing daily bread to a lost lamb.”

After taking a deep breath, Zion pressed her hands together and recited a prayer as reverently as she could.

Of course, she wasn't sincere. She'd simply cobbled together some plausible-sounding words she'd picked up over the years.

Even so, the reason she went to the trouble of praying was to make herself look as much like an NPC as possible to Ifrit.

‘What a sucker... no, what a windfall that's just fallen into my lap. I have to get everything I can out of her.’

Since she was an NPC Ifrit had never met before, Ifrit would do her best to grant her requests. Zion had to take advantage of that.

That was exactly why Zion was pretending to be a saintess, a role she'd never been meant for. At the very least, she couldn't afford to look like a fraud.

Fortunately, her clumsy prayer seemed to have worked. The light of anticipation in Ifrit's eyes was growing brighter and brighter.

‘Wow, I feel alive.’

Regardless, once she'd finished her act, Zion carefully tore off a piece of bread and put it in her mouth. It was so sweet she could have cried.

The bread and meat were delicious, of course. Even plain water tasted like some kind of sweet drink.

Only after she'd chewed and swallowed everything and felt a warm sensation spread through her stomach was Zion finally freed from her hunger.

“I'm sorry. I got so caught up in the food that I...”

“It's okay, it's okay. I'm glad I went to the trouble of bringing it.”

“Then, as for the reward...”

There was no need for Zion to give Ifrit a reward. Hadn't she made it perfectly clear from the start that she had nothing to offer?

But even freeloading had its limits. If Zion kept giving her nothing, Ifrit would surely leave before long.

The problem was, she really had nothing worth giving. As Zion wondered what to do, something caught her eye.

“That wound...?”

“Oh, this? I got into a fight with some annoying guy while I was bringing the food over.”

A vivid bruise stood out on Ifrit's body. It definitely hadn't been there before she left to get the food.

Zion tilted her head. Was it possible for anyone to leave a wound like that on the administrator of Floor 1?

No, that wasn't important right now. If she played her cards right, she could give Ifrit a reward. Zion raised her hand.

“Recovery.”

Wooooom!!

The moment the word left her lips, pure white light flowed from Zion's fair, delicate hand and began to envelop Ifrit.

Ifrit didn't bother to refuse the warm cascade of light. Instead, she closed her eyes and embraced every last wisp of it.

‘Thank goodness I can use skills.’

At first, Zion had been doubtful. Even if she'd ended up in a game character's body, could she really use that character's skills?

But the very moment she decided to use a skill, instructions on how to do so began to take shape in her mind.

She followed them, and to her amazement, the skill activated. Thanks to that, she could at least offer a modest reward.

“I can't give you anything right now, but... if you ever get injured, please come see me anytime.”

“How did you...?”

“Pardon?”

“No, it's nothing. Thank you so much. I thought I'd be laid up for days.”

Despite her calm expression, Ifrit was stunned. Who was she, after all? She was a high ranker.

Naturally, there were few people capable of injuring a high ranker whose every stat was through the roof.

At most, only high-floor boss monsters or other high rankers could inflict a meaningful wound on her.

‘To think she could heal an injury inflicted by a high ranker so easily... and she's an NPC, not even another adventurer...!!’

Healers were essential to any adventure. But there were far too few of them. That made them a privileged class.

What's more, finding a high priest capable of healing an injury inflicted by a high ranker was next to impossible.

After all... she was the great saintess who had once served the legendary hero. Healing a wound like this must be child's play for her.

Ifrit was thoroughly mistaken. Regardless, Zion was already preparing to move on to the next step.

‘I've taken care of food and clothing, the first two necessities... Now all that's left is a home.’

She already had the nun's habit she was wearing, and she'd just eaten. Now she needed a place to shelter from the wind and rain.

She wanted nothing more than to leave this place and go somewhere else, but... unfortunately, she had no pretext to justify it.

Zion racked her brains. Drawing on all the games she'd played, she came up with a plausible-sounding quest.

“Um... could I ask you for one more favor?”

“Of course. I'll help you as much as I can.”

“Thank you, adventurer. Actually, I'd like to repair this place.”

“You want to repair this place?”

“Yes. This is where I used to treat and care for the sick.”

Zion lied as calmly as could be, without even the slightest shame.

Ifrit took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. In fact, given the circumstances, there was no way she wouldn't.

A ruined church, and a nun NPC lingering there instead of leaving. It was all just too perfect.

“...No, I'm sorry. Please forget what I just said.”

“Why the sudden change?”

“It would be shameless of me to ask you for that much...”

“I really don't mind.”

“Huh? But...”

“I just want to help.”

Zion even lowered her head as if she were ashamed to ask, playing hard to get. There was no way Ifrit wouldn't fall for it.

Of course, Ifrit was also being driven by a ridiculous misconception, but...

Zion couldn't read other people's minds, so naturally, there was no way she could figure that out.

“I'm sorry. This is all I can give you.”

As she spoke, Zion took out an old book. She'd found it while rummaging around the church before Ifrit arrived.

Restoring a completely ruined church in exchange for just one old book? Naturally, it was an absurd offer.

That would have been true under ordinary circumstances. But a multitude of messages had appeared before Ifrit's eyes.

[The target's information is heavily concealed.]

[Appraisal proficiency is insufficient.]

[Only partial information is displayed.]

[Appraisal result: ??? (???)]

‘An item even I, a high ranker, can't properly appraise. As expected, the great saintess from legend is on another level.’

Ifrit's hands began to tremble with excitement. She wasn't sure what it was, but it definitely wasn't an ordinary book.

After all, there was no way a book the great saintess from legend had treasured for so long could be ordinary.

What could it be? A key item that unlocked a hidden quest? A skill book containing a skill used by a legendary hero?

‘Either way, I can't let those other people get their hands on it...!!!’

Of course, it wasn't some grand, legendary item. It had simply become impossible to appraise because it came from another world.

But to Ifrit, who had no idea of the truth, it looked like a treasure she had to acquire before anyone else.

If she got that book, she'd be one step ahead of the others. Greed flashed in her eyes for an instant.

“Ah, if the reward isn't enough...”

“That's more than enough!!”

“Huh?”

“S-sorry. I got carried away.”

“Are you really sure this book is enough?”

“Of course. But don't give it to anyone else until I get back, okay?”

“Of course!”

At Ifrit's stern warning, Zion nodded. Her white hair swept out in a beautiful arc.

Thank goodness. Ifrit had been silent while looking at the book, and Zion had worried that even a sucker like her might draw the line at this.

After all... a true adventurer would take on a quest as soon as one appeared, no matter how lousy the reward was.

‘You're going to build me a house for one old book like this? Why be an adventurer? I'll just live comfortably as an NPC for the rest of my life.’

Zion was once again reminded of just how much NPCs had been living the easy life in all the games she'd played.