CHAPTER 35: 35: DELIGHTFUL TREAT

The moment they tapped their cards, credits were deducted.

A Soul Contract Helper card usually carried 10,000 credits, and its holder earned a normal wage of 1,000 credits per day.

Lolo’s card was full of credits, so he did not need to worry each day, unlike the attentive Lucas.

Nonetheless, a young teenager like him had never understood the concept of money, except as something to trade for benefits in the Base when dealing with people of careful intentions.

Lolo wondered how much currency credit would be written off from his balance.

His new friend, the little boy Carlos, kept mentioning how wonderful the food was in the food court.

Lolo had never heard of a place like this or knew what a food court was, and it was also his first time seeing a fully modern mall.

Back then, while flipping through magazines and books or wandering through the ruins left behind after the apocalypse, he could catch only fleeting glimpses of what remained of humanity’s malls.

There’s a bit of excitement in his chest, but the anticipation of witnessing his first deduction didn’t happen.

Now that he’s officially a Helper of the Stationmaster, there’s no withdrawal from his card.

Now that he’s officially a Helper of the Stationmaster, there’s no withdrawal from his card.

Feeling a bit down about not seeing it, his mood shifted the moment he entered the food court.

The scent of fragrant, spicy, and sweet foods filled the air, making his stomach growl with hunger and his mouth water.

It makes him feel a bit down and self-conscious when walking with others.

Lucas and his little brother Carlos had no time to look in the direction of the adults.

They sprinted into the Food Court, also known as the Food Hall, on the first floor.

Little Carlos shot forward like a cannonball the moment he passed through the platform gate, with his caring brother close behind.

Meanwhile, Aria followed behind with her hands clasped behind her back, humming softly as she smiled at the sight of the two adorable brothers.

She also caught Lolo’s silly reaction, which made her a bit happy.

At least the others were acting normal.

To keep the young teenage boy from feeling even more shy, she acted as if nothing were happening beside her.

Stepping into the food court once more felt like returning home to civilization.

The stalls had changed from what she remembered, now offering a wider variety of cuisines than when Aria had first visited.

While some stalls stayed the same, others had changed from the previous day.

Moving around like fish gliding through water, they explored every stall.

Lolo couldn’t help but feel incredibly amazed by the food he had never seen before, especially a tiramisu cake that filled him with wonder.

He had once seen it on the torn page of a magazine on a night when hunger kept his eyes wide open and the sound of his stomach echoed in his ears with every second.

Yet he held on to the wish that in his next life he would taste it.

How many times had he tried to imagine its flavor?

Was it soft as the spoon sank through the cake, like in the picture, or was it creamy and sweet, the way the old people described a cake to be?

Such thoughts remained only in the corners of his mind.

Lolo had never once thought that such a moment would come, when he was truly holding a piece of the cake from his dreams.

He even forgot to notice that he had already used the wonder of his card, and the ten thousand credits had fallen to nine thousand five hundred.

All the excitement of using the train card was poured into his dear cake.

On the way to the table they had chosen, his hands trembled slightly as he held the square plate, worried it might slip and fall.

Aria noticed the boy’s careful appearance and felt an urge to help him, but she held herself back.

It would be better to let the young boy experience it on his own.

There was no need for her interference in this matter.

Turning around, she focused on what to get instead, as her little stomach was now protesting at the sight of so many options of something she could eat.

At that moment, the familiar handsome face of the male lead appeared in her mind, as if to remind her.

"Don’t you dare forget me."

It felt as if an annoyed Caelan, silently staring at her, was the one conveying those very words.

A smile touched Aria’s lips at the thought, and she walked to one of the stalls to order butter garlic crab with shrimp, two cups of rice, and a large glass of ice-cold iced tea.

Certainly, she would not forget the male lead when it came to his meal.

The other was likely hungry too. Even with his superpower, he was still human, and Aria had never seen him eat much aside from scraps of expired biscuits.

After enjoying a satisfying meal with the younger ones, leaving everyone with full bellies, Aria asked Lolo to help pick up the portion for the male lead.

A set of rice was placed in containers, along with water bottles, canned drinks, and various dishes.

These included grilled meats, seafood, and desserts, all packed neatly and sealed for takeout.

Aria chose nearly the same dishes she had ordered, picking those she knew the male lead would enjoy, and added a few spicy and sweet options to give him more variety.

Since she had promised to provide him with supplies, she brought along some fruits that could last for days on the road, even if the male lead decided to take them back to their base.

Aria grabbed a few biscuits and small snacks from a stall selling them, since the mall didn’t have a grocery store yet. She could give no more to the male lead at this time, so these were the only items she could offer.

Somehow, she realized she had been naive to think of giving more, wishing she could.

What about souvenirs? What about other supplies?

All she had now were packed takeouts, small snacks, water bottles, and a few little biscuits.

"Fluff Ball? When will I be able to open the grocery store in this Train Mall?"

Maybe there was a chance today?" Aria thought hopefully.

She glanced at the drifting fluff hovering by her shoulder and heard the familiar words spoken in a cold, emotionless tone.

"Host, your current level is insufficient. Please complete the pending tasks first."

"..."

Fine, what else can she do? Aria can’t blame the Fluff Ball at all.

Aria stopped questioning the System as she and the younger ones left the food hall with their takeout and made their way to the nearby clothing store.

Small & Stylish Days.

What a cute and charming name for the children’s store, and Aria thought it was perfect for its dedication.

"Sister! Sister! Look, my ducky socks are here!"