Ch 4 - Sudden Love For Antiques

"It’s a Panaja Snake, a highly toxic amphibious snake! We need to get the poison out right away!" Spectra immediately recognized the snake and its danger. He hadn't just been living blindly in this new world; he had already learned most of its common knowledge. Plus, growing up in the countryside, the young Spectra had encountered this type of snake before.

After he finished speaking, he kicked a cobblestone. Bang! The stone landed near the snake, causing it to slither away into the stream out of fear.

"How do I detoxify the venom!?" sobbed Brucy's cousin Enna, the only girl who hadn't been bitten.

"Rinse it with water, find some poplar leaves, then chew them to bits and apply them to the bites!" Spectra instructed.

Despite the chaos, Spectra remained calm, contrasting with the overwhelmed students. He directed the boys to find poplar leaves and asked the girls to help clean the bite wounds and squeeze out the snake’s venom. They worked quickly, and though the bitten girls were distressed, they held it together.

Smoke stood up, tidied herself, and observed the composed Spectra with surprise.

"I’ll remember how you helped my friend today," she said calmly, assisting her friend.

"It’s no big deal," Spectra shrugged, unaffected by his age difference. "But if you want to show your appreciation, I love antique jewelry. If you have any, I’d be glad to borrow and admire them."

His eyes fell on Smoke’s neck, where a dark blue leather cord hung.

Just as he approached, his Potential Bar appeared, increasing from 89% to 92%. He was sure Smoke had a Jewel of Potential, possibly of better quality than the black pearls.

"Jewelry?" Smoke frowned.

Brucy stepped in, explaining, "Spectra likes ancient jewelry. He only came because I promised to show him the jewelry my family passed down. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come."

"Do you want to be a jewelry appraiser?" Smoke asked, then reached behind her neck and unclasped the leather cord.

Everyone finally saw the pendant attached to the cord: a diamond-shaped blue crystal with a tiny silver Ring inside.

"I bargained for this antique a while ago. Is this what you’re interested in?" Smoke handed the crystal to Spectra.

Examining it, Spectra found it pretty but seemingly not very valuable.

"It’s very pretty…"

When he touched the crystal, he felt a surge of heat, and his Potential Bar skyrocketed from 92% to 181%. Something within the crystal seemed to vanish, though there was no physical change.

"This is a nice crystal. Can you tell me its backstory?" Spectra asked.

Smoke, surprised, asked if he knew about it.

"Know what? Does it have a story?" A red-haired girl, finished with tending wounds, joined the conversation.

"It’s called the Ring of Tragedy. Legend says wearing it brings misfortune and unnatural death, but I don’t believe in superstitions. Still, I love these kinds of things, so I bought them. I’ve been wearing it since, but there are many forgeries, so I’m not sure if it’s real," Smoke explained.

Spectra nodded, recalling the superstitions surrounding his previous acquisitions. It seemed jewelry with supernatural backgrounds held Potential.

"You’re brave. What if the rumors are true?"

"All the previous owners died unnaturally, so is it real or fake?" Two revived girls crowded Smoke, curious about the crystal.

Consuming the potential, Spectra pretended to wash up in the stream alone.

"I’ve already seen the effects of absorbing potential. I wonder what element I’ll get today?" he thought, observing his attribute bars.

"Physical attributes are my weak point, but they can be improved. Intelligence, though… I’m not sure how it’ll affect me."

Focusing on strength, agility, and intelligence, he split the points, feeling a strange sensation.

After a moment, he felt stronger and sharper mentally.

Reviewing his attributes, he noticed improvements and pondered the usefulness of intelligence.

Later, at home, Spectra read through textbooks, realizing the conditions to establish subjects. New symbols appeared in his peripheral vision, indicating his mastery level.

Analyzing his situation, he contemplated how to excel academically, feeling a tinge of regret for not absorbing more potential earlier.

Spectra stopped overthinking and began organizing his thoughts. He undressed and extinguished the oil lamp before lying down in bed, covering himself with a blanket. In the darkness, he relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

Dong… Dong… The morning bell rang repeatedly.

Sunlight flooded the room, and Spectra woke up slowly, feeling a bit groggy. He breathed deeply and glanced out the window before getting out of bed.

The peeling paint revealed pale-yellow lumber underneath, and a crooked silver-framed painting hung on the wall. The half-open window let in a chilling breeze, making the floorboards creak.

Ka-ta Ka-ta... Spectra heard Mira's footsteps in the living room. He rubbed his temples to clear his head and tugged at his oversized pajamas.

"Why am I still wearing Mom’s pajamas?" Spectra muttered, closing the window.

Below, people in thick coats walked along the street, and Spectra noticed vintage cars parked in the empty lot.

"These cars look nice, but they need frequent cooling," Spectra remarked, shaking his head. He caught a whiff of fried eggs and warm milk before leaving the room.

In the kitchen, Mira, wearing a black apron, cooked fried eggs. Spectra observed her white lace skirt and purple shawl as she focused on the frying pan.

"Just woke up? Go brush your teeth. Breakfast will be ready soon. I bought fresh bread and milk," Mira said, noticing Spectra.

"They're not coming back?" Spectra asked, washing his face.

"They're on a business trip to Figaro City. Won't be back until next week," Mira replied, setting the table.

After rinsing his mouth, Spectra joined Mira for breakfast. They ate at a redwood table, each plate adorned with a triangle-shaped piece of bread.

"It’s Saturday. Got plans?" Mira inquired.

"I want to visit the new antique store on Autumn Street," Spectra replied between bites.

"It’s far. Can you come to the fruit market with me instead?" Mira suggested, eyeing him expectantly.

"I have to go to the antique store. It's important," Spectra insisted.

"Fine…" Mira sighed, focusing on her meal.

"Don’t catch a cold. Wear warm clothes," Spectra reminded before leaving.

Mira watched him go, then listlessly played with her food.

Spectra changed into warmer clothes and left the apartment, encountering Boris, his taciturn neighbor. Ignoring Boris's silence, Spectra ventured into the chilly streets.

He passed Garden Street and entered a posh neighborhood with ornate buildings and sculptures. Spotting his uncle's residence, he considered visiting him later.

Reaching Autumn Street, Spectra entered Puffer Antiques. Inside, he found tables covered in red fabric, strange items on display, and an elderly man examining objects with a magnifier.

"What do you need?" the old man asked.

"Just browsing," Spectra replied, trying to appear nonchalant.