Chapter 4

Having been exiled from the country, I left my home with a clear heart. Looking up at the sky, I saw a starry expanse, as if it were celebrating my liberation from the game scenario. The cityscape, which I could now feel in reality, made me incredibly happy, and I wanted to gaze at it for a while.

"But even if I want to leave the city right away, there won't be any carriages at this hour."

I was planning to leave the country using a carriage, but it would be impossible until tomorrow. I had brought money, so I could stay at an inn, but my attire would make me stand out, and if Princess Ignacia was looking for me, it would be easy for her to find me.

--- What should I do?

The city streets were starting to fill with drunkards staggering around, and it was becoming a bit awkward for a woman to walk alone. Although I could use game skills, my level was low and I had no equipment, so I probably wouldn't be able to defeat even a thug.

While I was walking, feeling a bit troubled, I noticed an armor shop sending off an adventurer. The sign was already being taken down, so it must have been closing.

"Sir, wait a moment!"

I ran to the armor shop and pleaded, "I want to buy something!" If I missed this chance, I wouldn't be able to shop until tomorrow.

The adventurer who had just left must have been a regular customer. I sighed in relief and entered the armor shop.

The armor shop sold equipment for adventurers, with a wide range of items such as leather armor, iron armor, and robes for different roles. There were also accessories like brooches and rings near the counter.

I walked around the shop with a cheerful step. I wanted to look at everything, but since they were closing, I couldn't stay long. I hurried to the corner where the robes were displayed.

--- Are there any of the same equipment as in the game?

What I was curious about was the difference between the current real world and the game world. The events at the ball earlier were undoubtedly from the otome game "Ria's Love."

"Ria's Love" is a spin-off otome game from the world's most popular VR open-world MMO "Ria's Life Online"---commonly known as "Ria."

The highlight of this game is that, while the system may have some differences, the world and setting are the same. In "Ria's Love," there were things that couldn't be done due to game system limitations, but in the real world of "Ria," anything could be possible.

For example, the job change system is one of those things. In "Ria's Love," jobs are fixed, but in "Ria," you can change jobs. Of course, the conditions for changing jobs vary by profession, but it's not too difficult.

Princess Ignacia's words came back to me.

"Wouldn't you at least wish for world peace as a 'Dark Mage'? In that case, I'll become a support role---an 'Archbishop.'"

It might seem like I was doing it to spite Princess Ignacia, but I had originally been a support role in "Ria." So, it wasn't really about spite; I just liked being a support role. However, I also had a strong desire to show off as a support role. I wanted to say with a smile, "I heard Princess Ignacia's job is still a knight, right?"

Moreover, to change jobs, I would have to go to a neighboring country, which is the "Erentz Sacred Nation," an enemy of the "Faurblum Kingdom." I was sure she would be frustrated by that.

"---Right, I need to choose a robe."

I interrupted my thoughts and picked up a robe. There were two types of equipment: familiar items from the game, like the "Leather Robe" and "Rabbit Flower Poncho," and some I didn't recognize. However, the performance of the equipment from the game was better.

"I hope they have the beginner's robe---there it is!"

Finding the robe I was looking for, I lit up with excitement. It was a poncho-style robe with a black base, two bells as decorations, and a cute cat ear hood with paw prints on the chest. Named the "Cat Robe," it increased agility, making it easier to dodge weak monster attacks and improving the speed of physical attacks.

--- But, it's a bit embarrassing to wear in the real world.

"Have you decided?"

The shop owner came over as I held the "Cat Robe." He looked at me curiously.

"---You're the first customer to choose this robe. What's your job?"

"My job is---a 'Healer'!"

I told him it was my planned job, and he opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"That's not the robe a 'Healer' would wear."

Some robes have bonuses for healing skills. The owner seemed to care and suggested a better option. He tried to pick another robe, but I stopped him and smiled.

"My level is still low, so I prefer agility over skill bonuses. I'll buy the 'Healer' equipment when I level up."

"Hmm... Indeed, the 'Cat Robe' increases agility and jumping ability, which could be useful for dodging monster attacks."

The owner seemed impressed by this approach. Initially, the "Cat Robe" was just a cute cosmetic item, but its usefulness became widely recognized when someone started using it for low-level character development.

--- It might be a bit too cute for a tough male character.

"Can I wear this now? And if you have any undergarments, I'd like to buy them too. I need to leave the city early tomorrow."

"I don't have many, but I have a few."

The owner pointed to a shelf in the back and said, "They're over there." There were a few undergarments with subdued colors, so I picked one. I chose a thin undergarment and a thick off-white dress that would fit well under the "Cat Robe."

After changing in the dressing room, my appearance became very cute, especially with the cat ears. --- It's a bit embarrassing to walk around the city with cat ears, but the performance is good, and I need to endure as an adventurer. Ugh, I'm blushing.

"Wow, it suits you."

"Thank you. Can I pay now?"

"It's 37,000 Riz in total."

"Here you go."

The "Cat Robe" cost 30,000 Riz, and the undergarments and dress together cost 7,000 Riz. --- The prices are the same as in the game. In the game, the "Cat Robe" could be bought from an NPC. While high-performance items dropped from monsters or crafted were much more expensive, items available in shops were relatively affordable.

After paying, I left the armor shop. Next, I would find an inn to stay for the night and leave the city on the first carriage in the morning. My destination is the "Erentz Sacred Nation," known as the base for support roles.