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#2
Feeling embarrassed by the lack of response lasted only a moment. Worried I’d spoken too softly, I shouted a little louder this time.
“Whoa…! It’s up!”
And then, just like in a game, a stat window really did appear.
[Player Stat Window]
Name: Zoe Blanche
Age: 17
Rank: F
Crash.
The sound of my hopes being shattered.
F-rank. In other words, a total lowly…
Of course… As expected, the kind of luck that leads to stories like ‘I got possessed, and I’m overpowered’ wasn’t in the cards for me.
As I was staring blankly at the pathetic stats, I suddenly rubbed my eyes and stared intently at the stat window again.
“…Wait, why is it like this?”
Stamina: 55
Strength: 100
Agility: 30
Magic Power: 10
Luck: 10
“Strength stat is 100…? Why is only this one so high?”
A Strength stat higher than HP—I’d never heard of such a thing.
It’s supposedly a healing game, but does it really require such a strong body…?
I pondered for a moment but soon returned to my optimistic attitude.
Some entity might appear, just like the small warning said… So, being strong is good, right?
Spinning my happiness circuit, I shook my head.
Next, it was time to learn about that strange skill called ‘Cleaning Master’ or whatever it was.
“Just what function does this skill have…?”
Then, a mechanical system voice was heard.
[<System> ‘Swipe-Swipe, Sparkling Clean Master’
This skill increases cleaning speed and allows immediate detection of filth in the surrounding environment.]
Are you listening to me, operator?
For a moment, I stared into the empty air, shooting suspicious glances like lasers.
“But is that all? What the heck, I was expecting more.”
I didn’t hide my obvious disappointment at this shoddy skill description.
Then, the system hurriedly added.
[Additionally, as the cleaning skill level rises, the duration of maintained cleanliness becomes longer. You can be liberated from the pain of repeated cleaning!]
I knew you were listening!
Hmm… But if I level up this skill, I won’t have to clean as often to keep things clean for a long time?
This is pretty good! If the title and skill effects combine, I’ll really be freed from the pain of cleaning!
The fatigue from the arduous cleaning melted away briefly, and I soon became puffed up with pride.
Cleaning? For someone whose daily routine was cleaning dirtier animal pens, this was a piece of cake. Plus, I have a strong body to boot. As I was happily smiling while looking at the small muscles popping out on my slender arms—that’s when it happened.
Gulp-
Thunder rumbled noisily from my stomach.
That navel alarm reminded me that I hadn’t eaten a single meal yet, that I was in a state of complete fasting.
As soon as I realized it, an enormous hunger surged over me, and I hunched my body over.
“……I’m hungry.”
It felt as if the life muscles I’d just pumped up from cleaning were shriveling back up.
No, I can’t say goodbye to my muscles so soon after meeting them!
Holding my hungry stomach, I got up from my spot and began wandering around looking for something to eat.
Then, I discovered a small storeroom connected to the kitchen. Judging by the house’s layout, it must be the pantry.
Hoping my guess was correct, I gently pushed the door open, and with a creaking sound, the wooden door swung open.
I cautiously looked around the dim storeroom.
Inside, large oak barrels were lined up in a row, and on the antique wooden cabinet, various glass jars and porcelain containers holding assorted seasonings were neatly arranged.
However, the most important thing—ingredients—weren’t in sight.
“Wait a minute, where are the ingredients…? Are there no ingredients?”
Not seeing any proper ingredients, I widened my eyes and rummaged through the storeroom. Then, in a corner, under a cast-iron pot hanging neatly against the wall, I discovered a sizable pumpkin.
“I… I found it!”
I dedicate this glory to my hard work!
As elated as if I’d found a wild ginseng, I quickly picked up the pumpkin.
“Yes! I can make pumpkin porridge with this… What, what is this?!”
“Kyuuuug…”
While pondering what dish to make, I discovered a small, fluffy black something curled up tightly in the spot where the pumpkin had been.
Wait, this is…
“…It’s a puppy.”
The puppy seemed quite startled by my appearance, trembling like an aspen tree while leaning back.
It looked a bit pitiful, but the view of the chubby puppy’s plump rear end as it lifted its head struck my heart.
Could the rustling sound from earlier have been because of this little one?
“Let, let me just touch that cute butt… Gulp, ah, no, I must resist.”
I suppressed the urge to immediately hug, kiss, and squeeze the puppy.
Then, bending my knees, I crouched down to match its eye level and spoke in the gentlest voice I could muster.
“It’s okay, I won’t hurt you.”
I waited patiently until the puppy calmed down.
Perhaps moved by my sincerity, the puppy slowly turned its little body around to reveal its face.
“Kkiing…”
The puppy, rolling its eyes restlessly as if uneasy, had uniquely shining crimson-red eyes.
‘Black fur with red eyes… is it a foreign breed?’
Animal Park mostly featured relatively ordinary animals, but it seemed this patch added more fantastical creatures.
But that’s not important right now. Because, this puppy is…
“So cute!”
In the face of this insane cuteness, none of that matters.
Unable to control my widening grin, I carefully picked up the puppy and vigorously stroked its fluffy black fur. With each stroke, the soft feel of the fur made it feel like all of today’s exhaustion was being swept away!
Ugh, I can’t help it. I’m going to pet it like crazy!
“Gyarreung…”
As I focused on petting only the spots the puppy liked, it soon flopped over and started purring. Seeing its body melt relaxed was a clear signal it was feeling good.
“Oh my gosh, what are you? Where did you come from?”
“How are you so cute? Huh?”
“Oh my, what’s your name? Wow! You’re too cute!”
I poured out a rapid-fire stream of doting words and then examined the puppy.
Could it have gotten lost and hidden in this cabin?
Or, perhaps… was it abandoned by its owner?
If that’s the case, I wish them a long and prosperous life for generations to come.
I rolled my eyes and hurled a bloody curse.
“Kyuuuu…”
As the puppy flinched at my fierce expression, I quickly rearranged my face into a bright smile.
“Oh, it’s okay, pretty baby.”
Anyway, I should take care of it for now. What is this, the little one looks skin and bones.
One glance was enough to see the puppy’s developmental state was pitiful.
…Wait, this is a game world anyway, right?
So, wouldn’t it be okay if I just raised it? Just as I thought that, a system window appeared as if by magic.
[<System> Quest Generated! Register the first animal in the Animal Encyclopedia.]
– Reward: Lucky Gacha Ticket
– Upon Failure: You will no longer be able to discover cute animal friends.
What…?
I despaired looking at the failure penalty.
An Animal Park without animals? System, are you kidding me right now?
The game ‘Animal Park’ that I entered allows you to interact with animals discovered in the game, tame them, and then register them in your personal Animal Encyclopedia to claim ownership and raise them.
That’s the foundation of the game, so it seems it remained the same even after the renewal.
Seriously. Fine, I’ll tame it myself.
I began burning with passionate determination while looking at the puppy.
The me who was grumbling about being stuck inside a game was already gone.
Well, isn’t there a saying?
If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it!
I’m going to increase my bunny-like children—I mean, my cuties—one by one and enjoy a happy ★Animal Life★!
“Kyuuung…”
Then, the puppy let out a pained sound and stared intently at a certain spot.
At the end of its gaze was the pumpkin that had fallen and was rolling on the floor after I hurriedly picked up the puppy.
“Oh dear, look at me. I was hungry, right?”
Only then did I gently put down the puppy I had been mindlessly kissing and squeezing, and picked up my precious pumpkin.
Then, the puppy’s gaze followed the pumpkin.
Hmm, is it perhaps hungry?
“Puppy, are you hungry? Do you want this?”
“yes!”
This was clearly an affirmative sign to anyone watching.
Right, there’s nothing more direct than food for taming an animal.
“Alright, then let’s go outside!”
