And then the system's gentle voice chimed again in her mind, soft as if whispering from behind a veil.
☆ Now listen carefully, dear. First… if you want to open your inventory, you must calm your mind… ☆
Dila blinked. "Calm? After everything I've been through?"
☆ Shh-shh, just follow me— ☆ Nari giggled a little. ☆ Focus on the idea that there's something floating in front of your face… boxes of items… each one calling out to you. Your inventory choices. ☆
Dila narrowed her eyes. "Boxes calling me?"
☆ Yup! Now… close your eyes… feel it—feel that something within reach, like you're gently tugging on a string in your thoughts. Picture the thing you want to get… like a potion, or your staff, or… I don't know, a shiny pebble…☆
Dila slowly sighed and leaned back again, her eyes closing, breathing in deeply.
☆ Almost there... you're doing great, Master. Just a little more… ☆
Nari's voice kept going, lovingly encouraging, step by step, layer by layer like some calm meditation teacher who drank too much honey tea.
"Please… shut up…" Dila muttered softly, her eyes still closed, one brow twitching.
☆ Eh— ☆ Nari squeaked, then broke into a tiny snort-laugh ☆ Ah—hehe… sorry! ☆
The sound of Nari giggling echoed inside Dila's mind, light and bright like bells.
Dila's lips twitched into a faint smile as she whispered, "Ohh my God… you talk too much."
☆ Only because I care, Master. Tehee~ ☆
And for a second… just for a second… the inventory interface flickered faintly in front of Dila's eyes like a ripple in the air. A soft chime rang in her mind.
■•••• Inventory Link: [Initializing]...
And then the interface pulsed again softly in front of her face like digital mist brushing the air.
■•••• Recalibrating… matching to new name interface…
System Name: [Nari] confirmed.
☆ That's me~ ☆ Nari chirped proudly, like a kid who just got a gold star.
Dila chuckled, still with her eyes closed. "Lol. Your personality never gets old…"
☆ Thank you, Master! Now loading all your stuffs~ ☆
Soft ripples of light moved gently across her vision. Then—
☆ You can open your eyes now, Master ☆ Nari whispered sweetly.
Dila blinked them open, slowly… and right in front of her, floating gently like a hologram, her inventory appeared. Glowing cubes, labeled items, tiny pixelated icons. It was like a dream or—well—a cleaner version of Minecraft mixed with some fantasy anime HUD.
She reached out with her finger, touching one of the boxes curiously.
But it only rippled, like dipping her hand in warm water.
"Huh?" Dila blinked again. "What?"
☆ Ehhh? Didn't I literally tell you to choose with your mind? ☆ Nari sighed like a teacher with an adorable pout.
Dila narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you not tell me that? At all?"
☆ Teehee~ my bad~ ☆ Nari giggled again, not even pretending to be sorry.
Dila rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "A.I. errors… or maybe you're just messing with me at this point."
☆ Maybe… ☆
Dila smirked, the corner of her mouth twitching up as she stared at the floating boxes.
"Still… it was kinda lol."
The inventory shimmered, ready—like it had always been there, just waiting for her to believe it.
[Spatial Storage Skill: Open]
Contents:
Dila's gaze sharpened as the inventory floated in front of her like a transparent scroll of glowing boxes. One by one, the items pulsed softly as she hovered her thoughts over them.
First box:
Magic Wand Staff [Arcane]
Magical Power: 500 Magic Output
Good for Support. Bad for Combat.
Dila squinted. "Whaaaaaat?! Unbelievable!" she dragged her words like she was betrayed by an old friend. "So it's kinda useless? What the heck!"
☆ No, no, Master! ☆ Nari's voice popped in, bright and cheerful. ☆ I've been watching you fight with your support skills~ You did summon something with that, remember? Like a buff field or magic barrier? ☆
Dila blinked. Then raised a brow.
"Riiiighht… oh yeah, that time I passed out while summoning a huge amount of magic power more than i can handle in that final battle so we can survived."
She scratched her cheek and shook her head. "Never mind that. On to the next thing…"
Her thoughts hovered to another item. A familiar red bottle glowed in the second box. She squinted again.
Healing Potion: Potion Version [1]
Gives a tiny amount of healing. (Starter Pack)
"Tch—WHAT?! Soooo weak?!" she whined dramatically, eyes wide, flailing a little. "I risked my life and all I got was a juice box!?"
☆ Calm down, Master! ☆ Nari giggled sweetly. ☆ You survived, didn't you? Through Thick and thin, remember? ☆
Dila flopped back against the straw bed and crossed her arms. "Thick and thin my ass," she grumbled, pouting hard. "I almost died! And I couldn't even use this dumb potion! No one even taught me how to open the inventory back then!"
☆ Eheh~ ☆ Nari's voice chuckled with a teasing tone. ☆ Okay, okay~ But hey, at least you survived, right? That's good enough~! ☆
Dila let out a deep sigh, lifting her arm and staring at the bandages wrapped all over her.
"…Yeah… at least I survived," she said softly.
Her eyes lingered on the inventory still floating in front of her.
Dila said in her mind again "Open system "
[System Interface: Status Window ]
Name: Dila
Race: Elf
Age: 17
Class: Support Mage – Alchemist
Gender: Female
Mana Level: 200 / 200
Health Level: 1000 / 1000
Level: 2
System Buddy: Nari
Dila blinked a few times as the glowing transparent screen hovered gently in front of her, right above her head.
"Ohh…" she muttered with a tilted head, "I have more new stats now."
☆ That's because you properly unlocked me, Master~ ☆ Nari chimed in proudly. ☆ And you gave me a name! I'm so happy! ☆
Dila narrowed her eyes. "Holy crap... after all that? Fighting that giant scorpion monster, getting almost harassed around, plus while that cursed Veil area fight , and then—bam! My level resets to 2?! Are you kidding me!?"
She groaned dramatically, throwing her arms to the side.
"My mana increased by one measly point? ONE!? So now it's 200 cap—woohoo, big upgrade!" she exaggerated, throwing sarcastic jazz hands into the air.
She paused, squinting at the health bar.
"…And my health didn't even show until way too late but just now. If I hadn't i just collapsed out by instinct, I could've died! No questions asked, flat out gone—game over, man!"
☆ Ahahaha… ah… ☆ Nari's laugh came out awkward, soft. ☆ Funny thing, Master… You actually had 1 HP left during that fight. Eheh… ☆
There was a long pause.
"…What."
Dila sat up straight and stared at the system screen.
"ONE. HP. LEFT?! YOU–!!"
☆ W-Wait! ☆ Nari blurted in a soft panic. ☆ Forgive meee~! I couldn't maintain my presence fully because your health was too low! I… I panicked too! ☆
Dila groaned and dropped back into the straw bed with a loud fwump, pressing her palm to her face.
"Yeah yeah… ugh. Whatever. Past is past. No use screaming about it now."
She rolled to her side with a tired sigh.
"For now, I just need to—ow—not move. And definitely lay down again before my ribs decide to kill me for real."
The room dimmed softly, torches flickering lower as if the stone walls themselves knew she needed rest.
☆ Sleep well, Master. ☆ Nari said in her usual sweet, warm voice. ☆ It's nighttime now. You've earned it. ☆
"…Night, Nari…" Dila murmured, her eyes finally closing as the screen faded out of view.
The night grew quiet, only the distant hum of glowing herbs and the soft breath of recovery filling the air.