8. The Most Dazzling Gem
Backlund.
We've finally gotten away from Tingen City.
There was a slight hiccup, but the original purpose of going there was fulfilled. I now have a decent grasp of the current timeline—Klein has already joined the Nighthawks.
We're in the middle of the first arc.
Which means...
My life is doomed.
It won't be long before Backlund is caught up in war. I don't remember exactly when or why it will happen, but I do know one thing—this generation won't escape it.
Peace will crumble.
Sigh...
I tore my attention away from the despair-inducing future and focused on another equally depressing update.
??? has successfully assimilated.
I don't even know what assimilated with my body.
Ever since I got this white bracelet, I've tried everything to take it off—cutting, pulling, even using tools.
But nothing works.
Nothing.
The only visible difference was that one of the ten marbles had vanished—leaving nine behind.
Were they… eggs?
I shuddered, recalling the unsettling sensation of touching whatever had emerged.
As for changes in my body, I could instinctively understand them:
First—my dynamic vision, reflexes, speed, and agility have far surpassed normal human levels.
Catching a fly between my fingers? Child's play.
Second—Thread.
I could create and manipulate threads in the air at will.
Had I been bitten by a radioactive spider?!
Was I the next Spider-Man?!
…No. My strength remained the same, and I wasn't about to start crawling up walls.
Sequence 9: ??? - Taratect
The system finally notified me of my current condition.
Sigh...
So I've officially fallen into the Beyonder world too.
I really hope this path doesn't have any weird scams like the Witch or Vampire paths.
But… what path is this?
Even if I don't remember every sequence, I do remember the names of all Sequence 9 potions.
And this one doesn't match any of them.
With no more info, I couldn't go further with this. So I turned to my last and worst despair:
Truth Points: 16
Loan: 10,000
Current Balance: -8,325
I got some points after the incident, but the main headache is this:
Loans can only be paid in batches: 500 / 1000 / 2000 / 5000
Currency can be exchanged at a rate of 1 gold pound = 1 truth point
Until the loan is paid off, 20-30% of all income goes to the debt automatically
Until then, the Store function is limited
In short: I'm broke.
My monthly pocket money is vanishing before my eyes.
Ugh… My tear glands are getting weak.
—----
Three days later, I found myself so busy that I seriously wished a day had 48 hours.
Between my morning exercises, training Occlumency, experimenting with my new powers, and trying to figure out what the hell Taratect means, there was barely any time to breathe. Yes, I knew about the acting method and the significance of potion names... but how was I supposed to act when I didn't even know my own Sequence?! My future was looking bleak.
And now that we were back in Backlund, university had resumed as well. Thankfully, the "Chris" from before wasn't bad at studying. I could understand everything the professors said—even topics I'd never learned before. Whenever a lecturer introduced an unfamiliar concept, the meaning would just burst into my head. But for subjects the "other me" had never studied, I had to learn them myself—and doing so even gave me points.
Between all this, I had another pressing concern: that ridiculous debt. Whether I used Truth Points or real gold, I needed to pay it off ASAP. Without the Store function, I was missing my biggest trump card. If this kept up, I might actually die of overwork… again.
At least there was one good thing—Grandar and Peytra had stabilized their business. They were even taking things a step further, just as the "past me" had advised. Yeah... I still don't know if I transmigrated or reincarnated, but for now, that's enough. Instead of simply mass-producing goods, they were focused on building a brand. With confidence in their craftsmanship, they aimed to elevate the value of each item rather than just increasing output.
Which was why, one morning, Mom suddenly announced, "Let's go, Chris. We're going to a noble's residence."
Apparently, I was her assistant now. Why not bring an actual employee? No clue. But I couldn't say no either.
And just like that, another errand was added to my already packed schedule.
On the way to the noble's estate—our first target for branding—
I secretly practiced with my thread. I've experimented a lot over the past few days.
I can run way faster now, but strangely, my leg strength hasn't changed much.
Physics has officially stopped "physics-ing."
Oh well. At least I know I can get even faster if I build muscle.
And yes—I really can produce thread. It's not an illusion.
But it does consume something from my body. Too much, and I feel hungry, tired, and get migraines.
So now, I'm training my control and endurance. I produce thread constantly when I can—just not too much.
Then it struck me:
The thread I make is real. It doesn't disappear.
If I can weave it into cloth... Can I sell it?
A money tree?!
Eureka!
Improve endurance? ✔
Improve control? ✔
Make money? ✔
Three birds with one stone!
Heck, I'm scared of my own potential. Kukuku.
Thankfully, Mother trained me in sewing, so I know the basics.
While multitasking (thread weaving + carriage ride), I also chatted with Mother.
"Let me remind you—don't forget the other party is a noble."
"I understand, Mom. But… who exactly are we meeting?"
"My, silly me. We're meeting the Hall family today—Mrs. and Ms. Hall."
HALL?!
I nearly jumped.
"They're the perfect brand ambassador. They won't even realize they're promoting us. Kekeke."
Mother grinned slyly.
"Mom... your expression..."
"Oh, hehe, just joking! But see? You're not nervous anymore, right?"
I chuckled. The reason was different from what she thought, but still…
She saw right through me.
"Thanks, Mom."
When we arrived, the guards bowed politely.
"Welcome to the Hall residence."
As expected of the Hall family. These days, money was overtaking noble titles in power, but many nobles still hadn't realized it.
Inside the estate:
"Thank you for granting us your precious time, Mrs. Caitlyn Hall, Ms. Audrey Hall."
Mother bowed with the elegance of a noble lady. I followed with a polite nod.
"Be at ease," Mrs. Hall said. "Let us see your products. I heard about them from a friend."
"Please, this way."
I helped display ten dresses—each with a unique design. To my surprise, they leaned toward modern styles. They weren't the traditional, conservative dresses of the current era but something that felt more in line with trends from my world. I guess Mom had drawn inspiration from the "other me." Unorthodox? Maybe. But fashion always evolved.
Meanwhile, Audrey Hall sat with perfect composure—yet, in truth, she had no real interest in being here. She would've rather spent her time studying mysticism, especially since she had just become a Beyonder. Still, her mother had requested her presence, so she complied.
At first, the dresses merely surprised her. The designs were familiar, yet different. She could tell the dressmaker was using the Halls for publicity, but that wasn't the main focus—the creator was confident that people would want them regardless. These designs could shake up high society's fashion.
But that was all.
She was curious, but not deeply invested.
Until… she noticed a gaze.
Audrey was used to being stared at. But ever since becoming a Beyonder, she could understand those gazes.
This one felt different.
The dressmaker's assistant—her son, apparently—was staring. Not like a lovestruck admirer, but...
As if he already knew her.
The moment she tried to probe deeper, he looked away.
Once? Normal.
Twice? Suspicious.
Three times—he was deliberately avoiding her gaze.
The perfection in his avoidance only made her more suspicious.
Meanwhile, me:
So that's the beauty Klein said could rival even a Demoness...
If she ever became one, she might topple countries with her charm. I started thinking of weird scenarios—
+2,000 Points.
Huh?
Right as I realized it, Audrey was staring at me.
Crap! Looked too long!
I quickly averted my gaze and kept my distance.
Spectators are dangerous. You never know what info they might extract. Unless I had Klein's Clown powers, it's almost impossible to hide anything...
Still—2,000 points?! Even Klein only gave me 1,000.
Is it because Klein was only one of his personas?
Interesting.
I'll have to test this again later. I'll try to meet his other persona Carefully.
I sneaked a glance at Audrey.
Please don't become a big problem.
…
I just raised a flag, didn't I?
Nothing happened that day. We returned home without issue.
Mother's business picked up, and as planned, the Halls bought the dresses.
But then...
The next night.
Just as I finished my routine and was about to drift off to sleep, I was suddenly awakened.
Someone had triggered the trap I set around the house.
I had woven thread around the property as a detection system—partly for practice, partly for protection.
This world is dangerous. Even in a normal world, wealthy and influential people spend a lot on security. Here? With Beyonders roaming around? Our regular guards can't handle that.
So...
Sigh... Time to greet our guests.