Chapter 22
"It's not that I mind you making such an impulsive decision. I'm even proud of you for caring so much about a girl that you put yourself out there to help her. But you probably know, don't you, that a lot of responsibilities are coming your way."
"..."
"The expenses of living as a couple, and if you have children, it will be twice as hard. Being targeted by the three major families because you've overstepped your bounds. And the daughter-in-law wants to find her sister too. I don't know what they'll do or how, but be aware that this world isn't easy. One day, you might have to deal with those empires or something. There's no way everything you do will go smoothly."
I swallowed, trying to adjust my sitting posture because my heart was beating too fast, making me feel uncomfortable. All those things my mother was aware of, they've been popping up in my mind all day too.
I cleared my feelings by telling myself that I have the power to develop relationships to get the protagonist's ultimate moves. I have knowledge and understanding of the game G.O.A.T TRICKS. My stats and level can be improved with effort.
Even though I'm still a beginner at football, and I still don't know how to use NEX.
But I still have those things with me, and I'm in a game world like this.
Is there anyone who plays a game and just stays put, walking around talking to villagers, not going out to fight, not progressing the story?
Is there anyone who plays a game and doesn't accept any quests because they're afraid it will be troublesome?
Maybe.
But I'm not going to be that kind of person.
Don't I have to keep developing myself? I'll do any quest or event without caring about anything else.
That's how a game becomes fun! Playing a game should be like that!!
That's how I play games.
Even if it has become a way of life now.
Even if getting into trouble with the three major families and having a relationship with Asuka, the sub-boss of Chapter 3, is a bit much for me.
It's too difficult a quest for me.
Too difficult for a character who is the story's punching bag.
It's scary, and worrying, but deep down, I also feel excited. And for that excitement, I've decided that
"I'll accept anything," I replied. "I'm not making a joke about Pleng P'Sek loso. I'm serious about this."
"Is that so?" My mother's voice sounded relieved again. "Mother knows well how much you've tried to improve your skills to help our family. But since you've decided to do that, you must prepare yourself to try even harder and face more difficulties."
"Even so, I won't give up."
"Then let's start trying and facing difficulties."
My mother picked up her phone and showed me the screen. It seemed to be a banking app. There was a message that said deposit-withdraw-transfer, and the amount of money in the account shocked me.
"Ten thousand Daily! Where did you get this, Mom?"
Earning money in G.O.A.T TRICKS Chapter 1 is not easy. You have to compete, you have to do side missions. And the most you can get per time is only five hundred coins.
So ten thousand Daily is considered a lot for the early to mid-game.
"It's the ransom for the slaves of the descendants of the three major families. It's a very good price for slaves who can't do anything and can't do manual labor."
"Ransom for slaves?" I frowned. "Did you let them go without consulting me, Mom?"
"Why would I keep them as a gun pointed at my own head? You're still young, so you might not know. On the surface, the three major families might seem respectable, but in Anti Meta City, they can do whatever they want, including ordering the elimination of children who might become thorns in their side, like you, when they grow up."
"Is that so..."
I swallowed. Although I wasn't entirely happy, I accepted it easily because I trusted my mother's decision.
"Even if it's a large amount, it won't be enough for the future you'll face. And more importantly, money doesn't solve everything. Strength and power are what truly matter."
My mother's voice grew more serious.
"You've always struggled and tried to improve yourself. But now, you can't be satisfied with just that. The training from now on must be seriously dedicated to becoming even better, faster. And most importantly, your comrades. Football is played by eleven people. Being good alone is not enough. I want you to find trustworthy comrades who will train with you."
"So... what do I have to do?" I asked.
My mother smiled and told me,
"I'll give you all ten thousand Daily. Use it to buy good equipment and find skilled teammates to join you."
"Understood, Mom," I smiled.
That's right. Ten thousand Daily is enough to pay the wages of level 70-80 characters. While the levels of the three major families are at most 40-50.
This will be easy!
"And go on a honeymoon with Asuka!!""My mom gave a thumbs-up like.
"Huh?"