Ingrid’s mouth fell open slightly before she closed it again. She had expected an unpleasant answer, but "unknown" somehow managed to be worse than anything she had imagined. She looked at the swamp with renewed suspicion, then back at the system as though Lorna had personally refused to do her job. Ingrid rubbed her forehead and tried to remain calm. "Fine, then can I walk across it?"
{ No, you can’t, it’s a swamp and you’re... well... obese. }
"Can I swim across it?" Ingrid asked, already sounding less hopeful. The swamp looked so disgusting that the thought of actually swimming through it made her stomach twist.
Even if she could swim, there was no guarantee that whatever lived beneath the surface would appreciate having an unexpected visitor. Ingrid waited for Lorna’s answer while keeping several careful steps away from the edge. She had survived zombies already, and she wasn’t interested in discovering what kind of swamp monsters came with the territory.
{ Probably not because like I said, host, it’s a swamp and your body composition is not so favourable right now. }
Ingrid stared at the interface in disbelief. "Probably?" she repeated, her voice rising slightly as she gestured toward the swamp. "So basically, I’m too fat to cross a swamp." She looked at the interface with an accusing expression before continuing, "That is what you meant, even if you used several complicated words to avoid saying it." Her shoulders sagged as she stared at the herbs in the distance. "There has to be another way."
{ I did not phrase it that way. }
"But that’s what you meant." Ingrid gave the system an exhausted look before opening the interface again and searching for anything that might help. She scrolled through the available options while standing safely away from the swamp, hoping there was some kind of skill that could get her across without requiring her to risk drowning in mud.
Then, while scrolling through the interface, Ingrid noticed an unfamiliar option tucked among the others. She stopped immediately and stared at it.
{ SYSTEM VAULT. }
"Well, a vault for skills or stuff right? Can’t hurt to try." Ingrid tapped the option, and an enormous collection of skills and items immediately appeared across the transparent interface.
There were hundreds of them, ranging from abilities that were cheap enough for her to consider to others with prices so ridiculous that Ingrid wondered what kind of person could possibly afford them.
She scrolled through several pages, growing increasingly fascinated by the sheer number of things available. Apparently, Lorna had been sitting in an entire vault filled with abilities while Ingrid had been struggling to survive with whatever scraps the system remembered to give her. She was about to demand another explanation when something else caught her attention.
"Wait." Ingrid leaned closer to the screen, her eyes widening as she spotted an unfamiliar section. She pointed directly at the option before reading it again, because she was certain she couldn’t possibly have seen it correctly.
"There are raffle draws?" Her voice carried a mixture of disbelief and excitement as she turned toward the interface. "Lorna, please tell me I’m not seeing things, because if this system has been hiding a lottery from me this entire time, we’re going to have a serious conversation."
{ Yes. }
Ingrid slowly turned her head toward the interface, her expression becoming increasingly incredulous. "Can you repeat that?" she asked, even though she had already heard the answer.
She stared at the screen for another few seconds, trying to understand how Lorna had managed to keep an entire randomized reward system hidden from her. Ingrid rubbed her face slowly and sighed just from frustration.
{ Raffle draws. Certain skills and items can be obtained through randomized system draws at a lower average cost than purchasing them directly from the vault. But like the name suggests, it’s random, I wouldn’t advise trying to go for it, you might end up with a very useless skill. That’s why I didn’t say anything. }
"When we get out of here, you’re explaining everything to me from the beginning." Her expression became serious as she added, "No more conveniently forgotten information."
{ Your wish is my command, host. }
She then returned her attention to the skills.
Ingrid began scrolling through the available abilities, dismissing one after another as she searched for something that could solve the swamp problem.
She was beginning to lose hope when one particular skill caught her attention. The description was simple enough that Ingrid immediately understood why it might work. She stared at the skill, then slowly turned toward the swamp.
{ SOLIDIFYING. }
{ DESCRIPTION: Allows the host to solidify non-living matter touched by the host for a limited duration. }
Ingrid’s eyes moved from the description to the swamp and then back to the skill. The possibilities immediately became obvious. If she could solidify the mud beneath her feet, then she wouldn’t have to worry about sinking, and she could simply cross the swamp to reach the herbs.
It sounded almost too convenient, which meant Ingrid immediately suspected there was going to be some horrible catch. She looked at the price before allowing herself to get too excited.
"How much?" Ingrid asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the screen. She held her breath as Lorna responded.
{ It’s 2,370 points. }
Ingrid immediately looked at her remaining system points. The number was exactly the same, leaving her with absolutely nothing afterward. For a moment, she hesitated.
Spending every point on a single skill seemed reckless, especially when she had no idea what dangers might come after the swamp. Then she looked at the glowing herbs sitting on the raised earth in the distance and remembered the countdown steadily ticking toward zero. There was no room for hesitation anymore. Ingrid straightened her shoulders and made her decision.
"Buy it." Ingrid’s voice was firm as she stared at the interface. "If Solidifying is the only thing standing between me and those herbs, then I’m spending every last point on it." She glanced toward the swamp and then back at the system. "There’s no point saving two thousand three hundred and seventy points if I die before I can use them." Her expression hardened as she added, "Confirm the purchase before I change my mind."