[Day 52]
I collapsed into the chair in front of the dinner table and immediately committed violence against dessert.
Cake.
Tarts.
Something chocolate-covered that might have once been a cookie.
A suspiciously perfect cheesecake that I didn't even bother slicing.
I was shoveling it into my mouth like I hadn't eaten in a week—which, to be fair, was basically true.
Across the table, Vlad stood proudly, one hand on his hip.
On the other hand?
Missing.
Again.
Not cut.
Not destroyed.
Just… left behind.
He'd ditched it in some backwater trading world to fake his death—dramatically, I might add—complete with staged blood, a collapsing market stall, and at least three screaming witnesses.
Man loved drama like oxygen.
[Adam]: You know… You didn't have to traumatize two little girls just to make your fake death convincing.
Vlad sniffed, offended.
[Vlad]: They will remember it as a formative experience. Tragedy builds character.
From the doorway, Mike—the urban elf himself—sipped coffee and added helpfully.
[Mike]: He screamed "AVENGE ME" while the stall exploded.
Vlad nodded proudly.
[Vlad]: Improvised, but effective.
I paused mid-bite, frosting on my chin.
[Adam]: You abandoned your own arm in another world… for theatrics.
[Adam]: And you baked all of this… with one hand.
Vlad gestured at the table like a master artist unveiling his life's work.
[Vlad]: Pain sharpens focus. Also, I used Mike for the whisking.
Lilith, already seated with a plate of actual food like a responsible being, gave Vlad a long, flat stare.
[Mike]: Those girls cried for ten minutes.
[Vlad]: Only ten? I'm losing my edge.
[Mike]: They cried till they passed out, Vlad.
I went back to devouring dessert, shaking my head.
[Adam]: One day, Vlad, your love for drama is going to kill you.
Vlad smiled serenely.
[Vlad]: Ah. But what a performance it will be, Brother.
I took another bite, leaned back in my chair, and for the first time in days—
Felt full.
Safe.
And mildly concerned about the people I trusted with my life.
I wiped my mouth with a napkin, stood up, and spoke with the calm authority of a man who had survived eldritch seafood, cultists, and weaponized flowers in under forty-eight hours.
[Adam]: Brother, you're banned from watching drama and anime for a month.
Also—Mike. No Wi-Fi and no coffee for two days.
The room froze.
Vlad and Mike slowly turned toward me.
Their faces…
Looked exactly like I had just announced that I personally killed Santa, skinned the Pope with an ice-cream spoon, and cancelled pizza forever.
Mike dropped his mug.
It shattered.
[Mike]: …You can't do that.
[Vlad]: This is tyranny.
[Mike]: This is a human rights violation.
[Vlad]: This is worse than death.
Lilith didn't even look up from her plate.
[Lilith]: He's serious.
Silk peeked in from the ceiling, lenses glowing faintly.
[Silk]: Confirmed. Adam's tone indicates "final decision" mode. Probability of appeal success: 0.7%.
Mike clutched his chest dramatically.
[Mike]: No Wi-Fi means no updates. No forums. No guides. No—
He gasped.
[Mike]: —no memes.
Vlad placed his remaining hand over his heart.
[Vlad]: And no anime? For a full month? Do you realize what you're asking of me?
[Adam]: Yes. Reflection. Growth. Silence.
Vlad stared into the middle distance.
[Vlad]: …I will wither.
[Adam]: You will live.
Mike fell to his knees.
[Mike]: I once survived three weeks without food. I will not survive forty-eight hours without caffeine.
Lilith finally looked up, wings flicking once.
[Lilith]: You traumatized children, Vlad.
[Vlad]: For art.
[Lilith]: You blew up a market stall.
[Vlad]: For narrative weight.
Lilith pointed her fork at Mike.
[Lilith]: And you suggested using chickens as explosive delivery systems.
Mike whispered.
[Mike]: They were volunteers.
I crossed my arms.
[Adam]: Sentencing stands.
Silence followed.
Then—
Tyrant walked past the doorway, glanced inside, and spoke with grave seriousness.
[Tyrant]: Punishment accepted. Learn restraint.
Vlad gasped.
[Mike]: Even Tyrant sided with you?!
Silk tilted her head.
[Silk]: Fascinating. Leadership achieved through dessert and discipline.
I sat back down, picked up another slice of cake, and sighed.
[Adam]: If it helps… You can still talk to each other.
Mike sniffed.
[Mike]: In person?
[Adam]: In person.
Vlad slumped into a chair.
[Vlad]: …This is truly the darkest timeline.
I took a bite of cake.
Worth it.
I wiped my hands, leaned forward, and opened the trade ledger—the system book humming softly as pages flipped on their own.
Adam
: Now… let us see the results of the trade.
The glow dimmed.
Then froze.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
…Oh.
My stomach dropped in a way cake could not fix.
[Caravan #1]
Members: Vlad, Mike
Results: Barely Pass
Mike pumped a fist weakly.
[Mike]: See? Tactical culinary retreat worked.
[Vlad]: I told you the cookies were key.
[Caravan #2]
Members: Silk, Tyrant
Results: Pass
Silk's lenses brightened.
[Silk]: Optimal outcome. Zero casualties. High morale. Children hugged Tyrant twelve times.
Tyrant nodded once, proud.
[Tyrant]: I taught them load-bearing principles.
Then my eyes dropped to the last entry.
The glow shifted color.
Red.
[Caravan #3]
Members: Adam, Lilith, ????
Results: YOU ARE A FAILURE
The words didn't just sit there.
They judged me.
Below it:
Total Gain: 1963
Penalty Applied: –10% Tax, -30% Unauthorized participant detected.
The room went quiet.
Painfully quiet.
I slowly raised my head.
Everyone looked at me.
I swallowed.
[Adam]: Do we—by any chance—have someone who could have joined our caravan without us knowing?
Lilith stiffened instantly.
[Lilith]: Adam… caravans don't do that. The system is precise.
Mike frowned.
[Mike]: Yeah, it doesn't miscount. Ever. Trust me—I tried to cheat it once. It deleted my pants.
Vlad leaned over my shoulder, squinting at the page.
[Vlad]: "Unauthorized participant"… that means someone was there.
...
Adam
: …Let us not talk about it. Okay?
I closed the book and slid it under the table like it might bite.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—slow nods.
One by one.
No questions.
No jokes.
No bravado.
Even Mike didn't say anything, which was deeply unsettling.
Tyrant crossed his arms.
[Tyrant]: Threat acknowledged. Discussion postponed.
Silk's lenses dimmed slightly.
[Silk]: Suppressing probability spirals. For now.
Vlad sighed and leaned back in his chair.
[Vlad]: Very well. We pretend the nightmare did not stow away in your caravan. Temporarily.
Lilith met my eyes and gave a short nod.
[Lilith]: When you're ready… We'll deal with it.
I exhaled.
Good.
[Day 53]
The morning passed quietly.
Too quietly.
[To be continued]
Really sorry for the quality, I really have no time these days