The Extra Who Stole the Hero's System
Chapter 19: Shopping Spree

Chapter 19: Shopping Spree

More than a week had passed since the terrifying incident on the porch. Three days of unconsciousness, followed by a slow, painful recovery.

Lord Sapphire’s lie about my ’fainting’ had held, at least to Evelina and the household. All my injuries were bandaged, a constant reminder of the duel, but the physical pain had dulled to a manageable ache. The emotional wounds, however, were still raw. The memory of my rage, the assassin’s screams, the cold finality of the dagger in his heart – it remained.

I spent a lot of time in my room, reflecting. The duel with Lord Sapphire replayed in my mind, a brutal loop. His speed, his strength, his mastery of the blade. And then, the Thunder Clap. The mana-infused strike that had knocked me out cold.

From the novel, I knew about mana. It was the natural life essence that permeated the world, a fundamental force.

The Kingdom of Ostina, where the story was primarily set, classified knights into two categories: Sword Knights and Mage Knights. Sword Knights primarily focused on physical combat, often having a lower mana pool capacity, using mana for minor enhancements or specific techniques. Mage Knights, on the other hand, were the opposite, wielding powerful spells and having much larger mana pools.

I had never known Lord Sapphire possessed such skills. He portrayed himself as a scholar, a man of books and quiet contemplation. Yet, his abilities were clearly equivalent to that of a formidable Sword Knight, given the power of Thunder Clap. It was another confirmation of Olberic’s diary – the Sapphire family, and Lord Sapphire in particular, were not who they seemed. His vast, hidden armory made even more sense now.

Mana pool, sometimes called a mana core, was described in the novel as a secondary organ adjacent to the heart. Users would refine external mana – called ’manex’ – and store it in their mana core, using it for combat, spells, or enhanced physical abilities.

I was contemplating all of this, standing by my washbasin, about to prepare for a much-needed shower, when my door suddenly burst open.

"Kai!"

Luminous barged in, uninvited as usual. He was holding a small, almost empty plate in his hands, which I immediately recognized as his favorite snack. Nuts.

"Kai, you have to help me!" he said, his voice unusually dramatic. "My nuts! They’re almost gone! We need to restock immediately!"

I sighed, "Can’t you just ask one of the guards? Or Evelina? I’m a bit busy at the moment." I gestured vaguely towards the washbasin.

He shook his head vehemently, his blue hair bouncing. "No, no, no! They don’t understand! They just go to the local market, and their nuts are... inferior! They’re not imported from the Duchy of Nester! You know, the ones with the special harvesting methods? The ones that taste soooooo good?" He looked at me with pleading eyes, his lower lip trembling slightly. "Please, Kai! You’re the only one who understands"

He began to plead, a barrage of "pleases" and "pretty pleases." He begged, he even tried to give me puppy eyes. I stood firm for a while, offering various excuses – I’m busy, ask a guard, ask Evelina. But Luminous was persistent, relentless even.

Finally, he admitted why he wanted me instead, his voice softening. "Besides," he said, looking down at his empty plate, "I just... I just wanted to spend some time with you, Kai. You’ve been in your room a lot since... since you felt unwell. And Father’s been so busy. It’s just... been a bit quiet without you."

His words hit me. He genuinely wanted to spend time with me, because he missed his adopted brother. It was a simple, human desire, and it surely melted my resolve. I had been so consumed by my own survival, by the system, by the mysteries of the manor, that I had forgotten about the simple, everyday interactions that made up a life.

"Alright, Luminous," I sighed, a genuine smile finally breaking through my grim facade. "Alright. But only if you promise to stop talking about nuts for at least an hour once we get there."

His face quickly lit up. "Deal! You’re the best, Kai!" He practically bounced out of the room, already shouting for a carriage to be prepared.

A few minutes later, as Luminous and I were about to step into the waiting carriage, a voice called out from the manor’s grand entrance.

"Kai! Luminous! Where are you two off to?"

It was Evelina. She emerged from the manor, dressed in a simple, practical tunic and trousers, her blue hair tied back in a neat braid. She looked... beautiful.

"Central Market, Evelina!" Luminous chirped, already halfway into the carriage. "For my special nuts!"

Evelina’s gaze was fixed on me. "Kai," she said, her voice firm but polite, "I was just about to ask if you could assist me with something. A few items I need for my... studies."

Just More errands. "Evelina, I’m just about to take Luminous to the market," I began, trying to politely refuse.

"It won’t take long, I assure you. And your... unique perspective would be invaluable."

"Alright," I conceded, a sigh escaping my lips. "What do you need?"

She smiled, a sweet, beautiful smile. "Wonderful! Just three things, for my practice and preparation for the Ostinan Mage Knight Academy Entrance Exam."

She then listed them, each item sounding more fantastical than the last:

Enchanted Grimoire – A floating training book that casts mock spells to simulate real exam combat. It’s quite rare.

Mana Focus Band – A ring or armlet that boosts external mana absorption rate and casting rate. Essential for a Mage Knight.

Knight’s Trial Elixir – A rare potion that temporarily enhances strength, agility, and focus for final prep. Only the best will do.

My eyes widened with each item. These weren’t just ’things.’ These were quite rare magical artifacts. Evelina was preparing for the Mage Knight Academy. This was a glimpse into the magical side of this world, a world beyond just swords and nobles.

The journey to the Central Market in Elyndor, the capital, was a jarring experience. The city was a sprawling, vibrant hub of activity, a stark contrast to the quiet, almost sterile elegance of the Sapphire manor. The streets teemed with people – commoners, merchants, a scattering of nobles, even a few robed figures who might be mages. The air was thick with the scent of spices, roasted meats, and the general hum of a bustling metropolis.

The Central Market itself was a bustling with sounds. Stalls overflowed with exotic fruits, shimmering fabrics, strange magical trinkets, and, of course, food. Luminous, his eyes wide with excitement, immediately dragged me towards a stall overflowing with various types of nuts.

"These are them, Kai!" he said, pointing excitedly at a large barrel filled with what looked like perfectly roasted almonds, but with a faint, almost golden sheen. "The Nester Duchy imports!"

I picked one up. It smelled faintly sweet, with a hint of something earthy. I wasn’t going to try it.

"How much for a cup?" I asked the vendor, a portly man with a booming laugh.

"Ah, young master!" he boomed, recognizing my noble attire. "For the finest Nester nuts, a mere 300 gold coins per cup!"

My jaw dropped. 300 gold coins for a cup of nuts? I knew from the novel that gold coins were a significant currency. A common laborer might earn a few silver coins a week. 300 gold was an astronomical sum for a snack. My internal Alex Miller gasped at the sheer extravagance.

"Three hundred?!" I questioned. I reached into my satchel, my fingers fumbling with the few gold coins I had. It wasn’t enough. Not even close.

Luminous, however, simply rolled his eyes. "Oh, Kai, don’t be so dramatic." He reached into his own small, embroidered satchel, pulling out a heavy, clinking pouch. He casually tossed it onto the counter. "Ten cups, please. And keep the change."

The vendor’s eyes widened. The pouch clinked with the unmistakable sound of thousands of gold coins. Luminous had just dropped a satchel worth 3000 gold coins for nuts. Three thousand. My mind reeled. The sheer, unthinking wealth of these noble children was staggering. I stared at Luminous, then at the pile of gold, then back at Luminous, who was already happily munching on a handful of the expensive nuts.

The gap between my old life and this new one, between commoners and nobles, had never felt so vast, so utterly absurd.