CHAPTER 102: THE IDLE ROOM

The next day, Noah woke up with anticipation that made coffee unnecessary.

Multiple objectives competed for his attention; he had to sell his stock, explore the new floor in the shop, and the looming auction that would raise his income to new heights.

I’ve got a busy day ahead. Better start early.

Upon arriving at his shop, Noah grabbed a golden loaf from his inventory. The familiar warmth spread through his body as he bit into the healing bread, providing both sustenance and enhancement.

Breakfast of champions. Literally.

Noah was no longer the cheapskate who didn’t dare to eat the loaf that cost $1000.

With his morning meal in hand, Noah climbed the new staircase to explore the mysterious second floor that had emerged during his upgrade. The space opened into something resembling a well-appointed apartment rather than simple employee quarters.

This is like a small house.

The main area featured comfortable furniture arranged with obvious thought—plush sofas, cushioned chairs, and a dining table that could accommodate multiple people.

A bed occupied one corner, while a separate door led to what appeared to be a private bathroom.

Better accommodations than my old apartment. Maybe I should move in here.

But another door in the far corner caught his attention. Unlike the bathroom entrance, this one seemed somehow mysterious.

What’s behind this door?

Noah approached with curiosity mixed with caution. The handle turned smoothly, revealing a space that defied his expectations entirely.

Click.

[Idle Room]

The notification appeared as question marks filled Noah’s consciousness. The room beyond looked... ordinary. Empty walls, simple flooring, nothing that suggested special purpose or function.

Idle Room? That tells me exactly nothing.

He stepped across the threshold, and another system prompt flashed across his retina.

[Welcome to the Idle Room.]

[Here, you will be able to train any skill you want whilst being idle. Your avatar will train the skill you want to improve, whilst you can enjoy your time doing what you like.]

An avatar that trains skills while I’m doing other things? This is incredible!

Noah’s excitement spiked as implications flooded his consciousness. Passive skill development while managing his shop, sleeping, or travelling between dimensions. The efficiency gains would be astronomical.

[Would you like to unlock your avatar?] [Yes | No]

Obviously yes. Why would anyone say no to automated skill training?

Noah slammed the "Yes" button with enthusiasm, already planning which skills to prioritise for passive development.

[Avatar unlock requires payment of $1,000,000. Proceed with transaction?] [Yes | No]

ONE MILLION DOLLARS?!

Noah’s jaw dropped so far it practically hit the floor. His excitement evaporated like water in a desert, replaced by the bitter taste of system manipulation.

They made it sound free! ’Would you like to unlock your avatar?’ Not ’Would you like to pay a fortune to unlock your avatar?’

His current assets couldn’t even cover twenty percent of the required payment. The Idle Room, which had seemed like a generous upgrade bonus, was actually a premium feature locked behind a paywall that made his protein bar prices look reasonable.

This is robbery. Digital highway robbery. Although it’s worth it, I can’t lie.

Noah’s frustration built like pressure in a boiling kettle.

The system had dangled amazing functionality in front of him, then demanded payment that exceeded his current wealth by five times.

Played. I got completely played.

He stormed out of the Idle Room, biting into his healing bread with aggressive intensity while muttering curses that would have made demons blush.

"Stupid system. Stupid million-dollar avatar. Stupid false advertising. Make it sound free then charge a fortune."

This is worse than clickbait. This is feature-bait.

[Host... I can hear you.]

The system’s voice carried amusement that made Noah’s frustration spike even higher.

Of course, you can hear me. Because apparently nothing is private in this shop.

Noah stopped his verbal assault immediately, suddenly aware that insulting his primary source of supernatural power might not be strategically wise.

Right. Probably shouldn’t antagonise the entity that controls my entire livelihood.

He finished his healing bread in sullen silence, then descended to the main floor.

One million dollars. I need to make one million dollars for an avatar.

Noah flipped his shop sign to "Open" with perhaps more force than necessary, the wooden panel swinging with violence that reflected his emotional state.

I guess I will have to wait until I have enough money. Although it would’ve been nice if I was able to start the avatar training immediately.

The morning light streaming through his upgraded windows illuminated the elegant display cases and spacious interior, but Noah’s mood remained as dark as the Idle Room’s locked potential.

The familiar sound of footsteps approached his entrance, accompanied by an aura that made the air itself dance with mischievous energy. It was Lola wearing a smirk that suggested she’d accomplished something particularly satisfying.

"Good morning, my favourite Shopkeep." Her ruby eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Good morning, Lola," Noah replied back with a soft smile.

"I spread word about your auction across the entire kingdom," she announced with pride.

"Every noble, wealthy merchant, and power-hungry demon now knows about your new powerful product."

Noah’s frustration with the system’s prank evaporated instantly, replaced by appreciation for her promotional efforts. Word-of-mouth marketing from a Master-level succubus would reach audiences he couldn’t access independently.

"Thank you. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.

"I’m almost shaking with excitement," Lola continued, settling into her usual position near the counter.

"Half the demon nobility is cancelling evening plans to attend."

"Really? They want it that much?

"Of course! I made sure to make it seem as if it’s a one-time event. When the supply is low, the demand increases. This will help us increase the price in the auction, just like we planned." She winked at him with a grin on her face.

"Speaking of supply," she said with playfulness.

"I believe my purchasing limit has increased to two items per person? You wouldn’t happen to return back to the usual overnight...right?"

"Absolutely. Two of each product if you want."

"Perfect." Golden coins appeared in her palm.