After reaching the maximum level, my "soft rice system" finally arrived.

[To help the host survive in this perilous other world, this system will issue missions to help the host conquer target individuals, latch onto powerful figures, and enjoy being a kept man.]

"Your system's reaction time is unusually long."

Chapter Two: What does "playing the lute to a cow" mean? (shrug)

Charles finally unearthed long-buried memories from the deepest corners of his spiritual ocean.

When I first transmigrated to this Western fantasy world of swords and magic, it seemed that I did indeed have a system with me.

Unfortunately, this system is like a college student suffering from procrastination; no matter how much you call it, it just won't come out to do anything.

The dialogue between the two sides went something like this:

"Hello, zaima?"

[Loading, please be patient.]

"System, I've completed Arcane Initiation. When will you activate it?"

Soon, almost there.

"System, I passed the mid-level mage assessment, where are you?"

[I know you are in a hurry, but don't be anxious yet. 】

"System, I..."

Quickly, on horseback, urgently!

"Well, they've all learned to answer first."

……

Over time, Ciel simply stopped caring about it altogether.

I never imagined I'd live to see this unreliable, lousy thing actually start up.

only--

[Soft Rice System]

Charles repeated the somewhat unfamiliar word, feeling that something was amiss.

"System, what is my current strength?"

[Level 100, the pinnacle of the legendary rank]

What is the average level of extraordinary individuals in this world?

【Level 11.4514】

"So what's your use?"

[To help the host survive in this perilous other world, this system will issue missions to help the host conquer target individuals, latch onto powerful figures, and enjoy being a kept man.]

"You're playing with something really new."

【Thank you for the compliment】

Charles felt that he had gained a deeper understanding of the idiom "playing the lute to a cow".

System activation complete, new player gift pack distributed.

[New Player Gift Pack Contents: "Web Spellbook", Legendary Notebook (Incomplete)]

With a streak of light, the mechanical notification sounded again.

Looking at the thin book in his hand and the tattered parchment scroll that reeked of decay, Charles fell into deep thought.

Is this newbie gift pack a bit too much for beginners?

"Web of the Spider" is a first-level spell, and along with "Fireball" and "Hypnosis," it is one of the three essential spells that Black Tower apprentices must learn when receiving their arcane initiation.

He could recite that thin book of spellbooks from memory with his eyes closed.

As for the legendary manuscripts—

When Ciel focused his attention on it, a brand new item hint even appeared.

[Legendary Journal (Incomplete)]

[Quality: Gold]

[Value: 1 System Points]

[Item Description: A tattered scroll of parchment containing the understanding and insights of a legendary mage into arcane magic. Despite its damage, it is still a priceless treasure in the eyes of all spellcasters.]

[System Reminder: "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." Host, please avoid displaying this item in front of unfamiliar superhumans to prevent irresistible calamity.]

Charles felt like he was surrounded by question marks.

"So, is it possible that I myself am a legend?"

What exactly is "an irresistible calamity"?

He casually scanned the parchment with his mental energy and couldn't help but frown slightly.

While the manuscript does indeed contain content at the legendary level, the creator's skill is at most at the beginner level of the legendary realm. His understanding of arcane magic is outdated and one-sided, clearly a product of his own isolated creation.

It's no exaggeration to say that any high-ranking wizard randomly selected from the Black Tower would have a far greater understanding of arcane magic than the owner of the journal.

This is not surprising, as spellcasters were an extremely rare profession throughout the Western Continent before the Arcane Tower was built.

Every spellcaster cherishes their knowledge. Even the most basic first-level spell tome is a priceless treasure on the black market. Those who have even a slight understanding of arcane magic treasure it even more. They keep it hidden even from their own disciples, let alone sharing it with outsiders.

It wasn't until the tower was built and gradually became a sacred place in the hearts of spellcasters that wizards began to break down their original barriers and had a bridge to communicate and share with each other. Naturally, their skill level was now vastly different from what it used to be.

"I knew this damn thing was unreliable."

"On the other hand, if it were reliable, it wouldn't have been fifteen years late."

As he spoke, Charles put the tattered parchment into his own sub-plane.

Although the contents are not worth reading, this parchment is at least a thousand years old, so it can be considered an artifact. It may come in handy when the Arcane City holds a special cultural exhibition on "Two Thousand Years of Black Tower" in a few months.

[New player gift packs have been sent out; new player tasks are now being released.]

[New player quest: Participate in the entrance examination of the Imperial Advanced Academy of Extraordinary Talents, and shine brightly in the examination to attract the attention of Duchess Eisveda Brunstad.]

"I reject."

Charles replied without hesitation.

Just kidding, who is he anyway?

The Black Tower's Chief, the youngest legend in the history of the Western Continent.

If we let him take the entrance exam for an extraordinary academy, wouldn't the other legends laugh their heads off if they found out?

A kept man? I'd rather not eat him.

He Shire rose from humble beginnings to stand at the pinnacle of the entire continent, all thanks to his own hard work.

As for his teacher, who was the master of the Black Tower, and his one-in-a-million astral affinity physique, they only played a tiny, insignificant role in the matter and were not worth mentioning.

Seemingly without considering the possibility of rejection, the system's mechanical voice paused for a moment before sounding again.

[Newbie quests cannot be refused. If you find a quest too difficult, you can choose a quest that is within your capabilities from the quest list...]

"Don't ask me what I can do for you, but ask what you can contribute to me." Charles suppressed the urge to complain and said earnestly, "You're already a cheat code that's fifteen years late in maturing. It's time to learn to think about and reflect on your remaining value."

"Look at other people's systems—teleportation, death reversal, chat groups, you name it. And you? Besides those genuine newbie gift packs, what else can you offer me...?"

This system features a shop where you can exchange system points for items.

"Really?"

Xia Er was taken aback. He scanned the glittering, nouveau riche-style shopping mall interface with his mental energy and read the information within it.

After ignoring a series of seemingly high-end items such as the Frost Ring, Silver Moon Pendant, Dragon's Blood, Whisper of the Moon Goddess, Blessing of the Forest Elf, and Heart of Steel, which were actually useless to Sharl, Sharl's gaze settled on the bottom of the item list.

【Cola】

[Quality: White]

[Item Description: A beverage known as "Fat Otaku's Happy Water" in another world.]

【Product Price: 3 System Points】

Is the cola you're talking about the Coca-Cola version?

【Yes. 】

Ciel felt he had finally found the purpose of the system, because he also found the remaining members of the "fat otaku happiness package" such as [plashspeed5] in the store.

Who could resist the joy of playing video games and drinking sugary drinks every day?

While the magic in this world is amazing, it has its limitations and cannot accomplish everything.

For example, no matter how Ciel adjusted the cola he made using his alchemical knowledge, it always tasted more like Pepsi, which made this Coca-Cola fanatic feel resentful.

"Stop talking, just chop it up."

[Purchase failed. The host does not have enough system points (current points: 0)]

"Are you saying a noble mage is broke?" Charles felt challenged. "Even that tattered notebook can sell for ten thousand, do you think I'm short of money?"